A grain and cattle producer from Saskatchewan calls a mixture of 15 different crop varieties ‘Mother Nature’s blueprint’
GALAHAD, Alta. — Cattle producers across the Prairies are beginning to use a mix of several different seed varieties in a single cover crop for high-quality feed, said an agrologist during a field day. “Farmers are looking at it for better yields and high quality feed,” said Adam Smith, sales manager for Covers and Co. […] Read moreStories by Freelance writer
Hairy canola research embarks on long and winding road
Scientist takes research in a different direction as efforts continue to breed canola with plant hairs to fend off flea beetles
Plant hairs may provide better natural pest control than insecticides. The knowledge that plants with plant hairs, called trichomes, are unpleasant to insects and animals is not new but using it to make canola undesirable to flea beetles remains an ongoing challenge. Varieties of hairy canola have been in development for more than 20 years. […] Read more
Daikon radish cover crop acts as natural tillage
Farmer who produces the crop for seed says walking in a field in which it has grown feels like walking on a marshmallow
NEW NORWAY, Alta. — Fields of yellow-flowered canola are common across the Prairies, but a 50-acre field of white-flowered radish is a car stopper. Last year Ryan Mowat grew an eight-acre plot to see if the daikon radish, or forage or tillage radish, would grow and set seed at his central Alberta farm. It was […] Read more
Conservation easement a family affair
Ranching couple waited to make a decision on a conservation easement until their children were old enough to participate
A decision to apply a conservation easement to about 2,000 acres of native grassland and protect it forever was put on hold until Terri and Brad Mappin’s teenage children could be part of the discussion. “It was something important for the kids to understand the implications of it,” said Terri. The family doesn’t know if […] Read more
Commitment to ag transfers to next generation
New Keystone Agricultural Producers president watches as her four children continue the family’s work in the industry
On a dairy, beef, and grain farm near Portage La Prairie, Man., the four Verwey children have always known they are part of a hard-working, politically savvy agricultural entity. Beginning with their grandfather, Gerrard, through his four sons, including their father, Ray, the next generation, Rachael, Brice, Randi and Lindsay have agriculture in their DNA. […] Read more
New blood offers new life to historical society
Younger members make it easier for the Birch Hills and District Historical Society to hold its annual Threshing Day event
Birch Hills was alive with history Aug. 13 as the 24th annual Threshing Day took people back in time to the turn of the century in Saskatchewan. Old tractors and machines were on display with a barbecue, trades demonstrations, and fiddle music. After 24 years of events, with a small break during the COVID-19 pandemic, […] Read more
Electronic patch helps monitor disease
Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed an electronic patch that can be applied to the underside of a leaf to monitor it for the first signs of viral or fungal infections or for other stresses, such as salinity or drought. Test results showed the patch could detect a viral infection more than a […] Read more
Video game takes young people on a tour of the range
The new game is the Canadian Cattle Association’s latest effort to update its documentary about the importance of grazing
Farm simulations are a popular video game subgenre. Now, the Guardians of the Grasslands teaching tool, produced by the Canadian Cattle Association, has a video game component aimed at middle and high school students for in-class learning. Riffing off the title of the popular superhero series Guardians of the Galaxy, the CCA has been promoting […] Read more
Advocacy group promotes fibre
Saskatchewan produces plenty of different fibres, including fibre from sheep, alpaca, flax and hemp. Yet the market for locally grown natural fibres has remained small. Now, the Prairie Fibreshed Network wants to change that by connecting producers and consumers and spreading the news about locally made fibres, said Sonja Welford, Prairie Fibreshed’s treasurer and a […] Read more
Small-town fire hall gets big upgrade
Residents of a Sask. village and surrounding RMs pitch in to improve the home base of their volunteer fire department
The residents of Dinsmore, Sask., and those living in surrounding rural municipalities have pulled together to build a larger, better-outfitted fire hall. The rural municipalities of Milden, Fertile Valley and King George partnered with the Village of Dinsmore to provide 25 percent of the capital investment. Additional funds were provided through Dinsmore and District Fire […] Read more
