Living in what I’ve whimsically dubbed “M&M-ville” holds the promise of a ground-breaking energy paradigm for rural Alberta. Nestled about 45 minutes southwest of Calgary along Highway 543, this imaginary locale embodies the dynamic interplay between traditional petroleum industries and innovative renewable energy ventures. “M&M-ville” is my imaginary descriptor for the community of Molecules and […] Read more
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Demand for minor acreage crops has stalled
None of the minor acreage crops appear to be shining stars ready to capture significant western Canadian acreage in the years ahead. It wasn’t always this way. When rapeseed was turned into canola many decades ago, few could have guessed how the crop would eventually dominate the Canadian Prairies. Lentils and field peas were small […] Read more
Look back at the April 9, 1987, issue
For the next year, this column will mark The Western Producer’s 100th anniversary by taking a deep dive every week into a past issue of the paper. I was looking forward to reaching the April 9, 1987, issue because it was the first paper that I would write about for this column in that I […] Read more
Fair offers urbanities a window into Ag.
BRANDON — An aggressively hungry ewe. Newborn chicks flopping and flipping a few minutes after cracking their eggs. Horses clopping down the alleys, hefty-muscled and throwing off that anxious-for-the-ring energy. Fur, straw, boots, company-branded gear, ropes, helmets, and that smell of animals, mini-doughnuts, manure and leather. The agricultural world was in fine display inside the […] Read more
Humans give more viruses to animals than they give us
People and animals are hosts to innumerable microbes that can jump to another species through close contact
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — Some of the deadliest diseases to stalk humankind have come from pathogens that jumped from animals to people. The virus that causes AIDS, for example, crossed over from chimpanzees. And many experts believe the virus that caused the COVID-19 pandemic flowed from bats. But, as a new study shows, this exchange has […] Read more
Grain storage decisions are complicated
When it comes to farmers storing grain, there are the “market -responsive” people, the “store -and -ignore” types, the “cash-poor crowd” and the “tax-avoiding gang.” That’s according to a recent paper by a team of University of Illinois and University of Missouri economists, which makes it clear that not all farmers manage their stored grain […] Read more
Community papers survive on truth
Communities support local publications because these newspapers cover events and issues important to them
MEDICINE HAT — The newspaper business has been written off many times in the past century, first with the advent of radio, then television and then the internet. But the business continues, especially in rural, agricultural communities, say news people on the Prairies. From the Lac du Bonnet Clipper in Manitoba to the Moosomin World-Spectator […] Read more
Eggs provide options for people who watch cholesterol
No matter what colour of eggs you buy, you get the same nutrients. One large egg contains 6.5 grams of protein, all nine essential amino acids, and 14 key nutrients that help maintain healthy bones, teeth, skin and eyes. And an egg has only 80 calories. Foods lower in saturated fats, like eggs, fish and […] Read more
Dog-eared and loved, old recipes are ties that bind
We never had a traditional pantry on the farm, a place with deep shelves for storing dry goods or baking needs such as chocolate chips, walnuts, raisins and icing sugar. In those long-ago days, such items were too expensive to keep on hand. Today, almost every new house has a pantry. I love these spaces […] Read more
Funding-eligible areas grow with watershed districts expansion
Glacier FarmMedia – Five watershed districts in Manitoba now have more land under their purview. Boundaries expanded April 1 for the Central Assiniboine, Pembina Valley, Redboine, Seine Rat Roseau and the Souris River watershed districts to include areas previously uncovered by any district. The province announced the move March 22, saying that enhanced core funding […] Read more
