Less expensive heat that doesn’t go out when there’s a bad storm. In a nutshell, that’s why many rural properties feature outdoor wood furnaces, but the technology inside wood furnaces has also improved to make them more environmentally sustainable (read: efficient). “Everybody seems to keep their house, shops and buildings a lot warmer than they... Read More
Category: Video
Saik’s Agri-Treks has taken us to favelas in Brazil, not-quite-elephant-proof fencing in Africa, Agritechnica in Germany and desert irrigation in Arizona. But this time, Rob Saik takes us on an exploration of our own backyard — or, Ieuan Evans’ backyard — in sunny Alberta. Related: Will Agriculture be Allowed to Feed 9 Billion? Rob Saik’s... Read More
It's certainly not a disease you want to find in your fields, but if you do, there are good reasons to talk about it — specifically, report it — says Michael Harding, research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. "If it's the first time clubroot's been found in the field, by reporting it, you can... Read More
There have certainly been plenty of headlines surrounding Syngenta’s choice to rebuff Monsanto’s $47 billion acquisition attempts. But, what does the future hold for the Swiss agribusiness now that the takeover bid is in the rearview mirror? “I think our position has been fully vindicated. We were very clear that we saw the execution risks... Read More
Malt barley has traditionally not accounted for many acres in Ontario, but with the growing popularity of craft and local beer, would there be demand for more malt production? That’s one of the issues Grain Farmers of Ontario plans to explore as it welcomes barley and oat growers into its fold, joining corn, soybeans and... Read More
What crop and seed mixes could farmers plant to make their farms more bee-friendly? That’s a question Bayer CropScience and Pollinator Partnership are trying to answer with a study aiming to give farmers recommendations on what they can do to improve bee habitat on their farms. Vicki Wojcik, research director for Pollinator Partnership, a non-profit... Read More
Western Canada and the northern U.S. could be positioned to provide more plant-based food protein to parts of the world where a shortage of protein is a growing nutritional problem. Some big picture thinkers, including John Oliver of Maple Leaf Bio-Concepts, are working on developing a concept they're calling the "Protein Highway." Extending from the... Read More
“The definition of mentorship is to empower. The meaning of empowerment is to enable, liberate, engage, free and permit. It is the drawing out of the very best in a person without the constraints of expectation or entitlement. Thus, to mentor is to guide the process so that an individual has the power to change... Read More
Life is all about relationships, whether working with a neighbour on the farm or helping students and teachers understand science. And that's exactly what Bonnie Schmidt, the president of Let's Talk Science, discussed at the Advancing Women Conference East in Toronto this week, where she delved into the importance of trusting others and working together.... Read More
Dairy farmers are currently employing 34,000 robots around the globe and manufacturer DeLaval expects that number will double in the next five years. Since robots began appearing on farms in the 1990s, most have been confined to smaller farms throughout Europe, including Germany, France and the Netherlands. Canada currently sits sixth in the ranking of... Read More