Our resident agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson and OMAFRA cereals specialist Joanna Follings hatched a nifty plan a little while back to test out precision planting wheat using four different drills at Follings’ farm at Ayr, Ont. (If you missed out on the seeding episode, you can find it here.) “We’re already seeing some really… Read More
As combines roll across Ontario, growers are harvesting impressive crops that in many cases are producing record yields. But with all that excitement, it’s important to remember the impact those huge yields will have on nutrient removal and what they take out of your soil bank account. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soil School, Brussels… Read More
September wheat went in beautifully with nice conditions, and Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson thought maybe record wheat acres would be set in Ontario for a 2021 harvest, but then the rains came. Even though it’s getting a bit late, Johnson knows you can still get high yields. It all comes down to management and in… Read More
Rainfall during the growing season is often a major determinant in how severe phytophthora root rot is in soybeans, but there are several tools growers can deploy to build a strong defence against the underground yield robber, including genetic resistance. As soybean harvest winds up in Western Canada, and attention shifts to choosing varieties to… Read More
According to weather experts, the Prairies are in for a long fall and good remaining harvest weather. It’s the perfect opportunity for fall field work, and it’s also good time to go out and take stock of what’s happening in your fields. “This fall gives us an opportunity we haven’t had in the past, without… Read More
Tar spot has moved through the U.S. Midwest, into Michigan and Wisconsin, and now officially calls Ontario home. Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ plant pathologist Albert Tenuta has seen the evidence in a field near Ridgetown, Ont., and there are also reported sightings of the corn leaf disease in Lambton and Essex… Read More
Fixed and flex soybean varieties can have a great fit on your farm depending on the soil type and row spacing. Last year RealAgriculture’s Bernard Tobin, and Pride Seeds agronomist Matt Chapple discussed fixed and flex corn varieties. In this episode of Soybean School, the two are back in the field looking at how many… Read More
Damp or rainy weather just before or during harvest can spell trouble for mature wheat kernels. All that extra moisture can cause sprouting and, if that happens, the kernel produces an enzyme that can drastically affect the quality of the end uses of the crop. “When wheat begins to sprout, it produces an enzyme called… Read More
Farmers are taking a closer look at their soil’s health lately, and measuring the impact of cover crops or different types of strip-tillage. In this episode of Soil School, we’re talking about overall soil health and nutrition and we’ve got a great example of what you can achieve when you combine soil health and balanced… Read More
Will precision planting winter wheat pay for Ontario growers? That’s a question RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson and OMAFRA cereals specialist Joanna Follings are determined to answer with a new research trial they planted last week at Follings’ home farm at Ayr, Ont. At the 2020 CerealSmart conference last February at Kitchener, Ont., Michigan State University… Read More
You’ve seeded it, sprayed it, watched it grow, harvested it, and now you’re putting the canola in the bin. On paper, storing canola may seem simple, but as per usual, the actuality of storing canola successfully is a lot more complex. There are many factors to consider to properly storing canola and in this episode… Read More
The number of soybean acres in Western Canada has declined to less than half of what it was when acreage peaked in 2017 — dropping every year since then — but there are expectations that acres have likely hit a floor in 2020. In this follow-up episode to our last Soybean School on soybean maturity… Read More
A pre-harvest interval is the amount of time that’s required between a product application and cutting the crop in anyway — not just harvest. A PHI can always be found on a product label, and following the recommendation can help the crop dry down faster and keep product residues within maximum residue limits. “When it… Read More
We have a different kind of Pulse School episode for you — it’s market focused this time, instead of agronomy focused. The export destination of peas is shifting, and some of the patterns in pricing are changing too, which may mean opportunities for farmers when they go to market their pulse crops, especially yellow peas…. Read More
The better the job done at planting the better the yield potential of a corn crop. That much we know, but when planting into less-than-ideal conditions, like the spring of 2020, environmental factors can really wreak havoc on your end yield potential. Luckily, paying attention to seed singulation at planting time can help. “There’s no… Read More
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