Prairie soil is in good hands, says a soil science professor from the University of Saskatchewan. Jeff Schoenau said continuous cropping, zero tillage and multi-crop, selective fertilizing have all paid off in the last 30 years. “We have been able to document that by looking at things like the rate of nutrient release from the […] Read more
William DeKay
Stories by William DeKay
Strong offence against ‘the enemy’ key to survival: consumer group
David Martosko said the well funded Humane Society of the United States is like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, but with a nicer wristwatch. “They want to put you out of business … You should regard them as the enemy,” said the director of research at the Centre for Consumer Freedom, spreading at […] Read more
U of S phytotron receives new lease on life
The 22-year-old phytotron at the College of Agriculture and Bioresources is receiving $1 million from the Western Grains Research Foundation as part of a three-year, 12.5 million dollar upgrade and update. The phytotron is an accelerated research facility consisting of 183 growth chambers. Individual chamber environments can be controlled for temperature, light and humidity to […] Read more
Living Sky winery set to fly after first award
PERDUE, Sask. – Sue Echlin and Vance Lester are passionate about wine. The co-proprietors of Living Sky Winery spend hours sampling the wines of other producers to further their own skills. The work is paying off for the husband and wife team, who recently won bronze at the Canadian Wine Awards for their Juliett Cherry […] Read more
A night at the ranch rodeo
Ten teams from ranches across Western Canada competed in the third annual Invitational Ranch Rodeo, hosted Nov. 22-23 by Canadian Western Agribition. Winner of this year’s invitational was High Plains of Carnduff, Sask., followed by Sodergien Ranches of Airdrie, Alta. Ten teams from top ranches in Western Canada competed in the third annual event. Ranch […] Read more
Industry unclear about costs of traceability
REGINA – The benefits of traceability are clear, but the cost of implementing and maintaining them is not, said a University of Alberta veterinary professor. David Hall, speaking at the 27th Canadian Bison Association annual convention in Regina in November, said the benefits are supply management, product differentiation, food safety and quality control. He said […] Read more
Ottawa funds bison promotion
The federal government recently announced increased funding to the Canadian Bison Association to boost its marketing and traceability initiatives. The $370,000 in funding will support two projects to increase the appetite for bison products around the world. About half of the money will come through the AgriMarketing program to promote bison products in trade shows, […] Read more
Unusual breed turns some heads
Paddy was the talk of the barn at this year’s Saskatoon Fall Fair, catching the attention of many passing by his stall. It was the first time in the fair’s 45-year history that a Highland bull was shown. The eight-month-old bull, owned by 11-year-old Wyatt Millar of Grandora, Sask., spent much of his time at […] Read more
Eco-home suitable for rural residents
The Western Development Museum is well known for showcasing the past. But in its latest exhibit, the Saskatoon museum has taken a different tack by displaying alternatives for the future. A zero net energy home is on display for the next year to show how buildings can be designed to produce as much energy as […] Read more
Big win paves way to sales
Wayne Libke has a black and white photo of his father showing a bull at the first Saskatoon Fall Fair, published inThe Western Producer45 years ago. This year, Wayne’s daughter, Amanda, won the supreme champion female title with a Simmental heifer. It was a first for the family. “Over the years entering, we’ve done very […] Read more
