When we made the first-ever Soil Moisture Map in 1978, it was early days in the quest to get rid of as much summerfallow as possible. Those with Henry’s Handbook can check out page 109 to see that first map. The legend has stayed much the same. The objective of the map was to let […] Read more
Les Henry: A snow job
Snow as a water source for crops
Les Henry: Soil moisture map for 2021
The situation shows a lot of red ink on the Prairies
To start with, we must realize this is a very general, high-level picture of the situation. It is meant to do just that, as well as provide a framework for farmers and agronomists to relate their situation to. Having it available early in the new year, means it can be part of the decisions made […] Read more
Les Henry: Soil moisture and rain
One plus one does not always equal two
Soil moisture as a soil management issue has finally come into its own with the advent of tech savvy young folk using soil moisture probes to get real information in real time. Thanks to those who provide me with information to help make the annual, three-province, Soil Moisture Map as of freeze-up. To make a […] Read more
Les Henry: The ground beneath our feet
To understand soil, we must understand what is beneath it
Hang on tight — this could be a rough ride. I will take you down some very deep gopher holes and hopefully stretch your mind a bit in the process. We are not talking about those claustrophobic tubes that run underground in places like Toronto or New York or about criminal activities. We are talking […] Read more
Les Henry: Catalogue houses of the past. Who were the actors?
Many houses thought to be Eaton’s have turned out to be from some other company
Yesterday’s version of online shopping was the catalogue. In Canada, the T. Eaton Company Ltd. catalogues were most common. Many Santa Claus lists were fulfilled via Canada Post from the T. Eaton catalogue. For Western Canada, the Eaton’s catalogue came from Winnipeg. The range of goods available was extensive — all the way from clothing, […] Read more
Les Henry: The importance of naming soils
Let’s peel away the fancy stuff and boil it down to something useful at the farmgate
[UPDATED: Oct. 30, 2020] Naming (classifying) soils is not the same as naming plants or animals. Plant classification can be a purely scientific endeavour and they name a plant by genus (Triticum = wheat) and species (Triticum aestivum = bread wheat). Classifying soils is a complex affair not always understood. In this short piece, we […] Read more
Les Henry: New information on the water table and crop yields
Sloughs do tell a story about water tables
In recent years, this column has talked a lot about higher water tables and the role they play in harvesting good crops on years with low rainfall. The United States has maintained the system of land grant universities that are directly tied to the land and deal primarily with research that has a bang at […] Read more
Les Henry: Thank you to my readers
Over my many years of communication with farmers, I often get more than I give
Writing is a fun game, but it means little if there are few readers. The only way writers know if people are reading their work is by the letters, emails, etc., that are received. It is a big thrill and encouraging to hear from readers. What follows are a few examples from recent years. The […] Read more
Les Henry: Geography of acid soils in the Prairie provinces
It’s important every farm knows where it’s at on the pH scale
Acid soils have a low pH. The H is for hydrogen. The p means it is a negative logarithm, which means the lower the number the more acid. The logarithm means that pH = 6 is 10 times more acid than pH=7. Soils can be acid from the original geologic material or they can become […] Read more
Les Henry: To own a piece of ground
How to learn about a piece of ground before you see it
To own a piece of ground, To scratch it with a hoe, To plant seeds and watch the renewal of life, This is the commonest delight of the race, The most satisfactory thing a person can do. Charles Dudley Warner (1829-1900) That piece is the introduction to Chapter 4 of Henry’s Handbook. I do not […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
