There are so many pearls of wisdom in this episode of The Agronomists, such as, sometimes old science is good science; compaction is all bad; and not all manure is created equal. But how should you pay for manure — by the pit or by the load? How much is it worth? Is fall-applied with… Read More
Tag: Christine Brown
Corn rootworm, manure, and soybeans — farmers don’t often hear those three words in the same sentence but we’ve come to expect the unexpected in 2020. With growing resistance to corn rootworm traits in Ontario, many farmers who typically plant continuous corn will look to control the pest by expanding rotations to include soybeans. But… Read More
Mondays mean all the agronomic info in one place here at RealAgriculture. On today’s edition of RealAg Radio you’ll hear from: Woody Van Arkel, featured in a Soil School episode with RealAg’s Bernard Tobin; Callum Morrison, PhD student at University of Manitoba working on cover crops for Western Canada; and, A segment from The Agronomists… Read More
Some call it stinky, others call it the smell of money, but whatever your thoughts on manure may be, we also know it’s a valuable soil amendment and nutrient source. It’s also a rather tricky one, as manure is highly variable, and requires specific handling to make the most of it. For this episode of… Read More
It’s time for Day 4 of the virtual Ontario Diagnostic Days! This week we focus on soil snippets — a series of soil management insights delivered by a host of Ontario soil researchers, agronomists, and extension specialists. The lineup includes Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs soil management specialists Anne Verhallen and Sebastian… Read More
From frost risks in the west, to nitrogen deficient corn in the east, and insect and weed issues in between, there’s no shortage of agronomic questions to tackle this week on Wheat Pete’s Word. In this edition, host Peter ‘Wheat Pete’ Johnson shares some of what farmers are seeing in their fields this week as… Read More
Ever consider applying manure on corn in-crop using drag hose application? Many growers are scared off by the idea of dragging a hose over growing corn plants, but if your timing is right you can limit population loss, reduce compaction, and increase nutrient use efficiency, yield, and profitability. That’s the message Ontario Ministry of Agriculture,… Read More
Your farm has a nutrient management plan, but does it include your neighbours? A larger-scale plan is a great idea for intense livestock neighbourhoods that struggle to use manure efficiently. It also ensures nutrients stay in the field and out of tiles and waterways, says Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs field crop sustainability… Read More
There’s a concerning trend in Ontario’s soils: organic matter is being depleted. The decrease may seem small — about 0.8% over 12 years — but organic matter is vital to soil’s water holding capacity, nutrient-cycling ability, and compaction resiliency, to name just a few roles. What’s more, replacing lost soil organic matter is a slow,… Read More
Better timing of manure application with in-crop needs was the motivation behind developing a new low disturbance, shallow injection manure application toolbar. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (OMAFRA), along with industry partners, developed the multi-coultered toolbar to try and find a made-in-Canada solution for in-crop manure applications for not just pastures… Read More
Whatever your reason for planting a cover crop — for ground cover, for grazing or putting up feed or for N capture — there’s a long list of options. Add in the choice of a second, third or more species and the combinations are endless. Planting two or more species may provide expanded options for… Read More
The Tillage Radish has piqued the interest of both eastern and western farmers. While cover crops are far more common in the east, western Canadian farmers are warming up to the usefulness of oilseed radish and the Tillage Radish. It’s a versatile crop — the Tillage Radish creates massive roots that can break up hardpan,… Read More
Whether it’s to fix nitrogen, protect against erosion or to do both these and provide grazing or green feed, cover crops are a key component of Ontario crop rotations. While many farmers are content with oats, red clover or ryegrass, the options for cover crops are seemingly endless. Christine Brown, cover crops specialist with OMAFRA,… Read More