If you’re looking for the magic formula to growing great wheat, you’ve come to the right place. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson sums up how the soybean year finished off yield-wise for Ontario, why corn yields failed to impress, and then he digs in to the best crop ever — wheat!… Read More
Soil testers are no stranger to phosphorus — especially if you farm across the prairies. Haley Tetreault, agronomy extension specialist with Sask Wheat Development Commission, says that second to moisture deficits, phosphorus deficiencies in soil is high on the list when it comes to looking at yield robbers. As we sit in the middle of… Read More
This week’s Wheat Pete’s Word kicks off with a quick explanation and an update on host Peter Johnson’s “extra 15 minutes” concept. The agronomy questions keep rolling in, and this week, Johnson puts off some of the wheat questions and instead tackles some sulphur questions, forage questions, and questions on spring cover crops. Have a… Read More
There are some aggressive targets for a reduction of fertilizer in the new climate plan proposal recently released by the federal government. At first glance, the support of the proposal by Fertilizer Canada doesn’t make a lot of sense. To explain, Clyde Graham, executive vice president of Fertilizer Canada, recently chatted with Shaun Haney on RealAg… Read More
Welcome to the first Wheat Pete’s Word of 2021! To kick off the year, host Peter Johnson has some key reminders (check those bins!) and answers to some of the top agronomy questions from the last growing season. He also shares about a successful “extra 15 minutes” and drops a “call your friends” challenge. Listen… Read More
Corn rootworm, manure, and soybeans — farmers don’t often hear those three words in the same sentence but we’ve come to expect the unexpected in 2020. With growing resistance to corn rootworm traits in Ontario, many farmers who typically plant continuous corn will look to control the pest by expanding rotations to include soybeans. But… Read More
In the pursuit of continuous learning, you’ve got to change things up every now and then. For this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson applies that concept to weed control and fertilizer rates and placement. There’s also plenty of discussion on the tried-and-true things we know too, like the danger of apply manure… Read More
Farmers work hard to maximize fertilizer applications, both for economic and environmental reasons. Making sure all that money spent in fertilizer gets turned into crop — not lost as greenhouse gas emissions — is a key concept in today’s farming practices. “We want to make sure a producer is realizing value from every gram of… Read More
When it comes to gauging the success of management decisions, it’s important to run more than one replication in a trial — observing differences is a great way to decide on what might deserve a closer look next year. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson shares some of the plot results that… Read More
There’s no way to get around putting up feed for wintering livestock, but there are several ways to minimize the amount of hay fed, the cost of feed delivery, and the cost of hauling away and spreading manure. Steve Kenyon of Greener Pastures Ranching at Busby, Alta., says that planning for winter grazing and feeding… Read More
Nitrogen use drives growth and crop yield — it’s also expensive and prone to being lost from the soil. There’s so many combinations of the right rate, place, form, and time, that nitrogen management is always a hot topic for discussion. This episode of The Agronomists features Greg Stewart, lead agronomist of Maizex Seeds, and… Read More
A land and cattle operation that includes consistent cover crops in a diverse cropping mix can offer several benefits, including improved soil fitness, better equipment and water holding capacity, and a decreased diesel fuel bill. In this episode of the Soil School, Bernard Tobin is joined by Elmwood, Ont.-based Ken Schaus from Schaus Land and… Read More
Fall is often a time when farmers think about pre-purchasing or putting down some fertilizer in order to save a buck and some time in advance of the coming year. For late 2020, fertilizer tariffs on imports into the U.S. is changing the price dynamic and causing some uncertainty. Russian and Moroccan fertilizer companies have… Read More
It’s time for Day 8, our final episode of the virtual Ontario Diagnostic Days! To wrap up the series, RealAgriculture LIVE! host Shaun Haney is joined by Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) plant pathologist Albert Tenuta, and University of Guelph associate professor Dave Hooker. During the broadcast, Tenuta looks back at… Read More
Corn in Ontario is finally drying down, just as the cold, wet, fall weather kicks into gear this week. But, hey, it’s not snow (sorry, Western Canada). In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson is answering plenty of your questions on soil fertility, fertilizer rates, and residue management considerations in conjunction with fertility… Read More