Insights and Stories of Shannon VanRaes

Oct. 21, 2016 at 9:30 am CDT

Lincoln Ellis has just got his first taste of combining. “He thought it was pretty interesting for the first 10 minutes, and then he realized how small the combine cab was, and that was about it,” says his dad, Simon Ellis, with a chuckle. “So it was short-lived, but you […]

By Shannon VanRaes

Sep. 9, 2016 at 10:51 am CDT

Allison Fenske pulls a reluctant grey cat off her dining room table to make room for her jars of homemade pea-shoot pesto, pickled beets and spicy slices of jicama turnip.  She points to the turnips. “Jonathan says he always tells people you can eat them the way you’d eat an […]

By Shannon VanRaes

Jun. 16, 2016 at 3:46 pm CDT

Despite losing nearly 14,000 pig farmers since 1971, Manitoba still produces more pigs than any other province, accounting for just under a third of Canada’s total pork production, and well over half of its exports. For nearly three decades, Manitoba has had a front row seat on the peaks and […]

By Shannon VanRaes

May. 5, 2016 at 4:40 pm CDT

Peter Frohlich calls them “unique” flavours. “Yes, the beany flavours. I personally enjoy those flavours, but a lot of food companies would prefer to have all the nutrition of pulses minus the flavour attributes,” said the project manager for pulses and specials crops at the Canadian International Grains Institute, better […]

By Shannon VanRaes

Nov. 27, 2015 at 9:59 am CST

Every day, John Fisher loses money. Surrounded by lush, green pastures — some established more than half a century ago — the New Zealand dairy farmer says his cost of production is now above the international milk price and has been for some time. “You’ve got to take a long-term […]

By Shannon VanRaes