Picking rocks from fields has been required back-breaking work since fields have been cleared for farming. The practice protects expensive equipment from being damaged, increases seed to soil contact, and creates smoother fields. Todd Hofmann of Schulte says that he is thankful that the days of hand-picking are long past as he discusses the Spartan… Read More
Category: Crops
Effectively controlling grassy weeds in a grass crop is always a challenge, and one that Dan Dall, regional commercial manager for the U.S. Central Plains, and Bailey Jenks, regional commercial manager for the Pacific Northwest, both with Limagrain Cereal Seeds (LCS), know all too well. Dall explains that the CoAXium wheat production system offers farmers… Read More
Every field has a test plot. That’s the modus operandi at McBlain Farms. Tyler McBlain’s grandfather started no-tilling back in the 1980s and was a huge proponent of on-farm testing to determine what agronomic practices work best on the farm and its unique mix of heavy clay and lighter soils. Over the years, the farm,… 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
Despite an extremely dry September that played havoc with plant establishment, the winter wheat crop across Ontario appears to be packing plenty of yield potential as it heads into the dormant winter months. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson says the crop is not as big as he had hoped — estimates peg it between… Read More
What’s the difference between a natural system and a farming system? The harvest, of course! Does that mean we can go “back to nature”? Oh, what a great question, and one that Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson tackles on this final episode of the 2024 calendar year. In this week’s podcast also hear about using cover… Read More
Over the decades, attitudes, thoughts and ideas within the forage and grazing community have shifted; however, the passion that ranchers have for the land and their lifelong commitment to learning have not. While at the Western Canada Conference on Soil Health and Grazing (WCCSHG) at Edmonton, Alta., last week, Grant Lastiwka of Renovo Seed spoke… Read More
There’s no shortage of challenges facing Canadian grain producers — seemingly constant railway disruptions, regulatory hurdles, and plant breeding holdups all impact producers’ bottom line. Darcy Pawlik is the new executive director of the Wheat Growers Association, and all these challenges are on the docket when it comes to outlining where the organization plans to… Read More
Pulses, such as peas, lentils, chickpeas, and faba beans, can be an excellent addition to a crop rotation as they fix their own nitrogen and even leave some for the next crop. The crops do have serious challenges, however, including aggressive root rots and diseases that can decimate yields, especially in wetter years. To unpack… Read More