Saskatchewan Agriculture

Initial research shows drying greenfeed with glyphosate before cutting and baling may be viable. “While a number of producers were using this method, neither they nor one of the glyphosate manufacturers had any research data on the practice,” said Lorne Klein, a rangeland and forage agrologist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. Advantages of drying greenfeed with glyphosate […] Read more

Preliminary results from a three-year project to evaluate fungicide-application methods on chickpeas show that fungicide carrier volume is more important than spray droplet size. “In short, don’t skimp on water when applying fungicide to chickpea,” said Sabine Banniza, a research scientist with the University of Saskatchewan’s plant sciences department. The project began last year on […] Read more

Many beef producers are using cereal greenfeed as the main forage in their winter feeding program. If cut in the soft-dough stage or earlier, greenfeed has good levels of crude protein and energy and satisfies the requirements of many rations. During the last few years, however, an increasing number of cattle herds are exhibiting problems […] Read more

The garden weed we know as portulaca has a dual identity. Purslane, as it is commonly known elsewhere in the world, has been used for its medicinal properties for thousands of years by the ancient Greeks, Persians, Indians and Africans. Elsie Belcheff and her husband have been grain farming at Margo, Sask., for almost 40 […] Read more

Pulse growers’ executive Portage la Prairie area farmer Don Sissons has been elected president of the Manitoba Pulse Growers Association. He succeeds Halbstadt producer Dan Penner, who served two years as president. Penner remains on the association’s board of directors as past president. Sissons and his brother Grant, along with their families, farm 3,500 acres […] Read more

Quality, not cost, should be the main criteria when buying forage seed, says Michel Tremblay, Saskat-chewan Agriculture’s forage specialist. “Quality seed is one of the cornerstones of establishing productive, long-lived forage stands,” said Tremblay. “Forage seed is often the single largest cash cost input when establishing a new forage stand and, since most Saskatchewan forage […] Read more

Few people today know the taste of meat from chickens that were given free range. But demand for the unique taste is growing and those who can supply it have little problem with sales. “The old farm-raised chickens were usually free to roam the farmyard, eating spilled grain, weed seeds and insects,” said Jim Armstrong, […] Read more

Parkland Meats Ltd. in Shellbrook, Sask., had its best Christmas ever in 2001. Pepperoni sticks are always its top seller, but sales of this product reached 225 kilograms during the festive season. Keeping up with the demand for it and 19 other sausage varieties kept owner David Mumm and his seven employees hopping until Christmas […] Read more

Arborists training The School of Agriculture at the University of Manitoba is offering its Manitoba Arborists Training and Examination Program Jan. 15-18. The program leads to accreditation that is required to obtain a Manitoba Arborists Licence. The licence, issued by Manitoba Conservation, is required for tree care workers in Manitoba who provide services for a […] Read more

The non-profit Canadian Centre for Sustainable Agriculture Inc. recently published Exploring Sustainable Alternatives. This soft-cover, 350-page book is a compilation of selected presentations from the 1999 and 2000 conferences organized by centre chair Hart Haidn. The presentations have been organized into 10 categories, from principles and general observations to more specific sections on topics such […] Read more