We’ll admit it, many people are terrible at following directions. You only look at directions if people’s lives may hang in the balance or if the product is extremely expensive and even then most farmers may just use them as a reference. Product labels on herbicides can arouse that response in even the most disciplined producer. Unfortunately but not surprisingly, being a… Read More
Category: Crop Production
Canada’s Farm Progress Show was a great opportunity to connect with farmers throughout Saskatchewan, across the west and beyond. As we do at most farm shows we decided to hit the grounds and talk to some of those farmers and ask a number of different questions. This time around, we asked farmers about the state… Read More
In part one of our RealAgriculture Roundtable we discussed with Don Henry of Morris Industries the advantages and the complications that have come from the rise of precision agriculture. This time around we bring up a topic that comes up at almost every farm show where big equipment is involved: How big is too big?… Read More
Monosem describes its vacuum planter as a premium product. That may be something every manufacturer describes their product as, but not every manufacturer can live up to the hype. Just looking at the Monosem planter, you can see that it is a very solidly built, durable machine. Every component that goes into the planter reflects… Read More
So much time and effort is put into pushing corn to it’s full potential. We try so hard to manage areas that are partially out of our control that when we see something like herbicide injury in our crop, it can feel a little bit like we shot the puck into our own net. Sometimes… Read More
In order to have an effective fungicide strategy, the approach behind it has to be more preventative than reactive. That approach can be a little scary sometimes when spraying based on a risk assessment instead of seeing actual symptoms. It’s an approach that can leave you wondering if you did the right thing, but if… Read More
I had the chance to spend a very hot and sunny afternoon with Don and Jeannine Guyot, who farm at Fannystelle, Manitoba. It’s been a rough few years in the area. Last year, Don says he only used maybe a quarter of his total storage. It would seem that 2012 is poised to make up… Read More
The Ontario corn crop is sitting in a great position. If things continue to go well we could be looking at some bumper crops. The combination of early planting, good soil conditions and great weather have pushed corn in some areas to the tasselling stage giving those crops ample time for grain fill. There are… Read More
The wheat crop in Ontario has been through a lot. There was some frost damage early this year as well as some dry periods through April, May and part of June accompanied by some extreme heat at times. All that aside, as numbers start to come in from areas like Essex County they’re fairly decent… Read More
This week Monsanto announced they are finally going to make the TUA and canola seed purchase one transaction. According to the press release, Monsanto stated that overwhelmingly growers provided feedback that canola TUA’s should be handled no differently than other crops like corn, soybeans and wheat. It is surprising how long it has taken… Read More
Early is best when it comes to catching any type of canola disease, especially one as potentially devastating as sclerotinia. Scouting your field early and regularly is important, but knowing when your field is vulnerable can also help you to employ preventative measures against sclerotinia. Prevention is the first line of defence against sclerotinia. If… Read More
A good fungicide program is important in your pulse crops. Variety selection, rotation, product selection and proper application of that product should all come together to get you the most bang for your fungicide buck. While all of those elements are vital to the health of your crop, your whole program could suffer if the… Read More
Bringing a new variety to market is not a simple task. In our fast food culture we want everything yesterday, not so much with new wheat varieties. Though it may not seem like it, that’s a good thing. Depending on what that wheat is being bred for, it’s critical that it sees a variety of… Read More
As far as we’ve come over the past 100 years, our progress creates some problems of it’s own. As cities expand and farmland moves into areas previously unpopulated, the natural balance of the local ecosystem is upset. Where natural events and wildlife used to keep things like willow stands from growing unchecked, it’s now up… Read More
In an environment of “bigger is better” the Morris CX8105 seed drill seems to stick out like a sore thumb. Almost every farm show you attend seems to cater to the large acre farmer. The CX8105 is an offering developed especially for the smaller farm. With models that come in 25 and 30 foot widths… Read More