Give Peas (Another) Chance

“The recommendations are for 1.5-inch seeding depth at seven plants per square foot, using undamaged seed that had been treated,” Kornelsen says. He ranked each of the plots and did in fact find that this combination worked best. Past experiences and horror stories of crops gone wrong can be enough to turn most farmers off […] Read more

Argentinean Saint Provides Long Fall

Bob Mastin, a seed grower from Sundre, Alta., may be thanking a broken luggage carousel in Germany and a saint from Argentina for help in harvesting a decent oat seed crop this fall. It sounds a bit far fetched, but here is how this true story unfolds. Part 1: Mastin, who has been a seed […] Read more


SERF Demos 5 New Wheats

Straw weaker than AC Barrie and Superb VA RIETY NAME AC UNITY VB AC WASKADA AC KANE Type Yield Protein Height Strengths Weaknesses Awned CWRS 116%of AC Barrie Similar to AC Barrie 1 cm taller than AC Barrie Reduced wheat midge damage due to Sm1 midge tolerance gene. Reduced sawfly damage due to partially solid […] Read more

Be Thankful Always

We should always be thankful, especially in this time of Thanksgiving. This is a time when most of the crops are in and the family can enjoy the abundance from the garden and fruit trees. It is also a time to be thankful for other blessings! As farmers — tillers of the soil — we […] Read more


Separate Men From Boys

Congratulations to Christoph Weder on his column “Stupid to the Last Tree.” (September Grainews, page 33.) It is a masterpiece. There is however, an even greater stupidity rampant among agriculture producers and that is overproduction. This covers all the environmental abominations as well as bankruptcy of the producers, both of which he seems to pursue […] Read more

Big Farms In Africa’s Breadbasket

Africa, for most of us, instills thoughts of hungry children and AIDS. Expansive fields of wheat and soybeans, and new combines chewing their way through bountiful crops grown under irrigation are not images of Africa that spring to mind. But the second is as true of Africa as the first. Although far outnumbered by small-scale […] Read more


Green Light For VBP Updates

The Verified Beef Production (VBP) program has received a renewed stamp of approval from the On-Farm Food Safety Recognition Program of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). This recognition program, overseen by CFIA with the assistance of joint federal/provincial teams, provides official government oversight for on-farm food safety programs in Canada, to ensure they are […] Read more

Who’s In Charge Here?

With low cattle prices and the labour intensive process of calving in cold weather, many livestock producers could be forgiven for thinking they are working for their cattle, not the other way around. But Linda and Ralph Corcoran believe an holistic approach to managing their ranch near Langbank, Sask., will ensure their cattle continue to […] Read more


Not One More Acre

How do you put your mind around oppression for the common good and eminent domain? The explanation most times is “follow the money.” I lived in Colorado for many years. I have watched it grow from 2.9 million to 5.1 million, most of it on the suburban front range. Colorado has unparalleled beauty, an eco-sensitive […] Read more

Less Calf Stress, More Profit

Weeks leading up to weaning the first calf on most operations is a time of major decision-making. What should I do with my calves? Should I sell them now or background them throughout the winter? What are my best options when feed supplies are tight and markets are challenging? How can I add value to […] Read more


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