The Alberta government has hired a Maryland company to predict the next serious flood event. The public has demanded better forecasting, so Hydrologics Water Management has been contracted to analyze real time data, advanced forecasts and computer simulations to come up with possible scenarios for the South Saskatchewan River basin. Company president Dan Sheer said […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
New invader in Alta. soil
Hemiparasite | Thousands of thesium plants found south of Calgary
INDUS, Alta. — No one is sure where the thesium plant came from, but it’s infesting a provincial park in Calgary. The new invader is found in China and parts of Europe, where it is a relatively small plant, but conditions here encourage it to grow vigourously, producing hundreds of seeds until frost. It’s a […] Read more
Beavers can help protect waterways
Natural water management | Studies show that ponds with beaver dams had more water during periods of drought
PRIDDIS, Alta. — The beaver may be immortalized on the five-cent piece, but for many landowners, the buck-toothed rodent is not worth a plugged nickel. “Beavers often don’t have any more value than a rat in a granary,” said Reg Rempel. However, he said, the animals actually do have value. Rempel helps manage the 4,800 […] Read morePolice investigate cattle theft in Alberta
An Alberta family is offering a $25,000 reward for the recovery of 59 mixed breed heifers believed stolen from a farm near Czar. The theft was noticed earlier this spring when owner Allan Hobbs did a monthly head count. They are feeder heifers weighing about 600 pounds and are valued at $80,000. The Hobbs family […] Read more
Forest fires a factor in spread of noxious hawkweed in Alberta
INDUS, Alta. — An explosion of hawkweeds has been discovered in southwestern Alberta. Inspections in the Crowsnest Pass region found dense patches of orange, yellow, tall, meadow and a new type, yellow devil hawkweed in remote areas where people would not normally travel. Last year, weed inspector Mike Kirby travelled about 800 kilometres of trails […] Read more
4-H member sells shares on steer, donates portion of prize money for diabetes research
More than a dozen years of experience working with cattle, combined with some inspired marketing has paid off for 18-year-old Nicki Ross of Innisfail, Alta. A member of the Bow-Inn 4-H beef club, her reserve grand champion blue roan steer sold for $7.25 a pound for a total of $9,200 at the regional show and […] Read more
Maximizing land use helps soil
Intensive grazing system requires planning and dedication
DESBORO, Ont. — Neil Showers and Brenda Robertson have been grass farmers for only four years, but their efforts have been good enough to win this year’s Ontario pasture award. An intensive rotational grazing program has set them apart from the neighbours. They have seen passersby slow down to check out what is happening when […] Read more4-H champion lamb producer sees animal agriculture in future
Winning grand champion market lamb at the Calgary 4-H on Parade was the high note 12-year-old Sierra Wise needed before moving on to other interests. A member of 4-H since she was 10, she has decided to move on to something bigger, that being a half-tonne steer in 2015. “I didn’t want to do a […] Read more
Dairy Farmers executive director to retire
Richard Doyle, executive director of Dairy Farmers of Canada has announced his retirement after 38 years with the organization. He retires Aug. 31 but has agreed to remain as an adviser until the end of the year. Doyle was also president of the International Dairy Federation from 2008-12. He was involved with the merger of […] Read more
New PED case in Ontario
Another case of porcine epidemic diarhhea was confirmed in Ontario on June 4 in Middlesex County on a farrow to finish operation. The last confirmed case of the potentially fatal virus was April 30 in the same county according to Ontario Pork. There have been 59 cases in Ontario. There have been two positives in […] Read more
