Latest from Nancy Russell
Cavendish Farms researchers search for potatoes that can cope with P.E.I. climate challenges
They plant 100,000 plantlets a year at the Cavendish Research Centre in New Annan, P.E.I., looking for new potato varieties suited for growing conditions on the Island. The search has become more urgent as growers grapple with climate change.
Love nature? Help Island Nature Trust patrol its protected acres
Island Nature Trust has successfully added 23 more natural areas this year. But along with that success comes the need for more conservation guardians, both in the Island's forests and on the coastline.
P.E.I. project that's recording Island bat population is hearing grounds for optimism
Watershed groups have been using acoustic monitoring to track the Island's bat population, including in old sandstone wells that have been opened up to serve as habitat.
P.E.I. research zeroes in on new kind of cover crop to help break pest and disease cycles
A tropical grass is showing benefits to crops on Prince Edward Island. It's already being used in the potato rotation and new research shows it could also be beneficial for barley and soybeans by interrupting the life cycle of organisms that cause disease and lower yields.
Three Rivers walk-in clinic opening soon thanks to community support
Residents of eastern P.E.I. will soon have a new walk-in clinic, thanks to the efforts of a community group that has been raising funds for the project. The group hopes it will take pressure off the emergency department at Kings County Memorial Hospital.
Cattle producers in P.E.I. exploring ways to buck beef herd decline
Prince Edward Island cattle producers say there are signs that the province's beef industry is on an upward trend after years of spiralling prices. They say a new insurance pilot project and a provincial livestock strategy could help grow their herds.
More P.E.I. growers picking corn as a 'win-win' crop
Traditionally grown as silage on P.E.I., the number of acres of grain corn is increasing as farmers choose it as a cash crop. It also has additional benefits for the soil, growers say.
'It's going to have an effect': Horse owners in P.E.I. raise concerns about ferry service
People involved in the Island's harness racing industry are worried about ferry cancellations as they head into one of their busiest time of the year. They say small breeders in eastern P.E.I. may lose out on sales because potential buyers won't want to make the longer trip via the Confederation Bridge.
Apple and pear crops looking good but growers still feeling effects of Fiona
Tree-fruit growers on P.E.I. are happy with this year's crop after a warm, sunny summer. But memories of post-tropical storm Fiona are still fresh, and they are keeping a close eye on the weather this fall.
P.E.I. sharing program aims to make horse ownership more affordable
For a couple of hundred dollars a month, Islanders can buy a share in a harness racing horse. Fractional ownership groups now represent between 15 and 20 per cent of the total number of horse owners on P.E.I., and that number is growing as a popular way to get into the industry.