Many farm families pride themselves in their ability to weather adversity,. Some become so hardened by a life of never-ending toil and disappointment that they not only start to look like American Gothic, they start to feel that way, too. The iconic painting from 1930 by Grant Wood shows a dour-faced older man holding a […] Read more
Stories by Daniel Winters
Planning best way to tackle future farm problems
It’s hard to argue with the old saying, “for every problem, there is a solution.” In tackling some of the unexpected pitfalls of farm life, it helps if the right fix is in place well before something bad happens, especially to a key family member. In a presentation entitled, “get your ducks in a row,” […] Read more
Website has green focus
A new website will offer Manitoba residents information and advice on minimizing the impact of greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Registry website is the first phase of a provincial program that aims to establish a local carbon credit trading system for businesses and individuals. The second phase is to be rolled out early next spring. […] Read more
Man. flax oil plant hits hard times
A $30 million flax oil crushing and bottling plant has closed, leaving many stunned that a new, state-of-the-art operation and promising business model could get into trouble so quickly. Shape Foods was placed into receivership after weeks of rumours that all was not well at the plant and that sales to the crucial U.S. market […] Read more
Grazing can save the world, says farm group
By adopting grazing practices that build humus, enough carbon could be sequestered to bring global carbon dioxide levels back to pre-industrial levels within 20 years, says Abe Collins, co-founder of Carbon Farmers of America. “It’s looking like we’re about to leave the oil age, but the oil age is really just the tail end of […] Read more
Ancient Irish Dexter breed on rebound
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. – Dexter cattle, a small-framed breed originally developed by Irish tenant farmers for meat and milk, have received some high profile ink recently. A recent feature, complete with photos, in the Globe and Mail dubbed the breed “the perfect starter cow” for first-time farmers, and a Toronto Star writer noted that […] Read more
Goat stomachs need special care
Many people think goats are hardy animals that can survive in the desert on a diet of thorns, but inadequate nutrition is the biggest problem facing producers. “Veterinarians always talk about the disease and bugs, but nutrition is probably the biggest problem,” said Dr. Reuben Neumier, a veterinarian and sheep farmer from Virden, Man., who […] Read more
Soil flora act as nitrogen factory
The interactions of soil microorganisms can be likened to a complex nitrogen fertilizer factory and crop protection lab working around the clock, seven days a week, says Jill Clapperton, a rhizosphere ecologist. From bacteria, fungi, mycorrhizae, protozoa and on up to dung beetles and more complex organisms, there is a community in the soil. Encouraging […] Read more
Fall anhydrous: Is now a good time?
Choosing to go with a fall-banded application of anhydrous ammonia this year or wait until spring is a tough decision. Apart from the obvious advantages of spreading out some of the workload, the other major consideration of cost is impossible to predict. Anhydrous ammonia is typically cheaper in fall, but with commodity markets looking like […] Read more
Project maps medicinal plants
Two Assiniboine Community College instructors have received a $25,000 grant from the Manitoba government to document medicinal plant species in the province’s southwest corner. Students will use global positioning systems and geographic information systems to inventory and document areas where the plants are located. The college hopes aboriginal communities will be able to use the […] Read more
