Reporter's Notebook: For the start of a new growing season, Lisa Guenther has some listening recommendations
I started writing this column on the last day of March. The snow was rapidly receding, the water running, the rhubarb in my backyard emerging and my recently- transplanted tomato seedlings were leaning into the light. To me, spring feels more like the New Year than January 1. A while back I was visiting seed […] Read more
Reporter's Notebook: Most people in the ag industry are great to work with. But harassment still happens
Talk to a few people in the agriculture industry, and you’ll likely hear something like this: Agriculture is a great field to work in, largely because there are so many good people in the industry. I think about this a lot. Is it true? In what way is it true? Is agriculture different than other […] Read more
Reporter's Notebook: Before you get on the plane, you're going to have to find someone to feed and watch those cows
How do cattle producers manage to leave for winter holidays if they aren’t working with extended family? It’s a conundrum producers have likely faced since they first domesticated cattle-beasts. Several years ago, while I was still living in Edmonton, I remember hearing about a guy, Frank Campbell, who was setting up a farm-sitting service. Basically […] Read more
Reporter's Notebook: It’s not one of agronomy’s most exciting issues, but it’s a need that’s not going away
At CanolaLAB in Vermilion in February, record-keeping kept popping up during the agronomy sessions. Murray Hartman of Alberta Agriculture and the Canola Council’s Dan Orchard facilitated an interesting session on plant stand establishment. Target plant stand recommendations have dropped a little, but before farmers cut seeding rates, they need to know how many plants are […] Read more
Reporter's Notebook: If we want consumers to accept the judgement of science, we need to return the favour
Those pants look terrible on you. Perhaps you’ve experienced that awkward moment when you try to stop a friend from committing a fashion faux pas. If so, you may have agonized how to word your concerns to avoid offense, while still getting your message across. It’s a potentially volatile moment that perfectly captures how I […] Read more
Reporter's Notebook: New research shows that eating ground flaxseed can lower your blood pressure
One of the interesting side effects of covering agriculture is that influences my eating habits. I get to hear about the research into food uses and health claims of the crops grown in Western Canada. I eat pulses for the fibre and protein. I use canola oil several times a week. I’m not shy about […] Read more
You can get everything at a co-op, from stories to spinach to investment opportunities
Last fall my husband Corey started working at the lumber desk of the Turtleford Co-op. Besides the benefits, I think the best part of that job is the stories he brings home. There’s the customer who brought in banjos for Corey to fix (Corey is a musician). There’s the banter with one of the local […] Read more
Politics and trade may well be changing, and they certainly won’t be boring
As you may have heard, this year marks the 150th anniversary of Confederation. It’s worth taking stock of where we’ve been and where we are now, and so I’m going to use this space to do just that, on issues important to agriculture and rural communities. I’m tapping out this column a few days before […] Read more
Dealing with PTSD is more difficult in rural areas. Here’s what you need to know
A few years ago we were moving cows to a different summer pasture. It was an easy job, more of an excuse to go riding than anything. I’ve forgotten most of the details of that day. But one moment was memorable. The cows had to walk through a little draw to get to the gate. […] Read more
Some tips on how to talk to reporters, and why you might want to in the first place
Last spring I wrote a column designed to scare all of you from ever talking to a reporter. If you’ve run into a pack of farm reporters at a field day, you’ll know why I felt compelled to warn you. (Just kidding, we’re okay). I thought I’d start the New Year with a couple more […] Read more
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