Organic Food

From its 1920s roots to the 2025 Farmall C, the Farmall legacy defines agricultural innovation through versatile, durable tractors designed to meet the evolving needs of global farmers.

Farm equipment insurance isn’t obligatory

Farmers and ag equipment operators in Illinois don’t need a license to drive the equipment

A sharp jump in fuel and fertilizer prices has Canada’s agriculture producers engaged in a pricey game of chance. Prices for diesel and fertilizer have nearly doubled since the war involving the U.S, Iran and Israel, as the stalemate has choked vital oil and gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. That’s impacting commodities down the line, and a shortage of fertilizer could make this upcoming crop year a gamble for farmers. The families of Bruce Bird and Dave Reid have had farms in Cremona, northwest of Calgary, for more than a century. Both men threw the dice last fall and pre-purchased both fuel and fertilizer to get them through this growing season, with seeding about two weeks away. “We’ve tied up hundreds of thousands of dollars,” said Bird, 48, who farms about 1,300 hectares. “Had I not been able to justify the cost involved, I would have been a minimum of $100,000 further behind for exactly the same product, the same rates, the same everything.” Bird said even with t

As fertilizer costs spike in response to global unrest, a University of Guelph agriculture professor says exploring more efficient fertilizer use will help farmers manage price volatility.  

Mélanie Ouellette runs the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library from her home in Orleans, Ontario. This all began when she asked “What’s preventing people from growing native plants in our region?”

In this episode, Mélanie shares the logistics of how the Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library works. How hundreds of volunteers harvest the seeds, pack seed packs, fulfill orders, and attend events to distribute the seeds to gardeners. We talk about the importance of genetic diversity, the difference between straight species and cultivars, and the importance of reciprocity in community stewardship.

In the deep dive, Mélanie and I focus on growing swamp milkweed for seed. We explore how it is a host plant for monarch butterflies, the technical nuances of harvesting and cleaning milkweed’s fluffy seeds, and the importance of cold-moist stratification to ensure successful germination.

Enjoy the conversation!

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Support the Seed Farmer Podcast https://www.farmerspreadsheetacademy.com//supportpodcast

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Episode links Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library website https://wildflowerseedlibrary.ca/

Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library on Instangram https://www.instagram.com/ottawawildflower/

Ottawa Wildflower Seed Library Facebook Group https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1CV6G1cvGY/

🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 News links

May 16: Seed Library Conference: Sustaining a Seed Library https://givebutter.com/sustaining-a-seed-library?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email

Register for the Harvest System Design Course https://www.farmerspreadsheetacademy.com//harvestsystems

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Stay in Touch Follow the Seed Farmer on instagram https://www.instagram.com/danbrisebois.farm/

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Order Tourne-Sol seeds (Canadian orders only) https://fermetournesol.qc.ca/

Get my new book The Seed Farmer https://danbrisebois.com/seedfarmerbook

❤️ Thanks for listening!

14-year-olds can operate equipment with a Class 8 license

If the equipment travels on public roads, a license is required

John Deere and Fendt equipment received the highest bids

A Class C license may be required in certain circumstances