We hear a lot about soil soil health these days so thought I should brush up on the literature. To give the punch line first: in my opinion it is mostly spin. Any introductory course or soils textbook starts by picking a hypothetical pound of ground and revealing the basics. Soil is half solids and […] Read more
The making of a healthy soil
“Soil health” is a popular topic, but Les Henry says the fine points are mostly spin
Stubble soil moisture, November 1, 2015
Les Henry’s annual soil moisture map gives us a true view of water availability
This map shows the best estimate of subsoil moisture from three inches to four feet. First — this is a map of general conditions in general areas. Do not get too hung up on the exact placement of lines. But, it is still very useful in planning for 2016 outcomes. With a soil full of […] Read more
Soil salinity: causes, cures, coping
After recent wet years, we’re seeing salinity again. Learn to cure it or cope with it
A few years back we predicted that the super wet years would lead to a marked increase in soil salinity. It is now happening. In this piece I am not going to talk about Solonetzic soils or true Alkali (high pH , low salts) soils. I’m talking only about saline soils — soils that have […] Read more
Diary of a tough year for canola
The sordid story of a Saskatchewan canola crop, from seedbed preparation to the final sale
As I was preparing to write this, the Dec. 1 issue of Grainews arrived with Lee Hart’s front page article: “Holy Canola! A 74 bushel average yield.” No 74 bushels here. My story is: the land is rolling dark brown, loam texture, glacial till with some stones and many sloughs. It has been continuous cropped […] Read more
Seeding wet areas late
In my rolling land there are sloughs that do not dry up in time to seed as usual. There is also an area where a slough spills over and keeps ground wet. With no rain I was able to get on it by May 25 but did not want to drag the press wheels of […] Read more
Finding the world’s greatest fix
A rare find in the library has given Les Henry food for thought on a cold winter evening
In the winter months I spend time in the University of Saskatchewan library and often stumble on a great book that I was not really looking for. One such find is the subject of this article. The headline for this piece has nothing to do with a needle in a back alley of a seedy […] Read more
Catalogue houses: Eatons and others
Looking for information about a catalogue house in your area? Les Henry may be able to help
I have a longstanding interest in catalogue houses. In fact, I’ve written a book with the same title as this column (see below for details). My interest in mail order houses comes honestly. Seven sisters and I were raised in a large 2-½ storey square house much like many of the catalogue houses of that […] Read more
Agricultural sustainability and feeding the world
Sustainability, organic farming, and feeding the world: not as simple as they sound
Sustainability is a major ag buzzword today, mostly peddled by folks with little concept of what a farm is. It is being used in both crop and animal production but I will just talk about crops. To get on the “sustainable” list to market certain crops I see very strange requirements. You must not push […] Read more
DIY: Installing water table wells
With water in the soil, we can survive on little rain. Learn how to measure what you have
2015 will go into the books as a very different kind of growing season. In central Saskatchewan we started off with soil completely full of water after a big dump of snow on April 26. My rain gauges showed 2.5 inches of water when it all melted. And then Mother Nature turned of the tap […] Read more
PHOTOS: Installing water table wells
All of this is very low tech, but it works. How can you plan your 2016 crop if you do not know the details of the gifts Mother Nature is providing? In our area we know that most of next year’s moisture is in the ground and we can plan accordingly.
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
