Crops in the sweet spot between Calgary and Edmonton appear lush and now it’s a matter of co-operative harvest weather. Showers that brought more than 300 millimetres of rain to the region this season have proven persistent but with no rain in the forecast this week, harvest progress looks promising, said Alberta Agriculture crop specialist […] Read more
Barb Glen
Stories by Barb Glen
The secret to big melons; plastic
RAYMOND, Alta. — What delights the hearts of boys more than a cold slice of watermelon on a hot summer day? About 20 boys converged on Ron McMullin’s melon patch near this southern Alberta town Sept. 6 to pick and eat some of the fruit they helped plant earlier in the year as part of […] Read more
Cell grazing provides spin-off benefits
LUNDBRECK, Alta. — When a ranch is 65,000 acres in size, it can’t be managed at the cellular level. But managing part of it in grazing cells is another matter. On the Waldron Ranch, cell grazing was born out of necessity to limit wolf predation of the cattle herd. Ranch manager Mike Roberts said the […] Read more
Bleeding cow images spark calls for change
A commuter who saw and shot video of a bleeding dairy cow aboard a livestock trailer has put a spotlight on the welfare of livestock in transit. Amber Jionet was driving home from work along Highway 401 near Cambridge, Ont., Aug. 20 when she pulled into a rest stop at about 1:30 a.m. A livestock […] Read more
Program helps women start business
New Alberta program is designed to help rural women tackle challenges of financing and time management
A woman’s idea for a rural-based agri-food business may be excellent but seeing that idea come to fruition can be fraught with obstacles. She may be juggling many demands on the farm, such as machinery operation, child care, livestock care and an off-farm job. She might lack confidence in her business skills or would benefit […] Read moreFunding will help college target livestock producers’ issues
Money for the Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production will access new technology to make the industry viable, says official
Olds College will receive $1.75 million over three years for a new research facility aimed at livestock production. The money is coming from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and was announced Sept. 7. It will be used to further develop the Olds College Technology Access Centre for Livestock Production. Toby […] Read more
Creep watering attachment designed especially for calves
Jeff Anderson says there is some debate about whether pre-weaned calves need supplemental water to complement their mother’s milk. Some producers believe it best for calves to get their entire liquid intake from milk because of its associated nutrients and immunological benefits. Others believe calves should supplement milk intake with water as desired, especially if […] Read more
Researcher keeps watch for new canola pest
Pollen beetles cause extensive damage to crops in the Maritimes and Europe but haven’t been spotted in the west … yet
Entomologist Hector Carcamo has seen many, many insects in his career but he has yet to lay eyes on Brassicogethes aeneus, otherwise known as the pollen beetle. He doesn’t want to, either. Carcamo, a research scientist with Agriculture Canada, works in Lethbridge and a sighting of the pollen beetle in his region would mean the […] Read more
Now is the time to keep a sharp eye out for ergot
When the final tally is in, this crop year is likely to show up as wetter than most years on the Prairies, and that’s just what fungus likes. Ergot is no exception, and true to form, it has shown up in some cereal and hay fields. In addition to affecting yield and increasing dockage, ergot […] Read more
Southern Alberta corn crop looks promising
BARNWELL, Alta. — Corn crops were soaking up the sun on a 28 C day in southern Alberta Sept. 1 and Michel Camps couldn’t be happier. “The corn looks very, very good,” said Camps as he stood in one of his corn fields. “So far it’s been a good year.” This crop near Barnwell, and […] Read more
