The combination of wheat or rice with beans or lentils is referred to as complementary because they create a nutritionally complete protein. To explain this, consider that proteins are an essential part of every cell, tissue and fluid in our bodies. Proteins are made from amino acids, which can be thought of as building blocks. […] Read more
Farm Living
Preadolescence does not have to lead to universal chaos
Q: Our family is about to engage in preadolescence and pick up on whatever all of that involves. Our oldest daughter turns 11 a week from tomorrow. So far, all has been well within the family, but from what I have heard, including what I have read and studied when I was a student at […] Read more
Farm opens door for purple martins
Alberta producer kicks off a building boom in condominium-style bird houses that sees the species’ population explode
WETASKIWIN, Alta. — Over the next few weeks, Bob Buskas’ eyes will be on his fields as he begins to seed. He also has an eye to the sky as he waits for the purple martins to return to his farm. It takes about two to three weeks for the birds to fly from their […] Read more
Multi-fruit bearing crabapple tree was a wonder to behold
Grafting allowed one tree to produce four varieties — the original Nerchinsk as well as Goodland, Kerr and Garland
Every spring, the crabapple tree in my backyard sent forth sensory blessings to the neighborhood —white blooms with a fragrant aroma, a sort of “the white way of delight” as Anne in the story Anne of Green Gables labelled it. Neighbours, family and friends dropped by to gaze at the blossoms and whiff in the […] Read more
Alta. halts Category 2 coal exploration; keeps input terms
The Alberta government has halted coal exploration on Category 2 lands in the Eastern Slopes region of the Rocky Mountains in response to extensive public feedback, said Energy Minister Sonya Savage. It includes a three-week online survey by the government ending April 19 that attracted nearly 25,000 respondents, she said during a news conference April […] Read more
Night work a factor in farm accidents
Two years ago, Lionel Ector was harvesting a crop near his farm in Elbow, Sask. It was night-time and he was operating a new combine, a demo machine, from a dealer in Saskatoon. He steered the combine around a power pole and then continued on his way. “I straightened out, to go as normal, and […] Read more
MP introduces bill to tackle rural crime
A Conservative MP is trying to tackle rural crime by introducing a law that would punish more severely those accused of targeting remote and vulnerable, people or property. Red Deer-Lacombe MP Blaine Calkins brought his proposed law to parliamentarians on April 20. “Rural Canadians too often don’t feel safe in their own homes. Many have […] Read more
Budget receives mostly positive reviews
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture says it is “pleased” the recent federal budget included some of its recommendations. Federal Finance Minister Chyristia Freeland’s first budget included significant spending to help producers transition to a greener economy, naming agriculture as a foundational pillar of Canada’s future. “CFA will be working closely with the federal government to […] Read more
Power pole contact incidents soar
The number of cases where farm machinery hit a pole or snagged a wire was up 57 percent between 2019 and 2020 in Manitoba
Manitoba farmers are hitting more hydro poles and power lines with their farm equipment. In 2020, there were 188 cases where a cultivator, seeder or another implement crashed into a pole or snagged a wire somewhere in the province. That’s up 57 percent from 2019, when there were 120 incidents. Manitoba Hydro, the provincial utility, […] Read more
Exhibit honours pioneering editor
Today’s young women may not know who Violet McNaughton was but they are reaping the benefits of the farmer and journalist’s activism. McNaughton died in 1968 at age 88, after a lifetime of work to secure women’s place in society, including the right to vote. A video showcasing her life and work was produced by […] Read more
