Agriculture

From dairy to brewery, Blumstein Brewing Co. finds niche

Greg Vandermeulen 7 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

Recreate a disused milking parlour, find a dedicated brewmaster who loves to come up with new recipes and add a pinch of Mennonite satire, and you have a recipe for success.

That’s what Milt Olfert and Mark Von Riesen are finding out after nearly two years of operating Blumstein Brewery Co. in the RM of Stanley between Morden and Winkler.

Their dedication to unique flavours and penchant for making light-hearted fun of Mennonite stereotypes have resulted in a line of beers rapidly gaining traction on Manitoba’s craft beer scene.

After all, according to their website, at the end of the day they’re “just a couple of Menno boys making beer.”

Advertise With Us

Weather

Oct. 20, 12 AM: 7°c Windy Oct. 20, 6 AM: 6°c Windy

Steinbach MB

6°C, Cloudy with wind

Full Forecast

Province formalizes five-year plan to strengthen connection to European food chain

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 2 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026

The Government of Manitoba has formalized a five-year strategic framework to strengthen agricultural and agri-food innovation with Europe.

The framework is between Manitoba Agriculture and the European Institute of Innovation and Technology (EIT) Food, Europe’s largest food innovation community with more than 200 partners dedicated to accelerating innovation and business creation in the food sector.

EIT Food uses the Horizon Europe funding program, with a $151.9-billion budget for 2021 to 2027, to enable and advance innovation and entrepreneurship across the food value chain in Europe and internationally.

The agreement brings together EIT Food’s European agri-food innovation sector and international network with Manitoba’s strengths in agri-food production, value-added processing, applied research, and industry-academia partnerships.

Government of Canada invests up to $2 million to develop sustainable fertilizer technology

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 3 minute read Preview

Government of Canada invests up to $2 million to develop sustainable fertilizer technology

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 3 minute read Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

The federal government is investing up to $1.98 million to develop sustainable fertilizer technology to reduce emissions and microplastics.

Under the Agricultural Clean Technology (ACT) program in the research and innovation stream, Lucent BioSciences Inc. (Lucent Bio) will use the money to change the way that fertilizer coatings are made.

“Canadian companies are developing innovative solutions that can help make agriculture more sustainable and resilient. Through the ACT – research and innovation stream, Lucent Bio is developing technologies that could help farmers use nitrogen more efficiently while reducing fertilizer use, emissions, and microplastics. By supporting the development of clean technologies like this, our government is helping Canadian farmers reduce costs, protect the environment and build a more sustainable agriculture sector,” said Canadian Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Heath MacDonald.

Most controlled-release nitrogen fertilizers used in agriculture have a microplastic coating. With federal funding support, Lucent Bio will provide a more sustainable alternative by applying a biodegradable coating to these fertilizers, made from surplus starch fertilizer, which can help plants use nitrogen more efficiently.

Read

Monday, Oct. 12, 2026

Agriculture

WES ANDERSON
Water flows at the corner of Provincial Road 579 and Municipal Road 112 North in the Municipality of Russell Binscarth.

The governments of Canada, Manitoba help farmers with changes to AgriStability

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 3 minute read Preview

The governments of Canada, Manitoba help farmers with changes to AgriStability

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 3 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

The governments of Canada and Manitoba have made changes to the AgriStability program in order to make it easier and faster for farmers to get support for flood damage.

Farmers in municipalities and residents in First Nations communities who live in areas that declared a state of emergency for the June and July 2026 flooding, will not be penalized for late filings for AgriStability insurance.

Farmers who live outside of those areas who missed the filing deadline because of flooding impacts can appeal for a waiver.

The governments are also increasing the maximum interim payment available to farmers enrolled in the 2026 AgriStability program year from 50 percent to 75 percent of the estimated final payment. This change will improve cash flow for farmers by allowing them to receive a larger interim payment within weeks of completing their application forms. Farmers who have already received interim payments will automatically receive a top-up to the 75 percent level.

Read

Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Agriculture

SUPPLIED

Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill tested various natural projectile materials to control problematic weeds in potatoes.

Weed hunters reloaded: scientists targeting troublesome weeds with grit and innovation

Brett Van Heyningen 4 minute read Preview

Weed hunters reloaded: scientists targeting troublesome weeds with grit and innovation

Brett Van Heyningen 4 minute read Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

What if a simple kitchen staple like baking soda could help Canadian farmers tackle stubborn weeds? Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) research scientist, Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill recently completed innovative research that explored an alternative method for controlling weeds.

This “weed hunter,” investigated a technique called abrasive or projectile weed control. Using a sandblaster, Dr. McKenzie-Gopsill “shot” natural materials like corn cob grit and baking soda at weeds and found that they can knock back even the most stubborn plants, like lamb’s quarters and wild buckwheat, without damaging potato plants or reducing potato yields. This provides farmers with new tools for fighting invasive weeds in high value crops where herbicides are becoming less effective due to resistance.

Next generation weed control

Early research for the project combined abrasive grits, like corn cob, with reduced herbicide rates. The simple idea was to weaken weeds with a “blast” of grit, then finish them off with herbicide. It worked, but results came with a catch. Using lower herbicide rates can actually encourage herbicide resistance. That’s a risk that Canadian farmers and weed scientists have spent decades trying to avoid.

Read

Friday, Oct. 9, 2026

Agriculture

COLUMN: On the Fence Line – Vaccination rules for competition: What MB horse owners need to know ahead of 2027

Manitoba Horse Council 3 minute read Preview

COLUMN: On the Fence Line – Vaccination rules for competition: What MB horse owners need to know ahead of 2027

Manitoba Horse Council 3 minute read Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

If you plan to take your horse to a competition in 2027, now is a good time to review your vaccination records. Equine Influenza and Equine Herpes Virus (EHV-1 and EHV-4) can spread quickly when horses come together at barns, shows, trailers, and warm-up areas. Keeping vaccinations current is an important part of protecting your horse and the wider equine community.

Equestrian Canada (EC) requires horses attending EC-sanctioned competitions to meet vaccination requirements. The Royal Manitoba Winter Fair, scheduled for March 29 to April 3, 2027, is one Manitoba event for which it is important to plan to meet these requirements. Current EC rules require vaccination within six months plus a 21-day grace period before arrival, with no vaccination within seven days of arrival. These rules help protect horses and event biosecurity by ensuring regular vaccination schedules—not just last-minute compliance.

Before heading to a competition:

· Review your horse’s vaccination records well before the show.

Read

Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026

Agriculture

CARILLON ARCHIVES

Elvis, a handsome ostrich at Sunshine Ridge Ostrich Breeders near Oakbank in the RM of Springfield, sticks his head through the fence to socialize with owner Melanie Rennie.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback September 27, 1995 – Ostrich farming a fast-growing industry

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback September 27, 1995 – Ostrich farming a fast-growing industry

Wes Keating 4 minute read Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026

Ostrich farming is a fast-growing alternative agricultural livestock business and is widespread in Canada, with about 60 to 75 breeders in Manitoba alone.

Judy Barnes, marketing director for the Canadian Ostrich Association, suggested in the February, 1995 issue of the COA magazine Runner that Canada could soon be “the ostrich capital of the world.”

Ostriches are fascinating birds, standing seven to eight feet tall and weighing 250 to 350 pounds. They can live up to 80 years and average egg production is 30 to 50 eggs per year, with some hens laying more than 100 eggs annually. One ostrich egg equals 24 to 27 chicken eggs and will weigh up to five pounds.

The ostrich industry is a wide open field. Birds are raised as breeding stock, for meat, for the hide and the feathers. The red meat is very palatable, lean, low in cholesterol, with a taste similar to roast beef. It sells for $6 to $20 per pound and is an expensive delicacy in restaurants. Ostrich hides measure 10 to 20 square feet per bird and are in large demand, because of the durability of the leather. It is used for shoes, cowboy boots, briefcases, clothing and fashion accessories. Feathers, harvested twice a year from live birds and in total at slaughter, are used for elaborate showgirl costumes, dusters, decorations and fashion accessories.

Read

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2026

Learn more about Advertising solutions

Agriculture

CARILLON ARCHIVES

Melody Penner attempts to rescue her sleeve from the grip of a playful ostrich, while Carly and Delbert look on.

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback April 28, 1993 – Big birds enjoy Manitoba winter at Dawson Creek Ostrich Ranch

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

COLUMN: Carillon Flashback April 28, 1993 – Big birds enjoy Manitoba winter at Dawson Creek Ostrich Ranch

Wes Keating 4 minute read Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026

Three-year-old Carly Penner does not have to tune in to Sesame Street to catch a glimpse of Big Bird. She can watch her father’s favourite video, or better yet, go out in the backyard and chat with the real thing.

Delbert Penner’s Dawson Creek Ostrich Ranch, near Giroux, has been growing by leaps and bounds since four three-month-old chicks arrived from Oklahoma, three years ago. The herd (flock if you prefer) is now at 14 birds and four adult females are expected to start laying fertile eggs any day now.

In addition to two breeding trios, Penner’s 1993 herd includes one two-year-old male and seven yearlings. The yearlings are expected to be sold this summer, in spite of the steep asking price of $22,000 a pair.

The interest in the birds is phenomenal, Penner says, and hardly a day goes by that he doesn’t get a call from Quebec, Alberta or British Columbia. There is just as much interest beyond the boundaries of North America.

Read

Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026

Agriculture

John Woods Winnipeg Free Press Archives

Southeast farmers will be participating in a pilot project through the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation for forage insurance using satellites to measure soil moisture and crop growth. If successful, the pilot project could considerably reduce the amount of paperwork farmers will need to do and the time it takes to receive payment from a claim.

MASC launches satellite technology pilot for forage insurance

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 5 minute read Preview

MASC launches satellite technology pilot for forage insurance

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 5 minute read Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

The federal and provincial governments have launched a pilot project that involves using satellite-based technology for the forage insurance program as administered by the Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation.

The initiative will make it easier for forage producers to make claims and get their insurance payout quicker.

“We’re hoping to reduce…the amount of administration and how long it might take for a farmer to have their check in their hand if they did have a bad crop,” said MASC’s chief product officer David Van Deynze.

MASC will use microwave technology from satellites to measure the amount of moisture in the soil for forage crops and determine whether it was a good or bad crop season.

Read

Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026

Agriculture

SVJETLANA MLINAREVIC THE CARILLON
Dairy farmer Stefan Signer stands with one of his cows on his farm near Kleefeld on June 18, 2026. Signer is one producer in the agricultural sector who is worried about the unknown outcomes if a deal can’t be reached regarding the Canada-United States-Mexico deal that is currently being renegotiated.

Manitoba farmers worried about uncertainty of CUSMA negotiations as deadline looms

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 6 minute read Preview

Manitoba farmers worried about uncertainty of CUSMA negotiations as deadline looms

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 6 minute read Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026

Manitoba farmers are increasingly worried about the uncertainty surrounding whether or not the United States will sign the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, (CUSMA), and what impact America’s decision will have on their businesses.

Right now, CUSMA is shielding a lot of Canadian agricultural producers from U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.

“It seems, you know, CUSMA is not that old. When it was signed, the Americans were saying this is the best trade deal ever and it has solved all of the problems. And now, a few short years later, they seem to think that it’s the worst trade deal ever and it needs to be scrapped,” said Kleefeld dairy farmer Stefan Signer.

CUSMA has tripled the value of North American agriculture and agrifood trade between 2005 and 2023, totaling about $400 billion CAD ($285 billion USD), according to the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which represents agricultural producers and agribusinesses across the nation. Manitoba Dairy Farmers, Manitoba Beef Producers, and Manitoba Pork are members.

Read

Saturday, Jul. 4, 2026

Agriculture

CARILLON ARCHIVES

Landmark area farmer Ron Penner expects a new straw-burning furnace will drastically reduce heating costs for his poultry barns.

COLUMN: The Carillon Flashback November 28, 2002 – Straw burner slashes barn heating costs

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

COLUMN: The Carillon Flashback November 28, 2002 – Straw burner slashes barn heating costs

Wes Keating 4 minute read Monday, Jun. 22, 2026

The owner of a Landmark-area poultry farm expects a new $150,000 heating system will easily be worth the investment.

Ron Penner of Primrose Farm anticipates the Rama Biomass Gasifier, which uses waste straw as heating fuel, to save $60,000 in heating costs annually.

A three million British Thermal Unit (BTU) per hour heating system developed by Vidir Biomass Inc. of Arborg was unveiled in a grand opening ceremony at the farm.

On hand for the occasion was Industry and Trade Minister MaryAnn Mihychuk, who pointed out the newly developed heating system takes advantage of a readily available resource in the form of waste straw. In the process, it eliminates the straw without the need for farmers to burn it in the field.

Read

Monday, Jun. 22, 2026

Agriculture

CARILLON ARCHIVES

Henry Kehler, Bill Sobering and Bill Giesbrecht use two horse drawn rigs and a light delivery truck to deliver homogenized, pasteurized milk to Steinbach’s 2,100 residents daily.

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Pasteurized milk delivered daily

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

1946 – 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Pasteurized milk delivered daily

Wes Keating 4 minute read Wednesday, May. 20, 2026

SEPTEMBER 5, 1952—Every morning, without the benefit of franchise or bylaw, Steinbach Creamery delivers 700 to 800 quarts of fresh milk to Steinbach’s 2,100 citizens. The milk is pasteurized, some is homogenized, and tests from 3.5 to 4.6 percent butterfat. It is produced on 11 of the districts leading dairy farms, all of which are inspected periodically by the Red River Health Unit sanitation inspector.

A dozen years earlier, the town cowherd would take the cows down Main Street, blowing his bugle for all to hear, announcing it was seven o’clock and time to bring the cows to be taken to the community pasture. Practically everyone had their own cow.

But even before the cowherd hung up his horn, and before the common pasture was made into a farm, commercial enterprise was at work.

A.A. Regehr made a sharp bid to take over the milk business, erecting the present Steinbach Creamery building. A 180-foot well was drilled to supply running water to cool the milk and provide water to wash bottles and milk cans. Equipment included bottle washers, cooling vats, and sterilizers. It was quite an ambitious undertaking under the circumstances, and during the first year, deliveries were only 200 quarts per day.

Read

Wednesday, May. 20, 2026

Agriculture

WES KEATING THE CARILLON

Roy Bartel and Joel Friesen both launched their careers with Steinbach Hatchery and Feeds Limited, working part time, while they were still attending high school.

1946 to 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Steinbach Hatchery celebrates 90 years

Wes Keating 5 minute read Preview

1946 to 2026 Watching Steinbach Grow: Steinbach Hatchery celebrates 90 years

Wes Keating 5 minute read Monday, May. 4, 2026

There is an old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, but the opposite was true for the feed mill staff in the early days of Steinbach Hatchery. Few men were tough enough to keep going for years on a job that required heaving 100-pound bags of feed onto the back of a farmer’s truck, day-after-day.

But that was then, and now modern equipment to go along with modern technology has made the job much easier than it was when Roy Bartel was a young man, just out of high school.

Actually, Bartel who worked his way up the ranks to become general manager, was working for the company even before he finished high school. And the same holds true for Steinbach Hatchery CEO Joel Friesen, whose father Jake was one of four partners until his death in 2017.

Bartel started working at Maple Grove Farms in August of 1970, when he was living with his grandparents, Peter and Anne Bartel, in Kleefeld. Peter Bartel worked on the Maple Grove farm on Loewen Boulevard and he asked Elvin Reimer whether he had a job for his grandson.

Read

Monday, May. 4, 2026

Agriculture

Ile des Chenes farmer, former deputy minister receives award from Manitoba Canola Growers

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 6 minute read Preview

Ile des Chenes farmer, former deputy minister receives award from Manitoba Canola Growers

Svjetlana Mlinarevic 6 minute read Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026

The Manitoba Canola Growers Association has awarded Dori Gingera-Beauchemin the 2025 Canola Award of Excellence, recognizing her long-standing support for agriculture in Manitoba and her lasting contributions to the canola industry.

“I was inducted into the Canadian Agriculture Hall of Fame in the fall, which is an amazing award, and so it was really exciting, but I told the Canola Growers to have a producer organization in Manitoba award me, you know, it was just as exciting because the national award comes from all kinds of folks all around the countryside that I’ve had the privilege of working with, and all of their accolades, but to come from our own group in Manitoba, our own farmer group, is just equally exciting and very important to me,” said Gingera-Beauchemin.

The Canola Award of Excellence recognizes individuals and organizations that have made outstanding contributions to the sustained growth and prosperity of Manitoba’s canola industry.

Gingera-Beauchemin grew up on a cattle farm in McCreary, just north of Dauphin, before her father got a job working in education and they moved to a small town. Currently, she and her husband farm near Ile des Chenes growing canola, cereals, and other oilseeds.

Read

Wednesday, Apr. 29, 2026

Agriculture

TONI DE GUZMAN THE CARILLON

Katie McInnes is a first-generation farmer and was originally from Winnipeg.

Programs needed to teach young farmers

Toni De Guzman 3 minute read Preview

Programs needed to teach young farmers

Toni De Guzman 3 minute read Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2026

Many Manitoba farmers are worried there are less young people replacing retiring farmers because of the lack of access to the career, programs, and rising costs.

“It’s such a huge thing we’re coming up against, and there’s no proper plan to deal with this huge transition that’s coming up,” said Katie McInnes, a first-generation farmer near Clearwater, Man.

Less than one in ten, 8.6 percent, farm operators were under 35 years, according to Statistics Canada. Three in five, 60.5 percent, farm operators are 55 or older in 2021.

McInnes, 39, and her husband grew up in Winnipeg, and she had no ties to farming, land, or anything agriculture related — until 2013 when they decided to move.

Read

Tuesday, Apr. 28, 2026

Agriculture

WES KEATING THE CARILLON

Paul Overby talks shop with Stanley Soil Association technician Richard Warkentin at Regen Day at Friedensfeld.

Regenerative farming: Overby shares his insight with neighbors to the north

Wes Keating 4 minute read Preview

Regenerative farming: Overby shares his insight with neighbors to the north

Wes Keating 4 minute read Monday, Apr. 27, 2026

A North Dakota grain producer has taken crop diversity to a whole new level with the addition of a wide variety of crops to a regular rotation, as he practises regenerative farming methods on his 1,800-acre farm, just south of the International Peace Gardens.

Paul Overby shared his insight with a large group of farmers at the fourth annual Regen Day hosted by the Seine Rat Roseau River Watershed District at Friedensfeld Community Centre in February.

Overby told farmers that regenerative farming practices were a way to enrich the soil and improve watersheds, while at the same time, increasing yields and resistance to climate instability.

Paul and his wife Diane operate a leading-edge regenerative agriculture farm, raising a diverse mix of canola, flax, field peas, hard red spring wheat, millet, oats, sunflowers, and soybeans.

Read

Monday, Apr. 27, 2026

October 19, 2026

Notification Settings