alfalfa forage

Using alfalfa to solve pitfalls

When canola and wheat prices are falling, consider the benefits of alfalfa

Perennial legumes, especially alfalfa, bring benefits to a cropping system that can override initial concern many growers may have when it comes to the economics of the practice. Around the world, some countries are concerned about the lack of local available water for growing their own forage. “There is a growing trend for longer-term commitments […] Read more

grasshopper on grass

Changing grasshopper species

The difference between grasshoppers that damage crops, those that don't, and when to check

While the most important action farmers can take to protect their crops is to be aware of the most current insect monitoring information from provincial ag departments, says Dan Johnson, an environmental science professor at the University of Lethbridge. the best in-field tip remains the same year after year: know the difference between grasshoppers that […] Read more


grasshopper forecast map for Manitoba

Getting those grasshoppers

Most areas won’t have grasshopper problems in 2014. But there are 
some places where farmers should hone their identification skills

For the most part, Saskatchewan farmers are unlikely to be fighting waves of grasshoppers this year, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s 2014 hopper forecast. But Saskatchewan’s 2014 forecast does show one bull’s eye of severe risk. “And in the middle of that bull’s eye is Meadow Lake,” Peter Walsh told farmers at Cavalier Agrow’s farm forum […] Read more

corn stalks

Mixing corn hybrids to increase yield

There may be advantages to mixing corn hybrids, but it’s not recommended practice in Manitoba

There are advantages to mixing hybrids, such as lengthening the period of pollen availability to potentially decrease the risk of poor pollination from moisture stress during flowering and promoting cross pollination toward larger kernels and higher grain protein. However, it has not yet been determined whether or not planting them across neighbouring fields offers similar […] Read more


swede midge in different stages of development

Swede midge life cycle

Understanding the swede midge’s life cycle is the first 
step on the way to controlling this new pest

Swede midge adults emerge from mid-May to mid-June from pupae that have overwintered in the soil in cocoons. At least, this is the experience in Ontario — a great deal of research is still required to understand the insect and its life cycle nuances in Saskatchewan. The adult is a very small, delicate, light- brown/grey […] Read more

Alfalfa crop being harvested

Alfalfa seed production

Growing alfalfa for seed can require intensive management, 
but can be rewarding. Learn the basics of alfalfa seed production


Including alfalfa in a crop rotation can bring a number of agronomic benefits. Prairie farmers grow alfalfa for both forage and seed. Randy Toman, a farmer near Guernsey, Sask., began growing alfalfa for seed production over a decade ago. With lighter land well suited to forage and legume production, alfalfa was a good fit for […] Read more


canola plant

Swede Midge: a potential ‘perfect storm’

There’s a new canola pest in town. 
It’s hard to spot and hard to control, 
but the damage it causes is easy to detect

Look up “perfect storm” in Wikipedia and you will see it is used to describe an event where a combination of circumstances will aggravate a situation drastically — and in a bad way. Such is the potential situation with an up-to-now unknown and non-native pest of cruciferous plants — swede midge. “This pest displays a […] Read more

Cover crop buffet feeds microbes

Peace farmer Bill Gaugler is adding a cover crop to his farm’s 
rotation, in hopes of increasing yields with less fertilizer

Bill Gaugler hopes including a multi-species plant cover crop year in his rotation will improve soil health on his Alberta Peace River region farm. That could lead to several benefits — Gaugler hopes it could help improve his overall crop yields, or allow him to maintain yields with less or even no fertilizer. It isn’t […] Read more


Turnips used as a cover crop.

Cover crops increase profitability

Panelists shared cover crop success stories at the Commodity Classic conference in San Antonio

Cover crops not only improve soil health and bump yields, but also increase profitability, a U.S. farmer told farm show delegates in San Antonio. Jamie Scott was part of a panel at the 2014 Commodity Classic this past February. Scott uses cover crops on his Indiana farm and coordinates the seeding of cover crops on another 100,000 […] Read more

leafcutter bee on alfalfa flower

Leafcutter bee production

Many alfalfa seed growers raise their own leafcutter bees 
to pollinate their crops and earn some extra cash

Leafcutter bees are the bee of choice when it comes to pollinating alfalfa. They are aboveground nesters and good pollinators, which favour alfalfa nectar. According to Bob Mennie, production manager of Mennie Bee Farms Inc., near Parkside, Sask., leafcutter bees are “easy to handle and tend to stay close to where the shelters are.” Managing […] Read more