In the foreground is the new variety with no manganese — and no crop. In the background is the new variety with manganese — a good crop. On the left is Dwayne Ericksmoen of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and on the right is Guido Myovella of Tanzania Agriculture.

Les Henry: Integrated, three-province, field research program for micronutrients needed

Some mechanism to assemble and publish case studies would be an asset

In Henry’s Handbook we had this to say about micronutrients: “I do not suffer under any illusion that we have discovered all the micronutrient deficiencies that exist in Western Canada. It is best to maintain an open mind when the question of a new deficiency comes up. Micronutrient research is expensive and often not exciting […] Read more

A tax strategy for a retiree who inherits a farm

Farm Financial Planner: Opportunities to make money and save tax

In south-central Manitoba, a man we’ll call Ronnie, 57, lives on a 640-acre farm he inherited from his late parents. He’s never farmed and has no interest in swapping careers from the office work he did before retiring a few years ago. His plan is to sell the farm within three years and build a […] Read more


How to make a sustainable crop protection plan

How to make a sustainable crop protection plan

Q & A with an expert

Q: How do I make a crop protection plan in the off-season? A: Developing a crop protection plan for the upcoming season in the late fall and over the winter can be a challenging process. Many in-season variables, both economic and agronomic, are difficult to account for in the off-season.  However, with a season on […] Read more



Hubris isn’t a good trait in any pursuit, especially investing.

The long road back from an investment loss

Whether you buy at a low or hold from a low, the return is the same from that point

On May 22, 2008, I purchased 300 shares of Bank of America (BAC) for my RRSP at $34.66 per share at an exchange of C$1.00 per US$1.00. As I recall, I sold most of my oil stocks when oil was in the range of $140 to $150 and I was looking for a bargain to […] Read more

Les Henry: Soil moisture map for 2022

Les Henry: Soil moisture map for 2022

The soil reserve we’ve become accustomed to over the past decade is just not there

It is no surprise to readers that this year’s freeze-up soil moisture map required a lot of red ink to print. In the Allan Hills, where my Dundurn farm is located, folks can drive combines with a full tank of grain through sloughs that needed a canoe to cross a few years ago. You do […] Read more


A field of peas in 2016. When planning for your fertilizer needs in 2022, are you thinking about P if planting peas?

P is for peas

Q & A with an expert

Q: Do peas need phosphorus fertilizer? A: We know that when peas are inoculated with the proper rhizobia bacteria, they can fix their own nitrogen, which means no additional nitrogen fertilizer is required. Therefore, when planning your fertilizer needs, the question is do peas need phosphorus (P) fertilizer? The answer is, yes, peas require more […] Read more

Sucker rod attached to used railway tie posts made for a sturdy and economical laneway fence.

Fencing with rail ties and sucker rod

The materials are relatively affordable and won’t deteriorate any time soon

Fencing — that is an exhausting and expensive subject. We have found that the price of rails and posts continues to go up while the quality of materials continues to go down. It makes the subject of trying to maintain or complete a corral fencing project very sensitive. One of our projects that has been […] Read more


fertilizer spreading in the field

How to develop nitrogen fertilizer recommendations

Each field and crop deserves thought and attention

In last December’s Grainews, I discussed interpretation of soil test reports. In this column, I will discuss developing nitrogen (N) recommendations. In the next several columns, I will discuss developing fertilizer recommendations for phosphorus (P), potassium (K), sulphur (S) and other nutrients. Western Canadian farmers spend more money on nitrogen fertilizer than all other nutrients […] Read more