The initiative aims to find a home-grown biocontrol inoculum for Striga, which threatens many of Africa’s staple crops
One of the world’s toughest weeds is literally getting a taste of its own medicine in Africa. Striga, a parasitic weed that has caused continued havoc on the African continent, is slowly but surely feeling the effects of an ingenious initiative — the Toothpick Project, now nearing commercialization. Striga (witchweed) is the No. 1 pest […] Read moreAuthor Archives
Value-added business discovers gold in straw
Alberta family creates pellets that can be used for stoves, animal bedding, small pet litter and gardens and flowerbeds
Value-added has been a buzzword in agriculture for decades, and one family in southern Alberta has taken the term to heart to create several products out of one resource — straw. Corrie and Dave Fisher of Blackie have figured out how to compress straw into pellets for stoves, animal bedding, small pet litter, and for […] Read more
Mangalitsa pigs fill a specialty niche for farm
Southern Alberta family raises the pigs for two years in their natural environment, where they eat an all-plant ration and are grass pastured
It’s not unusual to run across free-ranging pigs in parts of Alberta, but one particular breed is sure to catch the eye. Mangalitsa (known as Mangalica in Hungarian) is a lard-type pig that was first bred in 1833, in a farm that belonged to Habsburg royalty. It is the only woolly pig in the world […] Read more
Acres of Prairies heritage
Pioneer Acres Museum near Irricana, Alta., held their 50th annual show Aug. 9-11, with thousands of people attending each day of the event. Situated on 50 acres of land, Pioneer Acres is aimed at preserving Alberta’s rural and agricultural heritage, and offers over a dozen buildings filled with unique exhibits and artifacts from the pioneering […] Read more
