In the cutblocks west of Edson, a flock of 1,200 sheep is quietly helping forests grow. High Country Shepherding uses low-impact grazing to manage vegetation where herbicides and heavy equipment fall short. With help from dogs, maps, and solar-powered camp life, Catie and her crew spend their days on foot—navigating grizzlies, slash piles, and shifting plant communities in one of Alberta’s most rugged landscapes.

Ready to take flight?
We’re planning a 2-day drone school in West-Central Alberta for late summer 2025. In partnership with Calgary-based AdvancedUAV, this hands-on training will cover spraying, mapping, scouting, and certification basics—built for producers, right here at home.

Curious? Read on and let us know if you’d be interested in attending.

Soil trials, weed ID, and upcoming events across West-Central Alberta — this week’s Accelerate Weekly digs into bale grazing, Tall Buttercup, and fresh ag innovations.

We're following a producer-led bale grazing project to explore how different levels of leftover bale residue—or “trash”—influence soil health and forage performance over time. This ongoing blog will share field updates, seasonal observations, and emerging insights from the trial as it unfolds. Stay tuned as we dig into the data and learn alongside our local producers.

Tall Buttercup: What Its Yellow Blooms Say About Your Soil
Don’t be fooled by the bright flower… Tall Buttercup is a toxic invader that thrives in soggy, compacted, or overgrazed pastures. Learn what this weed is telling you about your land and how to manage it with smarter grazing, better drainage, and competitive forages.

In this week’s issue: From spotting thistle rust fungus in the field to tackling scentless chamomile in your pasture, we’ve got fresh tools, tips, and events to keep you farming forward. Plus—goldfish as your new water tank cleaning crew?

Scentless Chamomile: A Pasture Invader in Disguise

With its cheerful white flowers, scentless chamomile might look innocent, but it signals stressed, compacted, and overgrazed soils. This aggressive weed reduces forage quality, offers almost no feed value, and spreads rapidly if left unchecked. Learn what it tells you about your pasture and how to manage it with stronger forages and better grazing strategies.

From new working fix to tackling Canada thistle and upcoming tours — get the latest tips, events, and community updates in this week’s Accelerate Weekly!

In this week’s ‘Story of the Weeds,’ learn what Canada Thistle says about your soil, its surprising forage potential, and how to reclaim your pasture with smart, integrated strategies.

Celebrate Canada, catch up on summer trials, and explore what hawkweed is telling us about your pastures — plus, don’t miss our upcoming soil health and grazing events!

Story of the Weeds: Orange & Meadow Hawkweed

These bright, daisy-like flowers may look harmless, but hawkweeds are aggressive pasture invaders. Their presence often signals low fertility, compaction, and overgrazing. Learn what these weeds reveal about your land, and how to manage or replace them with resilient forage.

Catch the latest issue of Accelerate Weekly!

Join our AgSmart bus tour, dig into the “Story of the Weeds,” and get carbon market updates from BCC’s Graham Gilchrist, plus wildfire evacuation resources and community news.

Story of the Weeds: Ox-eye Daisy

Ox-eye Daisy might look like a harmless wildflower, but in your pasture, it's telling a deeper story. This persistent weed thrives in acidic, low-fertility, and compacted soils — often where grazing pressure is high and plant competition is low. In this first post of our Story of the Weeds series, discover what Ox-eye Daisy reveals about your land, how it affects your livestock, and what you can do to manage or outcompete it.

Join Farming Forward’s province-wide effort to scout for thistle rust fungus—an eco-friendly tool in the fight against Canada thistle. Learn how to identify it and be part of the solution.

In This Issue: We recap a hands-on Water Works Day in Barrhead, welcome a new team member, share forage pricing updates, and explore the surprising benefits of thistle rust fungus in weed control—plus insect updates, grant tips, and more!

Dini recently joined Farming Forward as our new Extension & Communications Coordinator. With a background in ag-tech, global farming adventures, and a new sheep farm in Lac Ste. Anne, she’s bringing fresh energy to our team. Get to know her story, her plans for upcoming events, and how to reach out!

Grade 4 students got hands-on with soil and water at Barrhead Water Works Day, learning how nature works beneath their feet, just as rain began to fall from above.

In this week’s Accelerate Newsletter, we recap an exciting day at Chip Lake with 80 kids exploring soil and water conservation during Pond Days. Plus, meet Maya Baldwin, a University of Alberta student passionate about sustainable agriculture, and catch up on the latest UFA podcast episode discussing how tariffs impact the ag industry. Also featured: DIY bee box instructions, community shoutouts, and timely news updates.

This edition features the launch of a new soil health trial in Wildwood, hands-on learning at local Pond Days, and a recap of the Inventures Conference. Plus: a call to action for the AquaHacking Prairies Challenge, upcoming workshops, and community events in regenerative agriculture and livestock health.

This edition highlights a new project on drought-tolerant forages, a practical fact sheet on cattle bloat, pasture nutrition insights, and opportunities for young ranchers to connect. Plus: community events, research shares, and ag updates across West-Central Alberta.