Using cover crops in a grain rotation can help achieve several goals — decreased soil erosion, decreased loss of nutrients off the field, increased weed suppression and more. The research suggests that incorporating cover crops in to a grain farm increases crop yield, too. To discover how the tool can be used — yes, even… Read More
From simply leaving a check strip to replicated trials, field-level data collection and analysis can be overwhelming. For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Jenn Sabourin of Manitoba-based Antara Agronomy, and Aaron Breimer of Deveron, based near Chatham, Ontario. The three talk about field trial set up, data collection, and… Read More
Let’s face it, variety selection can be a pretty daunting task. What specific traits do you focus on? How many should you grow? Do we focus purely on yield? We’ve got a full lineup to help us navigate through the ins and outs of choosing a variety for 2022: Nate Ort of the Canola Council… Read More
Only about one of every four farm fields is soil tested each year. If that sounds accurate for your situation, this may be the year to change that statistic. For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Jason Voogt of Field 2 Field Agronomy, and Jack Payne of South Country Co-op,… Read More
Farmers and agronomists across Ontario are struggling with a few pest and agronomic challenges right now. From decreased corn stalk integrity, to western bean cutworm, and on to lodged or early death in beans, a relatively good year is still throwing some curve balls. For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined… Read More
It’s evolving into a rather odd year for pre-harvest weed control in parts of Western Canada as a return of some moisture has meant sprouting swaths, and monster weeds. In Ontario, an accelerated season means plenty of farmers are making the dry-down decision on edible beans this week. From pre-harvest weed control, to swapping to… Read More
Grain storage, when done right and with proper conditions, could be a boring topic. However, we are dealing with the environment here, and well, you know how unpredictable that can be. To help us navigate through the topic of safe grain storage is Lorne Grieger of the Prairie Agricultural Machinery Institute (PAMI), and Shawn Senko of… Read More
We’re painting this episode of The Agronomists red — for red clover! On this episode, Dr. Dave Hooker, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, and Dan Petker, farmer and red clover grower extraordinaire from Port Rowan, Ont., join host Shaun Haney for a thorough discussion on being successful with cover crops, not just red clover. SUMMARY… Read More
Extremely dry conditions in Western Canada have challenged growers at every turn. Now, assessing soil nutrient levels and preparing for next year’s crop is proving difficult, as excessively dry conditions challenge nutrient cycling and mineralization and soil sampling. In the east, a relatively early wheat harvest offers opportunity for cover crops and plenty of time… Read More
There are plenty of buzzwords in farming and agriculture. More than just a word, however, is soil resiliency: what does it mean to have “resilient” soil? For this episode of The Agronomists, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by Anne Verhallen and Marla Riekman to discuss what makes a healthy soil, what makes up soil quality… Read More
Ontario farmers are well into wheat harvest now, though rain is holding things up, while the west eyes an approaching harvest few are looking forward to. As we shift to thinking about harvest, it also means it’s time to think about setting up for success for next year, and that starts at the combine. Joining… Read More
A tissue test can give you a snapshot into what’s happening in a plant as far as nutrient uptake is concerned. The test doesn’t necessarily predict an issue, and not all results are actionable; that’s left many agronomists wondering how best to use tissue tests in conjunction with soil tests, zone mapping, and fertility planning…. Read More
Soybeans are beginning to flower and corn is waist high in parts of Ontario, and it’s not even July. Crop staging, lush and humid canopies, and field history all play a key role in disease development and suppression, and our guests for this episode stress the importance of genetic selection and scouting as the first… Read More
Surprise! Shaun Haney is hosting this episode after Lyndsey’s internet decided to give up the ghost. On this episode of The Agronomists, Haney is joined by Steph Berlett with Brussels Agromart, Ont., and Jennifer Otani with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada at Beaverlodge, Alta., to talk about current insect issues, integrated pest management, scouting tips, and… Read More
The winter wheat in Ontario is ready to be staged for fusarium head blight (FHB), and with such an impactful disease, we figured it was important to bring some guests on to talk about it! Taking us on this journey with host Lyndsey Smith is Joanna Follings, cereal specialist with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,… Read More