ALLAN, Sask. — Rick Steffen knows it’s better to wear out than rust out. “Absolutely,” said the retired farmer who has recently finished restoring his 1919 Waterloo Champion threshing machine at his home shop near Allan, Sask. “The thing about wearing out is that you can replace the wore-out part. When it’s rusty it’s usually […] Read more
William DeKay
Stories by William DeKay
Inside scoop a swallow away
The camera in a pill has come to the equine world. A first in Canada, the endoscopy capsule technology is being tested at the University of Saskatchewan and is a collaborative effort between engineering and veterinary medicine. The new tool may soon open up a new world of diagnosis inside the horse’s small intestines, which […] Read more
Healthier bodies needed to accompany longer life span
Aging populations can be a drain on health care if they have a poor diet and lifestyle that leads to obesity and disease
The gap between a healthy life and a long life is widening, says a Japanese researcher. “This is a problem,” said Dr. Kunihiro Kitano, chief co-ordinator for the Northern Advancement Centre for regional innovation strategy in Sapporo, Japan. “This study shows that we are just making unhappy people live longer.” Wilf Keller, president of Ag-West […] Read more
Back to the future in Maple Creek
MAPLE CREEK, Sask. — The history of a century-old landmark in Maple Creek is the story of a community bringing back its western heritage. Tina Cresswell, co-owner of the Star Cafe and Grill in Maple Creek, said her building has deep ties to the community. “It’s going back to your roots and finding the culture […] Read more
Researcher gets beef sector award
John McKinnon’s studies into feed efficiency have increased competitiveness of the cattle industry
A desire to stay connected with rural life led John McKinnon to pursue a career in agriculture. It has culminated in internationally respected research and innovation on beef cattle nutrition and management. The researcher, professor and Saskatchewan beef industry research chair at the University of Saskatchewan is well known for advancing the competitiveness and sustainability […] Read moreNative clover species extend grazing, fix nitrogen
Saskatchewan breeding program examines flowering purple and white prairie clover as a forage crop alternative to alfalfa
Livestock producers are encouraged to take a closer look at two native species of plants that are showing unique forage characteristics and grazing potential on Western Canadian grasslands. “I think purple prairie clover and white prairie clover have a real potential for us,” said Alan Iwaasa of Agriculture Canada in Swift Current, Sask. The grazing […] Read more
Ranching family delves into work and play
D’ARCY, Sask. — Chores, school and sports leave little time for much else for the Mahon family. Bob Mahon operates Rafter Diamond Ranch with a commercial herd of 275 Black Angus cross cattle in western Saskatchewan alongside his children, Rio, 18 and Kashina, 17. “The biggest thing is time and their lives are full,” said […] Read more
Lack of new pulse herbicides force revisit to tried and true
What’s old might be new again, says a weed management re-searcher at the University of Sask-atchewan. “We’re doing a fair amount of work just looking at older herbicides again that aren’t used quite as much but still may have some utility in crop production,” said Eric Johnson of the university’s agriculture college, whose weed research […] Read more
RMs want federal land returned
In a statement of claim filed in Saskatoon Court of Queen’s Bench, four Saskatchewan rural municipalities wants federal land returned to them by the Saskatchewan government. The rural municipalities of Dundurn, Heart’s Hill, Mount Hope and Reno have asked for the return of the lands. The request has been refused by the government. During the […] Read more
Falling oil prices hurt FCL
Federated Co-operatives Ltd. did not go unscathed during a year that saw changing market conditions and volatile commodity prices in Canada. The main problem was seen at the Co-op Refinery Complex, where total energy earnings dropped 24.7 percent, or $1.95 billion, from the previous year. The decline was blamed on falling crude oil prices, reduced […] Read more
