Country Crossroads & Farming Articles

This great horned owl was at the festival last year.

2018 declared the Year of the Bird

A good way to celebrate is by attending La Rivière’s Raptor Festival 

By Donna Gamache April 18, 2018

This year has been declared the Year of the Bird. National Geographic, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and over 100 other organizations have announced this as a way to mark the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. This bird-protection law was passed 100 years ago, and the centennial is an occasion to recommit to

Other, Our History

‘Wypout’ your wild oats

Our History: April 1979

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 18, 2018

Uniroyal’s Wypout was available for wild oat control in April 1979 — an internet search doesn’t indicate the active ingredient. The winter in 1978-79 had been the second coldest on record along with abundant snowfall, as was evident by the stories in our April 19 issue. The report from the Provincial Flood Forecasting Committee correctly

This unassuming vine from Australia has given soybean yields a boost, researchers say. PHOTO: UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Did you know?, News

Wild vine boosts soybean yield

Researchers were looking for resistance genes and found a yield boost too

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 16, 2018

A distant relative to soybean that’s native to Australia could soon lead to a big jump in soybean yields. The perennial vine, known as woolly glycine, or scientifically as Glycine tomentella, is a genetic resource that was part of a new study from researchers at the University of Illinois. “We saw yield increases of 3.5

cartoon image of a family seated at a table

Other, The Jacksons

Artfully dodging “the question”

The Jacksons from the April 12, 2018 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator

By Rollin Penner April 16, 2018

This place is so interesting!” Jennifer Jackson looked around the little restaurant as she spoke. “It’s like somebody decorated it 70 years ago and then randomly changed a few things every 10 years or so.” She pointed at the corner behind her mother Rose, who was sitting across from her at the table. “Like, the

A homemade chlorine-based sanitizer can effectively and economically sanitize surfaces in your kitchen.

Other, Recipe Swap

Cleaning up

It’s spring cleaning time for your  kitchen too, and studies show there’s  plenty of lurking bacteria

By Julie Garden-Robinson April 13, 2018

The calendar insists it’s spring, despite the snow and ice that continue to keep the daffodils and tulips hidden below ground. The birds probably are wondering if they missed summer. Spring puts me in a cleaning mood, even when snow still is blanketing the ground. In the kitchen, spring cleaning usually means scrubbing surfaces and

Louise Miller’s passion is to share her farm story with visitors.

Country Crossroads, Local news

Binscarth woman receives distinction award

Louise Miller is an advocate and supporter of women in agriculture

By Darrell Nesbitt April 11, 2018

Louise Miller, a staunch advocate and supporter of women in agriculture was among the rural citizens to win a 2018 YWCA Brandon Women of Distinction Award. Miller is the matriarch of Silver Creek Bison Ranch, located between Binscarth and Russell. Operating for over 50 years, the family business was initiated when husband Lorne purchased six

Our History

Farmers “focus” on working together

Our History: April 2001

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 11, 2018

As today, high world stocks were weighing on prices in April 2001. The U.S. government had abandoned production controls and storage programs in the 1985 bill, leading to all-out production and a prolonged grain price war. In an attempt to rein in production, some farmers in the U.S. and Canada proposed a voluntary acreage-reduction program

Thyme cascading down from a raised planter.

Country Crossroads

Using herbs as container garden ‘spillers’

We usually think of flowers for containers but there are some ideal herbs that could be used

By Albert Parsons April 10, 2018

It might be too soon to buy plants to put in containers but start thinking about which ones to use, and maybe they can be obtained from our own gardens — both the outdoor one and the indoor one. By taking pieces of these plants now and potting them up, they will have developed into

Just exactly how cellulose is made by plants has always been  a bit of a mystery.

Did you know?, News, Other

Fuel cell insight gets powered up

Understanding how plant cells make cellulose could be  the key to biofuel’s future

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff April 10, 2018

Scientists from Penn State University say they’ve gained valuable insight into how plants make cellulose — information that could help figure out how to break it apart to make ethanol. The researchers said, in a paper published online by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, that they have identified the major steps

Eggs got a bad rap a few years ago, but are very healthy in moderation.

Recipe Swap

Are eggs healthful?

They’re a good source of protein and a chemical that helps with brain,  nerve and, potentially, memory health

By Julie Garden-Robinson April 9, 2018

I remember going to my daughter’s preschool for “green eggs and ham” day. Yes, the food was dyed green in honour of the Dr. Seuss book that inspired the menu, and the kids were quite excited. Unfortunately, I associate green ham with mouldy ham, but I ate the emerald-coloured ham and eggs, and forced a

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Hogs rise ahead of ‘Hogs and Pigs’ report

U.S. grains: Wheat leads grains higher with Russian strikes in focus

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