Letters were enough to keep two women’s friendship afloat even when an ocean separated them. “It was like your best friend, as if you sit down and have a big, long conversation, you know,” said Jacquie Bonkowski, who until one year ago lived in Manitoba. Bonkowski was 11 years old when she placed a pen […] Read more
Stories by Lindsay Jean
A roof over history
Outside a dirt-streaked window a boy sits on the second rung of a fence with a dog by his side, watching the cows. Low, ominous thunder growls in the distance. One, one thousand, two, two thousand, three, three thousand, four. Another rumble is heard, this time farther away. The sound of water dripping through a […] Read more
Pets need TLC over holidays
Pet owners should take extra precautions this holiday season to ensure their pets’ safety. “Everyone tends to be kind of busy and you know, they might tend to neglect their pets or not really think about them,” said Colette Wheler, assistant director at the Saskatoon Animal Resources Centre. “They (the pets) sort of get lost […] Read more
Farmers’ trials transformed into verse
Gladys Smith, who has farmed with her husband near Moosomin, Sask., for more than 40 years, finds a lot to worry about in agriculture. Here worries began with the onslaught of BSE and poor grain prices and a lack of markets have worsened the situation. “It seems that everything sounds so good but costs so […] Read more
Rangeland needs vacation
New research from the University of Saskatchewan indicates forage rangeland needs rest to avoid damage from overgrazing. “It’s an area that we haven’t paid attention to much in North America,” said Jim Romo, a professor in the university’s plant sciences department. To find out more, Romo and his colleagues conducted studies in the northern mixed […] Read more
Expanded weather info could benefit farmers
Weather information offered by the National Agroclimate Information Services will soon be broader, says an agroclimate specialist. “We’re building on what our successes of the past (have been),” said Ted O’Brien. NAIS, a branch of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration, offers a network of weather and climate information targeted toward the agricultural sector. The goal […] Read more
Farm reporting proves a privilege – Editorial Notebook
I recently wandered around a cattle show with a notebook in my hand and a camera around my neck trying to decipher one breed from the next. When I came upon a huge, white Charolais, I stopped in awe. “That’s the biggest cow I’ve ever seen,” I murmured to myself. And then came the snickering. […] Read more
Producers relish open border
Recent reports that the United States may lift border restrictions on Canadian cattle by next year had purebred cattle breeders cautiously optimistic at the recent Saskatoon Fall Fair. “Whether it does (open) or not, I’m not going to hold my breath; it’s kind of a wait and see game,” said Heather Haydock of Matlock Stock […] Read more
Manitoba farm shines at Fall Fair
Tracy Pizzey jumped in the air and let out an excited shriek when the judge slapped the flanks of her Simmental cow-calf pair. “It’s unbelievable; I never expected that,” Pizzey said after she left the ring a winner Nov. 18 at the Saskatoon Fall Fair’s Supreme Champion Show. After winning grand champion female in the […] Read more
Angus lead pack at fair
The market is responsible for Angus cattle stealing the show as the largest group of purebreds at this year’s Saskatoon Fall Fair. Fifty-seven Black Angus and 33 Red Angus were shown at the Nov. 17-19 fair, marking an above-average count. Last year, 63 Angus were shown. Corinne Gibson, president of the Saskatchewan Angus Association, said […] Read more
