Leave baby wildlife in the wild

When it comes to newborn wildlife mother knows best, so people should never touch or move that newborn deer, elk or moose when encountered. People who find these newborns alone often mistakenly believe they have been abandoned, but usually they have only been left there temporarily by their mother, who will return. Intervening in these situations by “rescuing” the […] Read more

Shed some stuff and share the story

As I write this, we are in the final stages of seeding the crop. As you read this, I hope you are camping with family, or relaxing after a full day of haying or spraying. The busy season on the farm gets interrupted when someone is critically ill or dies suddenly. I am not trying […] Read more


Ted shares more emails

Welcome everybody! The presses have rolled again and I’m still catching up with more focus on emails. You’re now reading the Singing Gardener page in the July/August Grainews issue. It’s hard to believe, but we’ve reached the point of mid-summer. Where have the weeks and months gone? Reminds me of a sign I once saw along the T-Can. […] Read more

Add some peppers to the BBQ

As my family and I served ourselves grilled red and green peppers, summer squash, rice and chicken, I thought about our busy summer schedule, and the need for quick meal preparation. Our grilled dinner was a family effort, and it took less than 30 minutes from start to finish. My son and I cut the […] Read more


Beekeeping 101

I am excited about beekeeping. This surprises those who knew me as a kid — terrified of bees, screaming and flapping my arms at the sight or sound of a bee approaching. I’ve learned that there are things to run screaming from — angry bulls, spiders and “scrapbooking,” but not bees. Canada produces over 31,000 […] Read more

More on earthworms and pest control

Today’s agenda includes more about earthworm control and a request for homemade brew to hang in apple trees. Perhaps I can cap things at the end with some touches of humour. A British specialist in liver disorders says: People who are “liverish” would benefit to an extraordinary degree if they cultivated a really good, hearty […] Read more


Free for the picking

With the growing interest in eating local foods our attention has turned to wild produce. A cooking show on television was what actually caught my attention. Imagine a chef tromping through the bush in search of blueberries for his compote. That was exactly what this particular chef does and I was fascinated at the items […] Read more

Country musician retains ranch roots

The family ranch has shaped Blake Berglund’s life, as well as the lyrics in his songs. The Kennedy, Sask. native won the Rising Star Award at the 2011 Saskatchewan Country Music Awards proving that there is an audience for down-to-earth ballads and rural-based lyrics. Blake’s country/alternative sound and ranching songs, like “Where have all my […] Read more


A good choice for busy families

Busy parents are all too familiar with that hectic stretch between the end of the workday and suppertime when hunger and exhaustion can cause tempers to flare. But Patty Morrison, co-owner of JDFT Inc., a gym in Red Deer, Alta., and mother to three young boys, has found a better way. “There are a number […] Read more

Saskatchewan farm a family affair

At the Real farm, it’s a family affair. Twenty-year-old Jamie and 18-year-old Sheldon can be found preparing equipment for a slashing job in the oilpatch. Sixteen-year-old Cody is the technical guy, fine tuning the GPS system and tractor settings. Tyler, 14, sprays down some of the farm equipment, while 12-year-old Tanner observes in preparation for […] Read more