the parents’ off-farm investments

intact, he notes. The mortgage would be paid off, if the rate of interest holds at 2.75 per cent, in 16 years. This is a benchmark, of course, and not a prediction, Forbes cautions. THE BOTTOM LINE “The only question we have to resolve is what is fair to the non-farming children,” Forbes says. “I […] Read more

The Slow Route To Retirement

Retirement income CPP PAYMENTS TO TERRENCE: CPP PAYMENTS TO WENDY: OAS FOR TERRENCE AT AGE 65: OAS FOR WENDY AT AGE 65: RSP INCOME FOR WENDY: CASH FROM TERM DEPOSITS: FARM CORPORATE DIVIDENDS: TOTAL : $300 PER MONTH $200 $517 $517 $76 $500 $1,500 $3,610 PER MONTH Terrence and Wendy have many sources of income […] Read more


Add Winter Cereals To Fall Plans

Despite what appears to be a crappy growing season in many parts of Western Canada this year, don’t rule out the possibility of planting a winter cereal crop this fall. And in fact, planting winter wheat, fall rye or winter triticale this September may be the silver lining around an otherwise dismal cropping cloud. Certain […] Read more

Best Stubbles For Winter Wheat

CANOLA RULES Henry Raupers grows two crops: winter wheat and canola. “Winter wheat has many advantages over spring wheat,” he says. “It has a wider market window, with milling, feed and ethanol options, and wider windows for seeding and harvest.” The farmer from Newdale, Man., tested winter wheat in various stubbles, including peas, barley and […] Read more


Cash Incentives For Winter Wheat Growers

Western Canadian farmers interested in seeding winter wheat this fall should look into grower incentive programs that could help reduce input costs by $4 to $8 per acre. Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) offers a $4 per acre incentive to growers living in areas designated as prime for duck nesting habitat. Viterra is offering product incentives […] Read more

Hit The Winter Wheat Window

(Dr. Brian Fowler 2002) OPTIMAL DATE FOR WINTER WHEAT SEEDING LOCATION DATE 1. Lethbridge, Alta. 2. Maple Creek/Estevan, Sask. 3. Kindersley/Swift Current, Sask. 4. North Battleford/Saskatoon/ Wynyard/Yorkton, Sask. September 9 September 6 September 3 August 30 Seed at the right time. Have good stubble cover. Those are two key elements to winter wheat success. Long-time […] Read more


Peas, The Next Winter Crop

The summer of 2009 may not provide the best showcase for the potential of winter pulse crops, but Alberta Agriculture specialist Mark Olson thinks these fall-seeded varieties — especially winter peas — have potential in Western Canadian crop rotations. All winter pulse trials with peas, lentils and faba beans appeared to survive the winter of […] Read more

Tall Stubble Is Better For Seedlings

—CORY BEAUJOT “The old rule of thumb of equal stubble height and row spacing just doesn’t hold true.” Old habits die hard, it’s true. Take western agriculture for example. In many ways, farmers in the Prairies still farm as if they’re in Europe or Ontario — tight row spaces and short to non-existent stubble. That […] Read more


4 Ways To Keep Weeds From Trees

If you are beyond the point of installing rolls of plastic mulch, another option is to purchase “Brush Blankets.” The one-metre-square pieces of plastic can be fitted and anchored around individual trees to provide a weed-free zone. Trees grow slow enough on the Prairies. Without a weed-free environment in the first three years, establishing a […] Read more

Nurture Those Maple Suckers

Prairie folk recognize the value of trees, any trees. Established homestead sites are valued as much for their large stands of shelter-belt trees as for just about any other outdoor amenity. Before we purchased our present home site, some passing fellows had victimized the previous owner, offering to prune his lovely stand of mature maple […] Read more