Every conversation on soil health these days eventually comes around to the topic of organic matter. Does it really matter? What percentage should farmers have in their soil? How do you conserve organic matter? How do you build it? On this episode of Soil School, Bernard Tobin and University of Minnesota soil extension specialist Jodi… Read More
Let’s start here: not all tillage is unwarranted. In some soils and circumstances, tillage can help warm, dry, or prepare a seedbed before planting and can help bury trash that is otherwise tough for a seeder to get through. At times, burial of residues can provide a larger surface area for microbes within different soil… Read More
It’s been more than 30 years since Caterpillar launched the first tracked tractor for farming. A lot has changed since those first basic tracks and under carriages rolled into farm fields. Most of those early tractors were in the 200 to 400 horsepower range. In the past decade however, many of those smaller tractors are… Read More
Tillage destroys soil structure, cuts organic matter and decreases soil water infiltration. If that’s the case, reducing tillage makes sense, right? But the decision is not that simple, says Jodi DeJong-Hughes, University of Minnesota soil and tillage extension specialist. In her presentation at the virtual Ontario Agricultural Conference, DeJong-Hughes notes that there’s no hard and fast… Read More
When it comes to planting soybeans, is spring tillage necessary? Can no-till soybeans handle the challenge that a cool, wet spring and heavy corn residue can throw at them? With 2020 in the books, it’s time to dig into some harvest data and find some answers to these questions. On this episode of Soybean School,… Read More
When it comes to gauging the success of management decisions, it’s important to run more than one replication in a trial — observing differences is a great way to decide on what might deserve a closer look next year. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson shares some of the plot results that… Read More
Buhler Industries is making another move to streamline production of its Farm King equipment lineup, on the heels of closing its plant in Fargo, North Dakota, in September. After moving production from Fargo to an existing plant at Willmar, Minnesota earlier this year to increase efficiency and reduce overhead costs, Buhler now plans to cease… Read More
Keep your soil covered, do as little tillage as possible, maintain a living root system 365 days a year, and fit it all into an economic model that makes money: this is sustainable soil health. It’s a challenge, for sure, but it’s one Dresden, Ont., farmer Woody Van Arkel is happy to tackle. On this… Read More
Salford is rolling out a new line of high-speed tillage designed to deliver new combinations of ground-engaging equipment, narrow transport, and single-point adjustments. This new product line, dubbed Halo by the tillage manufacturer, will be available to growers this fall. The first products available will include the Halo higher speed disc (HSD) and the Halo… Read More
Many are familiar with Horsch’s Joker RT high-speed compact disc that was brought to the North American market back in 2008. Now, the company has unveiled a fourth generation to the Joker series — the Joker RX. Along with the 20-inch concave notched blade that has come standard on previous Joker models, one of the… Read More
It’s time for Day 7 of the virtual Ontario Diagnostic Days! In this episode, we’re talking management strategies for soybeans and corn — everything from planter setup, to replant decisions, and residue management. First up, is Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) soybean specialist Horst Bohner as he sets up to plant… Read More
A timely rain after seeding can erase plenty of sins, but a pounding rain can do the opposite, and lead to punishment for small canola seedlings that have to break through crusted soil. Crusting has hampered emergence and forced some reseeding in canola fields in parts of Western Canada again this year. Of course, there’s… Read More
When planting soybeans after corn does the oilseed benefit from pre-plant tillage? A little spring tillage certainly enhances yield, says Horst Bohner, soybean specialist for the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Based on accumulated OMAFRA trial data, growers can expect plant stands to be 10 per cent higher and fields to… Read More
Are Ontario farmers doing a better job of getting phosphorus to stay put on their farms? Over the past decade, farmers, agronomists, researchers and governments have ramped up efforts to reduce the amount of phosphorus leaving farm fields and creating environmental challenges in areas such as the Lake Erie and Sainte-Claire watersheds. University of Waterloo… Read More
Cover crops, tillage and herbicides —they’re all tools growers can use to build an effective, integrated approach to controlling troublesome Canada fleabane. On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soybean School, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs weed specialist Mike Cowbrough looks at the role tillage can play in controlling the weed. He notes mounting… Read More
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