Alberta family creates pellets that can be used for stoves, animal bedding, small pet litter and gardens and flowerbeds
Value-added has been a buzzword in agriculture for decades, and one family in southern Alberta has taken the term to heart to create several products out of one resource — straw. Corrie and Dave Fisher of Blackie have figured out how to compress straw into pellets for stoves, animal bedding, small pet litter, and for […] Read moreNews
Craft beer growth gives barley sector a boost
Production requires about three to four times more malt than mainstream beer-making, which is good news for growers
The thirst for a new kind of beer continues to grow in Saskatchewan. The province’s craft beer sector has grown steadily in recent years and one brewer says it is not done expanding yet. “We just view it as nothing but untapped potential, especially for Saskatchewan,” says Mark Heise, president and chief executive officer of […] Read more
Food processing red tape targeted
A federal committee continues to explore ways of increasing Canada’s food processing sector. During a Nov. 24 meeting, Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan president Todd Lewis said the processing sector will need to grow to meet ambitious export targets put in place by federal and provincial governments. “If we are to build for the ambitious […] Read more
Verticillium stripe moves west into Sask.
The soil-borne disease that caused yield losses in Manitoba canola crops this year was also found in Saskatchewan fields
A soil-borne disease first detected in Manitoba in 2014 caused yield losses in 2020 canola crops. Verticillium stripe appears to be making its way west, as some fields in Saskatchewan showed symptoms this summer as well. Justine Cornelsen, agronomy specialist at the Canola Council of Canada, said verticillium longisporum is different from another species, verticillium […] Read more
Consumers continue to focus on sustainability
Confidence in the food system reaches a five year high, but producers urged not to ignore concerns about sustainability
Although a survey has underlined the long-standing faith Canadians have in farmers and the food system, they increasingly regard issues such as sustainability as a vital part of that trust, said an expert. “At what point are they going to say, ‘hey, wait a minute here. We’ve been expressing our concern for years, and you’re […] Read more
Dealership plans vote on privatization plan
Shareholders of Rocky Mountain Equipment are set to vote in mid-December on a proposal to take the company private
On Dec. 17, Rocky Mountain Equipment shareholders get the chance to approve or deny an inside bid to buy them out and take the company private. It’s a $7 per share offer from AcquireCo, an entity controlled by RME chair Matthew Campbell and RME president and chief executive officer Garrett Ganden. That’s a 26.8 percent […] Read more
Christmas often required ingenuity in 1940s
Homemade treats, improvised ‘fireplaces’ and creative tree decorating helped make the prairie holidays a festive time
I thumbed through the Eaton’s catalogue until it was dog-eared, my wish list for Christmas circled with far more things than I would ever receive, but it didn’t hurt to hope. In the 1940s, the festive seasons were bright occasions in otherwise dreary winters on the farm. The smell of spicy fruitcake emanating from the […] Read more
Gift-giving marked departure from childhood
With a dollar in his hand, this prairie youngster’s introduction to the world of giving proved to be a ‘puzzling’ experience
I don’t recall much about December 1968 — I was only eight and busy trying to ace Grade 3. Girls held no allure yet — I couldn’t even spell puberty — and I had little money. However, as Christmas approached, I zeroed in on one goal — polish my image in the quest for that […] Read more
Ice cream outdoors — what could go wrong?
The long and arduous task of making homemade ice cream turned into a perilous venture for these three prairie women
On a winter’s night back in the 1940s, there was a party in full swing at my parents’ farmhouse. Fiddles, guitars and a banjo were reeling off western tunes while square dancers in jeans and plaid shirts worked up a sweat that fogged the windows. It was downright cold outside, as only a December night […] Read more
Homemade mints for Christmas
At the end of a family meal, we’d lean back, stuffed like turkeys. While conversation and coffee or tea circulated the table, a pretty dish of after dinner mints stole its way around as well. Our Aunt Mattie often brought her delicious homemade candy when she joined us for a special meal. We groaned but […] Read more
