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
Iron backlog has come and gone
It’s taken a few years, but dealers have finally whittled down high inventories of equipment
I can’t change the past, but I wish I could
Taking the kids along when working has long been seen as part of farming, but that needs to change
Reading Time: 3 minutes It was a long and tough winter on the Prairies. Once the sun shone, tractors were serviced, calves were born, cattle sorted, chickens hatched, seeds sown — I delighted in watching the many posts and videos that families shared during this time of rebirth on the farm. And then it hit me. Most included a […] Read more
Farmers racing to tap into $35-million energy efficiency program
Interest is high, so producers and processors should get applications in as soon as possible, says official
Reading Time: 4 minutes Producers have been flooding the Alberta government with applications for its new suite of energy efficiency incentive programs. The province is offering a total of $35 million to producers and agri-processors pursuing solar, irrigation, heating, lighting, and other energy reduction projects. Included in the suite is the new Farm Energy and Agri-Processing (FEAP) program, a […] Read more
Alberta GDP numbers rise across the board
Reading Time: < 1 minute The real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) for Alberta’s agri-food industry rose by 2.5 per cent in 2017 to $6.5 billion. The province accounts for 12.5 per cent of the country’s agri-food GDP, and is in third spot nationally (after Ontario and Quebec). The GDP for the province’s primary agriculture industry increased 1.9 per cent to […] 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
Mother Nature’s recipe for making very severe thunderstorms
There are some key ingredients that (usually) are needed to create a truly wicked summer storm
Reading Time: 3 minutes As the heat continues to build across the Prairies, the chances for thunderstorms have also increased. We began our look at thunderstorm fundamentals that lead to garden-variety thunderstorms. But while these types of thunderstorms are fun to watch, we all know how quickly they can turn into severe thunderstorms. A couple of weeks ago we […] Read more
The surprising hazard lurking at your feet
Slips and trips are commonplace ingredients in a large number of workplace accidents
Reading Time: 2 minutes Working safely with equipment gets a lot of attention — and rightly so — when it comes to preventing accidents on the farm. But there are also major hazards lurking by your feet, and this, too, is something you should think about before starting any building project on the farm. Falls account for one in […] Read more
The sun doesn’t always shine on every solar project
It’s a good time to install a solar system, but you need to consider many factors before plunging in
Reading Time: 5 minutes If you’re a producer who has recently decided to install a solar photovoltaic (PV) array on your farm or ranch, your timing is right. Under the Alberta Agriculture and Forestry On-Farm Solar Voltaics Program, the provincial government is offering to cover up to 35 per cent of costs for producers building on-farm, grid-tied solar systems. […] Read more
Bees benefit from 4-H Canada pollinator program
Reading Time: < 1 minute It’s been another banner year for the the Proud to Bee a 4-H’er initiative. The 2018 edition of the program saw 135 4-H clubs from across the country participating and about 15,000 seed packets distributed. “It is wonderful each year to see the level of excitement and engagement our members have with this initiative,” said […] Read more
Keep watch for insects that attack trees
There are a number of pests that harm trees, including yellow-headed spruce sawfly, spider mites, and white pine weevils
Reading Time: 2 minutes There are several insects that affect trees that you should keep an eye out for this year. “The yellow-headed spruce sawfly has been a problem for spruce the last few years, as well as spider mites,” said provincial agro-forestry specialist Toso Bozic. “White pine weevils have also been a problem for young spruce trees, as […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
