Country Crossroads & Farming Articles

The McPhail Sawyer Massey thresher in 1919. The machine does not appear to be running as there is a man on top of the machine bent over doing something, perhaps oiling the bearing on a shaft. The spokes on the pulleys are visible which indicates the pulleys are not revolving. If the pulleys were revolving the spokes would not be visible. In addition, the man on top of the machine would have been foolish to get close to moving pulleys and belts as projecting keys and metal belt lacing possessed the terrible ability to catch clothing and pull the person into the machinery. While oiling the babbitt bearings in use at the time needed to be done on a very regular basis, long spouted oil cans allowed the operators to remain as far away as possible from revolving parts. All the same, in the Pioneer era, missing fingers and limbs were common as a result of farm machinery accidents.

The McPhail outfit circa 1919

Once again a historic photo gives us insight into a world long past

By Alex Campbell February 22, 2017

Among the photos donated to the Manitoba Agricultural Museum is a series of photos taken on the Archie McPhail farm northeast of Brandon sometime around 1919. The photo seen here shows the threshing machine in use by Archie McPhail at the time, a wooden Sawyer Massey. The other photos seen in the series show the

There appears to be no problem with milk from cows on extended lactation when it comes to cheese making.

Dairy cattle, Did you know?, News

Extended lactation could make better cheese

Danish researchers show that despite fears the practice could harm milk quality it may actually be better

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff February 21, 2017

Extending dairy cow lactation periods by up to six months not only can lower the environmental impact of the industry — it just might make better cheese too. That’s according to some recent research by Danish scientists who decided to put long-standing concerns over the practice to an empirical test. They found an expected decrease

Vitamin supplements can help make up dietary shortfalls, but consult your doctor first because some health issues can mean a greater need for them.

Recipe Swap

Do you need a vitamin pill?

Do your homework before taking vitamin supplements

By Julie Garden-Robinson February 17, 2017

You need to eat more vegetables,” my husband said to our 13-year-old daughter. He was scraping the uneaten vegetables from her plate while she was getting a daily kids’ vitamin for herself. I walked into the kitchen during their conversation. “I really don’t like vegetables,” she announced a little sheepishly. I can attest that she

Our History

Learn about fungicides via your VCR

Our History: February 1991

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff February 16, 2017

Fungicides were a new concept for farmers in February 1991. To learn more you could watch a video, but that meant sending for a VHS in the mail, not watching YouTube. In our Feb. 21 issue we reported on a meeting at CSP Foods in Altona (now owned by Bunge), one of three canola-crushing plants

Clearing the trail after a heavy, wet snowfall.

Country Crossroads, Local news

Bittersweet Trails — a labour of love

Located near Rossendale, Man. they were originally developed in the ’70s and are now tended by dedicated volunteers

By Donna Gamache February 15, 2017

The Bittersweet Cross-Country Trails near Rossendale, Manitoba have been a labour of love for two families: the Woodwards and the McMasters. Situated in the Assiniboine River valley, about 50 km SW of Portage la Prairie on Highway 242 between Highways 1 and 2, these trails were originally the inspiration of Margaret and Hartley Woodward. The

A corn husker that constantly broke down caused Frederick Maytag to vow to produce top-quality products, leading to the company's reputation for bulletproof designs like this early washing machine.

Country Crossroads

From farm implements to home convenience

Maytag is a home appliance giant now but it started out making farm implements

By Barb Galbraith February 14, 2017

When you hear the name Maytag, do you remember your grandfather’s Maytag tractor? How about the family Maytag car or light truck? No? That could be because the company that began as a farm implement and vehicle manufacturer eventually focused solely on home appliances. In 1893, Frederick Louis Maytag and three partners started the Parsons

Researchers in China say cattle with TB resistance are now a reality.

Did you know?, Livestock

TB-resistant cattle are a reality

A new technique has produced live animals with  increased resistance to this dangerous disease

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff February 13, 2017

Researchers say they’ve found a high-tech way to produce cattle with genetic resistance to bovine tuberculosis. Writing in the open-access journal Genome Biology, Chinese researchers from the Northwest A&F University in Shaanxi, China say CRISPR gene-editing technology allowed the breakthrough. Read more: TB in the spotlight again with Alberta outbreak Dr. Yong Zhang, lead author

cartoon image of a family seated at a table

The Jacksons

Staying in Canada for a holiday

The Jacksons from the February 9, 2017 issue of the Manitoba Co-operator

By Rollin Penner February 10, 2017

Andrew Jackson eased his pickup truck into his usual parking spot in front of the café and turned off the engine. A strong north wind blew the falling snow across the windshield where it immediately began to pile up around the wipers. “Ugh,” said Rose, who was in the passenger seat next to Andrew. “I

Oats are a versatile food that can be eaten at any meal or in snacks of all types.

Recipe Swap

Oats after breakfast

This healthy dietary choice doesn’t just have to be limited to the breakfast table

By Lorraine Stevenson February 10, 2017

Hardly anyone says ‘porridge’ anymore. It’s a plain, old word, like grits or gruel or frumenty. For most of us it means, simply, boiled oats, a rather humble meal. Englishman Samuel Johnson, who had something to say about everything, once called oats “the grain, which in England is generally given to horses, but in Scotland

Our History

Oakland Hatcheries’ ‘Big 3’ in egg production

Our History: February 1960

By Manitoba Co-operator Staff February 9, 2017

You had a choice of three breeds — Shaver, Fisher and Ames — if you were responding to this ad from Oakland Hatcheries in our Feb. 18, 1960 issue. The front-page story that week reported on a letter sent by Manitoba Pool president W.J. Parker to Prime Minister John Diefenbaker on behalf of the three

Daily Network News

Southern California honeybees show resistance to varroa mites

Pulse Weekly: SaskPulse optimistic despite input, crop price concerns

Canadian aquaculture should be classed as agriculture, industry groups say