Through the January farm show season I continued to run into people that said to me that they were getting a Blackberry Playbook or had just bought one. Whether its the $200 price point or the the increased interest in tablets, it seems to me that the Blackberry Playbook finally has some appeal. It would… Read More
Of all of the aspects of a business that have to be managed, human resources can be the most challenging. The needs and the dynamics involved in managing human resources are unique to every business and have to evolve as a business grows and changes. For many farmers human resources can suck the life out of running… Read More
As far as cover crops go, red clover is a no-brainer. That according to OMAFRA wheat specialist Peter Johnson. It’s a statement that seems to be backed up by a lot of facts. The first being its ability to provide ample amounts of nitrogen and organic matter to the soil. A good stand of red… Read More
In this episode of the Corn School we talk with OMAFRA Corn Specialist Greg Stewart talks about the 4 year project undertaken to look at the benefits of starter fertilizer on corn. The study looked at all manner of formulations, applications and combinations. The major conclusion of the study showed the importance of potash levels… Read More
James S Peck owns and operates PX Farms Ltd. in Cambridge, England. The operation is close to 6000 acres and is comprised of a combination of contracted acres and his own family farm. The farm is extremely large for the U.K. and the growth it has seen since PX Farms was established in 2003 has… Read More
This years NCBA conference saw a more positive outlook from producers and industry members than there has been for a while. That outlook comes with some qualifiers as well as some questions that have to be answered as we look ahead to the rest of 2012. I spoke to Duane Lenz of CattleFax about the… Read More
When it comes to succession planning, one of the most difficult things to do may be just getting the conversation started. No other topic can get defences up, arouse suspicions or cause divisions like the topic of succession if it’s not handled correctly. Having a pure business discussion with your parents or kids easily crosses the family… Read More
If you’re in the cattle feeding business, you know how tight margins are. With feed costs continuing to be expensive and feeder prices looking toward potential record highs this year, the importance of improving feed efficiency becomes magnified. Watching cattle struggle through wet pens to get to that feed in the spring can be hard… Read More
Considering some of the conditions during planting last year, the provincial average yield for soybeans was fairly impressive. If we can get 45 bushels last year, what is the real long term potential of soybean yields? What factors can we look at to bump those yields even higher. It has been reported that a grower… Read More
If you only read news headlines, you’d probably be left with the impression that most of 2011 was a rough spell for Canadian agriculture. But if you dug just a bit deeper, you’d see there’s plenty of room for optimism in our sector. From the 30,000-foot level, the statistics suggest a stagnating industry. Our previously… Read More
By all standards it appears that FarmTech 2012 was an incredible success. The event, which ran from January 24th to the 26th was sold out, with producers and industry members gathering to hear from an wide array of speakers who ran the gamut from industry expert to army general to comedian. Another reason this years… Read More
If a person were to describe the overall mood of this year’s NCBA Conference, it would be descibed as price bullish and margin bearish. As we have mentioned before, it’s a cautious optimism for feeders and packers, which comes with a recognition of the volatility that producers have gone through and are also facing in the future…. Read More
With the exception of a few soaked areas, spring planting, even though late, and the early spring growing season went pretty well in Ontario in 2011. In general, crops progressed nicely through what could have been a real mess and there were some fairly decent yields to be seen across the province. So what can… Read More
Case IH showcased some of the newest offerings in its line of high horsepower front wheel assist tractors at this years Crop Production Week show in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The Magnum series of tractors offer farmers a number of improvements for the 2012-13 line that run the spectrum from improved horsepower to improved comfort. The tractors… Read More
Spraying your crops is a tricky job. For starters, there is always a specific window to hit that has to match your crop stage and the weather conditions. It’s also a matter of proper application. Not only are pesticides and herbicides high value products, but they have to be applied properly to work. All of… Read More
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