Reading Time: < 1 minute Do you think Shelby and Sierra Zmurchyk are excited about farming? The fourth-generation dairy producers are also pretty pumped about being the final winners in Alberta Farmer’s felfie contest. “We would like to say thanks so much,” said Shelby, 18. “This is a great opportunity to share our love of agriculture while giving back to […] Read more
Sisters share their love of agriculture
Daysland lamb producer reveals her secret for success
Lisa and Troy Greenstein were thinking about hobby farming when they left city life behind, but it’s become much more
Reading Time: 3 minutes Persistence is the key ingredient if you want to get your farm product into grocery stores, say Lisa and Troy Greenstein. “I’m like a dog with a bone — if I get an idea in my head, I don’t let it drop until we get there,” said Lisa. “Two and a half years ago, I […] Read more
Felfie entrants getting the word out about agriculture
Reading Time: 2 minutes They are the faces of Alberta farming — 14 of them anyway. The felfie craze has died down a bit since Alberta Farmer invited producers to send in their farmer selfies a month and a half ago. But the effort to show the world that there are real, everyday people behind every food item on […] Read more
Digital exhibit brings history of Prairie food to your homes
Items selected from the University of Alberta’s Bruce Peel Special Collections Library show the history of cookbooks in Western Canada
Reading Time: 3 minutes Compiling a food history is complicated — it has to include culture, economics, politics, gender roles — and of course, recipes for chiffon pie. “Culinaria — A Taste of Food History on the Prairies,” a new digital exhibit by the University of Alberta, has it all. Co-curator Caroline Lieffers says she’s certain others will be […] Read moreGetting youth involved key to winning, says speaker
Reading Time: 3 minutes What can agricultural societies do to rejuvenate their membership and help rebuild a sense of community in rural areas? Think of yourselves in a new light and reach out to youth on their terms, says Peter Male. Male took that message to the recent annual general meeting of the Manitoba Association of Agricultural Societies and […] Read more
Provinces urged to follow Alberta and Ontario in setting up farmer-run helplines
Reading Time: 2 minutes Alberta and Ontario have established farmer-run helplines for struggling livestock producers and their accomplishments indicate similar services are needed across the country, says the man who runs the Alberta operation. “Every province should have one of these,” Darrell Dalton, interim registrar of the Alberta Veterinary Medical Association, told the National Farm Animal Care Conference. Alberta […] Read more
Severe lack of rural firefighters a cause for concern
Reading Time: 3 minutes When there’s an emergency, firefighters are often the first on the scene, and not only when there’s a fire. In rural areas, they deal with vehicle accidents and other emergency calls, so a shortage of firefighters can be a serious concern. Firefighters in rural areas perform essential services, but they have other jobs. Over 10,000 […] Read more
Ghost town comes alive to celebrate its centenary
More than 700 people flocked to Retlaw to celebrate its 100th Year Homecoming and experience its unique, ghostly appeal
Reading Time: 2 minutes There’s really not much left of Retlaw, but this August the Alberta ghost town came alive. More than 700 people flocked to the defunct town — some from as far away as Sweden — on Aug. 10 to celebrate its 100th Year Homecoming. “A lot of them remember some of the businesses and they shared […] Read moreMLA renews efforts to get farm worker safety legislation
David Swann contrasts Alberta’s animal care legislation with lack of similar legislation for farm workers
Reading Time: 2 minutes Calgary MLA and Liberal Agriculture Critic David Swann used the occasion of the annual Agriculture Safety Week to repeat his calls for health and safety regulations for farm workers. During a private members’ address to the legislature on March 11, Swann reminded the MLAs that Premier Alison Redford promised during her leadership campaign to address […] Read moreReading, writing and collecting eggs
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters / The first clue is a sign “Fresh Eggs for Sale” in front of the school. There is a sheep pen on the baseball field and the sounds of farm animals greet pupils every morning. This is not your ordinary elementary school. It is the Walton Rural Life Center, a kindergarten through fourth grade […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
