Precision field-spraying technology developed in Europe and licensed to a well-established distributor in Australia is now available to farmers across Canada, with the promise to help reduce herbicide costs and perhaps equally, or more importantly, help farmers afford the fight against herbicide-resistant weeds. Weed-it, billed as the “world’s best-selling” camera-based, precision-spraying technology, has been demonstrated […] Read more
New spot-spray technology in Canada
Weed-it can potentially save you money
No such thing as failure, it’s all a learning experience
Plans are good in theory, but moisture is needed to really see what works
When Josh Beck describes some of the practices he’s tried in a bid to incorporate regenerative agriculture practices on his southern Alberta farm, you’ll probably hear him say a few times, “Everything was looking really good early in the growing season … and then it turned dry.” Lack of growing season moisture is not only […] Read more
Soybeans have potential, but need a bit of work
Southwest Saskatchewan producers say crop not suited to dry mid-summer conditions
Soybeans are close to having a good fit in southern Saskatchewan crop rotations, but two farmers who grew the crop for several years, say it would be good if plant breeding could improve drought tolerance and really good if there was a way to get lower pods on the plant stem at least a little […] Read more
The ebb and flow of soybean production
Acres have been up and down on the Prairies
While soybean production across Canada has had its ebbs and flows of seeded acres over the years, the trend has generally been in an upward direction with breeding work continuing to develop varieties adaptable to variable growing conditions particularly in Western Canada. A profitable crop, largely only grown in southern Ontario until the 1970s, soybeans […] Read more
The cover crop learning curve
There is plenty of good information in theory, but a Taber grower is learning what works best for his farm
Challenges, commitment, trial and error, faith and steep learning curve. Those are some of the terms that southern Alberta farmer Brady Valgardson uses when he describes his experience with regenerative agriculture over the past five years. Valgardson, who is the fourth generation on the family farm southwest of Taber (about 50 kilometres east of Lethbridge), […] Read more
Pulse markets beating strong
Pandemic turns spotlight on plant protein sources
UPDATED: Jan. 21, 2021: Markets for pulse crops in Canada and the United States should generally remain favourable over most of 2021 and even for several years beyond, says the head of the largest U.S. pulse crop processor. Jeff Van Pevenage, president and CEO of Columbia Grain International headquartered in Portland, Oregon, acknowledges while the […] Read more
Nutrient Management Seminar series continues
Great speakers and great information for the on-line series
Be on-line for the next seven Monday afternoons around 2 p.m. to see and hear some to the leading experts in in Western Canada talk about nutrient and soil health management topics. The 2021 Alberta Nutrient Management Seminar Series actually started last Monday, Jan. 11with a presentation by Ross McKenzie explaining how to read […] Read more
AGVISOR PRO CONTEST DEADLINE IS FRIDAY
Somebody has to win these great prizes
Final reminder… you have until midnight this Friday, Jan. 15, 2021 to get your entry in for a chance at some $34,000 in prizes in the big Christmas giveaway organized by AGvisorPro. Visit their website at AGvisorPRO.com/agvisorproxmas to enter. AGvisorPro is the relatively new service that connects farmer subscribers with a huge network of crop, […] Read more
It’s all about making healthier soil
Get soil chemistry and organisms back on track
What do you want to change about your cropping operation? That’s the first question farmers need to think about as they look into the relatively new world of regenerative agriculture (regen ag). It’s a big subject area, with plenty of variables, layers and “twists,” say agronomy consultants who work with producers on implementing regen ag […] Read more
You never know what these farmers are up to
OYF alumni are letting no moss grow under their feet
Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers (COYF) had to forego the usual flurry of hugs and handshakes at their annual awards week this year, but they still ran an informative online event in early December. There were no winners to be announced for 2020. That part of the program was just postponed to, hopefully, later in 2021 […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
