Agriculture

EverWind: Powered by ‘Hopium?’

EverWind: Powered by ‘Hopium?’

May 18, 2022 at 2:04 pm

Having tried to understand the financing of the EverWind green hydrogen project in Point Tupper it’s now time to consider the science—or lack thereof—behind it. First, you need to understand that hydrogen does not come in a variety of colors. The color coding is used to denote how the hydrogenRead More

Where we are... (Spectator photo)

Gardening Tips: Listen to Your Lilacs

May 18, 2022 at 1:55 pm

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 16 May 2018 but I suspect the picture of the lilacs in full bloom was from the previous spring.   What to do this week There is an old folk saying that one should not plant summer crops until the lilacs and appleRead More

Early rhubarb (Source: My Minnesota Garden https://www.mymngarden.com/how-to-divide-rhubarb/)

Gardening Tips: Divide and Compost

May 4, 2022 at 1:00 pm

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 2 May 2018.   What to do this week This week is a good time to divide rhubarb, as well as a few other perennial plants, but rhubarb especially. If at all possible, you want to do it when you just see theRead More

Thomas Bresson [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Gardening Tips: Frost Warning?

April 26, 2022 at 1:45 pm

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 26 April 2017   What to do this week Optimistic beginner gardeners are often tempted to plant after a few days of great weather in May. I think it is important to let you know how to reasonably predict the risk of frost,Read More

Bean There: Mixed (Up) Farming

Bean There: Mixed (Up) Farming

April 20, 2022 at 1:15 pm

Editor’s Note: This longform piece by Michelle first appeared on 19 April 2017.   There are many reasons I farm. Foremost is the welcome diversity of the work, the many physical and mental challenges – always a new puzzle to take apart and solve. It also involves extended periods ofRead More

Vegetable and herb seeds. (Photo by Rickproser [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons)

Gardening Tips: Saving Seeds (Redux)

April 13, 2022 at 12:15 pm

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 11 April 2018 and you’ll notice the opening the line could have been written today. Told you Michelle’s tips were timeless.     What to do this week Well, perhaps you noticed that it snowed this week, so maybe we have to goRead More

Raspberry cane. (Photo by Madeline Yakimchuk)

Gardening Tips: Watch Your Step

April 6, 2022 at 10:47 am

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 4 April 2018.   What to do this week I took a walk in my back field this week. Now that the snow is pretty well gone, I was able to notice that my raspberry bushes need a bit of tending. This isRead More

Seed envelopes. (Source: Pinterest https://www.pinterest.com/electrosara/seed-saving/)

Gardening Tips: Saving Seeds

March 30, 2022 at 12:42 pm

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 29 March 2017.   What to do this week Garden planning time is the perfect time to think about what is needed for saving your own seeds. Even at the home level you want to do it properly, which means, you want toRead More

Organic produce, farmer's market, University of BC (Photo by Dllu, own work, [CC BY-SA 4.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

Bean There: The Great Organic Divide

March 23, 2022 at 2:15 pm

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 22 March 2017.   It may surprise you, as it surprised me, to find out that farming is a political act. And like other forms of politics, it has opposing sides and competing interests as well as philosophical divisions. Quite a lot ofRead More

Chinese cabbage Forest & Kim Starr [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons  Cauliflower By Dinkum (Own work) [CC0], via Wikimedia Commons  Broccoli  fir0002 | flagstaffotos.com.au [GFDL 1.2 (http://www.gnu.org/licenses/old-licenses/fdl-1.2.html)], via Wikimedia Commons  kohlrabi By 4028mdk09 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons  Brussels sprouts  By ThorPorre (Own work) [CC BY 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons  Mustard Greens By মৌচুমী (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons" width="800" height="800" /> Clockwise from upper left: Cauliflower (Dinkum, Own work, CC BY 1.0), Chinese cabbage (Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0), Mustard Greens (মৌচুমী, Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0), Kohlrabi (4028mdk09, Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0), Brussels Sprouts (ThorPorre, Own work, CC BY 3.0), Kale (Dirk Ingo Franke, Own work,

Gardening Tips: Cold Weather Greens

March 16, 2022 at 11:45 am

Editor’s Note: This column first appeared on 15 March 2017. (But, like pretty much everything in Michelle Smith’s archive, it’s still relevant.)   What to do this week This week we are going to start our cold weather greens, things that you can start in the house and get intoRead More