Archive for the 'Environmental' Category

Grazing Cooperative wins the Environmental Stewardship Award


The Waldron Grazing Cooperative Ltd. of Stavely, Alberta, is the recipient of The Environmental Stewardship Award (TESA) for 2010. The Waldron, a 54,480 acre operation with a 10,000 head grazing capacity, received the award in recognition of management practices that ensure a sustainable resource for future generations.

The Waldron’s innovative stewardship practices focus on riparian management, watering systems, controlling invasive species, rangeland health and wildlife management. Continue Reading »

Sewage Raises West Nile Virus Risk

I don’t have my horses vaccinated yet. I was contemplating just forgetting about it this year but son Todd (who had probably already bought the vaccine for me) told me I should. I would be interested in hearing about how many folks do vaccinate and for what. I have been vaccinating for West Nile but didn’t vaccinate for years before that except for one year we used nasal strangles vaccine (live) – sickest bunch of horses we have ever had.  Please share your vaccination experiences and opinions with us on the comments below.

“The infection rate for mosquitoes, birds, and humans is strongly associated with their proximity to a creek impacted by sewage,” says Gonzalo Vazquez-Prokopec, the Emory University disease ecologist.  More information about: Sewage raising the risk of contacting West Nile Virus.

Farmers Solution to the Oil Spill

It has always been my experience that farmers and ranchers are particularly good at finding solutions to problems. They don’t tend to have great gobs of money like the oil companies so they have to find ways to make the things they already have and can afford work. This looks interesting. Some of you who work in the oil fields may have seen straw and hay used for reclamation on land or at least we have sold straw that I think went for that purpose.

http://www.wimp.com/solutionoil/

Drought-Proofing Farm Water Supplies

The severe province-wide drought in the early 2000’s reaffirmed the importance and value of water to rural people across the Canadian prairies. Dry wells and dugouts, crop failures and dust storms were all commonplace.

During the drought, farmers scrambled to find sufficient water for their homes and livestock. Water hauling by truck and miles of water pipelines could be seen everywhere. Thousands of larger dugouts and deeper wells were constructed to replace failed water supplies. Continue Reading »