Reading Time: 4 minutes It was a dry year and the grasshoppers on our new farm were the size of jackknives. The carrying capacity was terribly compromised and the fact that sheep once prevailed was evident in the close-clipped grass. I found it a terrific challenge. Turns out this area north of Rimbey is great for rain and so […] Read more
The third farm and a new set of challenges to overcome
The goal to quadruple carrying capacity in as many years was achieved, but soil building is ongoing
Beekeepers bank on biodiversity in pasture lands
Canola is a great source of pollen and nectar — but only for one month of the year
Reading Time: 2 minutes As the Alberta countryside gets eaten up by field crops, pastures are becoming a “safe haven” for field crop pollinators. “Bees spend maybe a month sitting in a canola field, and in that month, they have adequate supplies of pollen and nectar from the canola,” said Adam Ovinge, a beekeeper from Granum. “The problem is […] Read more
Prairie forage crops to benefit from early spring weather
CNS Canada — Forage crops in Western Canada are in a much better place this spring compared to a year ago, as spring’s early arrival will benefit crop development. The milder winter was also beneficial in preserving forage supplies, with feed stocks adequate to good in many regions, said Terry Kowalchuk, a provincial forage specialist […] Read more
Intensive beef production seminar
Reading Time: < 1 minute Foothills Forage and Grazing Association is hosting an afternoon seminar on intensive beef production on pasture systems. Flavio Santos, a professor of ruminant nutrition at the University of Sao Paulo, is an expert in areas such as starch utilization by ruminants, integrating pasture management, and grain supplementation. He is also the author of 72 scientific […] Read more
Pasture the focus at conference
"Going Beyond Sustainability” will be held at the Radisson Hotel from Dec. 9-11
Reading Time: < 1 minute The Western Canadian Grazing Conference “Going Beyond Sustainability” will be held Dec. 9-11 at the Radisson Hotel, Edmonton South. This event is designed as a forum to discuss leading-edge grazing and forage techniques and theories for producers across Western Canada. Keynote speakers include Judith Schwartz who will speak on “Cows Save the Planet,” and Diane […] Read more
Alberta crop report as of July 29
Crops rated below last year but ahead of the 10-year average
Reading Time: < 1 minute This is a summary of the AFSC biweekly crop report as of July. Click here for the full report and tables. Much-needed precipitation fell in all regions with the exception of Southern Alberta. With most crops now entering the kernel-filling stage, this moisture will be very beneficial for both yield and maturity. Crop condition ratings […] Read more
Sainfoin story keeps getting better
Sainfoin is a marvel when it comes to eliminating bloat, but earlier varieties were outcompeted by alfalfa
Reading Time: 3 minutes It’s been neglected for years, but sainfoin is poised to come into its own, with the first new variety that regrows quickly after cutting or grazing due to come onto the market in 2015. In rotational grazing trials at Lethbridge last year, sainfoin-alfalfa pastures produced more than 400 kilograms of beef per hectare with no […] Read more