Recent Articles
Losing the war with wild boar
It’s time to up our efforts in the battle against wild pigs, according to a leading voice in the field. Ryan Brook of the University of Saskatchewan has spent years studying the rise of the invasive species in Western Canada, and has also spent years raising the alarm. He has watched as sounders — the
March 31, 2021Matryoshka! Matryoshka!
May I see that toy?” I requested, pointing to a painted wooden doll in the glass case behind the cash register. “Of course,” Tina Alvetina, the clerk smiled, unlocking and sliding open the door. “It’s a matryoshka,” she added, lifting out the nesting dolls. “Can you repeat that please?” I asked. “Matryoshka. It’s Russian, I believe. I’m originally from the
March 31, 2021Ruthlessly cutting waste can allow small farms to prosper
Ruthless cutting of waste in all its forms has long allowed farmers — from 1600s Japan to reconstruction-era Alabama — to make a living on tiny plots of land. It’s how today’s small-scale farmers can do the same, says farmer and author Ben Hartman. “Turning waste into useful channels should be the slogan of every
March 31, 2021Producers share stories of doing more with less
Issues like lack of accessibly priced land led Manitoba Young Farmers to contemplate how to do more with less during the groups’ online conference on March 4. Speakers like Farmery Estate Brewery’s Lawrence Warwaruk, Arron Nerbas of Nerbas Bros. Angus and Barb Stefanyshyn-Cote of Black Fox Farm and Distillery shared their stories of adding value
March 30, 2021Many options, obstacles for value added
Young farmers face “strict realities,” said speaker Phil Veldhuis, who teaches value-added agriculture at the University of Manitoba. They also have some opportunities in value-added production and direct marketing. Veldhuis heads Direct Farm Manitoba, which represents mainly small-scale farmers who sell direct to the public, grocery stores and restaurants. Many farmer members of the group
March 30, 2021A pile of memories
I cannot imagine a better winter “toy” for Grade 3 farm boys than a bulldozed 14-foot-high mountain of snow in March. It literally was a pile of fun. Plus it may have had a few aspects in common with the ancient biblical “Tower of Babel.” Early March 1969, delivered a sudden blizzard and with it,
March 29, 2021