Permaculture Archives - Manitoba Co-operator

Lana Shaw is asking for producers to give $200 to “adopt” one of 48 plots in her flax-fababean intercrop trials in Redvers, Sask., this year.

Research to go to a good home

‘Adopt a Plot’ campaign turns to crowdfunding to test novel intercrop combinations

By Alexis Stockford March 26, 2019

Lana Shaw has a long list of crop combinations she would like to test in the intercrop trial plots, and she hopes farmers themselves will give her the funds to get that research off the ground. The researcher from the South East Research Farm is back again with another crowdfunding research campaign. Shaw is asking

A mulch of dry leaves helps protect a perennial border.

Country Crossroads, Other

Protecting plants from winter damage

You’ll be glad you did when you see healthy plants come back in the spring

By Albert Parsons November 8, 2017

Late October/early November is the ideal time to plan on how you are going to protect vulnerable plants from our severe winter. The first step has hopefully already been taken where you have chosen most of your plants that are hardy to your climate zone. Many gardeners, however, like to try a few “challenging” plants

Dave Barnes stands at what will one day be the path separating a prairie garden and edible orchard

Country Crossroads

Community group looks to merge food production and conservation

The Assiniboine Food Forest Initiative hopes to break ground on two projects this summer, including an edible tree orchard open to the public

By Alexis Stockford May 3, 2017

For Dave Barnes, chair and founding member of the Assiniboine Food Forest Initiative, it all started with a desire to protect the stands of oak, ash and maple along the banks of the Assiniboine River east of Brandon. “I saw threats to landscape everywhere,” he said. “I saw these ancient oak trees. I know they’re

Country Crossroads

The importance of composting

Understanding how to make and use compost important as problem of waste disposal continues to grow

By Red River Basin Commission July 22, 2015

Compost is decomposed organic material, such as leaves, grass clippings, and kitchen waste. It provides many essential nutrients for plant growth and therefore is often used as fertilizer. Compost also improves soil structure so that soil can easily hold the correct amount of moisture, nutrients and air. It improves the texture of both clay soils

Crops, International news

Grow less maize and produce more food

Boosting yield allows seeding less maize as ‘insurance,’ and adding more profitable and nutritious crops to the rotation

By Laura Rance-Unger March 2, 2015

Christian Thierfelder strides into a plot of maize, reaches down, and scratches through the mulch with his fingers to grab a clump of soil. Holding it up, the senior agronomist with CIMMYT’s Harare field station lets it crumble through his fingers — it is moist but not muddy, and the decaying plant material gives it

Four farmers discussed nutrient management during the 4R Nutrient Field Day at Kelburn Farm July 3. Curtis McRae (l to r), Ed Peters, Frank Prince and Jonathan Hodson. photo: allan dawson

Crops, Hogs

Farmer panel discusses 4R nutrient stewardship

There could a fifth ‘R’ in sustainable nutrient management — the right economics

By Allan Dawson July 16, 2014

The 4R Nutrient Stewardship program aimed at promoting nutrient management on Canadian farms is short an R. The four “Rs” are using the right source of fertilizer, applied at the right time, at the right rate and in the right place. The fifth “R” is the right economics. “Economics determine the rate of change,” Virden

Map of agricultural restoration project.

News

Restoration Agriculture project moving forward

Gimli-area farmers to host permaculture expert Sepp Holzer in May

By Daniel Winters April 16, 2014

The design is in, dozens of species of fruit- and nut-bearing trees have been ordered, and now the owners of Prairie Heritage Farm north of Gimli are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the spring planting season. Last fall, Kirsten Benot and her husband Daniel hosted a three-day workshop featuring perma-culture pioneer Mark Shepard. Along with

Crops, Forages

The view from Northern Blossom Farms

By Gary Martens May 23, 2013

A university instructor is turning his nano farm into a living laboratory for sustainable farming systems

I spoke to a number of young farmers recently and learned that they are questioning the business decision that every farmer makes every year: Hold $2 million in assets, invest another $250,000 cash in a crop in order to get $60,000 profit. And that is if everything goes right, which it typically doesn’t. What is

Livestock, News

Student-led organic conference packs in a diverse crowd

By Julienne Isaacs March 16, 2013

The first step in moving agriculture towards a more sustainable model is for farmers to stop trying to feed the world, the head of the agroecology program in the department of plant science at the University of Manitoba says. “It’s not our job to feed the world — let Africa feed itself. That is a

Crops, News

Organic farmers ponder the future of food when the “cheap” energy era ends

By Daniel Winters November 15, 2012

They weren’t shying away from the big issues at the recent Organic Connections conference here. Renowned sustainable farming expert Fred Kirschenmann declared the days of “cheap” energy to be coming to an end. “It’s not a question of exactly when we run out of oil, natural gas, or coal — it’s when it’s no longer

Daily Network News

U.S. livestock: Cattle futures slow descent

U.S. grains: Soybeans, wheat plummet from highs on limited Chinese demand

Feed Grain Weekly: Prices starting to pick up

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