It remains to be seen how Saskatchewan farmers and rural municipalities will be affected by government efforts to balance the provincial budget. But delegates who attended the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities’ annual convention in Saskatoon this week were bracing themselves for the worst. In a March 15 interview, SARM president Ray Orb said he […] Read more
Farm Living
MLA proposes ending daylight savings time in Alberta
Less than two full days after Albertans “sprung ahead in the spring” with daylight saving time, NDP MLA Thomas Dang introduced a private member’s bill to eliminate the twice-yearly time change in the province. In a March 14 news release, Dang said he’s heard from the public that “stopping the practice of changing our clocks […] Read more
Sask. premier asks RMs to watch their costs
Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall delivered a mostly positive economic message March 14 to delegates attending the 112th annual convention of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities in Saskatoon. But he also stressed the need for RMs to cut costs, scrutinize expenditures and look for ways to deliver services more efficiently. “We are hoping that all […] Read more
Growers tap thirst for local, organic
MATTITUCK, N.Y. — Certified organic hops growers on Long Island have found their niche within a niche in microbreweries and the demand for locally made products. Marcos Ribeiro and Pat Libutti of Craft Master Hops grew 12 acres of hops in their first year and will add another six this spring. “Organic breweries have a […] Read more
Farm safety
The Progressive Agriculture Foundation marks 23 years of delivering presentations on potential dangers and safety around farm chemicals, grain bins and equipment, train crossings, wildlife and other hazards unique to rural areas
An entanglement in a tractor’s power take-off launched the idea for Progressive Agriculture safety days in Lac La Biche, Alta. Colleen Pierce’s son, then in Grade 6, was pounding posts with his father the fall day it happened. He was wearing his father’s coveralls and straddling the power take-off when it grabbed the garment and […] Read moreWhen family lives far away
Q: Three years ago, our daughter and her husband moved out of province and out of range for us to drive over for the occasional visit. We seldom get to see her. And now that she and her husband have a new baby, I am missing her more than ever. We get over twice a […] Read more
Hearing and breathing: don’t take them for granted
Ringing in your ears after a day in the tractor is a sign that you’ve already suffered hearing damage. During an Invest in Your Health program in Saskatoon March 1, University of Saskatchewan agriculture college students were offered head to toe personal protective equipment from the AgriSafe Network. The presentation helps people identify their exposures […] Read more
Floodwaters leave health issues in their wake
Lurking in the muddy water, mould spores or chemicals are serious threats to those without proper protection
Risks from spring flooding don’t end when the water recedes, said a safety expert. Carolyn Sheridan, clinical director with the AgriSafe Network, said farmers are busy dealing with the immediate crisis during the acute phase of a flood. “Then it’s afterwards that we have all these other things that hit us,” she said. That includes […] Read moreRemember when? Days of being mom relived
LACOMBE, Alta. — Doll therapy for Alzheimer’s patients can reduce anxiety, improve communication and reduce wandering. Tosha Serle, social worker and site manager at Northcott Care Centre in Ponoka, Alta., said it gives them focus and purpose. “You can have someone who is agitated and they are given a baby and it calms them,” she […] Read more
Sask., expects normal spring runoff in most areas
Saskatchewan’s Water Security Agency predicts near normal spring runoff for most of the province except for the southeast and an area west of Hudson Bay. The extreme southeast corner had above normal snowfall combined with a wetter than normal fall, the agency said in its March spring runoff forecast. The heaviest snow pack is below […] Read more
