Reading Time: 3 minutes Drawing a heart and putting it in your window or turning on the Christmas lights. Finding small containers so you can give away farm-milled flour to a food bank. Teaching kids how to grow a garden. Across Alberta, people are finding ways to give their neighbours and communities a lift in these troubled times. In […] Read more
Albertans coming together while keeping their distance
COVID-19 can't stem the flow of good will and generosity
Stop fighting Mother Nature — because you’re going to lose
Most farmers in Alberta still love tractors more than biology and are heading for big trouble, says Dwayne Beck
Reading Time: 3 minutes Like a voice crying in the wilderness, Dwayne Beck has been beating the drum of soil defence as the foundation for a healthier farming system for decades. To some, the longtime research manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm is a wise prophet and caretaker. For others, his message is radical and uncomfortable — something […] Read more
A century on, ‘home ec’ remains as vital as ever
Reading Time: 4 minutes While much has changed in the last century, the study of home and family life remains relevant. This year, the University of Alberta marked the centennial of the founding of the Department of Household Economics. “There aren’t a lot of programs at the U of A that have been around for 100 years, so it […] Read more
It’s not the patter, but the passion, for auctioneering ‘rock star’
Reading Time: 4 minutes He’s a natural. People are drawn to passions they seem to have an inborn inclination towards. With a little drive and determination, they can take an ability that comes easily and turn it into something special. Fellow auctioneers talk about Ryan Konynenbelt that way. The talented talker uses his skills on a daily basis at […] Read more
‘Enthusiasm and happiness abound’ at Alberta Open Farm Days
Cute animals are a big draw but people ‘genuinely want to see what we’re doing,’ say farm hosts
Reading Time: 6 minutes The focus was on food and farming all over the province during Open Farm Days where Albertans showed they are interested in where their food comes from. More than 100 farms participated this year, including HGB Bison Ranch just south of Olds. It was a brand new experience for Heather and George Briggs, who were […] Read more
Merger a game changer for the Canadian lamb sector
New company will produce lambs year round — and that could transform the Canadian sector
Reading Time: 4 minutes A merger of two major players in the Canadian lamb sector is designed to be a game changer for the industry. The deal brings together the country’s largest processor of federally inspected lamb (and also a major feeder) and one of the biggest sheep-farming operations in North America. North American Lamb Company will control lamb […] Read more
Open Farm Days has quickly become an Alberta institution
The event’s popularity has soared, with a twentyfold increase in visitors since its inception six years ago
Reading Time: 4 minutes Farmers are stepping up to the plate to satisfy the growing appetite of Albertans who want to experience agriculture first hand. More than 100 rural operations are on the hosting list for this year’s Alberta Open Farm Days on the Aug. 18-19 weekend. Even those involved in agriculture may be amazed at the variety of […] Read more
How to hand over a labour of love to the next generation
Reading Time: 4 minutes It’s not only family farms facing the succession challenge these days. Community efforts such as Growing Projects for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank are looking to the future to see if they’ve inspired the next generation to carry on the cause. One such venture finds itself in the middle of the process. The Brownfield and District […] Read more
‘I love to contribute’ is the motto of Cochrane rancher
Reading Time: 4 minutes When a young David Sibbald volunteered for the International Youth Livestock Committee of the Calgary Stampede back in 1990, he had no grand illusions about someday heading up an organization that today boasts 2,300 community volunteers and more than 1,200 employees. He was just committed to youth and agriculture. Those commitments haven’t changed, but now […] Read more
Hit the road — there’s summer fun in every direction in Alberta
Reading Time: 4 minutes If you’re planning to head out on the highway this summer for adventure, consider trying some new routes. The events you can experience may be closer than you think — or take you to a corner you’ve never seen before. But two things are clear. The definition of fun is as vast as the Alberta […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
