It’s mid-April and a huge part of Western Canada, Ontario, and the northern U.S. is digging out after a late winter blast of snow, freezing rain, and ice. As May looms large in the next 14 days, we have to ask — when should we start to panic about a late planting season? May 1st… Read more »
Category: Weather
From drought concerns to “good change” — AccuWeather’s spring outlook
Weather is never far from the minds or mouths of farmers, and this year is certainly no exception. With parts of the prairies under a thick blanket of snow, and Ontario dealing with a wet bias, concerns and opportunities, are aplenty. On Tuesday, RealAgriculture’s Shaun Haney heard from four farmers from Alberta, Manitoba, and Ontario…. Read more »
Late spring start becoming a reality for farmers across Canada
Spring has not sprung. Spring is still buried in the hole that the groundhog climbed back into. With a gross return to winter weather in the first week of April across much of Canada, farmers are facing the reality that it will likely be a later start this spring. But is panic setting in or… Read more »
Treat your soil like an Olympic athlete for peak performance
What do Canadian speed skater Kim Boutin and your soil have in common? They both prosper and succeed when you treat them like an Olympic athlete. Boutin’s Olympic training earned her three medals at the recently-concluded Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea. What would happen if farmers treated their soil like an Olympic athlete? Soil… Read more »
A zero-sum moisture game for the prairies in 2018
For many producers on the prairies, moisture concerns are top of mind, as we inch closer to the growing season. And, according to some meteorologists, prairie producers may not see respite, at least not in the near future. “I think we’re going to start out…definitely on a drier side,” says Bryce Anderson, ag meteorologist and… Read more »
Connections key to building soil organic matter
There’s consensus that healthy soils with higher organic matter deliver a range of benefits from supplying nutrients, to building soil structure, to increasing water-holding capacity, and reducing erosion. But are enough farmers taking the required steps to increase soil health and organic matter? United States Department of Agriculture research agronomist Shannon Osbourne believes a stronger working… Read more »
Wheat Pete’s Word, Jan 31: Planter pressure, cover crop queries, and cold, dry weather
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty on this week’s top agronomy questions, shall we? Peter Johnson is back for this last January 2018 instalment of Wheat Pete’s Word, and it’s an action-packed episode. Out west, farmers have two main concerns — lack of moisture and lack of moisture. This brings up two questions in this… Read more »
Extreme cold offers some silver linings
If you’ve happened to go outside in much of Canada the last couple of weeks, you’ll be well aware of the bone-chilling cold that gripped parts of the country over the holidays. For some, the cold halted plans, while others merely took more time to don more layers, or scheduled an urgent meeting with their… Read more »
Soybean School: Learning from Ontario’s 2017 crop
It’s not official, but it looks like Ontario’s 2017 soybean yield will come in at around 43 bushels per acre. That’s down from the 46-bushel five-year average, but considering the challenges Mother Nature threw at the crop during the past growing year, OMAFRA soybean specialist Horst Bohner will take it. In this edition of RealAgriculture… Read more »
Cold winter coming to the prairies, snow in the east
Snowmobile owners in Ontario and Quebec may want to get their sleds ready, while prairie dwellers may want to sell the snowmobile and put the money toward the heating budget or a down payment on a warm place further south. Okay, maybe it’s a little early to make those decisions, but according to AccuWeather’s winter… Read more »
Extreme winds wreak havoc across southern prairies
Extreme winds caused fires to burn out of control, destroying several farmyards and prompting evacuations in multiple communities in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan on Tuesday and into Wednesday. There was also tragedy, as a volunteer firefighter died fighting a wildfire near Hilda, AB. Cypress County confirmed James Hargrave of the Walsh Fire Department died in… Read more »
Wheat School: The key to planting in dry soils
Whatever you do, get out there and plant your wheat. That’s the message agronomist Peter Johnson has for Ontario wheat growers in this episode of the Wheat School. “Either plant into moisture or plant in dust,” says Johnson, who notes that many growers across the province are hesitant to plant because of widespread dry soil conditions…. Read more »
FCC offers support to customers affected by excessive moisture
Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced that it will be offering support to customers in parts of eastern Ontario and western Quebec. The regions were affected by excessive rainfall this growing season, which meant many producers were unable to seed on time or at all. Others were forced to replant. And a number who did… Read more »
Corn School: Evaluating late-season northern corn leaf blight control
With late planting and slow maturity, much of Ontario’s corn crop may be in for a challenge as leaf diseases arrive in fields across the province. In this episode of RealAgriculture Corn School, we catch up with Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Rood and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) field pathologist Albert Tenuta in his leaf disease nursery… Read more »
CCA urges federal response for ranchers affected by B.C. wildfires
With an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 cattle left behind in areas evacuated due to wildfires in B.C.’s central and southern interior, the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association says it has asked the federal government for a quick response to help affected ranchers. “As an initial start, the CCA is requesting the federal government provide a tax deferral… Read more »