The mother-daughter team of Mary Lowe and daughter Erica have painted murals across western Manitoba during the last few years, in Hamiota, Oak River, Kenton, Virden, Elkhorn, Melita, Pierson and Waskada. The Lowes live on farms in the Kenton area. Mary, who has a fine arts degree, paints water colours and sculpts. She belongs to […] Read more
Stories by Freelance writer
The road to foot and mouth was long, but the path was short
The 1952 foot and mouth outbreak in Sask., started with one man from Germany in October, by February it was well-spread
In 1951, the world was recovering from the Second World War, financially and emotionally. People looked for new ways to get ahead. Willi Bruntjen, a 29-year-old farm worker, left his homeland of Germany on Oct. 15 and came to Canada seeking a new life. He wore his only clothes, a brown suit, and carried a […] Read more
Local lettuce growers relieve shortage
An urban hydroponic farm in Edmonton capitalizes on public interest in local produce and recent shortage from the U.S.
Lettuce has been scarce in major Canadian grocery chains this winter, prompting many shoppers to take another look at local sources. Many sellers at farmers markets had already enjoyed increased sales since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when more consumers took an interest in supporting local businesses. One such business is Vertical Roots Canada, […] Read more
Urban food forest project bears fruit
What started as an effort to plant tree belts along Edmonton’s freeways now focuses mainly on trees that produce food
A half-filled ravine that feeds into the North Saskatchewan River was about to become another part of the Edmonton freeway system when it was saved by public protest. What followed was a two-phase project to create the MacKinnon Food Forest. In collaboration with the Roots for Trees team within the City of Edmonton, Dustin Bajer, […] Read more
Plant roots use hydro-signalling to sense water
Hormones respond to the presence or absence of water, allowing roots to stop growing when they lose contact with it
Roots are central to plant growth and recent research has shown just how efficient they are and how precisely they forage to find water, minimize water stress and adapt their shape while branching out to secure moisture. Now, researchers at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom have discovered how roots pause their branching […] Read more
Researchers discover semi-dwarf wheat gene
Wheat with the Rht13 gene could be bred with other varieties to expand the production of climate resilient crops
Semi-dwarf wheat varieties have been used for decades, but they have limitations. The dwarfing aspect affects all stages of growth including the restricted growth of a seedling and the emergence of the first leaf and stem that will transport the young plant from its embryo stage to the soil surface, a process known as coleoptile. […] Read more
Activity at cellular level helps plants avoid salt damage
A hormone is activated when plants sense local deposits of salt, which triggers a response for roots to avoid the area
Plants do not like salt. To avoid saline areas, they have a vital mechanism that allows them to change their root direction and grow away from it. But how they do that has been unclear until now. Recently, researchers at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark discovered what happens inside plants at the cellular and […] Read more
4-H celebrates 110 years in Canada
The country’s largest out-of-school educational program makes its classroom wherever young people gather to learn
On Jan. 11, 4-H clubs in Canada celebrate the organization’s 110th anniversary. The first 4-H club in Canada was formed in 1913 at Roland, Man., and quickly spread across the country. Only 11 years earlier, the idea began in the United States, filling a need for a way to pass agricultural knowledge on to young […] Read more
Mental health key to successful farm succession
Farmer finds the tools that help her cope with depression are also useful as she and her husband plan their retirement
STROME, Alta. — Having the taxes organized and the yard in good shape are important when planning a farm retirement or succession plan, but just as important is open communication and good mental and emotional health. Farm transitions are hard and the family needs to have all the skills to cope, said Doreen Blumhagen of […] Read more
Couple’s retirement plan required professional expertise
Alberta family had difficulty developing a succession plan on their own until they decided to hire a retirement expert
Hiring a professional farm retirement expert was key to a successful farm division with all parties still talking to each other at the end, said Carol Penman. For more than 50 years the three brothers, Bev, Jim, and Donald, and their families had a successful mixed farm of grain, hogs and cattle south of Czar, […] Read more
