Agronomists in northeast Saskatchewan hope to find ways for local farmers to change rotations from the current two-year norm
The reality of crop rotations in northeast Saskatchewan today is a two-year canola/cereal rotation. The gradual transition to this rotation over the last 10 years has been driven primarily by economics and now weather considerations. “Over the last three years we have seen pea acres decline and they are almost non-existent now as excessive and […] Read moreCrop Rotations in northeast Saskatchewan
Soybean success
Although soybeans have been grown in Manitoba for a number of years now, Saskatchewan farmers are just starting to access varieties that are suitable for their areas. As with all new cropping options, nothing is ever as simple as “do as I do.” There is significant research underway to find and test the best varieties […] Read more
Hemp? Is that even legal?
Hemp is an interesting crop to be involved in,” says Kent Oatway, a farmer on the north-west edge of Winnipeg, Manitoba. “It’s something new and challenging.” Industrial hemp, Cannabis Sativa, is one of the oldest cultivated plants in history. Most people are aware of other uses of this plant as a recreational drug, but hemp is produced […] Read more
When To Re-Seed Hybrid Canola – for Jul. 25, 2011
Farmers can draw on four decades’ worth of research when making decisions about re-seeding open pollinated canola, but there isn’t much information out there when it comes to hybrid canola. “Hybrid canola can grow to be a monstrous plant,” says Sherrilyn Phelps, regional crop specialist with Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture at North Battleford. “They are […] Read more
Keep An Eye Out For The Cereal Leaf Beetle
The cereal leaf beetle is a relatively new insect pest to the Prairies, but farmers are going to start hearing a lot more about it. Although common in Eastern Canada, it was only first discovered near Lethbridge, Alta., in 2005. “Gradually, its abundance has increased until, in 2008, it was discovered in the eastern corner […] Read more
Look Back To Get Ahead Of Fusarium
Fusarium was a prevalent disease on the Prairies last year, showing up in areas where it’s not normally seen, such as west central Saskatchewan, due to the excessive moisture in those areas. “What’s critical now for farmers is to understand what happened on their farms,” says Mike Grenier, agronomist with the Canadian Wheat Board. “They […] Read more
Six Steps For Hiring Immigrant Farm Workers
Hiring temporary foreign workers can be a solution for farms struggling to find good employees, but be prepared to encounter red tape in abundance. Federal and provincial legislation designed to protect temporary foreign workers, their employers and the nation’s border makes for a complex process. For those farmers who have navigated this process, it has […] Read more
When To Re-Seed Hybrid Canola
Farmers can draw on four decades’ worth of research when making decisions about re-seeding open pollinated canola, but there isn’t much information out there when it comes to hybrid canola. “Hybrid canola can grow to be a monstrous plant,” says Sherrilyn Phelps, regional crop specialist with Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture at North Battleford. “They are […] Read more
Three Reasons To Test Seed Lots Now
If ever there was a year you pledge to start or increase the frequency of seed testing, this is it. Seed testing is arguably the most important tasks farmers perform to get the crop off to the best start possible. For a seed test to have the most value, the sample sent to the lab […] Read more
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