There’s growing evidence that cover crops have the ability to support “sustainably intensified” agriculture. That’s the verdict from Purdue University associate agronomy professor Dr. Shalamar Armstrong. He makes a strong case to support the claim that cover crops have the ability to help agriculture produce more crops per acre while also preserving natural resources, including… Read More
Category: Rye
Effectively integrating a cereal rye cover crop into corn is not for the faint of heart. Cereal rye can deliver tremendous benefits for a corn production system but there are challenges. Many growers wrestle with how to get uniform establishment in the fall; determining the best nitrogen and tillage plans; and finding that sweet spot… Read More
Wednesdays are for Wheat Pete’s Word! This late August episode of the Word features some yield estimates with a discussion on whether to over- or under-estimate, a first look at fungicide pay-back on wheat, the mightiness of rye in rotation, and why waterhemp is a menace. Have a question you’d like Johnson to address or… Read More
When it comes to planting and establishing corn in a cereal rye cover crop, the growing corn can be adversely impacted by rye’s allelopathic effects, the release of chemicals that inhibit the plant’s growth. But rye can also limit the amount of light, and quality of light, available to corn when it’s growing in the… Read More
Feeding livestock means being aware of what nasty toxins may lurk in feed. From listeria, to DON, to ergot, several plant disease or soil-borne issues can end up in a final feed source. When issues arise, farmers and ranchers depend on testing and industry guidelines to know how much can safely be fed in a… Read More
Everyone enjoys a good spirit or two, and many Canadians, when looking for a bottle of their favourite spirit, will check to see if it’s been produced from Canadian grains. A recent policy change in Alberta could lead to fewer markets for Alberta cereals and more imports of the raw materials from elsewhere. Jan Westcott… Read More
Soil health, in a rotational grazing and cattle operation sense, starts with ground cover and consistently adding organic matter that will eventually become sequestered carbon. Logistics-wise and from a management stand-point, how is improved soil health achieved in a cattle operation? In this Soil School episode, Bernard Tobin is in the field with Aaron Bowman,… Read More
Farmers are taking a closer look at their soil’s health lately, and measuring the impact of cover crops or different types of strip-tillage. In this episode of Soil School, we’re talking about overall soil health and nutrition and we’ve got a great example of what you can achieve when you combine soil health and balanced… Read More
Farm management and cropping practices can be complimentary to a livestock operation. Making use of all the months of the year can be quite the challenge, but Chris McLaren, of Larenwood Farms near Drumbo, Ont., has managed to do just that by integrating a cereal rye into his rotation. In this episode of The Sharp… Read More
There comes a time when the questions, comments, and follow ups become so numerous, you’ve simply got to dive in and start handing out answers. For this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson is taking the “Farmer Rapid Fire” approach and answering as many listener questions as possible in 16 short minutes. In this… Read More