In the midst of a global pandemic, electronic bidding and online attendance shattered past records for a Ritchie Brothers equipment auction held in Regina March 24-25. “Traditionally, we were around 4,300 people both online and onsite. Total online that day was 68,000 and 7,700 registered for the Regina sale,” said Brennan LeBlanc, operations manager for […] Read more
William DeKay
Stories by William DeKay
Saskatchewan researchers to help test possible COVID-19 vaccines
Saskatchewan researchers are part of a team of looking for solutions in the fight against the new coronavirus, COVID-19. Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization-International Vaccine Centre (VIDO-InterVac) at the University of Saskatchewan and collaborating scientists from across Canada have been awarded $1 million over two years to develop animal models and test vaccine candidates to […] Read more
Ag tech program gets equipment gift
Good training of agriculture service technicians is critical for farmers and equipment dealers, says one of those dealers, so they are taking steps to ensure it. “Without trained service technicians we cannot run a business,” said Tim Young, owner of Young’s Equipment. The dealership recently made an in-kind donation of $470,000 to install state-of-the-art equipment […] Read more
Federated faces difficult year
In spite of a successful year at Federated Co-operatives Ltd., 2019 was wrought with challenges that invoked some soul searching among its members, said chief executive officer Scott Banda. The challenges raised more than a few “prickly conversations” within the organization, he said, caused by ongoing events during an unsettled economic environment. Despite the challenges […] Read more
Early garden patch grows into vegetable farm
On the Farm: Spring Creek Market has grown to 245 acres and is the biggest mixed vegetable producer in the province
OUTLOOK, Sask. — Dan Erlandson remembers when he became a farmer. He was 16 and he started a small vegetable garden on his parent’s farm to earn a little money and feed his entrepreneurial dreams. Now at 34, it makes sense that farming was always in his blood. “I probably couldn’t articulate it back then […] Read more
Sulfoxaflor could be safe alternative to neonics
Saskatchewan researchers find that at low dosages, sulfoxaflor is less toxic than the currently used neonic imidacloprid
A locust sits front row and centre inside a huge dome in its very own 3D IMAX-like theatre. The frosted “curtain” rises, lights dim and the finger-sized insect watches as computer generated images are projected on the private viewing screen — minus the sound and popcorn. Expanding black discs flash across the screen, which from […] Read more
Device makes anhydrous ammonia tanks smarter
The Tattle System from North Star Systems allows suppliers to keep track of how much product is in their clients’ tanks
Smart anhydrous ammonia tanks? Who knew? A new technology is designed to simplify fertilizer delivery for farmers and retailers while improving efficiency during seeding. The Tattle System is a controlled remote monitoring and real-time tracking device from North Star Systems that communicates the levels of anhydrous ammonia in tanks from the farm to the supplier. […] Read more
Natural behaviour important to horse health care
A semi-feral herd at a U.S. university doesn’t experience many of the health problems seen in domestic horses
A world-renowned researcher said it’s time to rethink common beliefs about horse behaviour. Education is key to understanding equine behaviour, said Sue McDonnell of the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Veterinary Medicine. “We’ve really just turned the corner culturally, at least in my part of the world, where people are really beginning to embrace some […] Read more
Equine event
A trainer challenge was part of the Saskatchewan Equine Expo that was held in Saskatoon Feb. 13-16. WP photographer William DeKay took these photos.
Canaryseed growers get aphid spray advice
App helps farmers determine economic threshold levels for spraying based on aphid numbers and canaryseed prices
A free smartphone app that monitors cereal aphids is being adapted to detect the pesky little critters in canaryseed. Like wheat, barley, oats and rye, knowing if and when to spray can be difficult with canaryseed. And just like cereals, decisions are driven by estimating aphid populations in canaryseed crops, which can be affected by […] Read more
