Reading Time: < 1 minute There’s an art to brewing the perfect cup of coffee, and Teri Heck has perfected it. “It’s such an important part of most people’s day, but people don’t really take the time to figure out how to make it properly,” said the owner of Profound Coffee. “There are some simple tricks and tips to get […] Read more
Three tips for brewing your best cup of coffee yet
Iron backlog has come and gone
It’s taken a few years, but dealers have finally whittled down high inventories of equipment
Reading Time: 3 minutes Two years ago, you couldn’t drive past an equipment dealership without noticing the rows upon rows of machines — carry-over of anticipated demand that never came. “In 2013 and 2014, everybody was firing on all cylinders,” said Leah Olson, president of the Agricultural Manufacturers of Canada. “With our record harvests, there was a fundamental shift […] Read more
Alberta organic industry hits new heights
There’s money to be made as organic becomes more mainstream and the industry matures
Reading Time: 3 minutes A surge in the number of organic crop producers in Alberta has boosted organic production on the Prairies to a level not seen since the 2008 financial crisis. That’s a key highlight of a new report from the Prairie Organic Grain Initiative, an alliance of Organic Alberta and its counterparts in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. “The […] Read more
Olds leads the way as medical marijuana market booms
Terra Life Sciences shows the power of value-added processing in its cannabis cultivation facility and pharmaceutical plant
Reading Time: 5 minutes Terra Life Sciences would look like any other manufacturing plant if not for the security guard parked out front. He’s the gatekeeper here. You’ll find another one just like him at the other gate, checking in visitors, scrutinizing IDs, buzzing through the people who pass muster. But these guards are just your first glimpse of […] Read more
HEARTFELT: Couple opens up and sparks conversations across farm country
Reading Time: 2 minutes Lesley and Mathieu Kelly knew they were opening themselves up to a backlash when they shared a candid video about mental health problems they’ve faced as a young farm family. They spoke about the stress of farming, of Mathieu’s anxiety, of Lesley’s postpartum depression. And they were right. They were bullied. People online mocked them, […] Read more
They haven’t struck oil — and that’s a good thing for canola growers
A new high-protein canola aimed at the feed market could increase farmer returns
Reading Time: 3 minutes Canola meal could soon give soymeal a run for its money in international feed markets, thanks to a new high-protein canola variety coming down the pipe. “This is a positive for the whole industry,” said Ward Toma, general manager of Alberta Canola. “It increases the value of the secondary product — the meal — and […] Read more
Skim milk blues — Alberta producing more than can be used
Butterfat is where it’s at in the dairy business and investment in plants to process skim milk has lagged
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alberta dairy farmers are watching their product — and their profits — circle the drain. “Some of our skim milk does not have a commercial value, and that compromises our prices,” said Tom Kootstra, Alberta Milk chair. “We do our best to find a use for this skim milk that has no place in the […] Read more
The jobs are waiting for ag program graduates
Enrolment has soared in the past decade — and so has the number of unfilled jobs in the agriculture sector
Reading Time: 5 minutes A career in agriculture just wasn’t an option for Julie Mitchell when she was growing up. Or at least that’s what she thought. “I was really passionate about agriculture, but I didn’t think you could have a career in ag beyond being a farmer,” said Mitchell, who grew up on a cattle operation in Manitoba. […] Read more
Weed pressure ramps up in late spring
Weeds that emerge a week before the crop can cause up to 50 per cent yield loss
Reading Time: 3 minutes In a late spring like this one, you might be tempted to skip spraying for weeds to make up for lost time — but that decision could cost you. “The last few years, we’ve had early springs, so people weren’t feeling like they were under the gun,” said Harry Brook, crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture […] Read more
Plenty of jobs in budding cannabis industry
Spots in Olds College cannabis program snapped up in hours, with hundreds of jobs in Alberta beckoning
Reading Time: 3 minutes Olds College’s new cannabis production program isn’t some half-baked idea — it’s high time. “We’ve been offering horticulture programming for over 50 years, so it makes sense for this new facet of the horticulture industry to come our way for training,” said Debbie Thompson, the college’s vice-president academic and student experience. “It’s a new industry […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
