Reading Time: 4 minutes Tom and Margaret Towers were looking to downsize their cattle operation when they went on Kijiji in search of grass-finished beef to add to their reduced herd. Instead, they found Blake and Angela Hall, a young couple in need of a long-term solution to their land troubles. Together, the couples started the Tamara Ranch Project […] Read more
Preserving the family farm — with people who aren’t family
Veteran ranchers partner with young producers who don’t own an acre but are keen to have a farming career
Farm leaders say workers’ compensation coverage is a good thing
Mandatory enrolment could be announced this fall, but leaders say cost and paperwork won’t be onerous
Reading Time: 4 minutes Changes to farm safety regulations are expected soon — and that might not be a bad thing for Alberta farmers, says the president of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture. “Workers’ compensation or private insurance really is a great risk management tool for farms nowadays,” said Lynn Jacobson. “That protection against litigation is one of the […] Read more
The devil is in the detail when it comes to workplace rules
Farms aren’t like other workplaces and regulations need to reflect that, say farm leaders
Reading Time: 2 minutes Doug Chorney has some advice for Alberta farmers who are nervous about upcoming changes to health and safety regulations: “Don’t be scared of having the conversation.” “You’re better off having the conversation with government rather than just waiting for regulations to come in without your input,” said Chorney, past president of Keystone Agricultural Producers, Manitoba’s […] Read more
Wildlife damage is a problem — but not reporting a bigger one
Program changes aren’t going to happen if producers don’t start reporting wildlife losses
Reading Time: 2 minutes Wildlife damage is a big problem across Alberta — but you wouldn’t know it from the number of beef producers reporting losses to the Alberta government. About 60 per cent of producers recently surveyed about wildlife damage said that they never reported losses from predators, while 80 per cent never reported forage competition from ungulates. […] Read more
Survival mode: Three allies to help you deal with drought
Young producer says knowing exactly how many days of grazing are left is a ‘game changer’ in a drought year
Reading Time: 4 minutes Cattle producer Blake Hall isn’t about to sugar-coat things. “People are so petrified of the word drought, but we’ve been using it for the last three weeks,” the Red Deer cattle producer said in a July 7 interview. “We stopped seeing any significant regrowth in our pastures about five weeks ago. Now we’re in drought-management […] Read more
Save your spray: Crop disease risk drops in drought conditions
But diseases like stripe rust, tan spot, or sclerotinia could be an issue if there’s been decent moisture
Reading Time: 3 minutes This summer’s dry growing conditions have at least one silver lining — lower levels of disease in fields. “In those areas that have had very little rainfall this summer, you’re probably looking at limited development of diseases,” federal research scientist Kelly Turkington said in a July 6 interview. “Of more concern would simply be poor […] Read more
Suckle strength linked to calf vigour at birth
This simple assessment is an even better indicator than calving ease, says University of Calgary researcher
Reading Time: 2 minutes A researcher at the University of Calgary has found a simple way to test for calf vigour — look for calves that suck. “Suckle reflex is a really promising indicator of a calf’s ability to consume colostrum,” said Dr. Elizabeth Homerosky, who presented at the 2015 UCVM Beef Cattle Conference. Colostrum consumption is one of […] Read more
Check your numbers. Is it worth spending money on a foliar fertilizer?
Producers probably won’t see a good return on foliar fertilizers and hype around micronutrients is mostly ‘marketing’
Reading Time: 2 minutes In a dry year like this one, investing in foliar fertilizer probably won’t pay off. “Conditions at the time of spraying are the trump card,” said agronomist Jack Payne at canolaPALOOZA in late June. “Herbicides are also absorbed through the foliage, but if the plant’s not actively growing — if it’s shutting down because of […] Read more
Mild winter and dry spring create perfect storm for some problem insects
Insect damage is ‘amplified’ in a dry year because plants aren’t as big and so insects consume more of them
Reading Time: 2 minutes Some bug troubles are in the past for Alberta growers, but others are just getting started. “We already had a big run on flea beetles. That’s probably going to be one of the big stories of the year,” said Scott Meers, insect management specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. “There’s also been way more cutworms […] Read more
Forging deep bonds — one customer at a time
It’s a whole different world, but these Alberta farm entrepreneurs say direct marketing gets in your blood
Reading Time: 7 minutes Grazed Right Grass Fed Beef / Black Diamond As one of four children of one of seven brothers who jointly own the family ranch, Ben Campbell knew a farming career was simply out of reach. Even if he had the land base, the cost of starting a commercial-size herd is huge. “Cattle are so expensive […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
