Flagstaff County and the eight towns and villages within it are considering the formation of a single regional governance model. The area southeast of Edmonton has a dwindling population of about 8,000 people. If a proposal proceeds, Flagstaff County, the towns of Daysland, Hardisty, Killam and Sedgewick and the villages of Forestburg, Heisler, Alliance and […] Read more
Farm Living
Words from the wise
HIGH PRAIRIE, Alta. — To make our world a better place, we must take time to smell the roses, take a walk, grow a garden, laugh, cry, and enjoy more of life together. Those are Stella Sware’s words of wisdom, the words her daughter-in-law, Jodi Sware, published in a book called The Wisdom of Our […] Read more
Innovation keeps Moats farm on cutting edge
RICETON, Sask. — Lee Moats recalls the day he sold the farm’s tillage equipment and bought a no-till drill. “My dad was the most uncomfortable I’ve ever seen him,” he said. Going from discers to a minimum tillage system was a huge step in 1990, but it was also a logical move on a farm […] Read more
Soap maker focuses on natural ingredients
FAIRVIEW, Alta. — A Jersey milk cow gave her name to Cheryl Bieda’s business and the arrangement has worked out as smooth as cream — in more ways than one. Misty is the cow, and Misty Meadows Soap is the business, which involves the making and selling of soaps, creams, balms and other products. Bieda […] Read more
An arrangement that says ‘wow’
TORONTO — Fillers and thrillers are essential components of homemade Christmas crafts. Kelly Musters of Sandhill Nursery in Huntsville, Ont., who led seminars on creating festive containers and wreaths at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto in November, said supplies can come from greenhouses, craft stores or your own backyard. “Go for a nice […] Read more
Rebuilding an emotional relationship after serious accident
Q: Our daughter and her friends were in a drinking and driving accident about 1 ½ years ago. One of the young people died in the accident. Our daughter was seriously injured. We were told that she might not survive the surgery, but she did and has had a remarkable recovery. She is still a […] Read more
Holiday entertaining a breeze with oven prepared menu
Most of us look forward to socializing, good conversation and sharing decadent food with family and friends this time of year. But too often in the past I have found myself covered in flour as guests were arriving or revving up the mixer as people tried to visit over the noise of my food preparations. […] Read more
TB quarantine lifted on six ranches; testing continues
A bovine tuberculosis imposed quarantine was lifted on six premises in southern Alberta yesterday. Testing continues on about 45 herds, where 26,000 animals remain under quarantine, said Dr. Harpreet Kochhar, chief veterinary officer for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. No further positive cases have been detected, and the last round of animals that reacted to […] Read more
Feds change foreign worker program; four and four rule gone
Kevin Nixon and many beekeepers across Canada slept well last night. Yesterday, the federal government announced changes to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, throwing out a controversial rule where foreigners could only work in Canada for four years. “In order to prevent unnecessary hardship and instability for both workers and employers, the four-year cumulative duration […] Read more
Farm labour shortfall expected to soar
Prairie grain growers may soon be desperate for on-farm workers because a new report predicts a labour shortfall of more than 17,000 in Canada. The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council, in a study released this morning, said Canada’s grain and oilseed industry employed 55,800 people in 2014. Between 2014 and 2025, labour demand in the […] Read more
