WInter wheat.

Winter wheats get better and better

New winter wheats improve on yield, disease and quality; some with specialty appeal

Several promising new lines of milling winter wheat are coming along for cereal crop producers across Western Canada over the next couple of years, says an Agriculture Canada winter wheat breeder. Rob Graf, based at the Lethbridge Research Centre says producers in all parts of the prairies should be watching for a new line called […] Read more

Bernie McClean's annual crop rotation includes canola, CPS wheat, malt barley and oats.

Extending rotations, in the field

Part 1 of 3: How real farmers are extending their rotations

There seems to be no shortage of articles, presentations and research exhorting farmers to lengthen rotations. Longer rotations benefit everything from weed control to disease suppression in crops. But what are farmers doing to maintain or extend rotations? Grainews spoke to three farmers to find out how they’re managing their rotations. And while each farmer […] Read more


The HRV system at the Brant Hutterite Colony replaces 
conventional ventilation.

Ventilation system takes chill off

Capturing the heat from stale air helps reduce this barn’s heating bill

Capturing at least some of the heat from stale or “old” air being exhausted from poultry and hog barns is one more step in developing intensive livestock operations with net zero energy barns. The net zero term means a barn is producing as much energy as it is using. Two poultry barns in Alberta, for […] Read more

Nothing wrong with these apples, but Ted asks the question: Did you experience a problem with apple fly maggots leaving tunnels and brownish mush inside any of your apples this year? Left unchecked this rampant pest can inflict severe damage. Today’s column provides food for thought and control suggestions.

Info on apple maggots and how to deter them

Singing Gardener: Plus, Ted shares more reader requests

Thank you good people for your phone calls, emails, letters. I get them all. A great big hello to Herman Swab from up there at Andrew, Alberta. Herman asks on the phone: “When are you going to write that book?” Yours truly Ted replies: There are a lot of books and magazines about gardening out there, each […] Read more


The CASA conference will include a session on drone safety.

Farm safety conference to focus on new and emerging agricultural trends

The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) will holdits 23rd annual conference “Agsafety — Make it a Record Year!” and annual general meeting in Edmonton, Alta., from October 3 to 5, 2017. “Farming is dynamic,” says Marcel Hacault, CASA’s Executive Director. “Trends, technology and legislation affect how we deal with farm health and safety. CASA is […] Read more

Different types of soil have different properties. University of Alberta research is focusing on measuring soil quality.

Controlling traffic to improve your soil

A new test offers another way to test soil quality improvements

It can be called “fractal hierarchical aggregation” or just “fractal aggregation.” Whatever the moniker, the new method of soil health testing promises to offer an important way to assess soil quality and land stewardship, says Guillermo Hernandez, an assistant professor at the University of Alberta. Hernandez is the lead researcher on a suite of projects […] Read more


Sell calves early or hold them until spring

Sell calves early or hold them until spring

Market Update: Big U.S. calf crop will hit the market in November and December

Alberta fed cattle prices were hovering in the range of $143 to $145 in mid-August. The market has been trending lower since the first week of May when the fed market reached up to $197. Despite the softer selling prices, feeding margins remain in positive territory. Break-even pen closeout values are near $135 for August; […] Read more

Grain buyers want you thinking about residues before you harvest

Grain buyers want you thinking about residues before you harvest

It hasn’t happened yet, but exceeding pesticide residue limits on exported grain could cause a ‘big problem’

Grain growers are again being urged to heed the labels on their pre-harvest pesticides and avoid going over maximum residue limits. “We’re selling our crops mostly into export, and our exports markets are very sensitive to residual levels of different crop protection products that we use,” said Alberta Wheat Commission chair Kevin Auch, who farms […] Read more