If you’re a wheat grower, chances are you’ve heard about thousand kernel weight (TKW) and how you should be using the number to fine-tune wheat seeding rates. Seeding will be here before we know it – now is a great time to figure out TKW on each seeding lot. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Wheat… Read More
Soil moisture extremes over the last few years have caused soil salinity patches to expand in many fields. “Salinity is a water problem, not a salt problem,” stresses Marla Riekman, soil management specialist with Manitoba Agriculture and Rural Development, in the video below. While kochia, foxtail barley, and other saline-tolerant weeds are often the symptoms,… Read More
If there’s one thing farmers should understand, it’s biosecurity — and yet, somehow there are many who aren’t taking the physical distancing protocol seriously. Wheat Pete, for one, is having none of it. Of course, the host of Wheat Pete’s Word, Peter Johnson, only spend a little bit of time on that topic for this… Read More
With 20 years of teaching and research achieved, Don Flaten says it’s time to retire. It’s a retirement well earned, as the soil scientist with the University of Manitoba has taught over a thousand students the ins and outs of soil, its importance, and revealed to many the complexity of nutrient interactions. Flaten has also… Read More
Regenerative, restorative, and climate-smart agriculture — they’re all terms with roots firmly planted in farmers’ commitment to improving soil heath. Farmers who subscribe to these philosophies typically commit to five core practices: minimizing soil disturbance, maximizing soil diversity, keeping soil covered, maintaining living roots year-round, and integrating livestock. But how quickly should farmers be integrating… Read More
There’s no denying that the COVID-19 outbreak is having a huge impact on our daily lives. But even among the negativity and scary unknowns, there is some good — like maple trees pushing out buds and soil warming up and drying out in southern Ontario. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson has… Read More
Wheat Pete’s Word host Peter Johnson is a lot of things — dynamic and opinionated for starters — but he’s also rather humble. This episode marks 250 episodes of this podcast and he’s likely not going to make a big deal of it, but the rest of the RealAgriculture team is! In this 250th episode,… Read More
Welcome to March, which seems to be coming in like a lamb — we’ll have to see if the “out like a lion” holds true! March also means maple syrup, frost seeding, red clover applications on the wheat fields, and starting to nail down crop rotations and fertilizer rates. With many feeling the cash flow… Read More
Looking for the latest information on a leaf disease invading your farm fields? Want to know how fungicides recommended for control or suppression stack up? Farmers and crop advisors will find all this and more when they visit cropprotectionnetwork.org, says University of Kentucky plant pathologist Carl Bradley. The Crop Protection Network (CPN) is a multi-state… Read More
Adopting new technology on the farm — from new hybrids to new pesticides, to full-on automation — comes with a price tag. This new or additional cost might be absolutely worth it if the technology makes more yield, decreases input costs, or saves you time and labour. While most technology comes to the farm with… Read More
For some, farming is in their DNA — whether they like it or not. Even when they set out on a path very different from agriculture, some find their way back for one reason or another; and, frankly, agriculture is better for it. In this episode of Agronomy Geeks, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by… Read More
For farmers worried about 2020, and perhaps already tight budget constraints, cutting input costs may seem like a quick fix, but how is it impacting your bottom line? Resident agronomist Peter Johnson says finding that balance and making those tough decisions comes down to management. “The beauty of soil fertility is that your soil is… Read More
Glyphosate-resistant kochia is spreading quickly across the Prairies, but right now farmers are only seeing the “tip of the iceberg”, according to the weed specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. Kochia populations showing some level of glyphosate resistance in Manitoba rose from one per cent in 2013 to 59 per cent in 2018, according to the latest… Read More
While eastern Ontario is expected up to 50 cm of snow over the next few days, other parts of the province are starting to tap maple trees and get the frost-seeding equipment ready. It may be the last week of February, but there’s some serious spring fever happening all over the country! In the west,… Read More
There are three key insect pests of field crops for Manitoba farmers to keep an eye out for this year, says John Gavloski, extension entomologist with Manitoba Agriculture. And the message you should walk away with, regardless of what crops you’re growing? Scout early, and scout often. Continues below video player. Flea beetles While there… Read More