Robot weeder is on the way Monday, December 3, 2012 It started out as a robot that would cut the grass in urban parks. Somebody thought that spinning blades were a bad idea with kids and dogs on leashes around, and so the idea evolved into an automated lettuce weeder, according to The Economist magazine.The electric-powered Lettuce 'Bot, brainchild of Stanford University-trained engineers Jorge Heraud and Lee Redden, takes pictures of passing lettuce plants, compares them to a database of more than one million images of lettuce taken from all possible angles and instantly decides if they should live or die. A shot of concentrated fertilizer out the back end kills weeds and the remaining lettuce gets a growth blast as well. A version of the machine, currently under development, aimed at organic lettuce producers, favours those old spinning blades.The makers promise that the robots will be cost-competitive with hand weeding. BF Phosphorus levels in our lakes: Is no-till the culprit? Are urban farms too big?
Mother’s Day Q&A with Anna McCutcheon Thursday, May 8, 2025 Mother’s Day is only a few days away (that’s another reminder), and this week Farms.com has connected with moms in ag for their thoughts on motherhood, its challenges, and how being a parent has changed them. Anna McCutcheon (AM) and her husband Mark are the first generation on their... Read this article online
Looking for the Perfect Mother’s Day Gift for Women who work in Agriculture? Thursday, May 8, 2025 Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and what better way to show appreciation for the incredible women in agriculture than by supporting products and services created by women in agriculture? Whether she’s managing livestock, growing crops, running a farm-based business—or all of... Read this article online
Creating Safe Farms for Kids Wednesday, May 7, 2025 The Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA) is hosting the second annual Kids FarmSafe Week from May 12 to 18, with the theme “Nurturing the Future of Agriculture.” The initiative aims to raise awareness about health and safety risks for children and youth on farms. According... Read this article online
Encouraging Consumers to spend 1 Percent More at Farmers Markets Could Make a Big Difference Wednesday, May 7, 2025 A recent study led by University of Northern British Columbia professor David Connell reveals that farmers’ markets, while growing in popularity, still make up only a small share of household food spending. The research was conducted across 70 markets in British Columbia and involved... Read this article online
2025 Election Results Prompt Concern and Reflection Among Prairie Farmers Tuesday, May 6, 2025 Users on Agriville.com weigh-in on the 2025 federal election outcome As news broke that Mark Carney’s Liberals had won the 2025 federal election, many western Canadian farmers on Agriville.com shared their reactions. The mood was largely one of disappointment, with concerns about the... Read this article online