How long do you think the impact of tillage erosion lasts? A few years? A decade? Try several decades! Work out of Manitoba is assessing how conservation tillage adds back what tillage erosion takes away, but the preliminary findings are that tillage erosion is very hard to reverse. That’s part of this episode of Wheat… Read More
Category: Wheat Petes Word
Wasn’t that a snowstorm? Well, depending on where you are in Ontario, it was either the most snow in one storm in years, or hardly a flake fell. The onset of winter is the onset of learning season, but it’s always the learning season here on Wheat Pete’s Word. In this week’s podcast, settle in… Read More
When asked about tillage, RealAgriculture’s Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson says to do as little as you can. But when tillage is necessary what should it be — disc ripping? Moldboard plowing? In this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, Pete says that tillage erosion is 10 times worse than wind and water erosion. The disc ripper… Read More
Mid-November seems a little late to be spraying in southern Ontario, but the warm temperatures have made for some great opportunities and fall weed control simply works, says Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson in this latest episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. Fall weed control is especially worth it on perennial sow thistle, Canada thistle and on… Read More
A low soil pH just needs some lime and is good to go — right? Not necessarily so, explains Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson in this latest episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. Correcting low soil pH can be very difficult and expensive if the soil in question has plenty of buffering capacity, plus the pH problem… Read More
Wheat Pete wishes he didn’t have to talk about safety but he has to. More farmers are telling him that they’ve had draw pins stolen. Make sure you do a circle check and check the pins before moving wagons — you could save a life. Farmers also have to stay safe around grain bins. Pete… Read More
Fall conditions in Ontario are quite dry and that has some growers wondering if the wheat is OK. More farmers are also perhaps getting a little carried away with fall field work, because, well, there’s time and dry conditions to do some! To discuss what’s going on with the wheat crop, why it’s always the… Read More
Resist the urge to splurge on nitrogen, says Wheat Pete, at least this fall on wheat. But why? The answer to that is in this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word. Also in this edition: double crop beans yields, foggy mornings and farm safety, pet peeves, fungicide ROI, and more! Have a question you’d like… Read More
There isn’t any one thing that creates a healthy soil. Instead, building soil health and resiliency takes a combination of plant growth, nutrient additions, and careful management. Turns out, it’s not just building organic matter that adds to this dynamic — growing high yielding crops is also key part of nutrient cycling and productive soil…. Read More
It’s nearly Thanksgiving, and plenty of farmers have lots to be thankful for, including excellent soybean yields and lovely fall weather for wheat planting. Peter Johnson, host of Wheat Pete’s Word, is thankful for you, dear listener, for sending in photos, questions, plot results and more, and on this week’s podcast hear some of what’s… Read More