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Photo of a 2011 hog barn fire in Taber, Alta.
Features

Be prepared for fire so your assets don’t go up in smoke

“That will never happen to us,” we all think. Until it does

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At 4:30 am on June 6, 2012, dairy farmer Harry Byce woke up very suddenly to what he thought was the sound of rain on his hay. It was odd that he heard it before he smelled it, but that’s the way the mind works when deep asleep. Concerned about his hay, he jumped out […] Read more
Wild oats present in a grain crop.
Crops, Features

Using ecological systems

Diversified, long-term crop rotations can pay off for Prairie farmers with strong management skills who are prepared to invest the time to carry them out


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Updated Sept. 19, 2014 – Canadian farmers have good management skills, but those skills aren’t being rewarded in the conventional system, says a Manitoba researcher. “On well-managed organic farms, or ecological farms, I’ve seen farmers really being rewarded for their management skills,” says Dr. Martin Entz of the University of Manitoba. Entz says there is […] Read more
ESN, a polymer-coated fertilizer product, may not be the answer for all winter wheat growers but does add another option.
Crops, Features, Winter Wheat

Fertilizing winter wheat

With new polymer-coated nitrogen products on the market, winter wheat growers have one more option when it comes to fertilizer decisions

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Getting winter wheat seeded is a juggle of equipment, people and inputs that leaves little room for delays. On top of that, fertilizer and seed safety is top of mind for growers, more so in winter wheat, and for two good reasons. Getting the crop seeded is a challenge in the fall, and accommodating the […] Read more
Danell van Staveren
Crops, Features

Floating your fall fertilizer

With new fertilizer products on the market and new machinery available,
 fall-applied fertilizer could be your solution

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At first glance the Case 4530 is a strange-looking contraption. It seems to be an awkward combination of a sprayer and a tractor. As it turns out, the “floater,” as it’s commonly called, is anything but awkward. Rather, its 70-foot boom and latest and greatest GPS make it well suited for the job it was […] Read more
"This bacterium can cause elongated water-soaked lesions on leaves, which later turn light brown," AARD's Michael Harding says.
Cereals, Crops, Features

Detect and avoid bacterial leaf streak

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Last summer, bacterial leaf streak was found in fields in southern Alberta. For best control, avoid infected seed

Bacterial leaf streak (BLS) and black chaff occur in cereal crops around the world. In 2010, BLS in wheat was declared an emerging problem in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. In 2013, it was found in a number of fields in southern Alberta. BLS can cause significant yield loss on some cereal varieties, but, […] Read more
photo: lisa guenther
Crops, Features

Carbon in your soil

Carbon levels vary across the Prairies. The ideal amount 
depends on yield expectations and the local climate

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Great civilizations, including the Mayans and Mesopotamians, have been built on productive agricultural systems, underpinned by fertile soil. And as soil quality eroded, so did these civilizations. But when it comes to soil organic matter, it seems Western Canadian farmers have learned from the past. People have known for centuries that dark soil is generally more […] Read more
Canola, Features

Monitor that monitor

There are different ways of calibrating a yield monitor. What's yours?

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How did that canola run?” Whether or not you want to tell the truth in town, if you’re getting your answer from the yield monitor in the cab, make sure it’s well calibrated. “It’s critical to get an accurate calibration,” says Ward Anticura, integrated solutions manager at Battle River Implements in Camrose, Alta. “Some guys […] Read more
Life insurance alternatives
Features

Life insurance alternatives

Banks push mortgage life insurance, but there are cheaper, more flexible alternatives

By
If you’re getting a mortgage for the first time or refinancing an existing mortgage at a different institution, chances are the person across the desk is going to try to peddle mortgage life insurance. Data show that about 60 per cent of Canadians with a mortgage written by a bank also have mortgage life. It’s […] Read more
Timing the canola harvest
Canola, Crops, Features

Timing the canola harvest

When it comes to bringing the canola in from the field, the right timing is crucial

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When it comes to canola harvest, timing is everything, says Harry Brook, crop specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. Farmers, he says, are mostly concerned about green seed, since green seeds contain more chlorophyll and are therefore undesirable to processors. If timing is so important, how do you know when is the right time? […] Read more
Desiccants will not speed up crop maturity. The general guideline is to apply at 30 per cent moisture.
Crops, Features, Pulses

Drying with desiccants in pulse crops

Desiccants can simplify pulse crop harvest and weed control, 
but make sure to read the label and know your MRLs

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Given this year’s cool, wet spring, harvesting in a timely fashion might become a challenge. In pulse crops, desiccant use can be a critical component of harvest management to dry down any remaining green material in the field as well as deal with actively growing weeds. Dale Risula, Saskatchewan’s provincial special crops specialist, starts almost […] Read more

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