With changes in combine technology, simpler regulations and strong prices and demand, there may be a place for hemp on your farm
When it comes to crop rotations hemp is worth considering, especially as prices and demand for hemp seed have strengthened over the past few years. “Hemp is great in the rotation, especially if growers are planting canola and wheat,” says Chris Dzisiak, a hemp grower from the Dauphin area of Manitoba and President of the Parkland Industrial Hemp […] Read moreFew crops as versatile as hemp
Rescuing non-inoculated soybeans
A mistake gave extension specialists a rare opportunity to test the yield effect of post-emergent nitrogen applications on non-inoculated soybeans. In 2011 a virgin soybean field was inadvertently seeded without inoculation. Most of the field was then fertilized following emergence in June with 100 pounds of nitrogen per acre as urea (46-0-0). Some small plots […] Read more
Double up soybean inoculants
If farmers want to achieve maximum yields in soybean crops, especially in areas where soybeans have not traditionally been grown, double inoculation with live nitrogen fixing bacteria, rhizobia, is vital. Even in areas where pulses have been in production for many years, it can take a long time for rhizobia to build up in the […] Read more
BoMill seed sorter adds value to Canadian grain
Imagine being able to upgrade your downgraded wheat. A new technology from Sweden can do just that and it may present opportunities for western Canadian wheat and barley growers to recapture some of the price premiums that they are currently leaving on the table. The BoMill seed sorting system uses a near-infrared (NIR) sensor to […] Read more
Be cautious about seed-placed nitrogen
Seed-placed nitrogen can lower your yields. Learn how to balance potential stand losses with application flexibility
Generally, any rate of seed-placed nitrogen will reduce stands and can potentially impact crop yields, says John Heard, crop nutrition specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives (MAFRI). It’s often a case of balancing stand loss with flexibility of nitrogen application. “Previous studies with cereals indicated stand losses of 15 per cent can be accommodated without affecting […] Read more
Workshop geared for planning for profit
Production often overshadows economics when it comes to planning for the year ahead, but careful financial projections make a big difference to the bottom line and are well worth the investment in time. This is the message that Leonard Piggot will deliver to Manitoba producers at a financial planning workshop Feb. 21 and 22, 2013 […] Read more
Reading soil test results
Get the most out of your soil test results by looking at the details on the results page and following these six tips
Farmers primarily use soil tests to figure out how much fertilizer they need to apply each season. But more value can be gained from those test results. The first thing most farmers look at is the balance of nutrients. The soil test outlines which nutrients are deficient in the soil and which ones are sufficient. […] Read moreZero till is not always the answer
There are many benefits to conservation tillage, but in Manitoba, it may not be the best way to retain moisture and nutrients
Conservation agricultural practices have come to be widely accepted as a good way to prevent erosion, improve soil health and reduce nutrient loading while maintaining moisture on the landscape. Conservation tillage, for example, has many benefits including reducing erosion — especially during rainfall events — reducing nitrogen losses to water, increasing water retention from rainfall, […] Read moreDrainage designed for snowmelt
Many of our water management practices are designed to move water downstream as quickly as possible. It may be more effective to keep water in place, for use when it’s needed
The reality of living on the Canadian Prairies is that you are likely going to have too much water when you don’t need it and not enough when you do. That’s largely because 80 to 90 per cent of surface water received on the Prairies comes from snowmelt. Managing that water effectively is the main […] Read moreBest water management practices in Manitoba
When most of the water in Manitoba’s ecosystem comes from snowmelt, typical best water management practices may not be the most beneficial
Some scientists are suggesting that some established water quality best management practices may have to be re-evaluated for their effectiveness under Manitoba conditions. Many of the best management practices have been promoted across the Prairies over the last couple of decades were originally developed for ecosystems relying primarily on rainfall to replenish their annual water […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
