It takes more than one field action to control Canada thistle – a prolific weed with a couple tricks up its sleeve. Also called creeping thistle and field thistle, Canada […] Read more
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Weed of the week: Canada thistle
Canada thistle has more than one way or reproducing, making it tougher to control
Heavier weight limit now in effect for Canadian veal
Top processor says enforcement will be strict and farmers shouldn’t ship heavier animals
Despite recent changes that allow veal carcasses to weigh 10 kilograms more than previously, producers were recently advised not to set the heaviest limit as the goal for all calves. […] Read more
Award winners focus on managing cows and calves on pasture
Fresh water, grazing rotation followed by Mapleseed, TESA winners
Beef Farmers of Ontario hands out two awards for pasture and environmental management — and both usually end up with similarities and that was the case in 2020. Both the […] Read more
Riding the learning curve on pasture cost of production
The first year will be the toughest, but after that figuring costs should be easier
Farmers may have to rethink some common cost-of-production parameters, but it should be possible to accurately track the financial impact of growing pastures. Grazing specialists explored cost-of-production parameters during a […] Read more
Promoting winter cover crops with local data
Conservation authority looking for cover crop impact on water quality in Upper Thames
In an effort to improve water quality, the Upper Thames Conservation Authority (UTCA) is promoting cover crop adoption by making data on the environmental efficacy of winter cover more relevant […] Read more
Floral industry hit hard by COVID-19
Flower growers say a glut of flowers to sell could set their sector back for a couple of years
Greg Schuurman and his family have gone back to their roots selling flowers at the roadside, as much of their Easter and Mother’s Day floral crop has failed to find […] Read more
Coronavirus begs question: Why are bat viruses so deadly?
Science Notes: Bats' aggressive immune response may hold the key
University of California – Berkeley – It’s no coincidence that some of the worst viral disease outbreaks in recent years — SARS, MERS, Ebola, Marburg and likely the newly arrived […] Read more
Market chaos due to COVID-19 means chicken quota cut
Ontario producers will have to reduce production by 15 per cent
Quota for chicken production in Ontario has been cut by 15 per cent in response to a rapid downturn in marketing spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. Producers have been instructed […] Read more
Taste for local food explodes
Marketing during COVID-19: Farmers who sell directly to consumers are scrambling to keep up with demand
Farmers who market directly to consumers are seeing unprecedented demand for their products – and many are struggling to keep up. At Side Road Farm, near Walter’s Falls, the Kitchen […] Read more
Editorial: When the ordinary becomes extraordinary
Farmers have been disappointed by their treatment by society over the past decade, as nitpickers have taken on everything from pesticide use to animal welfare to carbon impact. What farmers […] Read more