Patience wears thin as we head in to May and the ground is still wet and cold. The cost of going in too soon, based on soil conditions and not the calendar, can be mighty costly. If the ground is fit, but a little cool, that’s one thing, but ground that is both wet and… Read More
Category: Corn School
Real Agriculture’s Corn School provides you with everything you need to increase your corn yields. Each week we bring you the latest news and information from the corn market including corn futures, videos, articles and more. Join our Corn School email list and never miss a beat!
“You shouldn’t plant until your soil is fit.” It’s a great quote, but what does “fit” soil look like? Well, it’s not just what it looks like, soil fit for planting corn also needs to be warm, though we use the term loosely here in Western Canada. The fact is, regardless of how dry or… Read More
Just as in money management, investments you make in your farm’s soil nutrient bank account may be short or long term. Depending on the nutrient, crop yields, the weather and soil type, nutrient levels and availability may need immediate deposits or a long-term plan to ensure there’s enough “money” there when the crop needs it…. Read More
In this episode of the Corn School, Bernard Tobin and OMAF Corn Lead Greg Stewart turn to a chalkboard to draw up some nitrogen strategies for the 2014 corn crop. Throughout the winter meeting season, Stewart touted a split application approach to nitrogen. He recommends growers put down 100 lb of nitrogen pre-plant and then… Read More
It’s early April and farmers are itching to get the planter out in the field. For the precious few of you in Ontario that are nearly ready to roll, have at ‘er, but for most of the corn growing region, it’s not late yet, but it’s looking like the planting window may be slightly compressed…. Read More
No two farmers manage their corn crop the same way, yet can achieve top yields. This is great news, because it means that no matter what your goals are for the farm, from decreasing tillage, to using more cover crops, there’s a way to produce more corn per acre. That’s one of the take-home messages… Read More
Should you stick with silage specific hybrids or include a few (or more) dual purpose lines for good measure? Both strategies can work, says Aaron Stevanus, market agronomist for PRIDE Seeds, it simply depends on your management system. Leafy, highly digestible silage-specific lines are a great choice, especially near the barn on highly fertile ground,… Read More
If you’re somewhat tired of hearing the term “optimal fertility,” raise your hand. Maybe that’s not fair, because optimal fertility is really necessary for modern corn genetics to reach their full yield potential. But what does it really mean? As Dr. Fred Below, of the University of Illinois, explains in this Corn School episode, optimal… Read More
While each and every wonder of the corn plant reaching maximum yields hinges on the weather, there are several other factors that have a measurable impact on yield. At the recent FarmSmart conference at Guelph, Ont., Bernard Tobin spoke with Dr. Fred Below, from the Universtiy of Illinois, to discuss the seven wonders of 300… Read More
In part one of our top 10 list of corn production tips, Greg Stewart, Corn Specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture & Food presented us with a 1-5 list that was fairly data-driven. This time around, with the exception of number 6, the list revolves more around exploring ideas and concepts on your farm…. Read More
What’s the best call for adding potash? How much bang for your buck do you get from seed-placed blends? Are protected N sources worth the cost? Greg Stewart, corn specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food, recently presented the top 10 corn production tips from 10 years of research and monitoring, and some… Read More
Pleasantly surprised describes many corn growers this fall, even as the harvest drags on into December. While there were areas that suffered from excess moisture and cool temps, many areas are finally tallying up the last of the corn yields and the numbers are, well, quite good. Ontario field editor, Bernard Tobin, joined Ken Currah,… Read More
Hybrid selection is a critical piece of the corn crop management puzzle — one mistake could cost as much as 80 bushels per acre in yield. Really, you say? Well, that’s perhaps the most extreme case, but it’s a valid possibility if you take a look at the top and bottom varieties in the GoCorn.net… Read More
Whether it’s a brand new crop type or just a new-to-your-farm variety, setting up a basic head to head comparison or small-scale trial can help minimize the risk of going all-in. On-farm trials or variety comparisons are especially helpful when trying to choose a corn variety, as hybrid production can vary so widely between growing… Read More
With concern over bee health and the potential impact of seed treatments that contain neonicotinoid products increasing, the seed industry is taking steps to offer farmers choices in seed treatment options for 2014. How do you decide if you need to order seed with or without an insecticide seed treatment? Greg Stewart, corn specialist with… Read More