Durum is a crop that many Canadian wheat growers identify with and take pride in. Canada is a major global supplier of high quality durum to the marketplace. Many times we focus on the production and marketing of durum but not what happens at processing. I got a great opportunity while I was at CIGI… Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Last week, we discussed seeding speed and the need to keep your seeder at an adequate speed to achieve desired productivity but not lose the accuracy required to get the proper plant emergence and stand. In terms of seeding depth a rule that I was taught long ago is that the smaller the seed, the… Read More
At the recent Canada Grains council meeting a listened to a full day of discussions around Canada’s market access issues across all the main crop types. The recent market access issues with canola are well documented and continue to challenge the countries trade attempts. With 85-95% of Canada’s canola crop getting exported, trade is very… Read More
Seeding equipment continues to get larger and larger which allows for more acres to be covered in a day. Even with the larger equipment some farmers still find it hard to control the speed of the tractor just so they can say that they covered so many acres in a day. Everyone needs to remember… Read More
Last week we discussed the topic of fusarium. Based on the popularity of this One of the frequent confusions is that there is actually a difference between fusarium and vomitoxin. Some people do not understand that you can have fusarium without vomitoxin. Both are issues that are affecting farmers and their ability to market… Read More
With the advent of the introduction of seed treatments like Helix Extra, we do not hear as much about flea beetles anymore. The reality is that they are still around and could have an impact on your yield. Forecasts for this pest are difficult and we require the pest to eat the plants in order… Read More
Fusarium is an ugly monster that continues to rear its ugly head across North America. Some areas are definitely worse than other but the impact is real. With more tolerant wheat genetics coming every year, farmers are desperate to try and manage this disease in the most proactive ways that they can. Some of the… Read More
With canola being one of the only crops in Western Canada that will enable a profit on the farm this year we need to do our best to protect it. One of the largest threats to canola yields is the cabbage seed pod weevil. The cabbage seed pod weevil mainly affects areas of Alberta and… Read More
For years many farmers just worried about nitrogen and phosphorus but things have changed. As we have discovered more about the way the plant reacts to different nutrients, farmers look to anyway to increase the overall health and yield of the canola plant. There seems to be differing opinions on the need for micro nutrients… Read More
Have you ever had visitors to your farm that wish never came? Some of the worst unwanted visitors to you your farm are bugs in your wheat bin. Farming is very hard work. It takes incredible fortitude, perseverance and a little luck to get the crop in the bin in a timely manner with high… Read More
In Western Canada, canola has become the key cash crop. This makes it even more incredibly important to ensure your canola crop has an adequate amount of fertilizer. Managing the nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur is incredibly integral to achieving the yield objectives you have set on your farm. Many times I hear farmers talk about… Read More
Coming out of the winter months, making sure that your winter wheat has an adequate amount of nitrogen is critical for achieving your yield objectives. Making some nitrogen decision in the spring is critical and cannot be ignored by the grower. Based on where you farm, how you approach the topic will differ. Because of… Read More
One of the first things that you need to do as winter comes to a conclusion is evaluate your winter wheat stand. Depending on the conditions of the past winter, the amount of winter kill can vary and difficult to properly evaluate. If you are too hard on your self you could decide to rip… Read More
Falling number is critical in the milling and baking process. Most farmers hear about the falling number but I am sure that many do not realize what it means. In this episode Russell McLaughlin from Palmerston Grain talks about why falling number is important and why they test for it at the elevator point. See… Read More
One topic that is dominating many coffee shops is the planting indecision of farmers across the prairies. Canola is one of the crops that does hold some promise for profits in the 2010 growing season. I wanted to discuss the things farmers should be thinking about in 2010 in terms of the canola market, especially… Read More