It’s been quite a year for Ontario corn growers. Of course there are always exceptions and not everybody is the benefactor of timely rains and optimal growing conditions, but for the most part 2015 produced an incredible corn crop that averaged better than 170 bushels per acre. In this episode of Corn School, Pride Seeds… Read More
Category: Corn Planting
Ontario Grain Farmers lost the first round of its court battle to contest the province’s new seed treatment regulations, but the fight will continue. “At the end of the day this has always been a fight on principle,” says GFO Chair Mark Brock. “I don’t think we want to tuck tail and run because we got… Read More
Harvest is in the homestretch and it’s time for farmers to start thinking about how the precision agriculture data they’ve accumulated can help build a winning strategy for 2016. In this Corn School episode, AGRIS Co-operative agronomist Dale Cowan looks at how farmers can combine performance data and field observations to diagnose issues that contribute… Read More
This year’s corn crop is barely in the hopper, and it’s already time to make decisions about what to plant next spring as seed companies offer early booking discounts for next year’s acres. Do you decide to go with tried-and-true, or the newest star variety that looked really good in your neighbour’s plots this year? How many acres… Read More
John Deere’s new ExactEmerge retrofit kit will allow farmers who own the company’s late-model planters to step up their speed and accuracy. John Deere launched its ExactEmerge seed delivery system in 2014, promising farmers precise seed placement and spacing while boasting the ability to travel at much faster planting speeds, up to 10 mph. The… Read More
Farmers watched as planters and seeders of all sizes, shapes and capabilities rolled down the field during the planting and seeding demonstration at Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show in Woodstock last month. Some planted at 10 MPH while others showed off their ability to plant multiple crops, combine seeding and tillage, or the flexibility to plant… Read More
Confused about what the new rules governing neonicotinoid-treated corn and soybean seed means for seed orders this fall? You’re not the only one — the Ontario government is hosting information sessions and webinars this week, but several questions and plenty of confusion swirl about what paperwork you must do to access neonic-treated seed. To help… Read More
It’s a great problem to have, but gains of an average four to five bushels per acre per year is possible with today’s corn crop if modern genetics are managed properly. Of course, “managed properly” is too general — if Ontario’s average corn yield per acre is set to surpass the 200 bushel mark in… Read More
The initial frost damage assessment within days of the late May frost had many farmers breathing a sigh of relief, as damage seemed to be limited to just the first few leaves and regrowth was evident. Within a week, however, more than a few farmers were beginning to get concerned about whether or not that… Read More
We’re 72 hours out from the late May frost that occurred across much of Ontario, and farmers are busy scouting corn fields for damage. Thankfully, most farmers and crop scouts are already seeing green signs of re-growth — a welcome sight — but reports are trickling in of badly damaged areas within fields. Why did… Read More
Is your planter ready to roll? Corn planting season will soon be here for growers in Ontario and Western Canada. While it’s been a cool spring in Ontario, an early melt in Western Canada meant some fields were dry enough to plant several weeks ago. However, the date on the calendar and the temperature reading on the soil… Read More
With corn planting season around the corner, the annual routine of getting planting units ready for a new growing season is well underway. The planter setup and calibration process should account for the size of corn seed going through the planter, notes Dieter Schwarz of Pride Seeds in this latest Corn School episode. “Look at that bag of… Read More
Do you manage your corn crop differently, based on whether or not you’ll be using a fungicide or topped-up nitrogen rates? That may end up being a new recommendation, as research is beginning to offer clues on how each input works with the other — sometimes providing not just additive benefits, but synergistic ones (think:… Read More
“When the land is dry, it’s no longer about planning, it’s about execution — it’s our Super Bowl.” That’s a quote from Pride Seeds’ Ken Currah, who caught up with Bernard Tobin for the above Corn School. Currah and Tobin, sheltered from the rain, discussed the importance of preparing for seeding, and having a plan… Read More
Farmers still have a bit of time to evaluate their fields for levels of grubs and wireworms, two key pests that will factor in to the need for a neonicotinoid pesticide seed treatment. And that’s good news, because the deadline to ordering fungicide-only corn seed is rapidly approaching. Most companies have a mid- to late-November… Read More