The labour shortage in agriculture affects all types of farms and enterprises with short-season, high-labour needs definitely feel the pinch of it. Pam and John Griffin need to hire people every summer to take off their strawberry harvest on their five-acre Glenboro-area Good Earth Garden and Berries farm. But not many want the job. “I’m
Making it work — or not
Direct Farm Manitoba speaker says farm owners need to look further afield — to provincial job centres and settlement agencies — to find the staffers they need
International Souris River Study Board seeks public input
Study board aims to recommend ways to reduce flood risk along the 700-km river
An upcoming study will make recommendations on how to reduce flood risks along the Souris River. That’s the goal of the International Souris River Study Board (ISRSB) which, over the next two years, will look at different options for improving the 1989 international agreement between Canada and the U.S. Its efforts aim to improve the
Renovated windbreak for farmer education
The Stanley Soil Management Association has established a demo site to help landowners evaluate methods for renovating rather than removal of these sites
One of the few remaining soil associations in Manitoba has created a windbreak demo site in hopes of showing more landowners there’s more to be gained from renovating shelterbelts than removing them. The Stanley Soil Management Association received a small grant from the federal Environment and Climate Change Canada program and used the money to
No such thing as ‘unprecedented’ weather, delegates at ARBI conference told
Delegates with the Assiniboine River Basin Initiative (ARBI) met in Regina February 14 and 15
If 1930s seems like the worst drought we could ever have, scientific records show pre-settlement dry spells lasted far longer. Likewise, there were wet spells on the Prairies much more intense than events like 2011’s — a flood we tended to call “unprecedented.” Neither are unprecedented, say Saskatchewan scientists. Both extremes have occurred before on
Gladstone 4-H leader is Manitoba’s recipient of award recognizing exceptional volunteer leaders
The awards recognize the pivotal role volunteer leaders play in the 4-H program
A Gladstone 4-H leader who’s led projects wherever she’s lived in rural Manitoba has been recognized by 4-H Canada for exceptional volunteer leadership. Heather Lea has volunteered with the provincial 4-H program off and on since the mid-1970s when she first offered to lead a sewing project while living in Cartwright. Her career as United
Morden prepares to battle the bug
The city has just unveiled its 10-year strategy to manage for emerald ash borer’s imminent arrival here. Morden officials will speak at a workshop next month on what actions other rural communities can take
Morden isn’t waiting until it discovers the emerald ash borer (EAB) in its midst to take action to protect its public trees. Starting later this winter the city will begin systematically removing the tree species that would otherwise attract the invasive beetle. One hundred and fifty green ash trees will be taken down in 2018
Folk art reveals a lesser known side of Mennonite life, says Manitoba artist
Artist Margruite Krahn says vivid designs are a reminder of the value of bringing more colour into our lives
Like most Mennonites, Margruite Krahn knew women on southern Manitoba farms once hand-painted their homes with lively and colourful designs. But it wasn’t until the Neubergthal artist became involved with a local housebarn preservation that she began to truly see these floors for herself. That was several years ago, while serving as chair of the
Young farmer research shared with KAP delegates
The Becoming a Young Farmer study began in 2017 asking new entrants about how the next generation sees agriculture
Manitoba stood out in 2016 census data for having the largest proportion of those younger farm operators, as well as the youngest population of farm operators in Canada outside Quebec. But these young agriculturalists now farm a landscape more thinly populated than one their grandparents and even parents experienced. During the 1980s and 1990s, when
Not farming? Pay up
Researcher wants to track land tenure throughout the Prairies
To keep more farmland in the hands of farmers, put a levy on sales of it to those who buy land but don’t plan farming it themselves. That’s a proposal put forward as a resolution at Keystone Agricultural Producers’ annual general meeting and supported by delegates last month. This would be a support to younger
Getting the most from tile drainage
Ag Days speakers emphasize there’s no one-size-fits-all tile drainage system for Manitoba
There’s no doubt tile drainage can boost productivity and profitability. Just don’t assume it should look just like the neighbour’s system. Anyone eyeing the better yield prospects and earlier field access it offers must have a thorough understanding of how the subsurface pipe system works in their specific field conditions, Ag Days speakers said. ‘Should
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
