My daughter spent a week in Palm Springs this winter and my son just got back from a week in Hawaii. My get-away in early April? An overnighter in Eastend, Saskatchewan. I’m not being smart about this. It really was great to spend some time in Eastend. I’ve heard the community name often, but don’t believe I have […] Read more
There is always Eastend in April
You don't have to leave Canada for that early spring get-away
Political parasite attacking Canadian canola
Here’s one profit-robbing pest Canadian canola farmers can’t control with the field sprayer — politics. It was pretty clear during a webinar with the Canola Council of Canada (CCC) last week there is no immediate end in sight to China’s refusal to accept Canadian canola seed because it is allegedly “contaminated”. It is not clear what […] Read more
Good to be mixed up, in the right order
The sequence of the herbicide tank mix matters. Get it right with W.A.L.E.S
With more interest in recent years in tank mixing different herbicide products to provide more effective control of weeds, and reduce the risk of selecting weeds for herbicide tolerance, producers need to follow the proper mixing procedure. It’s not just a matter of which products can be safely tank mixed, but also what order different […] Read more
Elections can only make things better
But to get there, first you have to define what “better” means
With an Alberta provincial election coming up in mid-April and a federal election likely to happen in the fall of 2019, I know it is just a matter of days before all my problems will be solved. With either new or re-confirmed governments in place in both jurisdictions all my troubles will be lifted. Everything […] Read more
Barley growers impressed with VRT results
Crops hit yield and quality expectations, and bring an easier harvest
Data collected by Decisive Farming from several farms across Western Canada in a program using variable-rate technology (VRT) to produce malting barley crops in 2018 showed considerable production gains over industry averages. Data collected from 17 farms, involving about 9,300 acres of malt barley crops showed on acres seeded with both variable-rate seeding and fertilizer technology an average yield of 85 bushels per acre, […] Read more
Spornado could give heads up on disease
Collecting airborne disease spores could offer growers an early warning
An Alberta seed testing company has crop disease monitoring technology in the works that could provide some of the answers as suggested in the old Bob Dylan song about what’s “Blowin’ in The Wind.” 20/20 Seed Labs, based in Nisku, just south of Edmonton, is continuing its field testing in 2019 using fairly simple-looking equipment to collect the windborne disease spores such […] Read more
Don’t underestimate the power of soil bugs
Save money, increase profits by getting billions of little creatures working for you
There’s that message again — learning to farm without inputs. It is a pretty compelling concept: being able to grow a crop without $200 or $300 per acre invested in added fertilizer and crop protection products. Is it a myth? Does it work? What are these guys trying to sell me? Kevin Elmy says it works. […] Read more
Are you leaving water on the table?
New app and service gives producers a better handle on moisture
Since technology so far can’t make it start or stop raining on dryland farms, it is obviously important to make the most efficient use of moisture that is available during the growing season. But how much moisture do or will you have for that crop? Depending on the year and location, spring seedbed soil moisture can range from […] Read more
What language are we talking?
Following is part of a news release I received this morning, which really brought home a fundamental message — I sure do miss the simplicity of my Dick and Jane reader. There are many areas of agriculture, agri-business and new technology that I don’t understand — some just a little bit, and some of it […] Read more
You never know what readers are thinking
Despite mention of canola, cheese, carrots and fish this is not a recipe
Once in a while I try to respond to the proverbial “mailbag” to acknowledge comments, updates and sometimes criticisms of my wide-ranging observations. So here are a few thoughts that readers shared, in no particular order: Clubroot reminder I had to tone this down a bit, but after a few articles I wrote on risk […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
