Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta’s wildfire season officially starts March 1, bringing into effect annual restrictions on burning activities. A permit will be required for all planned fires in Alberta’s Forest Protection Area, with the exception of campfires. “By beginning one month early, we can more effectively monitor burning activities and also ensure that our firefighters are well prepared […] Read more
Protection measures in place for wildfire season
A permit will be required for all planned fires in Alberta’s Forest Protection Area
Ignore market chatter with AgriProfit$
Reading Time: < 1 minute Still watching the markets before finalizing your seeding plans? There are a number of factors affecting markets, and the challenge is filtering all the information, says provincial crop market analyst Neil Blue. “Rather than being caught up in day-to-day market chatter, most producers deal with the cropping decisions by considering some basics in addition to […] Read more
FarmSafe workshops in March
Producers can register by visiting crop commission websites
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Alberta Wheat Commission, Alberta Barley, Alberta Canola Producers Commission and Alberta Pulse Growers Commission will host a series of FarmSafe workshops throughout Alberta this March. The free, one-day workshops will provide training and educational manuals to help farmers develop a complete health and safety management system tailored to their unique operation. “These FarmSafe workshops […] Read more
Interested in growing hemp?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Canadian hemp acres are up 25 per cent in the last five years, with nearly a third of that grown in Alberta — about 24,500 acres in 2015. Last year’s bumper crop has reduced demand for conventional hemp acres this year but buyers are “exceedingly interested in contracting organic hemp acres,” said Lori-Jo Graham, a […] Read more
Composting fastest and cheapest way to deal with deadstock
Reading Time: 2 minutes One of the fastest and cheapest ways to dispose of deadstock is to compost them — and you can even do it in winter. “As soon as your compost heats up to 40 C, it doesn’t smell like a carcass anymore… it’s not,” said Kim Stanford, a beef research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. […] Read more
Sow the seeds of farm workplace safety this winter
Here’s a list of recommended courses for reducing the risk on your farm
Reading Time: 2 minutes Winter is a good time to make your farm safer. “It’s the time of year when some farmers take a step back from their hectic physical farm work and make assessments for the future,” said Kenda Lubeck, a provincial farm safety co-ordinator. Here are some courses you might consider taking: First aid: This is a […] Read more
New profile of Alberta’s greenhouse sector
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has released the 2014 Alberta Greenhouse Profile Report, which is based on a survey conducted in partnership with the Alberta Greenhouse Growers Association. It provides current benchmark data on the province’s 230 greenhouses, including size, distribution in different regions within the province, heating systems, water and energy use trends, labour, as […] Read more
Just how much is that roast beef worth?
Reading Time: < 1 minute Alberta Agriculture and Forestry has a new fact sheet on pricing meat products. “When you sell direct to market, there is a lot more involved than production,” said new-venture specialist Kathy Bosse. You also have to manage processing, packaging and delivery and think about consumer demand. “The new Pricing Meat Products: An Introduction fact sheet covers […] Read more
Fall is a good time to empty a catch basin
But take care not to overapply liquids on fields and cause run-off
Reading Time: < 1 minute Fall is an excellent time to empty a catch basin. “Maintaining an empty catch basin will help to reduce the risk of overflow next spring,” said Cody Metheral, a provincial extension specialist in confined feeding operations. “During pump-out, it is important to remember that overapplication of catch basin contents could result in run-off from the […] Read more
You may not want to know what lies below — but you should
Experts say too many rural Albertans aren’t properly caring for their wells — and the price for neglect can be steep
Reading Time: 3 minutes Imagine finding mouse fur in your tap water. Or your house blowing up because of a buildup of methane in your water system. Brandon Leask has seen both. Although extreme examples, those are just two of the many risks that come with not paying attention to water wells, said the agricultural water engineer with Alberta […] Read more
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