White pumpkins that have marks and blemishes often make the best candidates for carving Halloween faces, as these faults can be incorporated into the design.

Try out some white pumpkins this Halloween

These varieties range from pure white to cream colour with no trace of orange on them

Moonshine,” “Lumina,” “Baby Boo,” “New Moon” — these are all variety names of white pumpkins. It used to be that the spookiness of the Halloween season was depicted using only the colours orange and black. Well, move over orange and black, because white is fast gaining ground as the fearsome colour of choice. Horticulturalists have

Mechanically tenderized meats will have to be labelled

As of July 2, federally inspected meat plants in Canada will be required to label beef steaks or roasts that have been mechanically tenderized, the federal government announced May 17. The move is part of new mandatory federal requirements designed to strengthen control over E. coli. Contaminated needles used to mechanically tenderize meat were identified


Flooding potential threatens fertilizer movement

Fertilizer makers may be hard pressed this spring to move their yield-boosting products to western Canadian farmers during a shortened planting season, as the potential for major flooding grows. Cold weather has delayed the melt of heavy snowpack in the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, raising the risk that floods in late April and


Campaign will highlight local food products

A $3-million jointly funded industry and government campaign supporting local food kicks off April 25

Manitobans can now clearly identify local food on store shelves with the launch of a new Buy Manitoba campaign at Canada Safeway stores in the province. The three-year local food promotion will see 33 stores decked out with sign-age and product identifiers encouraging shoppers to choose the more than 1,000 grocery products, including meat, fresh


Dominoes starting to fall as end of single desk draws nearer

Research and market development, keeping an eye on the railways, 
and the fate of short line railways are just three of the issues KAP is trying to address

Manitoba’s farm leaders are scrambling to plug holes that will be left by the demise of the single-desk CWB. Research and market development, keeping an eye on the railways, and the fate of short lines were high on the agenda when Keystone Agricultural Producers delegates gathered at their General Council meeting last week. But challenges

Monsanto scholarships available to rural students

Monsanto Canada has released details regarding the 2012 Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarship program. The program offers graduating grade 12 high school students from farm families the opportunity to capture a $1,500 entrance scholarship to help fund their post-secondary education in agriculture or an agriculture-related field of study. Monsanto Fund Opportunity Scholarships are available to eligible

Viterra To Resell Esso Fuels On Canadian Prairies

REUTERS / Viterra Inc., Canada s biggest grain handler, said on Nov. 8 that it has bought Imperial Oil s commercial and farm fuels distribution business in the Prairie provinces. Viterra, which already owns the country s biggest network of country grain elevators, along with port terminals, processing plants and farm retail outlets, will resell


Flowering Bulbs Start The Season

Spring flowering bulbs surely kick-start the growing season with their displays of bloom. Bright-red tulips, brilliant-yellow daffodils, and cobalt-blue grape hyacinths provide vivid colour to many Prairie gardens at the time when many other perennials are still just awakening from their long winter sleep. One spring-flowering bulb that I really enjoy in my garden is

Try An Anthurium Instead

What flowers to get a special someone for Valentine’s Day? Red roses? An orchid? Although I really like fresh cut flowers – during the summer months there are usually cut flowers of some kind from our garden in a vase on the kitchen table – in the off season I don’t buy cut flowers very