North American 4-H may have branched into everything from babysitting to robotics, but elsewhere it’s still back to the basics — producing enough food for the family. Shannon Benner, CEO of 4-H Canada and chair of the Global 4-H Network, estimates that about 60 per cent of programs worldwide are focused on agriculture or food
4-H finds fertile ground to tackle food security
Vertical gardens and composting are among the 4-H projects to help African families produce their own food
You are here: 4-H pitches youth GIS training
Youth in Nebraska have been introduced to geographic information systems since 2007
It’s time for 4-H members to find their footing with geographic information systems (GIS) technology. That’s according to an extension 4-H program based out of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. “Geospatial thinking is a necessity and, with the new equipment, the new things that are coming out, the more education and understanding that you have, the
Ag societies turn to mandatory testing as EIA scare continues
Horse owners on the summer fair and rodeo circuit may want to recheck the rules as some ag societies implement mandatory Coggins testing
Manitoba’s horse show circuit is feeling the effects of efforts to avoid further spreading equine infectious anemia (EIA) after several carriers were identified in the province. The outbreak has shut down all horse shows in the Interlake region this summer and prompted other show organizers to require advance testing of all horses attending their events.
Bayer shows off new apps at 4-H summit
Facial recognition technology can capture and identify the faces of weeds as well as humans
A new app will bring weed identification to the field with the click of a smartphone camera. That’s according to Bayer and its recently released Weedscout app, which compares a photo of a weed with a cumulative database and returns a list of potential matches. “As it’s used more and more, it’s designed to learn
PEDv crosses into south-central Manitoba
A finisher barn in the Altona/Gretna region was confirmed PEDv positive July 14
Porcine epidemic diarrhea (PEDv) has been confirmed west of the Red River for the first time after a farm in the Altona/Gretna region tested positive for the virus July 14. Dr. Glen Duizer of Manitoba’s Chief Veterinary Office (CVO) said the barn was exposed after a shipment of pigs from a farm that was later
South American superfood lays down roots in Manitoba
Locally produced quinoa is starting to appear in retail outlets and farmers’ markets in Manitoba, but adapting the traditionally South American superfood to the Prairies is challenging
To the uninitiated, the field of quinoa stretching out in front of Percy Phillips looks like acres upon acres of lambs’ quarters and, in fact, the common weed is a close genetic relative. This, however, is no patch of weeds. The 10-acre field near Portage la Prairie is one of several sites supplying grain to
How dense is the perfect canola stand?
Economic-focused studies say lower stand density might mean bigger profit, while other experts warn that it might be short-term financial gain for long-term agronomic pain
Have canola growers been targeting too-dense stands? According to one oilseed specialist that might be the case, but not everyone agrees. Murray Hartman, oilseeds specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry put forward the controversial suggestion during a presentation at Canolapalooza June 22 in Portage la Prairie. He says the current target of seven to 10
Before Brandon was the Wheat City
Brandon was established as a city in 1882, but trading outposts along the Assiniboine River predate that mark by decades and are the subject of a museum exhibit at the Brandon General Museum and Archives
In most tellings, Brandon is a city that appeared from nowhere, fuelled by agricultural settlement. In 1881 it was a single shanty, and just 12 months later it was the province’s first western city, the Wheat City. Local history buffs will recount how rail plans were moved 50 kilometres south in the 1870s, in line
AMM hears about basket funding
The AMM has advocated a more streamlined approach to municipal funding, now it is getting a look at the province’s interpretation of that request
Municipalities are getting ready for a major shift in how provincial funds are granted. The single-window application and basket funding model promised by Premier Brian Pallister during last year’s election is on the way, attendees heard during the June 15 Association of Manitoba Municipalities (AMM) Western District meeting. The two-part changes are in response to
Burrowing owls are returning to Manitoba pastures — with a little help
In total seven pairs are slated to be reintroduced to the wild this year through the Manitoba Burrowing Owl Recovery Program
The burrowing owl has become largely non-existent in Manitoba since the 1980s, but one program is changing that. In 2010, then post-graduate student Alexandra Froese began a research project aimed at reintroducing the species, spending three seasons in the field and eventually gaining support from the Turtle Mountain Conservation District in 2011. In 2013, the