'Sheep-eating plant' blooms in Britain Monday, August 5, 2013 According to The Huffington Post and other, perhaps more reliable, news sources such as the BBC, a so-called "sheep eating-plant" bloomed for the first time in June at the Royal Horticultural Society's Garden Wisley in the U.K. where it had been located for 15 years. Puya chilensis, a native of an arid area of Chile, uses razor-sharp hooked-shaped spines to protect its soft inner core from attack by birds and small animals. A press release from the horticultural society says those spines are also known to ensnare sheep. After they die and decompose, the animals nourish the plant by providing fertilizer. According to the society's press release, horticulturalist Cara Smith says, "We keep it well fed with liquid fertilizer as feeding it on its natural diet might prove a bit problematic." The society spokesperson adds that the plant is placed so that it doesn't ensnare children either. According to The Guardian Express, shepherds in Chile set fire to the plant in order to protect their flocks. Not hard to do in Chile's arid desert where it lives. The plant in the garden in Britain is 10 feet tall. BF Really local tries to dodge regulatory bullet Behind the Lines - August/September 2013
Tom Green bringing celebrities to his Ont. farm Tuesday, May 12, 2026 A Canadian known for his comedic chops in Hollywood is bringing some friends to his Ontario farm. THE TOM GREEN FARM, starring Tom Green, whose movie credits include Road Trip and Charlie’s Angels, begins airing on May 29 on Crave. The backdrop of the show is Green’s 150-acre farm in... Read this article online
Rising Waters on the Canadian Prairies and Beyond Monday, May 11, 2026 Spring flooding is intensifying across large portions of Canada, placing farms under growing pressure during one of the most important windows of the agricultural year. From the Prairies to Central Canada and into Atlantic regions, saturated soils, elevated rivers, and damaged rural... Read this article online
When Grain Stops Moving Rail and Port Delays Cost Canada Up to $540 Million Monday, May 11, 2026 A new economic analysis commissioned by the Agriculture Transport Coalition has found that just one week of rail and port disruptions during peak export season can cost Canada’s grain sector up to $540 million. The majority of these losses stem from missed export sales that cannot be... Read this article online
Severe May 9 Storm Batters Farms and Rural Infrastructure Across Ontario Monday, May 11, 2026 A fast-moving but powerful storm system swept across large portions of Ontario on Saturday, May 9, 2026, leaving farms and rural communities dealing with damaged infrastructure, delayed fieldwork, and localized crop losses during one of the most important periods of the spring growing... Read this article online
Are we Seeing the Top of the Commodity Markets with Corn Above $5 and Soybeans at $12? Monday, May 11, 2026 Grain markets delivered another volatile yet bullish week as corn climbed above $5 per bushel, soybeans topped $12, wheat traded near $7, and canola approached $750, according to the latest for the week of May 4 to 8, 2026. Experts Farms.com Moe Agostino, chief commodity strategist... Read this article online