Insights and Stories of Jennifer Blair

Dec. 18, 2020 at 9:28 am CST

A little holiday cheer is in high demand at Christmas tree farms this year. “There’s a big demand for our trees this season,” said Peter Kappeler, owner of Fir Ever Green Tree Farm near Falun. “It’s become a big thing to take the whole family out to the farm and […]

By Jennifer Blair

Nov. 6, 2020 at 9:56 am CST

With a flurry of announcements — and a leaked layoff plan — the UCP government has made it clear that it’s largely exiting ag research. But what comes next is still up in the air. In mid-October, the province shifted several research programs to universities and colleges while also informing […]

By Jennifer Blair

Sep. 25, 2020 at 9:29 am CDT

A pilot project to convert abandoned oil and gas sites in southern Alberta to renewable power generation has been given the green light and more than $4 million in funding to make it happen. “So far, nobody has actually used abandoned oil and gas infrastructure for solar deployment,” said Keith […]

By Jennifer Blair

Aug. 14, 2020 at 9:51 am CDT

Insecticide-resistant insects have flown under the radar on the Canadian Prairies — but researchers are keeping an eye on a growing population of them in southern Alberta. “We don’t have very many insects that are resistant to insecticides here on the Prairies, so luckily, it’s not that widespread of an […]

By Jennifer Blair

Jul. 10, 2020 at 11:34 am CDT

SpaceX is shooting for the moon with the promise of reliable high-speed internet for rural Canadians — but farmers might want to keep their expectations a little more grounded, at least for now. Last month, the space exploration company owned by Elon Musk (of PayPal and Tesla fame) applied for […]

By Jennifer Blair