Michael Raine

Alberta Agriculture calls poor soil sampling techniques a major problem that causes improper fertilizer applications. A repeatable soil sampling technique should begin with farmers recording each field separately in a log book. Include the sampling date, a summary of the topography and note areas to avoid when developing a representative sample. A field log gives […] Read more

Farmers needn’t wait for yellow leaves or twisted stems to discover diseases or nutrient deficiencies in their crops. A tissue test, once carried out to discover what was causing problems in sick-looking plants, can also be done before problems become visible; while it is still possible to find solutions. Early plant tissue tests indicate levels […] Read more

It’s an idea brewed from a meeting near Vancouver’s waterfront, in the shadow of the Alberta Wheat Pool grain terminal. Three people met at a tiny brewery last April and the idea to mix hemp and beer in the same bottle was born. Brewed by microbrewery Bowen Island Brewing of Vancouver, the new beer is […] Read more

Saskatchewan could get an improved World Wildlife Fund rating this year as it and the federal government set aside some differences along with nearly 2.4 million acres of land two weeks ago. Using land from the federal government’s Cold Lake Air Weapons Range, 421,547 acres were divided into two ecological reserves and a wildlife refuge. […] Read more

Rumors of multi-million dollar fines and farmers being ordered off their land continue to exist about the power of endangered species legislation. Differences of opinion like those held by Peggy Strankman, of the Canadian Cattleman’s Association, and Stewart Elgie, of Sierra Legal Defence Fund, helped scuttle federal endangered species legislation, said some at the Prairie […] Read more

Herbicides are present in every water supply in Western Canada, according to a study by the National Hydrological Research Centre in Saskatoon. Some dugouts, considered to have drinkable water by 15,000 Saskatchewan families, contain levels of pesticides as much as 1,000 times more detectable than European water supplies. “I’ve yet to analyze water from a […] Read more

PIAPOT, Sask. – The third door in most new pick-up trucks is not designed to accommodate a freshly delivered calf on its way to or from the vet or pasture. And many farm car and truck interiors bear the stains of newborn livestock. Cardboard, plastic sheeting and good intentions don’t prevent the inevitable mess. A […] Read more

REGINA – Weeds lower crop yields the most when they are stealing nutrients and moisture from seedlings. So spray early and don’t worry about second weed flushes, a weed specialist told a direct seeding conference here recently. Len Juras, formerly the weed specialist for Saskatchewan Agriculture and now with Dow Agrosciences in Saskatoon, said new […] Read more

REGINA – On a windy June day, when the sun’s intensity becomes oppressive, humans seek a tall grove of trees for welcome shade and shelter. But what is a fragile seedling to do? A study at the Agriculture Canada Swift Current research centre shows that in the brown soil zone, seeding into standing stubble from […] Read more

When the lights go out, where will you be? If you’re operating an intensive livestock operation, the answer should be “out in the barn.” Saskatchewan farmers have experienced a rash of power failures in the past few weeks due to unseasonably warm and moist weather. Fog and hoarfrost build up on power lines and on […] Read more