Category: Cover crops

Grazing corn is becoming increasingly more common. So is grazing cover crops. But what happens when you put the two together? How wide should the corn rows be in order to make space for the cover crop? And is this a profitable way of farming? Byron Long of Long Family Farm at Barrhead County, Alberta… Read More

Cover crops are all the not-quite-so-new rage and the process of integrating them into current agricultural systems has been gaining ground (pun intended). Seeding multiple species in a field can do some fantastic things for the land, such as enhance water holding capacity, improve soil biodiversity, provide added resistance to pests and disease, and improve… Read More

While corn has been grown for over 9,000 years, equipment, processes and even the geography that it is grown in has changed. One of the evolving markets when it comes to growing this nutritious grass plant is in conjunction with cover crops. Cover crops and corn is not a new idea — Indigenous peoples grew… Read More

Eight-six per cent of farmers and ranchers across Canada view themselves as good stewards of the land and 46 per cent feel that they can do more to improve environmental outcomes on their operations. These statistics come from a new national survey run by the research firm,Leger and funded by Farmers for Climate Solutions. Farmers… Read More

It can be a challenge to talk about ranching in Canada without also talking about winter. For half the year, in most parts of the country, there is little that grows. That means that livestock feed needs to be grown within a very short timeframe, and the animals consuming it are fed for a lot… Read More

Mid-November seems a little late to be spraying in southern Ontario, but the warm temperatures have made for some great opportunities and fall weed control simply works, says Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson in this latest episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. Fall weed control is especially worth it on perennial sow thistle, Canada thistle and on… Read More

There’s never a shortage of field work to be done in the fall, but fall conditions can sometimes be very unfavourable for tillage, manure, or fertilizer applications. To dig into considerations for fall field work, including compaction, nutrient losses, and cover crop success, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Curtis Cavers of AAFC, Glen Arnold… Read More

Cover crops are everywhere on Prince Edward Island. In recent years, growers looking to help manage the Island’s light-textured soils have rapidly ramped up cover crop planting to improve soil health and fight erosion. Syngenta Canada agronomist Eric Richter says he noticed a big change since he moved to PEI five years ago. In this… Read More

Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson has got so many agronomy answers this week, and two very important reminders. First off, check in with someone you haven’t talked to in a while, it may be a really warm memory for years to come, and, second, if you’ve ever seen a young person driving a tractor on the… Read More

A week of unseasonably hot, dry weather has crops roaring to the finish line, which has those same crops exhibiting some interesting symptoms. On this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson explains what the heck is happening to corn plants, why the combine needs to move quickly into the beans, and why… Read More