Heavy rainfall isn’t the only reason overland flooding is washing out roads and resulting in hundreds of thousands of acres left unseeded in southwestern Manitoba this year, provincial officials say. Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation Minister Steve Ashton said last week the province now has proof illegal drainage in Saskatchewan is exacerbating the problems faced by
Province vows to tackle southwest’s water woes
A new study shows the link between unlicensed wetland drainage and stream flows
Last year’s leftovers
RecipeSwap: Spinach and Green Pea Soup, and Hodgepodge
A sure sign of approaching summer around here is an almost-empty freezer. Last fall I made a list of everything we put into it, and all those bags of carrots, peas, beans, corn, rhubarb, saskatoons and strawberries seemed like a lot of food at the time. So a few months later, I’m amazed to see
Farming’s In-Law Factor
Elaine Froese of Boissevain and co-author Megan McKenzie write about how to create healthier relationships on family farms
No farmer would sit on the tractor stuck in the mud, going nowhere and refusing to even try. So why do farm families remain mired in emotional muck that sometimes lasts decades, and still be unwilling to resolve it? Certified farm family coach Elaine Froese and conflict resolution expert Megan McKenzie use the analogy to
Canola and bees
RecipeSwap: Muesli Muffins with Almonds and Cranberries, Avocado Honey Veggie Wraps, and a Powerhouse Green Smoothie
The minister in church last Sunday whimsically described the sight of bees flitting through his apple trees as “what heaven must be like” during his sermon. When canola begins to flower across Western Canada, those vast fields of yellow flowers must look like heaven to a bee too. Canola growers and the Canadian Honey Council
State of emergency declared in southwestern municipality
Forty miles of RM of Edwards roadways are closed due to water
With as much as 95 per cent of farm land estimated unseeded, and roughly 40 miles of roads closed and unfit to travel due to water the RM of Edward in the southwestern corner of Manitoba declared a state of emergency June 5. “It’s a real mess,” said Reeve Ralph Wang June 9. “It’s dry
Processors consulted on food safety regulation
The new regulation’s intent is to allow innovation and flexibility for business while ensuring they follow safe food practices, government officials say
Garth Jarvis of Jarvis Meats in Gladstone knows business must follow food safety rules and regulations, but those who make the rules need to understand their impact on business, he says. “A small business has to be able to afford to do it. That’s probably the biggest issue,” said Jarvis, who does custom slaughter for
The prince and his pie
Recipe Swap: It's time for rhubarb!
This legendary tale of a royal told to hang on to his cutlery is a Canadian favourite. It was no gaff nor embarrassing breach of etiquette. We love this story and we retell it because it’s how we like to see ourselves — helpful, unpretentious, warm hearted — no matter who we’re with. I have
Local libraries in the online age
Will tablets and e-books mean the end of one of the few public spaces in small communities?
Pinawa residents put a lot of effort into stocking a public library in the 1960s, but would they repeat the job today? Maybe, but probably not with the same zeal, says Michael Luke, chair of the eastern Manitoba town’s library board. Now faced with circulation declines, including a recent double-digit drop in books checked out,
Recipes for human weed eaters
Recipe Swap: Cream of Dandelion Soup
You won’t see weeds the same way after this. Lamb’s quarters quiche, chickweed tart, or dandelion soup, anyone? Those are recipes found in The Good Season — Easy Recipes for Wild Edibles, a combination cookbook and field guide to edible weeds created by two University of Guelph agricultural science students. Michelle Carkner, now beginning her
Municipal record keeper and grave finder honoured
Jack Mavins of Anola is one of five Manitobans to receive the Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for long and meritorious service in the preservation and promotion of provincial history
Jack Mavins’ phone rang off the hook after a city newspaper story awhile back described his knack for finding unmarked graves. Callers wanted his help and he was happy to oblige. Until then, the Anola senior said he’d been a bit reluctant to say too much about his grave “dowsing” or “witching” as some call
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
