For this farm profile, Braden Hursh spoke with Alberta producer Emery Klein.

Q: Where do you farm?

I’m in Red Deer County, near Delburne, Alta.

Soil type?

Sandy loam.

How much land do you farm?

I farm just shy of 1,000 acres.

Who do you farm with? Family makeup?

I have one year-round full-time employee and my boys, Eythan is 25 and works on the pipeline and Evan is 19 and is working on his crane apprenticeship; they come back to help out when they can.

What was your career path?

I’ve been farming my whole life. My lifelong goal since high school was to become a farmer. When I was younger, though, the farm wasn’t big enough to support both my dad and I so I went to Olds College and got my agricultural mechanics diploma and then my agricultural mechanics journeyman, and then my heavy duty Red Seal journeyman. Now I’m a Red Seal millwright.

After high school I entered the ag field because I knew I could do it. I worked at some local dealerships that allowed me to take some time off during spring and fall to help back at the farm. After that I went into gas compression and that opened up even more time to help at the farm and I worked at a local sour gas plant until it shut down in 2019.

From there I took a position as an instructor at Red Deer College as a millwright instructor until COVID-19 sent everyone home. I was sitting in my home office, looking out at my farm and I thought to myself, “What are you doing?” It was then I decided to come home full-time and it was the best thing that ever happened to me.

I started working extremely hard. We have recently added a butcher shop and a large solar panel array. We’ve been going like hell and loving life.

What are your main crops?

I have wheat, barley and canola on a rotation. We go barley then to canola then to wheat on a three-year rotation.

Do you use any strategies to increase your crop success — micronutrients, variable rate fertilizer, field mapping et cetera? Do you have an agronomist you chat with regularly?

I have been doing variable-rate, sectional control since 2011 with full mapping. I’ve seen some success with it as the staging of the crop was more consistent and we didn’t have any lodging, which increased the ease of harvest. This year, with a huge spread between anhydrous and dry, I lost my variable rate and sectional control and went to a dry-blend fertilizer to save money. I also use the services of an agronomist.

What has been the best crop for you historically?

Every year it changes. It depends on so many factors, like weather and hail. You never know what you are going to get. Sometimes you catch a good spike in the marketing and it will make certain crops shine. It varies year to year based on all the factors that are completely out of our control.

What do you seed and harvest with?

My drill isn’t big, it’s a 30-foot New Holland/Flexi-Coil. It’s a two-part tank for dry and I haul the gas behind it. I just had a birthday, so for harvesting I gifted myself a 7240 Case combine with a 35-foot rigid header.

Are you strictly a grain farm or do you do other things as well?

Poultry: We do outside-finished chickens and turkeys through the central Alberta open-air farmers’ markets in the summertime. So we bring the chicks in as day-olds, then finish them outside. I take them to a government inspected abattoir for processing. Some of the packaging is done there and some of it is brought back to our government-inspected facility where we do some cutting, deboning, sausage-making, and packaging. We have whole chickens, half chickens, bird-in-a-bag, spatchcocks, thighs, drums, wings and six different flavours of hand-deboned, raw artisanal sausage.

With the turkeys we mainly do fresh, whole and half turkeys for seasons like Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Orchard: We also have a 20-acre orchard. My mother started our orchard back in the late ’90s when she put 14,000 blackcurrants in. I added 8,000 saskatoons and 800 rhubarb over the past few years. All the berries are combined using a modified blueberry combine. The berries and rhubarb are processed and frozen in commercial-style big boxes ranging from 20 pounds and up. When I took over the orchard I said I would not put anything in that we couldn’t mechanically harvest, but I broke that promise with putting in the rhubarb, which has actually worked out well for us.

Event space and photography: We have also opened up the farm to some local photographers that rent out the orchard and field areas as backdrops for their photo shoots.

What advice do you have for the next generation of farmers?

Think outside the box. There was no way when I came home to farm that I would end up being a large commercial grain farmer. We did not have the acres and competition in the area over acres was high. We were not established enough to take that risk. I did not set out to become a chicken farmer, it just naturally grew and I allowed it to. I kept track of my costs and profits and it naturally grew and became a worthwhile pursuit. We took what was available to us, improved it consistently and got better and better at it.

Also, don’t overextend yourself. Growing quickly and diversifying rapidly is a recipe to burn yourself out. Do your research, take your time, to make sure you will be successful.

What piece of equipment can you not live without?

I could get rid of all my equipment and still be happy. My mind is my best tool. Your body and your mind are the most important things. I get that guys love their tractor, or skid steer, or big, sexy combine, but if you don’t care about your mind or body it doesn’t matter how much expensive equipment you have lying around the yard.

What’s a good decision you made on the farm?

My decision to not go back and work at the college was the best decision I’ve made. I call it “retiring back to the farm.” It took me 30 years of blood, sweat and tears to figure it out but I’m absolutely enjoying it now.

What is a decision you wish you could take back?

Having casual conversations with neighbours and losing out on expansion opportunities. I’ve turned down land rentals and it bit me in the ass. You need to take opportunities when they are offered or you’ll miss out.

On your website you talk about being a steward of the land and also sustainable farming practices. Can you explain what that means to you?

I’m a generational farmer. If I don’t take care of it, how will I pass it on to the next generation? Who is more in tune with Mother Nature than farmers? We live, succeed and fail by Mother Nature. As farmers, we forget how in tune with nature we are, whether that be weather or crop rotations or agronomy.

What changes do you see in your area in the next five to 10 years?

We can’t predict the future. The world is moving faster and faster every year and I don’t know where it’s going at this point. I don’t try to predict the future, I try to react and pivot based on what I know. Every time you try to out-predict the markets or someone else, it goes the other way. Gather the information available to you, work with what you have that day, and make the best decision you can at that time.

What do you do for fun?

Farming is fun for me.

With turning 50 this year, though, I’ve challenged myself to do a few things. I decided to expand and improve my health. I committed to 50 days sober and 50 days on the ski hill. I gave up the craft beer that I love for 50 days, dropped a bit of weight and now I go to spin class in my local town twice a week. We go at six in the morning for spin to build the endurance and leg strength for when I hit the slopes this winter. I average around 25 days in the mountains every winter, this year I’m planning for 50 days.

You can find out more about Emery Klein’s operation on the Klein Farms website.

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For this farm profile, Braden Hursh spoke with Manitoba grain farmer Robert Misko and his daughter Courtney.

Where is your farm operation located?

A: We are located between Roblin and Grandview in the Parkland Region of Manitoba.

How long has your family been farming in the area?

A: Mom and Dad moved to the farm from Brandon, Man., in 1976 and the family has farmed the area ever since.

How much land do you farm?

A: We seed 6,500 acres and then we do another 2,500 acres of seeding and custom work for our neighbour.

What is the soil type found on the majority of your land?

A: We are in a black soil zone, so mostly a clay loam.

Who is involved in the farm operation?

A: We are about as “family farm” as you can get. There’s myself (Robert) and my wife, Leifa. My parents still live on the farm, but they are basically retired now. Three of my kids are actively involved in our day-to-day operation: Courtney (31), Robbie (26) and Brittany (33). We also have a part-time hired hand to help with seeding, harvest and driving truck.

Leifa and Brittany basically do all of the seeding, while Robbie and I do whatever else needs doing like spraying and hauling seed and fertilizer. Courtney is an agrologist and does rolling, hauling grain and whatever else needs to be done.

Education and skills are essential in running a farming operation. Do any of the people involved in your operation have additional training or knowledge?

A: Courtney received a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in agronomy from the University of Saskatchewan and is an agrologist. Brittany is a CPA (chartered professional accountant) and handles our finances. There is also another Misko daughter who is a medical doctor and not involved in the farming operation.

For Courtney, how has being an agrologist changed your perspective of working on the family farm?

A: I now have a better understanding of chemicals, how crops grow and what different diseases look like and how we can help things to get better.

What are the main crops grown at your farm?

A: Our major inputs are spring wheat, canola and peas.

What has been your best crop historically?

A: It’s really a toss-up. Lately peas have been pretty good, but for straight dollars to acres, canola is probably our No. 1 in regard to potential. Each of our three crops have been pretty close over the long term.

How do you plan your crop rotation?

A: We try to keep our peas on a four-year rotation and then our wheat and canola will be a two-year or a three-year (rotation) depending on the situation. But we have everything planned out for the next five years just to ensure everything is how we want it to be.

What are some techniques and strategies you use on the farm?

A: We have been minimum till for a long time now. We had tried zero till but found that our land was just a bit too heavy for that and ran into too many issues. Our land is typically too wet, not too dry, so springs could become challenging. We knife in anhydrous ammonia in the fall, which gives us just enough soil disturbance, a little black on top, to help the ground warm up and dry in the spring. We seed with a 3720 Bourgault drill and we really aim for a bare minimum of disturbance and have been doing it this way for 12-14 years.

We have been doing soil tests on each of our fields for years and we do all of our fertilizing in the fall, so we know exactly what we need to put down for every single acre we farm. We also do a lot of pre-emergence chemicals, and we are committed to it.

What are some strategies you have tried but weren’t happy with?

A: We have tried variable rate and prescription fertilizers, but we haven’t really seen additional value from it. There’s a lot of hype around it and a lot of people who will charge you a lot of money for it, but it hasn’t been a sustainable practice for us.

Mother Nature has more to do with it than we do. Look at this year, we could have done variable rate for every single field but if it doesn’t rain then it won’t make any difference anyway.

What do you seed and harvest with?

A: We run two Bourgault 3720 drills and for combines we have two 8.90 New Hollands. Our neighbour also has a similar combine to ours and we often team up during harvest.

What is a key trait of your farming operation?

A: I have always been a firm believer in knowing the market on an ongoing basis. I know my total cost of production, and I know what I need to be doing to make money on each piece of land. I also believe that you have to sell grain when you are above breaking even. Through effective financial management and keeping an eye on prices on an ongoing basis, we have been able to do very well.

What is your best recent purchase?

A: We bought a grain dryer a few years ago and it has allowed us to get onto a field and combine sooner — we do not have to wait for the grain to be completely dry. This allows us to move the grain soon after combining and gives us peace of mind storing grain during a wet fall, as we can always ensure it is dry for the winter.

Also, Macdon Flex Headers. We have very rolling land, with a few hills, and these headers follow the terrain easily. Broken sickles and guards replacements have been reduced since using them.

What are the strengths of your farming operation?

A: I never went to post-secondary school after high school. After grade 12, I started farming with my dad. My kids have all gone to school and gained valuable skills. It has been all about ongoing succession planning throughout the years, about how to keep the operation running strong.

I don’t like paying someone to do something for my farm. If someone on our farm doesn’t know how to do something, we learn how to do it. There are too many consultants, specialists and market analysts who are only beneficial until the weather changes. We are self-reliant on our farm and that has made us stronger and better at all the different aspects of farming. We have our own construction equipment, good farm equipment, our own agrologist, our own accountant and our own operators. We take pride in our ability to help ourselves.

What advice would you give to other farmers?

A: Know your cost of production. If you don’t know when you are making money and you are debating when to sell, you can’t make an informed decision. I’m a pessimist, so I know that when the prices are right and I am able to make money on my grain, I sell. To make your farm profitable, you need to know your cost of production and make decisions based around that. If you are selling at a profit, then you’ll never go broke.

We think another good piece of advice for young farmers is to get involved within their communities, whether it is a local agricultural board, municipal government or a provincial agricultural group. Their voices are essential in helping their communities and the overall agricultural sector grow. Over the years, Leifa and I have made time to become involved and now the kids are continuing that trend.

What do you do for fun?

A: We travel in the winter. We typically go down to the Caribbean, Dominican Republic or Mexico. We don’t have a lot of time to travel in the summer with how busy we are on the farm. My son, Robbie, really loves scuba diving so we like to go to warm places. We are homebodies in the farm season, but we love to get away in the winter. This winter we are off to the Mayan Riviera.

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In North America, swede midge was first noticed in Ontario and the eastern United States. It has affected canola production in Eastern Canada, in some cases leading to failed crops.

Swede midge (Contarinia nasturtii) is also a pest in vegetables because it attacks the growing points, preventing formation of heads in broccoli and cauliflower.

As an invasive species, swede midge could be a scary prospect for Saskatchewan farmers because of that province’s extensive canola acres. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency issued reports in 2007-08 of swede midge in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, which led to research in the Melfort and Tisdale areas of Saskatchewan.

However, when Meghan Vankosky, a field crop entomologist, and her colleagues from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada conducted field research, they found an entirely different species of midge.

At last December’s Saskatchewan Agronomy Update conference, Vankosky said swede midge has been monitored in the Prairie provinces since 2006 through volunteer-based programs.

“Throughout all of those years we have not found any swede midge, but we do have something called canola flower midge, which is a newly identified species.”

First identified in 2016, Vankosky’s team conducted surveys across the Prairies and found evidence of canola flower midge in the south-central regions of all three provinces, although density was low.

Since 2017, three research programs have focused solely on canola flower midge, funded by the Canola Agronomic Research Program in Western Canada. The studies have focused on monitoring canola flower midge, its life cycle and impact research and development of a pheromone-based monitoring tool.

According to the Canola Council of Canada (CCC), canola flower midge and swede midge look very similar in appearance as they are from the same genus, Contarinia. Since the larvae and adult forms of both midge species are very small, it is recommended farmers look for the damage canola flower midge larvae cause to unopened canola flowers by feeding within them. The unopened canola flowers grow to form bottle-shaped galls rather than develop normally.

The potential threat to crops from canola flower midge (C. brassicola) is perhaps the biggest question in the minds of canola producers. Vankosky said damage risk to crops from canola flower midge is a challenge to estimate. So far, damage has been low, and, in most fields, yield loss is likely negligible, so the insect is not considered a domestic concern.

However, it is worth noting that some fields in the Melfort and Tisdale areas and some areas of Alberta, outliers in the research, have experienced extreme losses.

CANOLA FLOWER MIDGE LIFE CYCLE

An emergence cage study of canola flower midge showed eggs and larvae can be found from June 21 to Aug. 17, likely with multiple generations per growing season or prolonged emergence, with adults, eggs and larvae present simultaneously from June to September.

Midge eggs are laid in flower clusters where they hatch and develop into larvae in the enclosed flowers. Larvae feed in the unopened flowers, creating a gall and preventing pod formation. Mature larvae later drop to the soil to pupate. It’s possible that pupae can persist in the soil for more than one winter.

Flowers will stay on the plant for a long time but will dry out as the season progresses.

Midges have also been found in developing canola pods previously damaged by other insects.

“In the last two years, there were even reports of midge being found in developing canola pods, which was a surprise to us,” said Vankosky. “What we think is happening here is the canola flower midge is a secondary infestation, entering damaged areas from a different pest.”

Although canola flower midge has yet to be considered a significant pest, research led to the creation of a pheromone trap that can get accurate counts. Vankosky and her team want to optimize the trap for accuracy.

Vankosky said original research on swede midge showed negligible damage but now its threat to canola crops is great. Could this be the case with canola flower midge?

“We have seen this with a number of invasive species, so it is a possibility. But we think that canola flower midge may not be invasive and is actually native to Western Canada and it has just jumped to a non-native target in canola. There is not enough information to support this at this time, but it is our working idea.”

Canola flower midge is widespread across the Prairies and has low and variable parasitism rates.

CCC TIPS FOR BEST MANAGEMENT

The Canola Council of Canada offers the following scouting and management tips. More information can be found online in CCC’s Canola Encyclopedia under the topic of canola flower midge.

• Scout for this newly discovered insect in canola fields from early bud stage through harvest.
• Look for bottle-shaped galls formed from unopened flowers, as well as unusual plant structures, plant discolouration and distorted growing points. Carefully examine inside the galls or malformed pods for larvae.
• The flying adult midges don’t cause any direct damage, but they lay their eggs in developing canola flower buds so that the hatching larvae can feed on developing flowers.
• No economic threshold exists yet for this insect, but based on the limited available data, it isn’t currently believed to cause economic damage.

The post Canola flower midge damage less severe than swede midge appeared first on Grainews.

These macronutrients, which include elements such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulphur, are essential but only one part of a well-balanced field.

There is a second category of nutrients called micronutrients that are also extremely important for plant growth and success.

According to Jeff Schoenau, a professor of soil science and soil nutrient management chair at the University of Saskatchewan, “Deficiencies of micronutrients will negatively impact our crops just the same as macronutrient deficiencies will. So, we need to be thinking about all nutrients, both micro and macro, when we talk about fertility and plant nutrition.”

Schoenau’s research on micronutrient deficiencies in western Canadian soils has largely focused on the availability of copper, zinc, boron, manganese, iron and chlorine to plants in various soil types.

Micronutrients play key roles in metabolic processes and the physiology of plants. In some cases, such as with copper and chlorine, they can also aid in disease resistance.

Nutrient interactions

Working with both macronutrients and micronutrients is all about finding the correct balance as different nutrients can interact with each other in positive or negative ways. The positive functions of available micronutrients are vast and diverse, but deficiencies can adversely affect a producer’s crops.

Knowing what you are applying and why you are applying it is vital as nutrients can have a wide range of interactions.

Schoenau states one example of a negative micronutrient and macronutrient interaction involves applying a large amount of phosphorus to a field with soils that are marginal or deficient of zinc.

“A large application of phosphorus can induce a rather severe zinc deficiency as the phosphorus can interfere with zinc uptake and mobility in the plant. If your soil test is showing marginal or low zinc and you intend to apply a large amount of phosphorus, then you will need to add some zinc to account for this interaction.

“We need to think about these interactions and make sure we have everything in balance to achieve our best possible outcomes.”

Symptoms easily confused

Micronutrient deficiencies can sometimes be identified through the various symptoms they produce in the plant. For example, copper deficiency often causes a twisting and curling of the leaf tip called pig-tailing (see photo at top), which is especially evident in cereals. Later on, sometimes it is also associated with browning, or melanosis, of the heads and poor grain fill.

Zinc deficiency will often produce a yellowing, or chlorosis, in between veins of the leaves and smaller leaf size.

Other micronutrients have different deficiency symptoms. But physical symptoms do not always tell the whole story.

It is essential to rule out other possible causes of these symptoms, as sometimes the nutrient deficiency can produce similar symptoms as other sources of plant stress.

For example, the wilting appearance in plants that may show up as a result of copper deficiency is easily confused with drought stress.

“Visual symptoms can be a good first clue, but it is important to be aware that there are a lot of other things out there that can produce similar symptoms, so it is essential to confirm your suspicions with a tissue test or a soil test, and ideally running a test strip through the field to verify that there is potential for response to the micronutrient under the conditions on your own farm,” says Schoenau.

Collect evidence

Producers are encouraged to use multiple signs of evidence to establish whether a deficiency exists.

There are several diagnostic tools for measuring deficiencies that may be used in combination. For example, soil tests can be done to look at the available portion of soil micronutrients from specific areas of the field.

“Soil tests are a great tool, but they aren’t always conclusive, as is the case with a lot of tests. For that reason, a tissue test can be a useful tool to use alongside the soil test for micronutrients.

“Finally, a test strip running through a field gives opportunity to see what is going on throughout a larger section of the landscape in regard to the supply of available nutrients and response to fertilization. This increases the reliability of predicting whether or not a positive response to a micronutrient application will be obtained,” says Schoenau.

Micronutrient deficiencies can be directly related to topographical features.

“It will always depend on the micronutrient element and soil and environmental conditions. Position in the landscape can be a strong controlling factor. For example, the knolls are often of a sandier texture and higher pH with free lime that fixes micronutrient metals into less soluble forms, so they would be the first place to look for a deficiency of copper or zinc in a field.

“On the other hand, with chloride, which is highly mobile in the soil with water, we may find the most deficient parts of the fields are the low spots where chloride may be leached below the root zone in spring as a result of the accumulation of snowmelt runoff.”

Soil, topography and water

It really depends on the micronutrient in question, but soil properties, topographic position and water all play a role.

Micronutrient-deficient areas can be areas of different parent material like a sand or gravel lens, or different elevation and surface curvature like knolls, and the extent can vary greatly.

Remote-sensing tools such as satellite and drone imagery along with combine yield maps can be useful indicators of areas that could use some further diagnostics.

Schoenau explains we need to take a precision approach and identify areas where limitations may exist and then make an informed decision about application of any micronutrients recommended for specific areas.

Micronutrient application

Once the diagnostics have been completed, micronutrients can be applied in a variety of ways.

Some micronutrients can be applied at the time of seeding as part of a fertilizer blend. They can be placed inside or outside of the seed row, but producers must be aware of possible toxicity if there is too much placed close to the seed. Application rates that are too high can cause toxicity from some micronutrient elements like boron and copper.

Some micronutrients can be broadcast or incorporated prior to seeding, which is often done in the fall. A foliar application can also be effective to rectify a micronutrient deficiency in the year it is noticed.

With each of these applications it is important to consult with a professional to ensure that rate, timing and possible toxicities are accounted for.

Schoenau says to understand what is going on in his or her fields is essential to a producer’s success.

“I think the return on any type of analytical assessment regarding the ability of the soil to supply nutrients, whether that is a soil test or a tissue test, is a great investment as opposed to just guessing.

“Applying nutrients to a field based on guesses and feeling is not an effective tactic. You want to have the knowledge and understanding of what fields and areas of the field specifically need. If there is a problem area of a field and it isn’t yielding up to snuff, then it is worth your while to take a soil sample from the problem area and the non-problem area for comparison as a kind of forensic assessment.”

Producers try to get the most out of areas of their farms that are historically successful, using approaches like variable-rate fertilizer application to ensure the successful areas continue to be successful.

However, there is an argument to be made about knowing why other parts of your land have been historically less successful.

The more you know about your land and the more informed you are about steps you can take to make difficult sections less of a problem, the better set up you will be to be successful.

“Fertility limitations may be overcome through fertilizers and other amendments containing certain macronutrients and micronutrients, but it may be something totally different such as a dense soil layer or salinity, but if you don’t know what the problem is, you can’t address it.

“There is a fine suite of tools available to farmers now to investigate, document and address a lot of problems,” says Schoenau.

The post Balance micronutrients and macronutrients in your fields for best possible outcomes appeared first on Grainews.

For this farm profile, Braden Hursh spoke with Saskatchewan grain farmer Chad Andrews.

Q: Where do you farm?
A: I am located in Hazlet, Sask. It is a village in the southwest corner of the province.

How much land do you farm?

A: We operate on about 4,300 seeded acres.

Q: How long have you been farming?
A: I took over the farm in 2008, but I was operating equipment when I was 12 years old. I just enjoy it. There’s nothing like it.

Q: Who is involved in your farming operation?

A: It is a family farm, so there is my wife, Britny, and I, along with my best friend, who works far too hard. My friend and I have a great partnership, and it has allowed us to grow as an operation and ensure that he has some land to his name as well. Six quarters of land recently came up for sale and I was able to buy four and he was able to buy two.

I also have three daughters, Lila (9), Kate (6) and Ruby (4). We are always busy.

Q: What kind of secondary education do you have?

A: I took two years of drama at the University of Saskatchewan, which was a lot of fun, and I met some wonderful people and expanded my view of the world. Then I went on to SIAST (Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology) and I took automotive mechanics.

Q: What are the main crops you grow?

A: Durum, wheat, Oriental mustard, red lentils and barley. But we only grow barley because the agrologist tells me to. The Oriental mustard is definitely unique for our region. We chose to grow it because a neighbour offered me some seed years back and it just became something we got used to growing.

Q: What has been your best crop historically?
A: Durum wheat. We had an 80-bushel durum crop in 2013. Everything just lined up perfectly that year. In 2020, I had several 60-bushel durum crops where we were filling a bin with every quarter. But then in 2021 it took 10 fields to fill a bin.

Q: What is your crop rotation?
A: We are on a four-year rotation plan. We go wheat, lentil, barley and, finally, mustard. Barley is supposed to clean up a field, but that hasn’t always been the case for us.

Q: What kind of soil type do you farm in?
A: The majority of the soil we farm is Fox Valley silty loam clay. It is a Brown soil. The next town over, Cabri, is a real heavy gumbo. I recently bought some land that is extremely silty and we have other land that is very sandy. It is amazing how much it can vary in such a small region.

Q: What kinds of things do you need to adjust or do differently based on soil types?
A: We definitely need to grow crops that produce a standing fibre and leave some straw behind. We try to get some organic matter to stay standing and build up on top, which helps hold the soil down.

Barley is one of the best for this, even though it is a pain to grow … too itchy and you don’t make a lot of money. But if you have an agronomist in your repertoire, they will tell you to grow barley because it is so good for our land type. It’s so good for the soil, and since soil makes us money, we better treat it right. Our ancestors mined the hell out of this land and now we are trying to make it better for the next generation of farmers.

Q: Do you have an agronomist on retainer for your farm?
A: We do. As a farmer, you are supposed to know everything but that simply isn’t the case. I don’t know everything, and I know it. So, I spent some money on a guy that knows a lot about minerals and soil testing, and it has made a huge difference for us. He lets us be more efficient on the farm and, in my opinion, efficiency is key to being a successful farmer.

Q: What do you do differently on your farm?
A: Well, elemental sulphur is one, boron is another. I put both on every square inch of the farm now and it’s good for about four to five years, as the plants use it up before it needs to be reapplied.

My agronomist also said that my nitrogen, phosphorus and potash levels need to be at a certain point in parts per million before I can start trying my luck with some micros like copper, zinc and a couple of others. I’ve been seeing some studies and I think it is definitely something that producers should look into for their own fields.

We also do variable rate nitrogen application, which has been an amazing change for me. My agronomist will do about 160 samples per quarter and with satellite imagery over the past five years he will create a map that gets fed into my system and it meters out the nitrogen based on what the soil needs.

It creates four zones and as my tractor rolls along, different amounts of nitrogen will be running through the air drill. In the low spots, where the crops grow the best, the system just pours on the nitrogen because that’s where we will have the most success.

Q: What is your seeding outfit?
A: I have John Deere equipment because my father and his father before that had John Deere. We know the parts people and we like them. A lot of my equipment is older and paid for. I’m able to fix a lot of things myself, so it is nice to know the pieces I’m working on. New equipment would be great, but it’s just too expensive.

I run a 2004 John Deere 9620 tractor with a 12.5-litre (engine) and 500 horsepower. This tractor just barks when it runs, and it reminds me of my hot rod. I love the sound of a good engine. I use a hoe drill right now. I’m hoping to move to a ParaLink soon.

Q: What do you harvest with?
A: We run one combine. In southwest Saskatchewan it is a lot drier, and we have longer working hours, so we can get away with a single combine for our acres. I have a John Deere combine. I had been trading up every five years or so, but then prices became ridiculous. I finally decided to buy out my lease and keep it running.

We try to keep our combine running as much as we can, and sometimes we really push to stay ahead of the weather. You know your hours are getting silly when you go to check the oil in the morning and the engine block is still warm from the last guy.

I’ll ask my friend, “How late did you go?”

“Late enough,” he replies.

Q: What advice would you give to other farmers?
A: Don’t be silly. Slow down. Take breaks. Don’t put yourself at risk. For me, if you break down or get stuck, just stop and take a breath.

My big motto on the farm that I’ve been trying to instill in my kids is: “If you’re going to get stuck, just stop. If you drive into a slough and you can’t back out, just stop or else you’ll make it worse.” No need to bury yourself past the axles and risk breaking something when you can just ask for help. Spend the time and save the headache.

The next thing I would say is too many farmers are far too secretive. Whether it’s yield or land purchases or even good advice, too many farmers don’t want to share their knowledge.

I always tell people my yield and what I’m using if they want to know. Maybe it’s because they don’t want others to know what their income is, but we aren’t all good at every aspect of farming, so we need to share to help improve each other. We all win that way. You having a better yield than me doesn’t affect my bottom line.

Q: What do you do for fun?
A: Well, going back to my background as a mechanic, I always loved working on cars, but I didn’t love working at a dealership or in a shop. So now I fix and modify cars in the winter. I have a drag racing car that I’ve been working on for a while, and it is so much fun. I have a 1979 Oldsmobile Cutlass that used to be my mom’s. I threw a new motor and a turbo into the car and now I have it doing nine seconds on the quarter mile — zero to sixty in two seconds.

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Current grain bags are not reusable year after year and need to be dealt with once they are empty. In the past, these bags were very difficult to dispose of as many landfills did not accept them due to their size. Despite being illegal and having many health and environmental risks, a lot of farmers would resort to burning or burying the plastic bags once they were emptied.

Saskatchewan, the largest user of grain bags in Canada, now has a program called Cleanfarms, a not-for-profit grain bag recycling organization that is federally regulated. Barry Friesen, general manager of Cleanfarms, says that “There are currently 25 rural municipalities (RMs) that offer grain bag drop off services, and we are looking to expand that to 35 sites.”

One of the main goals of the program is for drop-off points to be accessible to all farmers in the province. Friesen says that once the program is in full swing, “No farmer should have to drive more than 50 to 75 km to drop their grain bags off.” Cleanfarms has set its goal at recovering 75 per cent of all grain bags used in the province.

In Saskatchewan there will be no fee to have grain bags recycled at the drop-off point. But as of November 1, 2018, 25 cents per kilogram will be charged on all grain bags purchased in Saskatchewan to cover the recycling and processing fee. This would work out to roughly $40 added onto the price of a 250-foot bag.

Manitoba has been running a pilot program since 2013 with the intention of having a full agricultural plastics recycling program in place by 2020. The Manitoba program will be able to accept bale and silage wraps, twine and grain bags.

There are no federal programs currently in place in Alberta, but organizations such as The Alberta Plastics Recycling Association help to facilitate recycling opportunities between people or organizations with potential recyclers. Tammy Schwass, executive director of Alberta Plastics Recycling Association, says that, “There are currently 15 stakeholders across the province representing crops, livestock, dairy, municipalities, processors, and non-profits. There are also six municipalities that have recycling programs of their own.”

The government is currently participating with the working group in Alberta but have not yet committed to a program.

Recycling grain bags

Before processing, the grain bags must be cleaned and rolled. Excess grain is asked to be removed, as well as any major dirt or grime. Recyclers realize that no bag will be perfectly clean, but if the bag is cleaner there will be less processing and it will yield a higher quality of recycled plastic.

Although some of the newer grain bags have their own rolling mechanism, there are a variety of other options. Many drop-off locations will offer onsite rolling or they will have a roller that can be taken directly to farms. There are also grain bag rollers that are available to purchase that can be mounted and transported to wherever the empty grain bags are located.

Grain bags are processed and turned into small pellets which can be converted into new plastic products. Many of the agricultural plastics are shipped overseas to be processed as there are very few recycling plants in Canada, but as the use of grain bags continues to expand, there are many that hope there can be more processing facilities in Canada.

Braden Hursh is a freelance writer based in Saskatoon, Sask.

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In the past, new technologies presented to farmers were extremely complex and promised to change the way we farm forever. Unfortunately, a lot of these gadgets proved too difficult to use on a day-to-day basis and did not follow through on the promises they made. Ashwin Madgavkar, CEO of Ceres Imaging said, “There are so many agricultural technology products that overpromise and underdeliver. They also had very little understanding of growers’ unique needs. As a result, many farmers have been left with a bad taste in their mouths.”

Information You Can Use

Ceres Imaging is an aerial spectral imaging company. They use low flying airplanes equipped with specialized imaging technology to detect irrigation, pest, fertility, and disease issues weeks before the problems would be noticeable by the naked eye. The technology can be used for any crop and the real-time delivery of the information can be instantly given to the farmer.

Madgavkar says, “We have refined algorithms, together with artificial intelligence and analytics, to show important trends during critical points of the growing season. Multi-year trends allow farmers to adapt and optimize their organization in the face of increased market pressures.” But farmers do not need to worry about the advanced mathematics as all of the date is transferred to an easy-to-use and understand application for phone, tablet or computer.

Data collection is critical to making informed and accurate choices on the farm. Farmers who have utilized Ceres Imaging have seen a consistent four to six times return on their input investment.

A Network of Ducks

A large hurdle for introducing new technologies to the farm has been the limitation of Wi-Fi and internet strength out in the fields. How can data collection and measurements be done out in the field if there is no internet strength? The answer: Ducks. No, not that kind of duck.

Will Topping, an electrical engineer, founded Brand x Technologies in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Brand x Technologies prides itself on creating simple solutions to complex problems.

Topping uses metaphors to describe what his Ducks, do for a farmer, “Think of something as simple as measuring the moisture and temperature in a grain bin. We install a Duck, which is a small sensor, and program it to complete a simple action and report it. Wake up, measure, quack, go to bed, and repeat.” The data is collected and is transferred to a simple app that a farmer can access at any time.

Instead of Wi-Fi or radio frequency, the Ducks work off of Long Range Low Power frequency (LoRa). LoRa gateways allow for very low data messages to be sent an extremely long distance. Essentially, they facilitate a smaller amount of data than a text message.

LoRa gateways were developed in 2008 and thousands are currently used in many major cities, but is only just beginning to make its way to Western Canada. Topping says there are only two gateways in Saskatchewan, one owned by himself and one owned by a hops farmer in northern Saskatchewan who uses them to measure the humidity of his crops.

Topping expects that LoRa gateways will be quickly popping up across Saskatchewan, so his Ducks will be quacking across Western Canada very soon.

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This is the story of Tyson and Kristin Swan, their two-year-old son Jack and the twins that are on the way.

Where do you farm?

Tyson Swan farms with his father, Jim, southeast of Kindersley. Their farms are two miles apart and located roughly between Kindersley and Eston, Saskatchewan.

What crops do you grow?

Tyson says, “We grow durum, canola, red lentils, canary seed and peas.” Tyson and Jim have their own separate land but farm together. “All of our land combined, we farm just over 8,900 acres.”

How long have you been farming?

Tyson took the pre-employment ag mechanics course at Saskatchewan Polytechnic at age 18. When he completed the year-long program he worked with Jim for an hourly wage.

Tyson says, “I was also working for an older neighbour cleaning bins and barns and doing grunt work. After two years the neighbour had bad luck and a combine fire and decided to pull the plug on farming. He walked into our yard and said, ‘My wife tells me that I’m done farming. Do you want to farm my land?’ My dad and I decided we could do it and that was my first land.”

This year will be Tyson’s sixth crop, but has been farming with his dad for probably 12 to 14 years. He also spent time in Australia doing custom combining in 2011 which gave him a better idea of how farming is done worldwide.

What’s your favourite farming season?

There’s a difference of opinion on the Swan farm when it comes to favourite seasons. Tyson says, “For me, it would have to be seeding. I know my dad likes harvest because you get to see all your hard work pay off. But I like seeding because it sets the stage for the entire year. Growing up running the air seeder I really fell in love with the smell of the broken ground in the mornings and in the evenings. It’s a hopeful time of year.”

What’s the farm implement you can’t live without?

A real workhorse on the Swan farm is their sprayer. Tyson says that the technology in the sprayer has gone so far and that they are getting some of the cleanest crops they have ever had.

He says, “We can manage exactly what we want to get on per application. It’s all about timing to be successful with spraying, but it’s our sprayer that puts it on in the right amounts. This past year our sprayer made us a lot of money.”

You could have done anything. Why did you decide to farm?

For Tyson, there is no question that he was destined to be a farmer.

“I always wanted to be a farmer. There isn’t anything I would rather do. I knew as a kid that I would farm. I need to work with my hands and farming has always been such an interesting combination of different skills and knowledge.”

Tell me about a good decision you made on the farm.

Planning ahead and cutting out residual chemicals has been huge for the Swan farms.

“I’ve been getting a better understanding of the variances in chemicals. I cut all things with a residual out of my crop plan, and this year especially showed it big time.”

“Another big success is setting up a long-term crop plan. I know for the next five to six years what I will be planting and on which field. The planning allows me to make informed decisions.”

Is there a decision you regret making?

Tyson is able to put a positive spin on things no matter what… like the fact that he will have to throw his lentil crop a birthday soon.

“I didn’t sell my lentils at 25 cents when I should have. I don’t like giving 20,000 bushels a birthday party, that’s for sure, but I’ll probably have to go buy a cake soon.”

What opportunities do you see ahead in the next five to 10 years?

Tyson has a real interest in the microbiology of farming.

“Micronutrient advances seem really interesting. My father-in-law is using humic acid granular right now and I think it’s going to be huge in the near future. Also, once there’s a variety of soybean that can handle our growing region that will become a huge crop for us.”

What do you anticipate will be your biggest challenges for the next five to 10 years?

“I would say adapting to the market is a big one. Learning how to correctly market your grain and seeing what you want has become a real challenge. With the big farms and their grain power, it’s difficult to compete with.”

What do you do for fun?

“I hunt and fish and we try and get out to the lake as much as we can. We head up to Loon Lake and my dad has a permanent spot at the River Landing. With the twins on the way and the kid we already have it makes it a little tough to get away, but we make the most of our time when we aren’t working.”

The post Meet your farming neighbours: Tyson and Kristin Swan appeared first on Grainews.