Joint ventures help Saskatchewan farmers grow the business

Chad and Darlene Krikau have built business partnerships to build their Saskatchewan 
grain and oilseed farm

Establishing business partnerships with other farmers has been an important element for Chad and Darlene Krikau over the past seven years as they have built their central Saskatchewan grain and oilseed farm. While it is nice to own everything yourself, the reality is that farm economics don’t always support the notion of owning every acre […] Read more

Manitoba nominees focus on enterprise economics

For Tyler and Dorelle Fulton, knowing what parts of their business make a profit is the key to success

Tyler and Dorelle Fulton say it’s a sharp pencil that help keeps their southwest Manitoba cow-calf beef operation in the profit picture. They’ve separated the farm business — managed in a joint venture with Tyler’s parents — into four different enterprises. They monitor the profit potential of each enterprise throughout the year and adjust management […] Read more


Ontario farm operates around a country store

It may not be quite as simple as “build it and they will come,” but Dana and Adam Thatcher, Ontario’s Outstanding Farmers, have found if you produce high-quality and healthy meat products customers will find you. The Thatchers, who converted their one-time Western Ontario hog operation into a diversified livestock enterprise complimented with an on-farm […] Read more

Dairy farmers focus on making the most of what they have

James and Amanda Kinsman might have more land or more dairy quota on their Christmas wish list, but since no one appears to be making any more of either in Nova Scotia they’re just doing their best to be as efficient and profitable with what is available. The Berwick, Nova Scotia dairy farmers would really […] Read more


Quebec dairy producers focus on quality cattle

Management fine-tuning and expanding the dairy herd are ahead for Luc Gervais and his wife Kim Brunelle on their long-time family dairy farm in south-central Quebec. Renovations to the dairy barn a few years ago was an important step in the growth of Ferme Germec Inc. located at Herouxville, a small farming community about 140 km […] Read more

Healthy, natural, organic trend spreads

In some respects the term “consumer demand” always seems a bit elusive because I am never sure when consumers organize to say we want this or that, but retailer and processor demands are pretty real. It was interesting to read recently that A & W, the second-largest burger chain in Canada, is switching to only […] Read more


photo: university of alberta

The next wave of canola research

Western Canadian researchers hope to give new canola cultivars 
a shot in the peduncle by introducing genes from other plants

Introducing genes from other plants into canola cultivars will do everything from bump up yields to fend off flea beetles to impart disease resistance. Dr. Habibur Rahman, a canola researcher with the University of Alberta, is working on several projects to improve future canola cultivars. In one project, he and his research team are introducing […] Read more

Using the Prairie Locator

Here’s an app that will help you find directions to a land location and show you the satellite image

Have you ever agreed to do some custom work for a neighbour or friend, but they didn’t have time to show you the exact field? The Prairie Locator app can help you with this problem if you’re in Alberta, Saskatchewan or Manitoba. With this app you can search multiple land locations to get the latitude, […] Read more


Herbicide carryover may not be in the past

Some soils are more susceptible to herbicide carryover than others, and 
herbicides from some groups are more prone to cause problems

Harry Brook hasn’t had a lot of calls on herbicide carryover recently, but he’s not sure it’s a problem of the past. “Actually, when you really come right down to it, it could raise its ugly little head again because as we’re having problems with weed resistance, guys are moving back to some old chemistries […] Read more

Tips to avoid premature culling of good cows

Many dairy producers have experienced this situation at some point. A particular cow comes into early lactation with a lot of potential for good milk production. She may have come into the barn in a little thin, but starts literarily pouring out milk. Within a couple of weeks, she starts to falter in milk production and […] Read more


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