Karen Morrison

CARROT RIVER, Sask. – Chinese symbols tower over all who enter Ag-Vision Seeds Ltd., the business world of Cao Chun Hua. “If you work harder and smarter, God will protect you,” translates Cao, the Carrot River business’s founder and owner. A second set of symbols hung above large office windows framing the prairie reads, “keep […] Read more

More glass and less metal means better light and plant growth at the University of Saskatchewan’s newest greenhouse. The new greenhouse has three metres of glass space between metal frames instead of 1.2 m in the existing greenhouses. Ten percent more light means plants can grow 10 percent faster, said Doug Waterer, a horticultural specialist […] Read more

Water will again flow freely into Eagle Creek near Herschel, Sask., following a decision by the Saskatchewan Watershed Authority to force Berny Wiens to dismantle one of his dams. Wiens, a former Saskatchewan agriculture minister, is required to create a three-metre wide hole in one of two dams on the site. The main dam, first […] Read more

New nesting habits for turkey vultures in abandoned farm buildings could lead to a greater range and increased numbers for the giant scavenger birds. Long-time bird enthusiast Stuart Houston of Saskatoon called it a major change in North American wildlife. “It’s nice to have a few successes, even though we had nothing to do with […] Read more

ZENON PARK, Sask. – May showers dampened Francis Chabot’s seeding intentions, but gave him time off to attend his son’s high school play and share a meal with a daughter visiting from Calgary. Family and community are central to Chabot’s life on a 1,280 acre farm in northeastern Saskatchewan. For his longtime involvement in everything […] Read more

The Saskatchewan government should stop supporting elk farming until comprehensive studies of the industry are undertaken, says a university researcher. Graduate student Dion Curry made the recommendation after conducting an analysis of the government’s policy toward game farming. He told a Centre for Studies in Agriculture, Law and the Environment seminar at the University of […] Read more

A rapid assessment manual developed by a Florida anthropologist could help agricultural communities gauge their levels of pesticide exposure. Elizabeth Guillette, best known for her study of Mexican children exposed to pesticides, said the 31-page manual shows how to get started, what to ask and look for and how to analyze the findings. By using […] Read more

Marcie Heggie wants to ensure teens like her get the chance to realize their dreams. The Grade 11 student designed a rural taxi service for her home community of Leross, Sask., to keep drinking drivers off the road. Heggie said many rural communities have been touched by lost lives due to drinking and driving. “It’s […] Read more

A producer raising laying hens without quota is miffed his plans to subdivide his farm near Milden, Sask., landed on the desk of the agency that monitors egg quota in Saskatchewan. Curtis Jensen applied to subdivide his farm to the provincial department of government relations and aboriginal affairs in October. It, in turn, advised Saskatchewan […] Read more

Concerns about damage to ecologically sensitive wildlife areas and insufficient information and public involvement were heard about intensive livestock operations at a meeting in Quill Lake, Sask., May 2. The Rural Municipality of Lakeside’s hog development committee is working with Big Sky Pork, to look at a five-barn 5,000-sow project. The next step for the […] Read more