There are two key messages from this episode of The Agronomists: avoiding compaction and minimizing topsoil movement is well worth the planning and effort, because the alternative results in significant yield loss and is expensive to fix. To dig in (!) to the topic, host Lyndsey Smith is joined by guests Dr. Jeff Schoenau, from… Read More

Ahh, the wonders of healthy soil. From water-holding capacity, pest and disease regulation, to nutrient cycling and physical stability, a robust and resilient soil gives farmers a huge advantage in crop production. But what makes a healthy soil? How can we measure its fitness and whether it’s in top farming shape? That’s a question soil… Read More

A soil with excellent structure will allow healthy root development, have good water infiltration, and support equipment; but compaction and tillage can destroy structure and create root-zone challenges. Controlled traffic farming — where tire tracks of all implements are focused on the same route — is one way to decrease tillage and overall compaction. What… Read More

The way we farm is continuously changing, through knowledge-transfer, new technology, and innovation. How farmers take care of farms and the land required to raise livestock and produce grain is changing too — for the better. Soil health may have become a bit of a buzzword in recent years, but that’s not to diminish its… Read More

This episode of Soil School is an interview with Jodi DeJong-Hughes, of the University of Minnesota, discussing how best to adopt strip tillage and avoid some of the common pitfalls farmers face when changing practices. DeJong-Hughes examines optimum season of application, controlled traffic farming, crop type, and trafficability when it comes to strip tillage. Listen… Read More

It was a busy Farm Progress Show for Michelin as the tire manufacturer rolled out three agricultural tires at the annual farm tradeshow, located this year at Boone, Iowa. New from Michelin are the Agribib 2, Spraybib CFO and the TrailXBib. The Agribib 2 is an improved version of Michelin’s most popular agricultural tire, while… Read More

What’s going on below ground? That’s a question farmers often ask when it comes to tillage and the impact different tillage strategies and implements have on soil and crop roots. In this 2021 Ontario Diagnostic Days video report, we catch up with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) soil management specialist Sebastien Belliard,… Read More

How do you measure soil heath? On this episode of RealAgriculture’s Soil School, OMAFRA soil scientist and land use specialist Dan Saurette joins Bernard Tobin to look at some of the assessment tools available to farmers and the type of insights they provide. One of the most well known soil health tests is Cornell’s Comprehensive… Read More

The soil health benefits of growing a forage crop, such as alfalfa, are well documented. Traditionally a staple crop on livestock farms, alfalfa delivers increased biomass, especially in its root structure where the plant boasts a large tap root which contributes to soil health, while reducing compaction. There’s also increased organic matter and water-holding capacity,… Read More

It’s time for Day 6 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. Management tips for corn, soybeans and dry beans; learning lessons from your soil; and the role robotic technology plays on the farm are all featured in this episode. We’ll… Read More

It’s time to talk soil health, nutrient management, and more on Day 5 of Ontario Diagnostic Days! The annual Ontario field crop diagnostic days held at Ridgetown, Elora, and Winchester are again virtual in 2021. Cover crops, soil compaction, topsoil sampling and soybean fertility are the focus of this episode. We’ll kick it off with cover… Read More

Interest in building soil resiliency or measuring soil health is growing. But before jumping to complicated soil health tests, we first need to understand how the basic physical, chemical, and biological properties of a soil in combination with management practices will affect soil microbial populations. “You can’t take the genetic base, essentially, like the DNA… Read More

 

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