My Dundurn farm is rolling Weyburn/Elstow loam with some very eroded knolls. For many years the combine raced over the knolls with little pouring in the hopper. The erosion over the decades was by water, but much of it from annual tillage — especially in the days of summerfallow. A few years ago I acquired a […] Read more
Precision ag on Blackstrap farm
Extracting a soil sample to help identify a problem
The challenges of precision ag
The technology for variable rate fertilizer is well established. But the agronomy is still catching up
Precision agriculture, including variable rate fertilizer, is commonplace in farm literature and has been for many years now. But despite the hype, the actual adoption of the practice has been slow. Ask for a show of hands at any farm meetings and the result surprises many. GPS and autosteer is commonplace and has made a […] Read more
Nitrate down the water well
Nitrate has been a problem for more than 50 years. Low levels are not unsafe
Nitrate in groundwater has been a recognized problem since a “blue- baby” was related to a nitrate-contaminated farm well in Iowa in the 1940s. A farmer took a sick baby to hospital. The baby was okay soon, but got sick again as soon as it was returned to the farm. On the third visit, the […] Read more
Artesian wells are not always good
Artesian wells are amazing phenomena. But they can cause salinity in the soil
Flowing artesian wells are a fascinating piece of Mother Nature in action. “Artesian” means that the water level rises above the depth of completion. The sand aquifer is confined by clay layers and pressure builds up. If the water level in the well is above the completion zone but below the ground, it is a […] Read more
The Westco fertilizer story
Years of data from soil fertility tests have been collected on the Prairies. Now it’s time for Westco to share its data with farmers
This column is an impassioned plea to the upper management of Agrium / Crop Production Services to preserve the many years of excellent soil fertility work done by Westco. Most graphs that show crop yields and fertilizer use in the modern era start at 1960. It was August 31, 1960 that I crawled off the […] Read more
The beauty of the harvest
Finally, “next year” came for Prairie farmers in the form of a fantastic harvest
The 2013 crop was “next year” for the majority of Canadian Prairie farmers. Almost all farmers reported pleasant surprises when the combines started to roll. Saskatchewan alone produced 38.8 million tonnes of products that go through a grain auger — exceeding the government target for 2020 of 36.6 million tonnes. Bureaucrats like to pretend they […] Read more
We need a little global warming
Climate has been changing for the last four billion years. Long-term weather forecasts are anyone’s guess
On Sunday, January 5, I went out mid-morning to get a shot of fresh air — and it was fresh. The mercury thermometer on the garage stops at 40 below, which we all understand. The mercury was nearly curled up in the bottom: -37 C. Much of Canada and the northern U.S. has experienced a […] Read more
50-year reunion
University of Saskatchewan grads still looking sharp
This year marked the 50th anniversary of Les Henry’s graduation with his B.Sc. from the University of Saskatchewan. Les attended the reunion in Saskatoon on January 10, and has shared this photo. A surprising number of these proud graduates from 1964 still have their original Agro jackets! Back Row, Left to Right: Terry Anderson, Vic Rondeau, […] Read more
Farmland prices and net farm income
Record high land prices are still making the news in Saskatchewan. Will things be different this time?
Coffee shops and bars have been buzzing for a couple of years now with new record highs for farmland prices and cash rents. This is what you hear: “Farmland is a superb investment and we must get in on the action. Farmland will continue to increase in value — they aren’t making any more of […] Read more
Temperature and EC mapping
Soil electrical conductivity (EC) maps are becoming more common as an aid to precision map preparation. Interpretation is required
Field maps of soil electrical conductivity (EC) are becoming more common as an aid to preparing maps for Precision farming. This is a good addition to the information base. But, all the fancy equipment does is give you a number. Interpretation is required. EC measurements First, remember that All EC measurements are temperature dependent. Other […] Read moreCyber-Savvy Farmer
