Rural Roots Canada

Farmers are very innovative, always coming up with new tools and practices to solve everyday problems on their farm. One such person is Jessica Carlyon, the owner of Hired Hand Hardware, who also farms in Little Smoky in northwest Alberta. Carlyon builds and sells a slick tool that cuts, pulls and wraps bale string or wrap from a hay or straw bale while feeding or putting in bedding.

A new opportunity for women looking to gain hands-on ranching experience is coming to Alberta this summer. The first-ever Female Ranch Camp will take place June 18–22 in Yellowhead County. Organized by Business Wide-View, the camp is modelled after a successful U.S. program and aims to build confidence, skills, and a stronger sense of community among women in agriculture. “We’re taking up to 12 women to the camp,” says B-J Fuchs, owner of Business Wide-View and host of the event. “They’ll be learning real-life ranch skills through a series of stations — from sorting cattle, operating a chute, branding, ear tagging, to administering vaccines. It’s an environment designed for women to try new things, learn ranch hand activities, and not feel intimidated.” The camp has already attracted participants from across North America, including the United States, Eastern Canada, and Mexico. Interest has also come from as far away as Australia and Brazil, though visa issues have delayed some international participants

In Alberta’s Peace Country, a farmer-directed research organization is helping producers improve their operations by testing new practices and technologies tailored to the region’s unique needs. SARDA Ag Research, based in Falher, conducts unbiased research on a range of topics, from crop inputs to new farming methods. The goal is to help farmers make better decisions based on data from their region, without the cost or risk of trying unproven methods themselves. “SARDA Ag Research is an organization that does non-biased research to help our local farmers come up with new ways, new things that are out there, bring the truth to it,” says Simon Lavoie, a St. Isidore-area farmer and chair of SARDA. “We can see firsthand what works, what doesn't work. SARDA is the groundbreaker for the new stuff for the north.” Lavoie says one of SARDA’s strengths is that it’s farmer-controlled, meaning local producers determine the direction of the research based on the challenges they face, rather than relying solely on indu

Farmers across North America are riding a wave of economic uncertainty, thanks in large part to the ongoing global trade war & tariffs and shifting interest rates. Christian Lawrence, head of Cross-Asset Strategy at Rabobank, says the effects of the Trump administration’s trade strategy are hitting the agriculture sector hard. “We’re seeing a lot of volatility right across markets, particularly in currency markets, which tend to be a bit of a relief valve for tariffs,” says Lawrence.

Soil stewardship has long been a cornerstone of Kevin Auch’s approach to farming, a legacy passed down through generations. That dedication was recently recognized when the Carmangay producer received the prestigious Orville Yanke Award for soil conservation at the Farming Smarter Conference.

The 2025 edition of the Alberta Blue Book has arrived. For over 20 years, the Blue Book has been a trusted resource of farmers and agronomists, helping them make decisions during the growing season. The book, which is collaboratively produced by Alberta Canola, Alberta Grains and Alberta Pulse Growers, has over 700 pages of valuable crop protection information.

Farmland values across Canada continued their steady upward trend in 2024, with the average price of farmland increasing by 9.3 per cent, according to Farm Credit Canada’s latest Farmland Values Report. While the pace of growth slowed slightly compared to the 11.5 per cent increase recorded in 2023, FCC Chief Economist J.P. Gervais says the market remains strong despite some pressures. “The increase in Canadian farmland values in 2024 reflects an enduring strength in demand for farmland amid some pressures on commodity prices,” Gervais said. “The limited supply of farmland available for sale combined with lower borrowing costs resulted in an increase in the average price of farmland across the country.”

For women in agriculture, balancing farm duties, business management, caregiving, and community leadership can leave little time to build strong bonds or rekindle family connections. At the AWC West 2025 conference, Carlamay Sheremata, speaker and author of Youth Truth: Engaging in Conversations That Can Change Lives, says small, intentional moments, or what she calls “micro-minutes,” can have a significant impact. “It’s just the little things each day,” Sheremata explains. “It could be a five-minute check-in, driving home from school, or a simple good morning hug. Those little things all of a sudden build that connection with the kids.”

The Canadian Cattle Association (CCA) is disappointed and frustrated by tariffs imposed by the American government, saying a prolonged trade war between Canada and the United States will result in major challenges for cattle producers across the country. "We've put a lot of time and effort into advocating against the tariffs," says Tyler Fulton, Vice President of the Canadian Cattle Association. "We advocated directly with our U.S. counterparts to make sure they understood the consequences to their industry and the U.S. consumer as well." "It's frustrating that we find ourselves in this position, and I can't help but think that, at some point, all of this pain could have been avoided." Fulton notes the cattle industry is deeply intertwined across North America, with cattle frequently moving between Canada and the U.S. for grazing, feeding, and processing. The sudden tariffs have left many producers scrambling. "I can't think of a more risky time to be in the cattle business than what we've got right now."

The tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on Canada and Mexico are shaking up Alberta’s food industry, and local processors are already feeling the pressure. Bianca Parsons, Executive Director of the Alberta Food Processors Association, says businesses are already struggling to adapt. Long-term contracts with major retailers in the United States make it difficult to absorb sudden cost increases. “They have contracts with major retailers in the United States selling their food and beverage products,” says Parsons. “Those contracts obviously don’t include a 25% increase in tariff. They’re now trying to renegotiate those contracts so that they can still make a viable business.”

We're just weeks away from seeding and planting. It's the time when farmers and ranchers start browsing long-range weather forecasts to try to figure out how to prepare for the spring.

Building a successful leadership and team-building workshop is about putting the right blocks in place to build a base. There is no better example of this than Shanyn Silinski's workshop, Foundations of Team Work, Brick by Brick, one of the many workshops to be held at the upcoming Advancing Women in Agriculture West Conference, March 16 - 18 at the Hyatt Downtown in Calgary. The unique session will utilize Lego as the building blocks for the lessons.  Silinski, a Senior Strategic Partner at Olds College, says she has seen firsthand the power of Lego in team-building workshops after holding similar workshops for companies like Brandt and John Deere. "It’s amazing how much you can learn about a team when you strip everything down to something as simple as Lego. People relax, have fun, and suddenly, they work together in ways you wouldn’t expect." For more on this story go to ruralrootscanada.com.

It looks like Alberta and part of Saskatchewan will miss out on the bounty of moisture this week, until you look at rainfall. The map below shows expected rainfall over the same time period:

Ashley Nicholls, founder of Reach Agricultural Strategies, is set to debut a new initiative aimed at making agricultural education more accessible to local communities. The seminar series, Reach Ranch Talks, will kick off on February 20th at High River Brewing at 6:00 PM, offering farmers and ranchers a chance to engage in discussions about communication at the farm and ranch level.

Warmer weather’s on the way. But….not much snow. Every day forward is a day closer to when we break out of the Arctic air mass that has kept the prairies cold since the beginning of February. And the wait is getting shorter. By the end of this week, each of the three prairie provinces will see temperatures climb above the melting point. And, the further west you are, the sooner the warm air arrives.

A new documentary delves into the complex debate surrounding livestock production and the potential impact of a world without cows. The film examines the various sides of the conversation, aiming to spark dialogue about the future of animal agriculture. Stuart McGregor, Vice President Commercial Business of Alltech Canada, acknowledges that there’s no simple answer to the question. "The issue is not black and white," he states. "This initiative allows us to start meaningful conversations. It provides a platform for educating people, particularly those who may have been distanced from farm life—whether second, third, or fourth-generation farmers—or those who have moved away from agriculture altogether. It helps them understand the critical role of animal farming, not just in Canada but globally."

In the critical moments of a medical emergency, the ability to act quickly can make all the difference between life and death. Yet, when faced with a situation requiring the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), many people hesitate because they don’t know how to use the device or when to deploy it. Kim Ruether knows all too well the importance of this knowledge after the tragic loss of her 16-year-old son, Brock, who died suddenly from a heart attack in 2012. Kim’s experience has inspired a mission to teach others about how to recognize cardiac arrest and how to use an AED to potentially save a life. Her story highlights the urgent need for AED education, especially in rural communities where medical help may take longer to arrive.

Getting a first-hand look at the daily lives of farmers is an excellent way to help the public understand where their food comes from. Last year, during my travels across the U.K. and Europe, I had the chance to spend time with Pete and Paula Hynes, dairy farmers in Cork, Ireland. Not only are they experts in their field, but they also excel at sharing their experiences through mainstream media and social platforms. Paula explains that showcasing their farm helps highlight the family-oriented nature of Irish dairy farming. "We're passionate about our cows and our people," she says. "We share everything—the good, the bad, the ugly. There's no point in only showing the pretty side. Cows die, calves die. It's important to show it all."

What can we learn from the world’s oldest farming market traditions? The executive director of Farmers’ Markets of Nova Scotia and recent Nuffield Scholar Justin Cantafio, travelled across Mexico, Europe, and Turkey to find the answer. His biggest takeaway? Local food systems aren’t just about food, they’re about culture, community, and accessibility. “I purposely sought out regions of the world or countries that have market traditions going back hundreds, and in some cases, thousands of years, because I really wanted to see what that means,” said Cantafio. “Whether it was in urban or rural Mexico, or Malta, or throughout continental Europe into Turkey, the same thing kept happening over and over and over again, and that was how important the embedded nature of local food systems are and how incredibly good farmers markets and public markets are at embedding food and culinary traditions and access to traditional foodways into the everyday life of the populace.”

Jeff Frost, a farmer from the Olds area, is nearing the end of his first year as the Region 8 director on the Alberta Canola board. Frost joined the board in January of 2024 following the organization’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) and says the experience has been both eye-opening and rewarding.