Judging from the view of water covering a broad, green meadow of seeded cropland on both sides of the Assiniboine River here, the flood of 2012 is already underway. Near the town of Shellmouth, a little farther downstream, tiny canola plants are poking up through the mud of a broad flood plain. In the lower
Floods drain Assiniboine farmers
School powers LED message board with wind turbine
Oak Lake Community School turns need for community and school messaging into a teachable moment about renewable energy
The new electronic messaging board at Oak Lake Community School is just part of the school’s latest commitment to going green. The sign, which uses energy-saving LED light bulbs, will not only reduce the need to send home paper notices, but is powered by a small wind turbine. That makes it a tool for teachingManitoba soils help NASA’s new gadgets take flight
From June 7 to July 17, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will fly two piloted aircraft several times a week over an area of mixed agricultural and forested land from Portage la Prairie to Carman in south-central Manitoba. These aircraft will carry instruments similar to those onboard a satellite that NASA will
Stolen tractor found at bottom of manure pile
A pile of poo wasn’t enough to conceal the crime, and now a pair of suspects charged with stealing a tractor worth $300,000 off a dealership lot near Stonewall are finding themselves in deep doo-doo. Acting on a Crime Stoppers tip, RCMP recovered the 2009 Case IH Steiger 485 last week underneath an enormous pile
Global group looks to no till to tackle climate change and hunger
Getting developing countries to adopt Canadian-style no till would be a “win win” in combatting global hunger and climate change, says the former head of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s research division. Restoring organic matter in soils in China, India and Africa is becoming a matter of life and death, says Wayne Lindwall, who began no-till
Province bulldozes Agro Woodlot Program
Manitoba Woodlot Association “disappointed” that the one-of-a-kind program assisting small-scale forestry has been cancelled
Manitoba’s Agro Woodlot Program has fallen to the provincial budget axe. Short-term contracts for four forestry technicians based in communities in the southern part of the province were allowed to expire in March, and grants for logging based on beneficial management practices will no longer be offered. A provincial spokesperson confirmed the Manitoba Agro WoodlotDuck harvest coming later in fall
Anew study has confirmed what veteran duck hunters have long suspected — hunting season is significantly later in the year these days than it was decades ago. Delta Waterfowl science director Frank Rohwer looked at migration dates by examining data from the annual Parts Collection Survey that has gathered comprehensive harvest data from hunters since
Budget cuts hit Manitoba Forage Council
Group’s research funding has shrunk from a peak of $1.4 million to $200,000 Cuts to research funding by federal and provincial governments have hit the Manitoba Forage Council hard. The group’s research funding has shrunk from a peak of $1.4 million to just around $200,000, said Brent McCannell, executive director of the 400-member non-profit group
Farmers urged to tell their story but keep it real
Ordinary farmers could help polish the livestock industry’s image by posting matter-of-fact video clips on popular Internet site
Corrected, June 8, 2012 — Livestock producers should seize the power of YouTube to counter the influence of animal rights activists. But ditch the PR and keep it real. That was the advice of renowned animal welfare expert Temple Grandin delivered at a sold-out presentation here last week. “When YouTube first started, about two orEnthusiastic crowd greets Temple Grandin
Temple Grandin says her struggles with autism gave her the ability to see the world as animals do and that allowed her to create new animal-handling procedures that earned her international renown. But in a speech to a packed house of more than 700 here recently, Grandin not only demonstrated a keen understanding of how
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
