Just kicking back in the office today, catching up on some reading and on the top of the pile is a new book called “Raising Goats for Dummies”. I knew there was a series of these trademark bright yellow and black jacketed books on a wide range of topics, but I thought it was 15 […] Read more
No “Beef Production for Dummies” – yet
Some input costs are down, but so are commodity prices. What are these Prairie farmers planning when it comes to herbicide and fertilizer rates in 2010?
This month’s Farmer Panel certainly has some varied approaches as farmers were asked how they are handling herbicides and other crop inputs this coming season. Using more, or less or about the same? Responses varied everywhere from minor adjustments to some pretty drastic measures. The moisture outlook — or perhaps the lack of it — […] Read more
Spaying And So Much More
I had a note recently from Greg Hemming of Esterhazy, Sask. talking about the practice of spaying heifers. It isn’t really a new concept. I remember going to a demonstration day, maybe 10 years ago, put on by Pfizer, I believe, which showed it was a fairly simple process and then if you implant the […] Read more
A Farming For Fitness Strategy
I was going to start my new lifestyle/fitness/exercise program this morning, but then I had to write this column so now it will likely be tomorrow or even next Monday before I really get at it. Monday is always the best day to make major lifestyle changes. I am a morning person so I have […] Read more
Naturally occurring predators of the cabbage seedpod weevil and diamondback moth, among others, exist in your fields. Protecting them pays
Vigorous, well-nourished plants can better compensate for insect attack than plants under nutrient stress, so maintaining relatively high levels of soil fertility seems appropriate for integrated management of diamondback moth in canola — Lloyd Dosdall, University of Alberta Not all insects in your crops are bad. In fact there can be millions of several different […] Read more
Where We’re At With The Midge
While Western Canada wheat midge surveys show pest populations will likely be lower again in 2010 than they have been in the past couple years, wheat growers do have access to three very good midge-resistant spring wheat varieties this year. The wheat midge survey doesn’t tell the whole story, however, say prairie provincial entomologists. Pest […] Read more
Where are we at with biofuels?
I work out of my basement office, so it is easy for me to loose track of things. But as we observe Earth Day this week I was just trying to update myself on who is producing biofuels in Western Canada. Husky has a four-year-old ethanol plant at Lloydminster, Sask. and an upgraded facility at Minnedosa […] Read more
Forget The Westergun
Dear Editor: Re: Fastest Gun on the Range (March 22 Grainews) For the past number of years and for sure since 2003, the year of BSE, ranchers have been encouraged to use best practices. I do agree with Mr. (Stan) Harder that the bow and arrow and other such devices (for giving injections) should be […] Read more
Another whack on agriculture
Yes, that is just what Agriculture Canada needs is more budget cuts. I was just reading recently where the federal government plans to cut the Ag Canada budget by nearly half – 45 percent – or $1.5 billion over the next three years. First of all it amazes me that the regular Ag Canada budget […] Read more
There’s still room for tweaking, but producers have most plans made for what they’ll grow in 2010
With a somewhat flat commodities’ market, producers for this Farmers’ Panel say they have pretty well made up their minds on what to grow in 2010 and are sticking fairly close to tried and true rotations. There don’t appear to be any run-away commodity prices that will shift a large number of acres one way […] Read more