Like real estate, the key to successfully growing fruits, vegetables and flowers comes down to three things: location, location, location. If you’re seeking the best apples, potatoes or wheat in western Canada, it’s all a matter of knowing where to look.

Pollinator gardens are springing up across the country, and around the continent. One group, Bees Matter, has distributed 250,000 garden seed kits to start pollinator gardens, since 2015. Many other groups are jumping in to support our declining bees. Canadians are getting it. Bees and pollinators need help, now.

There is a huge push on to plant hazelnut trees in Ontario, as a large corporation producing chocolate and spreads is hungry for the nuts. They are sourcing 15,000 acres of the plants, and that is just the beginning of a growing Canadian market, as the local food movement and wildlife managers embrace nuts as nutritious options. In addition, Portland University has discovered hazelnuts contain the active chemical of the anticancer drug Taxol®. The researchers said, “This is the first report of the potent chemical, generically known as paclitaxel, being found in a plant other than the yew tree. This finding could reduce the cost of the commercial drug and make it more readily available.”

As the summer of 2019 sets in and the days gradually get longer, the grill that sits on your deck draws more and more of your attention. Maybe you simply just want to be outside instead of the kitchen. But likely it is the smoky, man-meets-fire, BBQ flavor that you crave.

The grill or smoker can be an awesome playground for cooks to exercise their culinary prowess. Everything simply seems to taste better when cooked outside! Some items like steaks and burgers are rather straightforward and maybe you already know how to do those well. However there really is no limit as to what you can cook outdoors. Here’s how you can be a better griller!

Like many moms, Mother Nature is overworked and under-appreciated. She does so much for agriculture, but she can’t do it all... that’s where irrigation comes in. For over 5000 years, irrigation has been integral to farming, though the goals remain the same - growing crops, maintaining landscapes and regenerating soil in the absence of rainfall.

It’s been a long road, and researchers are not done searching for a way to control the emerald ash borer. In many parts of North America, ash stands have been reduced by the emerald ash borer invasion to a few surviving mature trees and seedlings, while the pest is still going strong. Since its discovery in Southern Ontario in 2002, the tiny insect has hitchhiked its way from Ontario to Winnipeg and to Bedford, Nova Scotia. Once infested, urban ash are dying at 100% and rural ash are doing only slightly better at 99%.

The basics of lawn care are quite simple – fertilize, water and mow. But, if you want to really make your lawn more of a feature of your landscape and make your home look much better, there’s more to it. Fortunately, some of the chores can be mechanized. Be careful though: lawn equipment may be simple and relatively small, but it can cause serious injuries.

Without proper maintenance – aeration, filtration, and pH control – ponds can become stagnant, smelly and laden with organic sediment. Over time, untreated ponds may experience high algae production and weed growth and limit the productive life of the water body. But, remember any treatment you put in the water will potentially affect the health of cattle, wild birds, fish, and humans that use the water, and also leak into groundwater.

It’s that time of year again where the ground is covered in snow and the days are slowly starting to get longer. Although it might not seem like spring is around the corner, it will be here before we know it. Now is the time to start getting ready for maple syrup season. In this article, learn how to tap a maple tree and gather your sap!