Country Crossroads & Farming Articles

‘Get ahead’ with Pool hybrid pigs

Our History: September 1969

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff September 27, 2017

Pool hybrid pigs advertised in our Sept. 25, 1969 issue were said to yield well and bring good returns, with one customer reporting a sale of 100 animals with an average return of $60.22 and a total of $126 in premiums. Our main front-page story was on a Food and Agricultural Organization report which suggested

cartoon image of a family seated at a table

Other, The Jacksons

The lucky lives we lead

The Jacksons from the September 21, 2017 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator

By Rollin Penner September 26, 2017

Andrew Jackson dropped his newspaper to the floor beside his chair and sat for a moment staring out of the glass walls of the sunroom. Rain fell steadily outside and gusts of wind set the oak trees swaying in the backyard. A single yellowing leaf let go of its hold on a branch and was

Processed meat products are particularly hard to test for adulteration.

Did you know?, News

Rapid detection of meat fraud

Spanish researchers say a new biosensor can give test results within an hour 

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff September 25, 2017

In recent years meat fraud has been a growing problem. Unscrupulous sellers have been caught adulturating beef with cheaper horsemeat and swapping chicken for turkey in sausages labelled 100 per cent turkey. Now researchers from the Complutense University of Madrid say they’ve developed an electrochemical biosensor that can quickly detect a DNA fragment unique to

Almost any vegetable can be successfully pickled to preserve it for later.

Recipe Swap

In a pickle over a side dish?

Prairie Fare: Pickles can be made from almost any vegetable or many fruits

By Julie Garden-Robinson September 22, 2017

Please enjoy these fresh pickles. Your food will be out shortly,” the server said as she placed a plate of cucumber slices in front of us. They were sprinkled with dill weed and had a nice crunch. I was in a restaurant in another state, and the somewhat sweet yet vinegary flavour and crisp texture

The standard fare of a fall supper remains unchanged over decades: chicken or turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables and, later, pie for dessert.

Country Crossroads, Other

Argyle set to serve its 135th annual fall supper

The Brant-Argyle local history book talks about the popular community meal that began in 1882

By Lorraine Stevenson September 21, 2017

The number of potatoes peeled in the village of Argyle for its annual fall supper can probably circle the planet by now. Several hundred pounds are served every year and 2017 marks the 135th year since this tiny southern Interlake community began its yearly fall tradition. Organizers know for sure their annual fall tradition is

Cameron Dodds stands outside his 100-year-old barn south of Kenton, Man.

Country Crossroads

Dodds family marks centennial of unique barn, history of farm

It’s been 100 years since Arthur Drummond built a banked barn on his yard site northwest of Brandon. Now, the latest generation of the family, Cameron and Bea Dodds, are marking its centennial

By Alexis Stockford September 20, 2017

History is far from buried on the Dodds farm near Kenton, Man. In fact, it’s a point of pride for current owners, Cameron and Bea Dodds. Their 117-year-old brick farmhouse sits nestled in between old-growth trees and long-established gardens, providing a backdrop for the memorial cairn beside the lane, added to commemorate the farm’s over-135-year

Our History

New grain type yields high in farm field test

Our History: September 1961

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff September 20, 2017

Our Sept. 7, 1961 issue reported on “high productivity and drought resistance” on a new “synthetic grain species” developed at the University of Manitoba. The cross between durum wheat and rye, later named triticale, had been grown on 35 acres on the farm of A.V. Arnott at Darlingford, and it was estimated it would yield

Farmers don’t just need soybean seed. They also need the whole production package to make it successful.

Did you know?, Oilseeds

Soy strains

Adding commercial soybeans in developing countries  brings unique challenges

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff September 18, 2017

Introducing soybeans into a developing country’s agriculture community is more complex than just putting the seeds in the ground. It also requires a major shift in thinking in relation to crop production and management, according to a University of Illinois agriculture economist. Peter Goldsmith says only with this shift in thinking will the new crop

Using the appropriate time, temperature and equipment is key to safe home canning.

Recipe Swap

Ovens are for baking, not canning

Prairie Fare: To avoid foodborne illnesses, use research-tested recipes and follow them carefully

By Julie Garden-Robinson September 15, 2017

In the past few weeks, I fielded questions for some of our extension agents while they took well-earned annual leave. I learned a lot about what people do as they harvest their bountiful garden produce. As the questions reached my office, I also began exploring the internet to see what was being shared by some

Other, The Jacksons

The most interesting people at the beach

The Jacksons from the September 7, 2017 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator

By Rollin Penner September 13, 2017

Look Mom!” Little Allison Jackson pointed excitedly out across the water. The large bird she was pointing at glided silently through the air, so low above the water, that the black wingtip feathers almost skimmed the glassy smooth surface of the lake. “It’s a pemmican!” Allison’s mother, Jackie, laughed, as did her grandmother Rose who

Daily Network News

CFIA looks for feedback on proposed seed potato rule changes

U.S. grains: Soybean futures rise on active Chinese buying

GMO food labelling review opens questions on gene editing