Andre Visscher, the southern Alberta representative for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, said 60 percent of last year’s $19 million was raised through growing projects like this one east of Taber, Alta.  |  Barb Glen photo

Alta. growing project helps feed the hungry

The project near Taber is one of 39 in Alberta this year raising money for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank

TABER, Alta. — Twelve combines and assorted tractors, grain carts and grain trucks made short work of 150 acres of spring wheat Aug. 16 in a field east of Taber. Proceeds from the irrigated crop will go to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, which will use the funds to help feed the hungry in other countries. […] Read more

People had breakfast alongside the dairy cows during a Breakfast on the Dairy Farm event held at Airport Dairy near Fort Macleod, Alta., Aug. 11. The dairy, operated by Harvey and Bernita Van Hierden, opened its doors to the public for the event, which was organized by Alberta Milk.  |  Barb Glen photo

Breakfast on a Dairy Farm a big hit

The three events held across Alberta every year educate the public about the milk industry and those who work in it

FORT MACLEOD, Alta. — Breakfast on a Dairy Farm, as promoted by Alberta Milk, became Breakfast in a Dairy Barn at Airport Dairy Aug. 11 when a tent didn’t co-operate after collapsing in a gust of wind before the event began. About 1,100 people didn’t seem to mind eating their breakfast instead within arm’s length […] Read more

Every day without rain brings more worry to Alberta and Saskatchewan cattle producers. 
| File photo

Feed and water shortage hammers ranchers

Every day without rain brings more worry to Alberta and Saskatchewan cattle producers. Pastures across wide areas in both provinces are parched, hay yields are generally below average and, in some places, livestock water sources have dried up. Potential feed shortages this winter are on many producers’ minds, which might result in sale of breeding […] Read more


Swift foxes found in southeast Alberta

At least five swift foxes are now resident in southeastern Alberta, a species that was declared locally extinct within Canada in the 1930s. Cameras erected on property managed by the Nature Conservancy of Canada photographed the foxes in an area south of Medicine Hat and about 50 kilometres west of the Saskatchewan border in late […] Read more



Daniel Visser of Western Solar, left, helped three southern Alberta farming operations set up a 300 kW solar system to operate irrigation pivots. Among the farming partners are Ron Lamb, centre, and Ben Fankhauser. The irrigation system draws water from nearby Clear Lake.  |  Barb Glen photo

Irrigators co-operate on solar power

STAVELY, Alta. — Three separate farming operations east of this southern Alberta town have co-operated on a 313.56 kilowatt project that will use the sun to power pumps for their irrigation pivots. Lamb Farms Ltd., Roemmele Farms Ltd. and Lilybrook Herefords Inc. turned the key last week on an installation designed and erected by Western […] Read more

About 40 volunteers converged on the 80-year-old barn to give it a new coat of paint. The project was initiated by Federated Co-operatives’ Communities in Full Colour program.  150 gallons of paint, donated by General Paint, were needed to give the old barn a new look.  |  Barb Glen photo

Volunteers collaborate to keep crimson in countryside

PINCHER CREEK, Alta. — It’s a lot of paint — 150 gallons of it — and it was all needed to cover the 14,500 sq. feet on the Zoeteman barn during a painting bee Aug. 9-10. Most of the paint did indeed end up on the barn itself, which is noteworthy considering the job was […] Read more

Mark Kuehn of Trimble explains how farmers can use a Soil Information System to get soil and topographic information that can be used for future decision-making.  |  Barb Glen photo

Mapping soil beneath the surface has benefits

LANGHAM, Sask. — The session at the Ag in Motion farm show near Saskatoon was titled “Uncover the secrets below your soil’s surface.” Mark Kuehn, project manager with Trimble’s Ag Business Solutions sector, was tasked with explaining how that can be done and how Trimble has done it for various clients. The company uses a […] Read more


Health Canada proposes to end the use of strychnine to control ground squirrels and is seeking public input on the matter until Sept. 27. | File photo

Strychnine ban for gophers pondered

Health Canada proposes to end the use of strychnine to control ground squirrels and is seeking public input on the matter until Sept. 27. The proposal stems from a regular review of pesticides under the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. In its consultation document, Health Canada said strychnine kills ground squirrels, also commonly called gophers, but […] Read more

Researchers are attempting to determine if a parasitic wasp called peristenus can become a natural control for the pests.  |  Agriculture Canada/S. Bauer photo

Wasp may take sting out of lygus damage

Researchers in Alberta are studying if a parasitic wasp will attack lygus bugs and protect canola and alfalfa crops

Lygus bugs can adversely affect many types of crops and work is underway to see if a parasitic wasp called peristenus can become a natural control for the pests. Hector Carcamo, research scientist at Agriculture Canada in Lethbridge, said peristenus successfully attacked lygus in laboratory-grown canola and alfalfa. Now he is studying how and whether […] Read more