On the Farm: The Monchuks turn their farm into a modern operation and hope to pass it on to their children
Maintaining strong family ties has always been an important consideration at the Monchuk family farm near Lanigan, Sask. So it brings a smile to Clinton Monchuk’s face when his son Jackson, 10, talks about carrying on the family tradition. “It kind of warms my heart because I remember sitting on my dad’s lap when I […] Read moreFarm business
Five steps to healthy farm succession
Farm succession planning can represent a challenge for most producers. Advice from accountants and business consultants will provide a process, but ultimately the hard work of filling in the blanks will come from the prospective retirees themselves. In a user friendly format, The family farm business succession checklist … approaching the porcupine from British Columbia’s […] Read more
Sheep and fruit work well on Ontario farm
On the Farm: The Schuylers raise sheep, maintains apple and cherry orchards and grows, corn, soybeans and wheat
SIMCOE, Ont. — When farmers are told they have a good story to tell, a prime example may be found at Simcoe, Ont. Schuyler Farms is a diversified livestock, crop and fruit farm owned by brothers Marshall and Drew and Marshall’s sons Brett and Ryan. They grow about 3,000 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat, […] Read more
Sask. farm family has history of innovation
On the Farm: Vestiges of innovation and experimentation can still be seen on the farm, which was founded in 1924
FOX VALLEY, Sask. — There are two constants at the Lodoen farm: change and innovation. Since Ben Lodoen homesteaded the land with his brother, establishing their farm in 1924 even before the nearby town of Fox Valley sprang up, there have been all types of enterprises on this land. Grain, horses, cows, pigs and chickens […] Read moreCould mediation replace litigation in divorce?
Moose Jaw mediator Clive Tolley says that about 50 percent of his work is with couples seeking divorce or separation. Some of these couples are part of the so-called boomer generation and some are older. Some contact him on their own, some are referred by their lawyers and some are ordered by the court to […] Read more
Land trust gets cash infusion
More private land across Canada is likely to be preserved through conservation easements due to a major infusion of federal funding announced April 23. The Natural Heritage Conservation Program has earmarked $100 million to support agreements on privately owned land in areas considered to be ecologically sensitive. In practice, that means organizations including Nature Conservancy […] Read more
Hairy vetch cover crops provide mulch, control weeds
The key to organic rotational no-till lies in the amount of mulch cover, said a research technician. The key is also understanding that tillage will be necessary at some point to control weeds, said Keith Bamford of the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the University of Manitoba. Since 2007, Bamford has been studying […] Read more
Alberta Party focuses on research, value-added
Farmers can expect an elected Alberta Party government to tweak farm safety legislation, as well as kickstart a fund to bolster research. The party’s agriculture platform, released April 8, says the party aims to grow Alberta’s agriculture industry by $1 billion through new programs and policies. The Alberta Party said it would create an agriculture […] Read more
China-canola disruption has wide-reaching effects
Here are some random observations on canola, China and grain markets overall. No conclusions, no solutions, just food for thought. First, given the loss of our biggest export customer for canola, it’s surprising that the price drop hasn’t been more precipitous. Canola prices have certainly declined, but there weren’t a bunch of limit down days […] Read more
NDP vows to extend AFSC financing
Alberta farmers can expect a re-elected NDP government to streamline farmland approvals and allow the Agriculture Financial Services Corp. to extend financing for non-traditional crops and livestock. The measures, unveiled in NDP leader Rachel Notley’s platform March 31, hope to lure voters despite rural support remaining generally low for the party. The NDP platform said […] Read more
