Mary MacArthur

The organization in charge of Alberta turkey production wants producers to move their flocks from outside to inside a barn to reduce the risk of avian influenza. “Because free range and birds that are raised outdoors provide the most risk, we want them to try and phase out that aspect of their operation,” said Dawn […] Read more

Alberta farmers who benefited from a spring snow in mid-April shouldn’t be thanking the snow gods, says an Edmonton rainmaker. Ernie Winkler said farmers should express their gratitude to him and his three rainmaking machines, which he claims brought the clouds and snow that fell on southern Alberta April 13. “There wasn’t any rain in […] Read more

Seeding activity across the Prairies ranges from waiting for warmer weather to waiting for germination and emergence. In Ituna, Sask., Brenda and Mitchell Kolanko haven’t turned a wheel on their farm equipment this season and doubt if they’ll start before May 15. This week Mitchell pulled the equipment in front of the garage to get […] Read more

The Alberta government expects to spend $19 million to help bring water to rural Albertans. The province announced April 21 it would help 10 communities link to existing water pipelines and improve their drinking water. Gerard Nicolet, manager of the Smoky River Regional Water Commission in Falher, said the news is important for northern Alberta […] Read more

EDMONTON – About 10 members of the Western Barley Growers Association came to the legislature April 19 to show their support for the Wheat and Barley Test Marketing Act. While MLA Mark Hlady’s private member’s bill wasn’t discussed that day, the farmers wanted to make a point before spring seeding began. “We wanted to show […] Read more

FAIRVIEW, Alta. – There’s not much that farmers and ranchers don’t know about raising beef, but producers from northwestern Alberta’s Peace River district are realizing they have a lot to learn about meat. When Candace Holleis set up a makeshift booth using a table, an old bed sheet and cardboard in her local High Prairie […] Read more

Consumers have a choice of white eggs, brown eggs, eggs that are vitamin-enriched or from free-range hens, but they still prefer large, generic eggs, said a University of Alberta student research paper. The price of eggs and habit are still the main reasons people choose plain, large eggs, said the report. In the study, the […] Read more

FAIRVIEW, Alta. – Turning a farm shop into a mobile slaughter and processing facility is testament to the adage “build it and they will come.” Ever since partners Roy Beaver and Gerry Wegreen turned Beaver’s newly built farm shop into a processing plant last fall, it has been packed with moose, deer, bison and beef. […] Read more

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – People from the Peace River district of northwestern Alberta and northeastern British Columbia are convinced that their area is special and the products they produce are unique. Now, they hope a new Peace country logo launched April 16 will let the rest of the world know it too. “We’ve created a […] Read more

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. – When Peace River area photographer and book publisher Don Pettit was chosen to lead a team to design a Peace Country logo, his fear was logo by committee. Instead, the group of graphic artists from across the Peace district seemed to understand the need for a simple, clear logo that wasn’t […] Read more