As summer turns to fall in Ontario, the drought conditions that parched corn crops across the province has been replaced by high moisture and high humidity with continued sunshine. That doesn’t bode well for grain quality as harvest approaches, says Pride Market Agronomist Ken Currah. In this episode of Real Agriculture Corn School, Currah looks at… Read More
Author: Bernard Tobin
Bernard Tobin is RealAgriculture's Ontario Field Editor. A Ryerson University journalism grad, @AgBern was raised on a dairy farm near St. John's, Newfoundland. For more than two decades, he has specialized in agricultural communications, working for numerous farm media outlets, communications agencies and ag consulting companies. He is based in Georgetown, Ontario.
Twenty years ago agronomist Pat Lynch had no love for subsoiling and deep rippers. But times have changed and so has Lynch’s view. As 10 different deep rippers tore across a field at the Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show tillage demo earlier this week, Lynch told the gathered crowd that the evolution of farming over the past… Read More
It’s been four years since Todd Boughner of Judge Farms took the plunge and installed 67 acres of subsurface drip irrigation on a sandy soiled farm near Delhi, Ontario. When Real Agriculture first visited the project, Boughner, the farm manager, was busy working with a crew to install drip tape across the entire field in… Read More
Would a carbon fibre spray boom be strong enough to withstand the rigour of continuous field spraying? That’s a question John Deere intends to answer as it continues to look for ways to substitute the composite material for the steel and aluminum traditionally used in farm equipment, such as boom sprayers. At its annual product… Read More
Do you know a farm groupie? For many, a big part of being a groupie is rubbing shoulders with a celebrity. Most farmers don’t consider themselves rock stars, but some attract a hoard of loyal, dedicated peeps – even if it’s the last thing they want. Before the digital age and the ubiquitous cell phone,… Read More
Ontario’s cap and trade program is expected to raise about $1.9 billion annually. The Liberal government says it will spend the proceeds on initiatives to cut greenhouse gas emissions – everything from investments in public transit and clean technology to making homes and businesses more energy efficient. Program details are still scant, but many rural… Read More
How much corn yield could Ontario’s hot, dry summer cost growers? In this episode of the Corn School, Ridgetown College, University of Guelph field crop agronomist Dave Hooker explains that drought stress can have a tremendous impact on yield, especially during the two-week period that “brackets” silking. Hooker says that the number of rows on a… Read More
If tansy ragwort is gaining a foothold in your pasture fields, it’s time to take action. The poisonous yellow-flowered plant has taken root in pastures and hayfields across North America and its liver-damaging alkaloids can kill livestock, explains Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough. In this video, Cowbrough offers tips… Read More
Parsnip is great in soups or part of a roasted vegetable medley, but if you see it growing in a ditch it’s best to steer clear. Those volunteer plants are likely wild parsnip and they’re poisonous to the touch, explains Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough. The poisonous weed… Read More
Canadian pulses are winning fans around the world. They’re also finding followers right here at home. Canadian chef, cookbook author, and television personality Vikram Vij is only too happy to tell you about his preference for using Saskatchewan-grown lentils and chickpeas in his restaurants. Many Canadians know Vij as one of the dragons on CBC’s Dragons’… Read More
A new grains analytical testing laboratory will provide value for farmers, plant breeders and the end users of Ontario cereal crops, says Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO). The lab, a joint venture between GFO and SGS Canada, was officially opened during a ceremony this week at its Guelph location. Grain Farmers CEO Barry Senft says… Read More
If agriculture wants to reduce the potential impact neonicotinoid seed treatments have on pollinators, it has to modify standard vacuum planters. That’s the verdict from Ridgetown College, University of Guelph researcher Dr. Art Schaafsma. “Essentially, what we’ve created is a drift problem,” says Schaafsma, who spoke publicly about his research for the first time last… Read More
Dairy farm expansion typically focuses on adding more cows to increase production. That’s certainly the case for Monkton, Ontario-based producers Rick and Theresa Portena, but the Portenas also want a better opportunity to milk cows themselves. In this inaugural episode of Real Agriculture’s Dairy School, the Portenas’ share the strategy on why they invested in… Read More
The Organic Council of Ontario (OCO) wants to understand why the province can’t seem to attract farmers and processors who want to fill the growing consumer demand for organic food. The organic market has seen tremendous growth in recent years. Ontario has more than $1 billion dollars in sales alone, about 30% of total Canadian… Read More
Canadians like farmers. There’s no better proof than Tim Hortons’ recent efforts to sell its Farmer’s Breakfast sandwich with a commercial featuring a farmer holding a trusty pitchfork. Canada’s coffee and cultural giant doesn’t leave much to chance. The mountain of eggs, sausage, hash browns and cheese could have called Trucker’s Breakfast or Banker’s Breakfast, but when it… Read More