This year, the Natural Systems Agriculture program will be hosting evening tours at both Carman and Glenlea – please see the preliminary details below and mark your calendars! We hope that you’ll be able to join us for one or both of these events as we learn from each other about ecological agriculture.

Come and visit Canada’s oldest organic research plots and learn about the science of organic farming, including the important roles of crop rotation and nutrient recycling.

Schedule:
6:30-8:00 pm

For more information, contact:
Joanne Thiessen Martens
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba
ph: 204-474-6236
email: j_thiessen_martens@umanitoba.ca

Click here for the Carman Organic and Ecological Farming Systems Field Tour event.

Date: 2013-07-29

This year, the Natural Systems Agriculture program will be hosting evening tours at both Carman and Glenlea – please see the preliminary details below and mark your calendars! We hope that you’ll be able to join us for one or both of these events as we learn from each other about ecological agriculture.

Come to learn and discuss the principles and practices of ecological farming systems!
· Wheat and oat breeding: See the new organic varieties developed by breeders at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and learn about farmer participatory breeding projects.
· Hairy vetch agronomy
· Crop-livestock integration
· No-till organic flax production
· Organic forage seed production
· Progress in development of perennial grains

Schedule:
5:30 pm – informal BBQ supper
6:30-8:30 pm – tour

For more information, contact:
Joanne Thiessen Martens
Department of Plant Science, University of Manitoba
ph: 204-474-6236
email: j_thiessen_martens@umanitoba.ca

Click here for the Glenlea Long-Term Organic Study Research Tour event.

Date: 2013-07-22

Description:

Tour will include:
- Winter bale grazing sites
- Pasture planning
- Poly crops
- Summer pastures
- Kids on the Land (K-Gr.6)

Lunch will be served with $15 pre-register.
RSVP by June 15 to Michael Thiele:
call (204) 365-6334 or email mthiele@mymts.net

Kids on the Land

Teaching children “healthy land, sustainable future,” reflects our philosophy of educating land stewards about smart land use, while assisting them to enhance the land’s natural productivity.

Download the brochure for distribution.

Start Time: 09:00
Date: 2013-06-22
End Time: 16:00

The 12th Annual Pasture Tour Day will be held in the Interlake region and expects to draw over 90 producers.

Some of the tour stops may include:
* Tour a large commercial cow/calf operation (over 1800 cows)
* View a demonstration on bale grazing with cattle
* Look at sod seeding of alfalfa / grass

Contact your local MAFRI office for carpooling options.

More details to follow – please check back on the MFC website or with your local MAFRI GO office.

Date: 2013-08-08

Description:

The Manitoba Crop Diagnostic School is designed to refine the diagnostic skills of agronomists and producers involved in field scouting and assessing crop health.
Daily sessions will be held July 9 to 12 and July 15 to 19.

MFC is a proud sponsor of this event, which has been running since 1995 with approximately 400 people in attendance each year. The comprehensive hands-on approach to learning attracts new and past attendees to take part. Join us for a unique learning environment to help you scout fields and recognize potential problems.

Highlights:

- get an update on the latest crop management issues.
- assess, scout, and identify while receiving a non-biased whole-perspective approach towards farming.
- spend 30-60 minutes at the forage learning station, showcasing alfalfa diseases (ID, and potential control measures).

Please register early to ensure your booking.

Registration: $175 per person – includes lunch and refreshments
Group booking: $125 per person for 50+ people

For information:
call 1-204-745-5656 (for program information)
call 1-204-745-5663 (for registration)
visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/cdschool/
email info@mbbeef.ca

Download the brochure.

Start Date: 2013-07-15
End Date: 2013-07-19

Description:

The Manitoba Crop Diagnostic School is designed to refine the diagnostic skills of agronomists and producers involved in field scouting and assessing crop health.
Daily sessions will be held July 9 to 12 and July 15 to 19.

MFC is a proud sponsor of this event, which has been running since 1995 with approximately 400 people in attendance each year. The comprehensive hands-on approach to learning attracts new and past attendees to take part. Join us for a unique learning environment to help you scout fields and recognize potential problems.

Highlights:

- get an update on the latest crop management issues.
- assess, scout, and identify while receiving a non-biased whole-perspective approach towards farming.
- spend 30-60 minutes at the forage learning station, showcasing alfalfa diseases (ID, and potential control measures).

Please register early to ensure your booking.

Registration: $175 per person – includes lunch and refreshments
Group booking: $125 per person for 50+ people

For information:
call 1-204-745-5656 (for program information)
call 1-204-745-5663 (for registration)
visit www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/cdschool/
email info@mbbeef.ca

Download the brochure.

Start Date: 2013-07-09
End Date: 2013-07-12

You are invited to attend a Hay and Silage Information Day and Field Demo presented by Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives, the Manitoba Forage Council in conjunction with participating Agri-businesses.

Topics Include:

How to harvest high quality hay - Dr. Dan Undersander, Madison, Wisconsin
Dr. Undersander is a leading expert in hay production. His talk will help you put up the best quality hay and help you avoid costly mistakes in hay production and field care; ever more important as we have experienced feed shortages and fuel and farming costs rise.

Fertility for Alfalfa for Optimum Production – John Heard, MAFRI
Description coming

The Economics of Hay and Silage Storage - Tim Clarke, MAFRI
Description coming

Putting Up High Quality Silage – Ray Bittner, MAFRI
Description coming

In field demonstrations - measuring quality using the PEAQ method, discussions on soil salinity, booth displays and more!

Registration:

Fees:
$10 per person (includes lunch)

To pre-register:
please call 204-622-2006 by Monday, June 3rd

For more information:
please call MAFRI at 204-648-3965

Date: 2013-06-11

Come and join us in a unique setting to explore the topic of sustainable energy within the context of Southern Manitoba.

The Parks Canada national historic site of Neubergthal, Manitoba (http:// www.neubergthal.ca/) will play host to the conference. This Mennonite street village has a history of sustainable ener- gy users which is still evident today in the existing housebarns.

The conference will engage students, educators, local governments, business people, and professionals within the sus- tainable energy industry. This diverse group will participate in sustainable en- ergy themed presentations, tours, and workshops.

Download our Conference Brochure.

Registration

Fees:
High school students/teachers
- $20.00 before April 1
- $30.00 after April 1
Regular
- $100.00 before May 1
- $125.00 after May 1

Registration includes:
• Presentations May 23
• Walking tour of Neubergthal May 23
• Refreshments and Lunch May 23
• Any one of the four tour/workshop options for
May 24 (see below for details)

To register or for more information contact:
Bruce Friesen-Pankratz
Sustainable Energy Program
W.C. Miller Collegiate
Altona, MB  R0G 0B3
e: pankratzb@borderland.ca
ph: (204) 324-6416

Agenda

May 23, 2013
9:00-9:30—Registration
9:30-10:00 Opening Ceremony
• King Buffalo Drummers—Roseau River First Nation
• Address by dignitaries
10:00-10:30 Sustainable Energy History: Energy balance on the West Reserve.
Hans Werner, Associate Professor, Mennonite Studies, University of Winnipeg. 10:30-10:45 BREAK
10:45-11:05 Sustainable Energy Residential: Straw bale houses in Mexico and Manitoba . Steven Wiebe, Supervisor of Public Works, Town of Altona
11:05-11:25 Sustainable Energy Residential: Different shades of green.
Mike Moore, President, Manitoba Home Builders Association
11:25-11:45 Sustainable Energy Education: Guiding Mystic Pseudopodia
Bruce Friesen-Pankratz, Instructor, Sustainable Energy Program,
WC Miller Collegiate
11:45-12:05 Sustainable Energy Food: Power Plant Farms
Terry Mireau, Lives on Cedar Lane Farm
LUNCH Provided by the Cedar Lane Farm
1:00-1:20 Sustainable Energy Transportation: Biodiesel
Rex Newkirk, Director of Research and Business Development,
Canadian International Grains Institute.
1:20-1:50 Sustainable Energy Community: Gretna Arena
Ed Lohrenz, Geo-Xergy Systems Inc.
1:50-2:00 BREAK
2:00-2:30— Round table discussions
2:30-3:30—Neubergthal walking tour

May 24, 2013
Meet at Neubergthal for:
Option A
9:30-11:30—St. Joseph Wind Farm Tour
11:30—3:00—Anaerobic Digester Manitoba Hydro pilot project
Option B
9:30-11:30 Anaerobic Digester Manitoba Hydro pilot project 11:30-3:00 St . Joseph Wind Farm Tour
Option C
9:30-11:30—St. Joseph Wind Farm Tour
11:30-3:00 Wool Workshop Option D
9:30-11:30 Wool Workshop 11:30-3:00 St. Joseph Wind Farm

A conference organized and facilitated by the Sustainable Energy Program, W.C. Miller Collegiate.

Start Date: 2013-05-23
End Date: 2013-05-24

Please join us for our 5th annual Open House! This is NOT a sale, but a chance to view our bulls for sale as well as get an appreciation of our genetic direction, development and management of our herd. Our focus is raising maternally based cattle that are sustainable, efficient, functional and profitable. We will be touring not only the sale pen, but the herd sires and the cow herds. This will give you a real sense of what the sales bulls will turn into and the type of females they will produce.

The intent of our Open House is to showcase our program and as a thank you to past and present customers (customer appreciation). If you want the best selection or have a particular interest in specific bloodlines it is advised to come early (before Mar 27), as we sell Private Treaty off the ranch on a first come first serve basis.

Bulls for sale will include:
1) Commercial 2 yr olds (virgin), from multi sire breeding groups;
2) Purebred (papered) long yearlings (virgin), 7 different sire groups represented;
3) Select herd sires, proven breeders, age range from 3 – 7 yr olds.

For further details:
• View our website at www.nerbasbrosangus.com or our BLOG at www.nerbasbrosangus.blogspot.com on our operation, bull development, genetic direction, selection pressure and herd management;
• View our Open House pdf.

Additional notes:
• Although we have sold a few bulls to date, selection is still very good, check “Bull Sales” page on website for details.
• Our website is not fully functional on iPads and some mobile devices, please review on desktop computer for full content.

Date: 2013-03-27

A public meeting to address outstanding flood concerns with provincial and federal government representatives will be held to discuss the following items:

1. Compensation for 2012
2. Accountability for past promises
3. Timeline for multi-year recovery and rehabilitation plan
4. Potential future flooding issues

It is important that producers attend this meeting. Rate payers will have the opportunity to participate and ask questions of the government representatives attending this meeting. See the attached poster for more details.

For more information, please contact:

Tom Teichroeb, Chair
Lake Manitoba Flood Rehabilitation Committee
phone: (204) 445-2319
email: a8ranch@mts.net

Harry Siemens – Speaker Writer Communicator
phone: (204) 325-5215
cell: (204) 332-0741
Skype: (701) 213-4412
www.siemenssays.com

The Lake Manitoba Flood Rehabilitation Committee represents 11 municipalities surrounding Lake Manitoba. It gives voice to the urgent needs of all residents and businesses for an immediate solution to the flooding. It seeks adequate and inclusive compensation for the rehabilitation of land, businesses and residential properties damaged by the man-made flooding of Lake Manitoba.

Date: 2013-02-22