An estimated 25 per cent of North America’s mint oil is now the product of a southeastern Alberta farming business, but don’t get the idea that commercial mint production is a job for the faint of heart.
Tag Archives irrigation
How a southern Alberta farm maintains mint condition
Quattro Ventures grows mint for the essential oils market and had a lot to learn about the agronomics for this specialty crop
Seed costs spark new interest in planters for canola
Savings on seed are clear, but zero till and fertilizer logistics remain big questions
High seed costs and low grain prices are renewing debate over planters in canola. Experts weigh seed savings, fertilizer limits and agronomic trade-offs.
Turning excess water into an asset with consolidation drainage
Farmers in the “prairie pothole” region are using its natural storage capacity to their advantage
After heavy rains flooded his yard, a Saskatchewan farmer turned to a consolidation drainage and irrigation project to better manage water on his land. Here’s how it works — and how the WSA and funding help make it happen.
Taking dairy wastewater to the irrigation pivot, via wetlands
A new nature-based solution could help dairy farmers in Alberta against water shortages
Many Alberta dairy farms rely on irrigation water to grow feed crops to sustain their cattle herds, but drought and water shortages in recent years has made that more difficult. Federal ag researchers are seeking one of those dairy farms to help develop a possible new source.
Letter to the Editor: Selenium, science and the risk of overstating harm
A letter to the editor of Grainews regarding an April 8, 2025 column on the risks of selenium contamination in waterways.
ReinCloud 3 app offers improvements for irrigators
Nebraska’s Reinke Manufacturing updates its software for farm managers
Compared to previous versions, the new version of Reinke’s ReinCloud is billed as more intuitive, allowing irrigators to flow more data-driven information into their water management.
Getting greener: How Prairie cereals have reduced their carbon footprint
Reports shed new light on Prairie cereal growers’ work implementing best practices
Cereals Canada released several reports on March 20 highlighting the relatively small environmental footprint of Canadian wheat, durum, barley and oats compared against other top-producing countries.
Control drainage costly, but beneficial
Tiling can improve soil conditions, accelerate warming, boost crop growth and reduce nutrient runoff
“…soil will be ready for germination much earlier [and] drained soil will be better than undrained fields.”
Selenium: Agricultural, environmental and human concerns
Agronomy Management: From a water quality standpoint, health of rivers and lakes should be of highest priority
As selenium accumulates in soil over years, more Se will be taken up by plants, making crops less suitable or unsuitable for human or livestock consumption.
Reinke introduces updated E3 irrigation system
The new model brings new features and improved distribution accuracy
The Nebraska company describes E3 as its first precision series of spans and end booms with uniform coupler spacing — which helps ensure a uniform water application rate along the entire length of the machine.
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