Flying a drone over his crops doesn’t make them grow any better, but having a bird’s-eye view of what’s happening on the far side of a quarter or half section of canola or peas, for example, can give David Carlson a much better sense of how the whole crop is looking.

I remember the day I pulled the first radish out of our farm, The Harvest Hub. It was vibrantly purple, glorious in size, fresh, crunchy, and juicy. Frankly, it was perfect. “Easter Egg” radishes, the seed package said. All of a sudden, I had pounds and pounds of radishes and knew instantly that the indoor soil-based farming equipment invention that my husband had created – worked. This was our first real crop grown in the dead of winter, in our heated garage. I rejoiced, and so did my neighbors I’m sure. They all probably thought we had an illegal (at the time) cannabis operation ongoing. “No, just vegetables,” I remember saying to one of them.

While everyone from farmers to consumers feels the pinch of higher fuel prices, whether it be when the fuel truck pulls into the farm yard or at the local retail gas pumps, the fact is that variable fuel prices have little impact on the price of food — not directly anyway.

Cover crops are spreading, as farmers see how growing an extra crop in a year can help them cut their environmental footprint and improve their land. A cover crop doesn’t always show a profit the year it’s grown, but the practice is winning converts, even in areas where drought is a constant threat – because they boost soil health, increasing soil organic matter, and helping to beat pests.

The family farm has long been considered one of the most viable ways to properly operate a farming enterprise in Canada. It’s also very important for the rural economy.

The family farm – the cornerstone of western European agriculture – is the Canadian model we know. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, planning for the International Year of Family Farming in 2014, defined family farming as being managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labor. They suggest the family “Dairy farmers may feel somewhat betrayed, but Chrystia Freeland did her best,“ says Tom Koostra, a Ponoka area dairy farmer and Chairman of Alberta Milk. “For some already considering exiting the industry, one or both of these may be the blow that makes them decide to leave – but none of them is critical.”

Recent trade negotiations have led to Canadian dairy farmers losing some of the trade protection they have under the supply management that has served them well for almost 50 years. And the new Canada Food Guide has cut Health Canada’s longstanding promotion of milk and dairy products as sources of bone-building nutrients.
“Dairy farmers may feel somewhat betrayed, but Chrystia Freeland did her best,“ says Tom Koostra, a Ponoka area dairy farmer and Chairman of Alberta Milk. “For some already considering exiting the industry, one or both of these may be the blow that makes them decide to leave – but none of them is critical.”

As farmers, long days and nights are spent on the farm. It is critical during this time that you take care of yourself to stay safe on the farm. The Agricultural Health and Safety Network takes a holistic approach to mental and physical health, and the safety of producers. Exercise, sleep and nutrition are key to stay safe.