The ranks of the Ontario Certified Crop Advisors Association (CCA) have grown to more than 650 members, a number far higher than the industry originally expected. When the organization was formed 20 years ago, executive director Susan Fitzgerald says that the number of CCAs was expected to plateau at 500. But times have changed. At… Read More
For years, Tim Williams has dutifully planted crops to the edge of the trees and bush that line the fields he farms near Petrolia, Ont. Every year, he looks at his yield maps to see the same red line indicating no crop yield in these areas that hug the bush and woodlots. But today there… Read More
It’s been a week of wild weather: extreme cold in the west, and warm and very wet weather in the east. Understandably, overland flooding in Ontario has many farmers asking about the impact on the wheat crop. Peter Johnson has the answer you need in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. Johnson shares some of the… Read More
Like with human health, maintaining or creating healthy soil is more about doing lots of things right vs. adding one product. And, just as with human health, there’s no magic pill to solve a problem — anyone who tells you there is, is probably selling something. Dr. Don Flaten, soil scientist at the University of… Read More
When send soil samples for testing, what do you ask for? If you’re following Ross McKenzie’s advice, there’s likely some real value in testing more than just nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and sulphur (NPKS). The former soil scientist with Alberta Agriculture says it’s not too late to test soil this year, as frozen ground may require… Read More
The Manitoba based SoilReader made quite the impression at Germany’s Agritechnica. While Shaun Haney covered the many buildings of the bi-annual show, more than a few people encouraged Shaun to check out the new tech, calling it “revolutionary.” Erik Eising patented the technology in 2016, and says the SoilReader is poised to become a real… Read More
Have you got your soil tests done for the year? If not, that’s just fine, as late fall is actually a great time to test soil nutrient levels, says Ross McKenzie, now-retired soil scientist (from Alberta Agriculture). Without a soil test to guide the decision, farmers are choosing fertilizer rates “by guess and by golly,”… Read More
Five years ago, Carl Brubacher decided it was time to change how he manages soil on his Arthur, Ont., hog and grain farm. With highly variable soil ranging from sand to heavy clay, he was determined to improve soil health and make the farm more sustainable. In this premiere episode of RealAgriculture’s Soil School, sponsored… Read More
Welcome to another edition to Wheat Pete’s Word with your host and RealAgriculture’s resident agronomist, Peter ‘Wheat Pete’ Johnson! This week, Johnson is on the Soil Network tour, but even the cross-Ontario trek couldn’t keep him from recording this week’s Word. On this episode, learn about a new worm issue in corn, how the grain… Read More
Did you know that soil helps to remove carbon dioxide from our atmosphere, helps to clean water as it percolates through, and is filled with living organisms? Our soil and its health isn’t just imperative to agriculture — but to many other aspects of our ever-growing population. Jim Tokarchuk, executive director with the Soil Conservation… Read More
Unless you’re someone who has a soil pit dug on the farm, it’s rare to see more than the top few inches of soil. But what exists below has a significant impact on what happens above, and the better we understand the characteristics of our soil, the better we can manage its potential and limitations…. Read More
Strip till corn is helping Mark Brock build a winning management system for his Staffa, Ont., farm. Brock started strip tilling back in 2015 with the objective of integrating manure from the farm’s chicken operation into a system that would help manage compaction, and further improve soil organic matter with the addition of cover crops…. Read More
Contour drainage can sure draw a crowd. More than 400 people travelled to a drainage innovation field day last weekend at the Huronview Demonstration Farm at Clinton, Ont. The stars of the show were new contour and controlled tile drainage systems with surface drainage terraces. These systems will provide research insights on how these systems… Read More
Ontario’s cool spring is having a huge impact on the soil release of nitrogen. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter Johnson says he’s seen the impact on the wheat crop already, and growers will have to keep a sharp eye on nitrogen soil tests to ensure they’re meeting the needs of the growing corn crop. In this Corn… Read More
Ten years of soil data suggests that regardless of soil texture, pH, or crop rotation, there’s one thing that impacts soil carbon more than anything else — temperature. Dr. Ed Gregorich, soil research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) based at Ottawa, Ont., is drawing on data from a long-term, national soil study. Gregorich… Read More