Columns

By Al Lowe
Contributor

This is by far the biggest gland you have. It weighs 2.5-3.5lbs. Perhaps it is so large because it does so many things for you.
Your liver is mostly at your back, just below your diaphragm, at the upper right. It is made up of four lobes, two quite large ones and two smaller ones. You probably know what animal liver looks like at the butcher shop or at home. Well, your liver looks just like that, dark red, soft and floppy tissue.

By Fr. Dan Debano
RR Ministerial

A few years ago, Fr. Dave, a Marian priest, was called to court to be a witness for a young student he knew at a university nearby where he lived. He was asked to testify to the student’s character. The court clerk said, “Sir, please state your name and address.” Then he told the priest to place his hand on the Bible and asked: “In the matters before the court do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? Father Dave responded, “I do.” Then he took his seat in the witness box and confidently offered his testimony for the young person.

By Gary Sliworsky
Ag. Rep.

Recently Statistics Canada released the latest snapshot of the nation’s agriculture industry, using new data from the 2006 Census of Agriculture. This is the first of a number of data releases from the 2006 Census of Agriculture. All farm and operator data are available for free at www.stat.ca Comprehensive information about agricultural operations across Canada and the people managing those farms is available in three reports: Snapshot of Canadian Agriculture, The Financial Picture of Farms in Canada and Farming in Canada’s CMAs. Here is a snapshot of some of the information.

I have a new lawn mower. It wasn’t that my last mower had died. In fact, it hadn’t but the deck around the mower had several large size holes appear that shot debris and the occasional stone my way. Having been stung in the shins by more than a single missile, over the last two years, I reached that point of understanding and pain that my safety had to come and the dependable mower of almost 30 years had to go.

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

Gardeners often hear the word “zone” frequently during conversations with other gardeners or when reviewing plant tag descriptions.
“What zone are we in?” or “What zone is that plant good for?” often are asked by fellow gardeners. But what exactly are the answers to these questions-and what do they really mean?

By Howard Hampton
MPP Kenora-RR

Last week, staff and MPPs at Queen’s Park had a shock.
According to reports the tap water at Queen’s Park is not safe to drink. What’s particularly worrisome is not that Queen’s Park had high levels of lead in its water but that across the province families had been worrying about the same problem in their water - and were told by the government that widespread testing wasn’t needed.

By Al Lowe
Contributor

This is one of our common woodpeckers, although you wouldn’t always know it. It is generally brownish, bigger than a robin and is usually found on the ground - your lawn or garden.

By Gary Sliworsky
Ag. Rep.

There are many ways to manage pests on organic farms. The overall strategy should always be to try to manage your cropping system to avoid the insects, diseases, weeds, etc. Easier said than done but here are some strategies from Hugh Martin, Organic Crop Production Program Lead with OMAFRA. Each pest will have their own weakness.

We are almost at the halfway point of the year. June is the month of weddings. June is the month of graduations. June is often considered the month of celebration because so many good things seem to happen. It is also one of those months that have no statutory holidays.

By Melanie Mathieson
Gardening Guru

Tomatoes are, by far, the most popular vegetable with the home gardener. Even people who do not grow any other vegetable often will have a tomato plant or two tucked in a flower bed, in a patio pot, or a hanging basket.