The cancellation of the Prairie Canola Variety Trials (PCVTs) in 2010 was disappointing for some, but in reality it was likely a good thing. Farmers undoubtably want third-party, unbiased canola variety information, however the original PCVT protocol left a lot to be desired. The testing protocol was — and is — in dire need of […] Read more
Revamped Third-Party Canola Trials In The Works
Wheat &Chaff – for Oct. 4, 2010
13 NEW CEREAL VARIETIES When I first started out as a writer in the agriculture industry I loathed September for one reason — new varieties. Why, you may ask? Well, I won’t bore you with the details, but compiling a comprehensive, useful and complete list of new, commercially available varieties of any crop is a […] Read more
Veris Soil EC Maps Soil Variability
At just six feet wide, the Veris doesn’t look like much of a mighty machine, but don’t be fooled. This implement, when fitted with sensors and a GPS receiver, is a powerful field-mapping tool. Don’t fret if you’ve never seen one — it’s likely because there are only three in the Prairie Provinces. Terry Aberhart, […] Read more
Consider Elemental S For The Long Term
If the sheer volume of product running through the seeder is bogging you down, it might be time to give an old product a fresh look. Elemental sulphur (S) is bulky, sure, but when put down in sufficient quantities it can provide enough S for three or four growing seasons. The key element to making […] Read more
Cattle Price Outlook Positive
Fed cattle prices have been quite volatile over the past month due to tighter market-ready supplies and improving demand. Fed cattle prices in the US southern plains jumped $4/cwt to $5/cwt in the last week of August reaching up to the psychological $100/cwt level before pulling back to the $98/cwt by mid September. At the […] Read more
Grow A Cover Crop, Keep The Cash Flow – for Jul. 23, 2010
Sometimes a failed cropping experiment isn’t failure at all. When Bob Blackshaw set out to evaluate growing a cover crop without sacrificing cash flow, he certainly didn’t expect to happen upon an effective new way to establish alfalfa or to pinpoint a new silage mix. But that’s exactly what happened. “If you look back at […] Read more
Use Seed Colour Change To Determine Swath Timing – for Jul. 23, 2010
Even in a good year, canola maturity varies between varieties, fields and conditions. In a rough year like this one, a tough seeding (and reseeding) season and excessive rain in many areas has added to the variability of fields. Staging a patchy field for swathing or harvest timing is especially difficult. To best gauge swath […] Read more
Steady Demand Supports Prices – for Jul. 23, 2010
Fed cattle in Southern Alberta were trading in the range of $85 to $87 in mid- July; down nearly $10/cwt from the highs earlier in spring. Market ready-steers in Nebraska were trading at $93/cwt on a live basis and $148/cwt on a dressed basis. Wholesale values appear to be coming off the seasonal lows earlier […] Read more
Five Tips To Get Winter Wheat Right The First Time – for Jul. 23, 2010
Winter wheat may not have the prestige of being a pasta or bread wheat, but its high yield potential and requirement that it be seeded in the fall makes it a good fit in the crop rotation for many farms. Now, with millions of acres unseeded or drowned out in Western Canada, any late summer […] Read more
Wheat & Chaff – for Apr. 19, 2010
ROTATION, ROTATION, ROTATION It’s location that matters most in real estate, but for disease management it’s rotation that pays dividends. Well, that’s not entirely true; there are those pesky wind-and seed-borne diseases that could care less what crop was grown the year previously. But for diseases that live in the soil or on crop residue, […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
