Reading Time: 3 minutes The Perry family is well known in the Lethbridge area for its enthusiasm for the environment and sustainable farming practices. Their farm at Chin, east of the city, is a landmark with its cluster of potato storage domes, a concept developed in the late 1970s to use less concrete and steel than other buildings with […] Read more
Alberta Farm To Turn Waste Into Watts
Peak Efficiency In Water Application Is Coming Through Research NEW TECHNOLOGY • Push For Increased Efficiency
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta Agriculture’s irrigation demo farm was developed to provides a site to test new technology for irrigators. It has pivots already in place so researchers can’t study new pivot technology, but they have plenty of questions to answer. Alberta Agriculture engineer Ted Harms is hoping for funds to test a system called low elevation precision […] Read more
Climate Change Threatens Irrigation Districts
Reading Time: 3 minutes The Rockies are getting warmer, and that may mean big trouble for Alberta’s irrigation farmers. Our western mountains have warmed up by about 2 to 5 over the last 40 or 50 years, and while it hasn’t affected average annual precipitation, warming can reduce the amount of moisture that falls as snow and increase the […] Read more
Province Has A Made-In-Alberta System
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta’s irrigation system is unique because it’s been developed as much for the community as for farmers and ranchers. Most of Alberta’s irrigated land is covered by Irrigation Districts, corporations that operate much like municipalities. Governed by a member-elected board, each manages operations and maintenance of water distribution, and collects acreage fees from its members. […] Read more
With Seeding Delayed, Which Crop Do You Seed First?
Reading Time: 2 minutes Southern Alberta – the land of short grass and jokes about getting a half-inch that time that the Bible says it rained 40 days and 40 nights. For the second year in a row, spring seeding is on hold and the jokes are more likely about an old guy being seen rounding up animals in […] Read more
Raising Rabbits Takes A Knack
Reading Time: 3 minutes J&M Rabbit Farms is the biggest operation of its kind in Alberta, and possibly Canada, but Jim and Margaret Oosterhof are too busy to keep score. “We don’t care how big other people’s operations are,” says Jim Oosterhof. “We’ve just grown our numbers to work for us.” The couple from Wilson Siding, near Lethbridge, raises […] Read more
Removing Solids From Manure Pays Off And Helps Environment
Reading Time: 3 minutes af contributor |lethbridge One machine has totally changed Brian Stoutjesdyk’s manure handling. The Coaldale dairy farmer says a $100,000 system that separates solids from liquids in manure slurry – creating high-quality bedding and a liquid manure that is less costly to apply – has been a great investment. As in most dairy farms, a continuous […] Read more
Better Wireworm Control Means Knowing More About Them
Reading Time: 3 minutes AF CONTRIBUTOR |LETHBRIDGE Wireworms are one of the oldest and most common crop pests but remain strangers in our midst. Agriculture Canada entomologist Bob Vernon wants to change that – but he needs help from farmers. Wireworm damage shows up as bare patches in newly emerged cereal and forage crops, as well as harming other […] Read more
You Managed Canola All Season — Don’t Forget It In The Bin
Reading Time: 3 minutes af contributor |lethbridge Just because it’s in the bin, doesn’t mean your canola is safe. Agronomists have seen a lot of heated canola this winter – in some cases whole bins – and more trouble may be on the way. “It’s hard to hear of a whole bin of canola spoiling, especially at this year’s […] Read more
Test Seed For More Than Germination This Year
Reading Time: 2 minutes Seed testing is always important, but this year will really show its value, says Barry Little of 20/20 Seed Labs. “Disease levels can be as high as 10 times normal this year,” says Little. “Around 20 per cent of seed we’re testing just isn’t suitable for seeding because of disease.” Little says seed testing should […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
