Mary MacArthur

Despite the dry spring there are fewer Alberta farmers using the province’s water pumping equipment, says a water specialist. At this time last year, 80 farmers had rented the province’s water pumping equipment compared to 59 this year, said Murray Tenove, Alberta Agriculture water quality engineer. In previous years, pumps were rented in areas of […] Read more

EDGERTON, Alta. – On a corner of the kitchen counter in Darlene and Barry Marshall’s farm home are four jars of seed. There is a small jam jar filled with barley, a tall olive jar full of peas, and two small vases filled with canola and wheat. In the glass jars are samples of the […] Read more

EDMONTON – A $318 million aid program announced as spring seeding begins is designed to help Alberta farmers deal with high seeding costs, says the province’s agriculture minister. “This program is to deal with rising input costs,” said Shirley McClellan. She acknowledged the higher price of fertilizer and fuel will make it difficult for some […] Read more

EDMONTON – The Alberta government will spend $17 million to shield alfalfa processors and irrigation farmers from the high cost of natural gas during their busy summer season. The money is an extension of the winter natural gas rebate other farmers, businesses and homeowners received from January to April. “The rebate didn’t assist them,” said […] Read more

Prairie farmers are losing an effective fungicide control for canola with the voluntary withdrawal of Benlate from the market, says an Alberta Agriculture plant disease scientist. “It did a good job. It was a good fungicide,” said Ieuan Evans with the agronomy unit in Edmonton. “It did an excellent job, yet the company didn’t see […] Read more

ALDER FLATS, Alta. — Lower prices are allowing bison meat to be more competitive with beef in the lucrative European market, says a meat exporter. Eric Boiral of Bouvry Exports of Calgary, said fresh bison meat is now competitive with higher-priced beef. “It’s looking good because of the new prices,” said Boiral during a bison […] Read more

GRANDE PRAIRIE, Alta. — Want an afghan, but don’t know how to crochet? Have a garden, but don’t have anyone to share your zucchini? Want to learn French, but don’t have money for tuition? Try bartering. When Sadie Macklin lived in Calgary, she used the Bow Chinook Barter Community to live rent free and buy […] Read more

It’s becoming a familiar theme across the Prairies. Announce the construction of a hog barn and let the controversy begin. About 100 people came to a hastily called meeting April 19 to plan their opposition to two hog projects proposed for the Ryley and Holden areas, east of Edmonton. “There wasn’t anybody there supporting the […] Read more

This week Tam Andersen is planting pumpkin seeds in her greenhouse. If they’re seeded now, the plants will be ready for customers in May. She’ll also transplant several acres of pumpkin plants in her Bon Accord, Alta., market garden. By October, weather permitting, the pumpkins will draw Edmonton customers to her farm for the Haunted […] Read more

EDMONTON — Everything Tom Makowecki knows about sheep he learned from pigeons. It may seem like a strange connection, but Makowecki said he learned at a young age how to tell if one of his homing pigeons was sick by the way it stood or the look in its eye. He applies the same animal […] Read more