Pitura Seeds expanding

A new facility will more than triple the company’s cleaning capacity

A Manitoba seed company has broken ground on what it describes as the largest family-owned pedigreed seed-processing operation in Western Canada. Pitura Seeds is building a “state-of-the-art” cleaning facility that can handle up to 1,000 bushels an hour, with the potential to double that capacity in the future about three miles west of Domain, to


RM of Stuartburn reeve and cattle producer Jim Swidersky lost his home on Sunday afternoon April 29 after a grassfire swept through the small bay near Zhoda.

Property owners at heightened risk in this spring’s tinder dry conditions

Reeve of the RM of Stuartburn says fire that destroyed his home April 29 came at rural residential area “like a ball of fire.”

The next time the reeve of the RM of Stuartburn has something to say about wild fire risks in rural Manitoba, people are bound to pay attention. A long time advocate for better cell and emergency communications services for his region, Jim Swidersky witnessed first hand just how devastating a wild fire can be as

Please join the fire department

Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs president says rural fire departments need more volunteers to step up

Grassfires put intense pressure local fire departments already working at a fever pitch this time of year and in many cases these fire departments have fewer volunteer fire fighters than they used to. The dwindling numbers on volunteer fire departments is a growing concern, said Cameron Abrey, president of the Manitoba Association of Fire Chiefs.


The new committee will talk with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities to find out where issues may intersect with one another.

KAP forms rural policy committee

Farm group raising numerous rural issues that need specific focus, says KAP president

Keystone Agricultural Producers’ rural policy committee has met for the first time this month. This is a new committee and a new direction being taken by KAP, to look at issues and form policy around matters that aren’t directly related to farming but nonetheless impact the farm community, said KAP president Dan Mazier. “They impact

"Winter wheat has an amazing ability to produce a lot of tillers,“ says Lionel Kaskiw with Manitoba Agriculture.

Green winter wheat no guarantee it’s alive

Dig up a few plants and look for white roots as a sign they survived winter

Green-leaved winter wheat this time of year is a promising sign, but no guarantee the crop survived the winter. “Some of those plants are still green from last fall,” Lionel Kaskiw, Manitoba Agriculture’s Souris-based Farm Production Advisor said May 1 during the Westman Crop Talk webinar. “But it definitely is nice right now to see


Data represents reported seeding date and crop yields of fields >200 acres (2005-2013).

Cool soils? Seed cereals, field peas first

Manitoba soil temperatures are increasing, but vary with soil type and location

If soil temperatures are cool plant cereals and field peas first, says Manitoba Agriculture Farm Production Advisor Lionel Kaskiw, based in Souris. Soil temperatures are warming, but are still variable depending on soil type and location, he said during the Westman Crop Talk webinar May. 1. Soil temperature readings are available at 109 Manitoba Agriculture

Empres and his owner Prue Critchley of Bartongate Arabians, Morgans & Morabs.

Arabian stallion from Hamiota immortalized as Breyer model

Horse came to company’s attention on social media

Empres, an Arabian stallion that became the pride and joy of owner Prue Critchley of Hamiota seven years ago, has become the pride and joy of children and collectors throughout North America, after his likeness was captured by Breyer manufacturing and released at the end of January. “The model is really beautiful and so much


Manitoba Forage and Grassland Association's Green Gold program is seeking producers with hay fields that are mostly alfalfa, fairly new, and in good condition.

WANTED: Hay fields for Green Gold testing

MFGA program is nearly set to begin

Over the past 4-5 years DFM producers have participated in MFGA’s Green Gold program by submitting samples of alfalfa during the period of May and June. If you are interested in participating in the program in 2018 please contact John McGregor by email at [email protected] or call 204-396-9217. See below for more information. We believe the MFGA

Melissa Pawlisch, director with the University of Minnesota’s Clean Energy Resource Teams (CERTs) was a guest speaker at the Manitoba Sustainable Energy Association conference in Winnipeg earlier this month.

Clean energy can drive rural economy

Speakers call for switching out some of the $4 billion now spent on fossil fuel imports to Manitoba with homegrown renewable energy sources

Businesses are powered by solar panels on rooftops in downtown Minneapolis while small towns across the state source solar energy from “solar gardens” and farms harness the power of the sun to power up their barns. Minnesota has become a leading U.S. state for its adoption of solar and other renewable energy sources, thanks to