The new year is barely a week old and already calendars are getting full. Producers looking to keep their skills up to date can begin by taking in St. Jean Farm Days at the Centennial Hall in St. Jean-Baptiste. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the annual event, which features two days of speakers,
A full schedule starts now
Many great speakers will take to Manitoba stages in the coming weeks and months
Scout for silent soybean killer
The soybean cyst nematode is all over the map in North Dakota, so it’s only a matter of time before it arrives in Manitoba
While the soybean cyst nematode, Heterodera glycines, has yet to be found in Manitoba, producers are being urged to begin scouting now for what is sometimes called the “silent killer.” “They call it the silent killer in areas where it’s been a problem for longer, because yield loss occurs long before symptoms are visible,” Holly
Disease a North American first
Where it came from isn’t as important as how it will be contained when it comes to verticillium wilt in canola
Manitoba prides itself on welcoming newcomers, but the canola sector won’t be rolling out the welcome mat for this one — verticillium longisporum. The disease was discovered in a Manitoba canola field late last fall and visually identified at Manitoba Agriculture’s Crop Diagnostic Centre. That determination was later confirmed by molecular analysis at the National
Weeds and weather woes included
A new card game aims to meld farming with fun, while teaching kids a little bit about how agriculture works in Manitoba
Trevor Lehmann can’t say exactly what the cards have in store for him, but he hopes it’s something good. The international student adviser at the University of Manitoba has been a lover and creator of board and card games since he was knee-high to a grasshopper. Now he hopes his latest creation called Crop Cycle
Cigi testing fusarium damage-control technology
New equipment shows promise for sorting fusarium kernels out of wheat and durum
Cigi researchers are working with two technologies that show promise for upgrading fusarium-damaged grain. In partnership with the University of Saskatchewan, the institute has spent three years investigating the possibilities of near-infrared spectroscopy using a Swedish-designed BoMill. The institute has also been looking at the use of optical sorters, and presented both technologies at a
Holy crap! New bedding made from manure
Producers can save time and money by not having to bale or buy, then transport straw
Henry Holtmann reaches into a large pile of what looks like a cross between wood shavings and down feathers, then lets the soft fibres slip through his hands. “When you grab it in your hand, it’s like a brown fluff, that’s the best way to describe it; it’s not like sand and it’s not like
Processing own milk has challenges and rewards
The quota system doesn’t impact a producer’s ability to make the leap into processing, but having enough time to pursue a new business does
What does it take to make a go of on-farm dairy processing? A good plan, a lot of time and plenty of hard work. “That’s why I look so tired,” joked Lisa Dyck, owner of Cornell Creme. Speaking at the Dairy Farmers of Manitoba’s annual conference in Winnipeg, Dyck recounted her journey to becoming the
NFU is a voice farmers need — if only they would listen
After nearly 50 years of fighting for farmers, the National Famers Union voice is showing its age
Late last month, the predictable mélange of National Farmers Union members gathered for the organization’s 45th annual meeting, where the big item on the agenda was updating the organization’s brand with a new logo and fresh tag line. It was clear that some members believed the dated look and feel of the pan-Canadian group was
Canola prices entering sideways trend
The old highs have become the new lows
Canola prices are tracking the overall trend towards lower commodity prices this year, but there is still room for some comfortable margins, a prominent market analyst says. Speaking at Farm Credit Canada’s Ag Outlook 2015 in Winnipeg, Mike Jubinville of ProFarmer Canada said that while the canola markets aren’t good, they’re not really bad either.
Cold, wet spring for 2015
If forecasters have it right, this winter could be another long one, but it won’t see long periods of below-normal temperatures
Call it an intermission from winter if you will, but don’t expect the warmer-than-usual temperatures to last — at least not in Manitoba. Speaking at Farm Credit Canada’s Ag Outlook in Winnipeg last week, meteorologist Mark Robinson said that this year’s El Niño is a weak one. “Right across the country we’re seeing warmer-than-normal temperatures,”
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
