A baby fox hissing and acting big in the safety of a tree trunk while my two dogs barked at it.

PHOTOS: Midsummer creatures on the farm

The growing season takes place and things happen along the way — moments, characters, oddities. Every year, our dogs play a leading role on the farm. They are excited to be among the busyness on the yard. They enjoy following the tractor when we’re close to home. And, in the middle of summer, when all […] Read more

Lygus bugs tend to prefer warmer temperatures and can be significantly affected by fungal pathogens under high relative humidity.

Weather affects pest and predator populations

Insect management, temperature and rainfall

All insects can be influenced by weather conditions during the growing season. When pests and their predators respond to weather changes in a similar way, natural enemies can be effective at controlling pest populations. Unfortunately for farmers, that’s not always the case. Meghan Vankosky, a research scientist in field crop entomology at Agriculture and Agri-Food […] Read more


One million dollars at six per cent interest amortized over 20 years means annual payments of $87,184. At seven per cent interest, the annual payments are $94,392, which is an increase of $7,208 per year. Are you sure your cash flow can handle those extra payments?

Look before you leap… into new purchases for the farm

Careful planning is necessary with today’s high interest rates

If you are considering a sizable new purchase, hopefully the title has piqued your interest and you will read on. My purpose with this article is to encourage you to carefully consider several important points before you make any significant new purchases. With the present high interest rates, which may rise even more, careful planning […] Read more

“It’s no different than hauling out the equipment prior to seeding or harvest — making sure that everything (within) your ability looks good and that there’s not a belt about to break or oils that haven’t been changed.” – Megz Reynolds.

Clear, actionable steps to support mental health

Start today to build your mental health resiliency

Mental health is starting to get the attention it needs in agriculture, but the statistics continue to be worrying. According to a 2018 study by the University of Guelph, 35 per cent of farmers meet the classification for depression, 58 per cent meet the classification for anxiety and 68 per cent are more susceptible to […] Read more


Marla Riekman says building a soil’s resilience will help it meet challenges during the growing season and improve overall crop growth.

Strategies to increase your field’s potential

A panel discusses the importance of soil structure, tile drainage benefits and using precision ag and conservation to increase farm profitability

Farming has existed in one shape or form for more than 10,000 years. While farming methods have evolved considerably over that time, one thing that has remained the same is a desire among producers to get the most possible out of their land. Improving every acre was the focus of a panel discussion at Canola […] Read more

This is a good example of a uniform canola plant stand. The even germination across the field indicates the crop was seeded properly and is making efficient use of fertility. With this uniform stand, producers will get effective use and good coverage of fungicide and insecticide applications. The uniform stand also ensures even maturity at harvest.

Tips to achieve a uniform canola crop

Slow down and pay attention to details to get the most out of crop inputs

There are all kinds of factors that will affect the success of any seeded crop. Some factors can be controlled, others can’t. Getting proper stand establishment certainly tops the list of key production practices for all crops, especially for optimizing canola yields, says an agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada (CCC). Having the proper […] Read more


Four years of plot and field research by Farming Smarter to study the use of a precision planter, such as this Monosem planter to seed grains, oilseeds and pulse crops, show overall the planters produce an even crop stand and good yields particularly on 12-inch row spacing.

In search of a uniform crop stand

Seeding research and technology are working to help farmers increase yields with potential to reduce input costs

If uniformity of stand establishment is a key element to optimizing crop yield, is one seeding system better than another? Should you run out and buy something new? According to Jason Casselman, an agronomy specialist with the Canola Council of Canada, farmers can make gains in the uniformity of their canola stands just by paying […] Read more

A prairie grass fire came perilously close to Leeann Minogue’s farmyard in southeast Saskatchewan last fall.


How to contain grass fires

Tips to help keep your farm from going up in smoke

By October 12 of last year, at the end of a hot, dry harvest in southeast Saskatchewan, we thought we’d made it through the season without a fire. We started to relax. Even put a few things away. Of course, that’s when the fire broke out. That day, a spark that had been smouldering under […] Read more


Wind erosion can have devastating consequences on soil health, as seen in this photo.

How to build healthier soil

Farmers discuss what works for them at Alberta Pulse Growers seminar

Ask a dozen people for a definition of soil health and odds are you will get 12 different answers in response. John Kolk is managing partner of Kolk Farms Conrich, located near Picture Butte, Alta., and is chair of the Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute. He was also one of the speakers on a soil health […] Read more

Tune in to your mental health

Tune in to your mental health

Wellness expert says now is the time to take a hard look at the state of your mental health

The awareness of stress and the importance of dealing with it effectively has never been higher in Canadian agriculture, with lots of dedicated resources now available to farmers. Many ag conferences are also now addressing the important issue of how to foster mental health among Canada’s farmers. An example of that is the “Optimizing Wellness […] Read more