Columns & Production Tips

Be ready for canola harvest

Agronomy tips... from the field

By Michael Hutton September 7, 2016

When planning your canola harvest this season, remember that it’s never a bad idea to seed hybrids with a mix of maturity timings. This will allow you to space out your harvest timing as fields are coming ready. From a risk management standpoint, those different-maturity varieties will not be at the same susceptible growth stages […] Read more

Writer Lee Hart with co-operative brown trout, remembers the words “there is a fine line between fishing and standing on the bank looking like an idiot.”

Columns, Hart Attacks

A fish story, involving fish

When you're having fun, catching something is beside the point

By Lee Hart August 19, 2016

Here’s a new idea — go fishing and actually catch something. I know it is different, but I am an outside-the-box kind of thinker. As part of my personal Canada Day celebrations I hired a fly fishing guide with a boat and did a float trip on the Bow River east of Calgary. I had […] Read more

Cattleman’s Corner, Livestock, The Dairy Corner

Dairy Corner: Rain can compromise good quality hay

Feeding and management options to consider

By Peter Vitti August 15, 2016

The other week I was driving in southern Manitoba and saw a group of dairy cattle grazing tall lush pasture. The grass was up to their bellies and I thought: “When was the last time that our pastures looked so good?” The next field had cut hay in wide swaths that looked rained-on and bleached. […] Read more

Man Suffering From Back Pain Whilst Gardening

News, Wheat & Chaff

When back pain becomes a pain in the neck

By Canadian Agricultural Safety Association August 12, 2016

Aches and pains are common afflictions of everyday life. Stiff knees, sore feet and back pain are all too common. Back injuries can be chronic (long term) or short term and can affect everyone at some point in their life. Back pain, especially lower back pain, is a common work-related issue that affects many farmers […] Read more

Wheat & Chaff

Pulse desiccant dos and don’ts

Agronomy tips... from the field

By Carolyn Ruzicka August 5, 2016

The devil’s in the details when it comes time to desiccate your pea, lentils and chickpeas. And with pulses worth more than they’ve ever been, it pays to have as smooth a harvest as possible. Here are a few fundamentals to keep in mind: The first step is to determine the natural maturity of the […] Read more

Columns, Markets

The perfect (market) storm is upon us

Markets are roiling for many different reasons. Will you survive the ultimate storm?

By Brian Wittal July 29, 2016

In the movie The Perfect Storm, three different storm cells came together to create the a storm that George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and the rest of the crew didn’t stand a chance against. I can see something of a version of that happening in the grain markets right now. Storm 1: Weather The uncertainty as […] Read more

Figure 1. A flat spade is used to level off the soil across several drill rows.

Cereals, Columns

How to find the seed in the ground

There is a better way to find your planted seed, and your anhydrous ammonia

By Les Henry July 27, 2016

When zero till seeding began in the 1980-90s, field days to demonstrate new seeders that could accomplish the task were common. Many colours of paint would make a pass down the field and farmers took off like gophers to dig around and find out where the seed was placed. A trusty garden trowel was the […] Read more

Columns, Guarding Wealth

Guarding Wealth: Are bonds the best bet for you?

Four secrets to buying bonds for your portfolio

By Andrew Allentuck July 12, 2016

Stocks flourish on good company news, a bit of inflation to push up prices, moderate growth in corporate earnings, and the optimism of investors looking forward to rising incomes and climbing profits. Bonds, on the other hand, are for pessimists. As economic growth slows, the demand for loans declines. Inflation subsides. In this atmosphere, bonds […] Read more

Columns, Crops

Use your knowledge to your advantage

You know the quality of your grain. Use your knowledge to maximize profits

By Brian Wittal July 7, 2016

Pay attention to what you are seeing and hearing at the elevator and from the neighbours in regards to the grade and quality of grain coming off combines this fall. This will help you understand what’s out there and where your production fits into the big picture. Is your quality and protein above or below […] Read more

Columns, Crops

Learning to make the tough calls

The right time to seed, and what can be done with all of these rocks?

By Toban Dyck July 5, 2016

I’d like to write about wheat. I’d like to write about how in labs across the world, people who know how to do such things are working on manipulating the crop to withstand Roundup. But I won’t. I want you to think about it, though. I’m not anti-GMO. I’m not anti-science. It’s not me, one […] Read more

Daily Network News

Iran says Strait of Hormuz open as Trump sees deal ‘soon’ to end war

Agriculture groups welcome seed, fertilizer approval bill

AAFC projects tighter canola stocks for 2026-27

Columns