The start of planting in 2013 has been very slow due to cool and, in some cases, wet inclement weather. Nothing tells a story like pictures, so here is a selection of some of the pictures from the past week in #plant13 (from Twitter) from across the United States. See this weeks Canadian pictures of… Read More
Category: Corn
Recently I have seen several different press releases on competitive companies deciding to share corn traits. Most farmers look at these kinds of announcements and just flip the page to the next article without a second look. Really you should take that second look and think about the impact on your farm in the future…. Read More
Remember this feeling, it happens every year. It’s that edgy, ready-to-go feeling that shows up every year around early April. The later it gets, the more the feeling gets amplified. Then you read stories (sorry) about the guy down the road that hit the perfect window in early April and absolutely nailed it at harvest…. Read More
As if a late spring and cold weather weren’t bad enough, current planting conditions in some areas of Ontario are ripe for a millipede feeding frenzy. Millipedes prefer cool soil temps and will stay deep in the soil profile, munching away on organic matter, as long as surface soil temps are warm and increasing. But… Read More
Statistics Canada released its first seeding intentions report for March 31, 2013 this morning. Corn, wheat and oats were given the biggest nod to acreage bumps, however, this survey was conducted to April 3 when farmers still expected spring to arrive before May. Corn acres are estimated at 2.3 million for Ontario, an increase of… Read More
It’s been a rough year for many farmers in the U.S., as drought stole yields, entire crops and whole pastures. A return to more normal precipitation patterns over the winter helped in many areas, however, this spring’s cold and, yes, even snowy April weather has put the brakes on the spring corn planting season and… Read More
The s-tine field cultivator isn’t the most complicated piece of equipment you’ll have on the farm, but it sure can prove handy, especially in a less than ideal spring planting season. As Jim Boak, with Salford Machinery, explains in this Corn School video, the s-tine unit’s unique vibration pattern means it’s well suited to working… Read More
The drought of 2012 is still fresh in the mind of many American farmers. As many get closer to the beginning of plant 2013, everyone has their fingers crossed that another drought does not wreak havoc on this year’s corn and soybean crop. Recent cool wet weather (in some cases snow) has pushed back planting,… Read More
The drive to get on the field to plant in a timely manner can sometimes overshadow the importance of planting only when the soil is ready. What’s more, if there’s any tillage to be done before planting, a late start can start feeling very late indeed. But if you head out planting before the soil… Read More
As planting (eventually) gets under way, a little planning and moving of skids of seed can go a long way in not only increasing the efficiency of planting, but also ensuring that refuge requirements aren’t missed. Some seed variety packaging has made meeting the refuge requirements easy with the RIB (Refuge In a Bag) system,… Read More
Is it warm enough to plant? It’s a common question these days and one that has many a farmer out checking soil temps often. The tricky part about spring soil warm-up is that the optimal soil temp for germination isn’t necessary the optimum soil temp for sprouting and emergence of the corn crop. Add in… Read More
How can I produce more corn and soybeans on the same piece of land? That is the multimillion dollar question at play. Syngenta is investing a lot of time and money in trying to rethink multiple cropping strategies, tank mixes and the traditional crop rotation order to try and battle weed resistance, improve yields and ultimately… Read More
When the time comes to put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and look at the hard numbers behind the corn, soybeans and wheat in your rotation, it’s important to give each crop the credit it deserves. The truth is that when you run that rotation, unless you’re digging deep, wheat probably isn’t getting… Read More
A near-record number of intended corn acres estimated today by the USDA’s planting intentions report has pressured corn markets limit-down for the day. Hear what Chuck Penner Thinks About the USDA Stocks Report Today The report pegs estimated acres at 97.3 million acres, a total eclipsed only by a mid-1930s planting. SEE MARKET PRICES HERE…. Read More
Not only does wheat bump corn and soy yields when included in rotation, but adding the crop also means the nitrogen used in that rotation goes further. What does that really mean? Well, at least one way to look at it is that you can still hit high yields in a continuous corn or corn-soy… Read More