| Sometimes I wonder whether we’re actually hard-wired to be instantly attracted to bad news and shocking revelations. I see negativity often dominating our 24-hour news cycle, leaving the less sensational but equally important good news to fall by the wayside. More and more people are now writing and reporting about food, farming, science and the environment. These are current, interesting topics that affect all of us on daily basis, whether we consciously realize it or not. And yet fewer people than ever have much of an in-depth understanding of them, affecting both the way we cover and the way we interpret news. Continue reading Farmers take safe pesticide application seriously Wind farming is blowing up controversy in many parts of Ontario these days. On the one hand, it is being promoted as a green alternative to traditional energy sources that we desperately need to lessen our dependence on less environmentally-friendly supplies we have been relying on to date. It is also credited with bringing good jobs to rural areas struggling with employment issues, keeping people in small communities and maintaining infrastructure. Continue reading Weighing in on wind energy  To me, the thought of lavender always brings images of the south of France to mind – and a lovely vacation I spent there with my Mom in the late 1990s.
It’s time for me to change my thinking, though, because lavender is set to have a bigger presence as a homegrown Ontario crop as well. Ontario farmers recently formed the Ontario Lavender Association and are excited about the potential of this crop as an exciting addition to agri-tourism in our province, says a recent story in The Grower. Continue reading Lovely local lavender It seems even birds are weighing in on the debate over the nutritional benefits of organic food. A newly released study by Newcastle University in the UK showed that wild garden birds preferred the more protein rich regular bird seed over that which was organically grown. Lead researcher Dr. Alisa McKenzie says this is because protein is [...]  One of the things I enjoy a lot about my job as a freelance food and farm journalist and corporate writer is the chance to learn about really cool new things.
The story below about soybeans, which I originally wrote for Ontario Grain Farmer and is published in the May/June 2010 issue, is one of these examples. It’s all about how the hulls of soybeans, leftover after the oil has been extracted from the bean, could be used to treat industrial waste water. Check it out: Continue reading Finding markets for the whole soybean – even hulls For many of us, the Internet is a vital part of our daily lives – business and pleasure. Personally, I have a hard time imagining my life without the Internet in it in some way shape or form. From a work perspective, I’m a freelance writer and communications project manager and my husband and I also have a web-based retail business. Socially, the Internet helps me stay in touch with friends and family far away and makes plans with those who are close by. Where am I going with this, you may ask? Continue reading Connecting rural Canadians to the Internet  There is a growing demand for Ontario rabbit meat, which means opportunity for Ontario farmers to fill a local food niche.
But there is very little research to help farmers improve and increase their production, according to a literature review commissioned by Ontario Rabbit. In fact, there are North America-wide gaps in meat rabbit research and resources. Continue reading Research needed to meet local food demand | |
