Using crops like switchgrass, or over-mature hay for energy can add profit to agriculture’s bottom line
Jonathan McClelland manages West Nova Agro Commodities (WNAC), a community-owned grain elevator. For the past four years, WNAC has been working on the concept of using over-mature hay for fuel. “We’re using a model of going directly from producers to the end-consumers,” explained McClelland, adding, “The production, processing and use of hay-based fuel is intended to be mainly within […] Read moreIt can take a lot of time to make the most of FCC’s Field Manager Pro, software, but Jay Peterson thinks it will be worth the time you spend
Going into another crop year is always a new and exciting venture. With the advent of all the new technology out there, farmers are not only looking for ways to record what they are doing in season but able to also project what they want to do — both agronomical and financially. One of the […] Read moreKnowing how plants forage for food could help farmers place fertilizer more efficiently and allow researchers to breed more successful crops
Biologists have long known about fairly complex animal behaviour, like risk assessment. But complex plant behaviour — like foraging for food or recognizing friends and foes — seems more like science fiction than science. However, plants may behave with more purpose than we have been giving them credit for. Dr. James (JC) Cahill is an […] Read moreLes Henry says soil salinity is a water problem, not a soil problem. Find out how to cope with salt on your farm
Large parts of what are now the Canadian Prairies were once the beds of shallow seas. All that salt water gradually evaporated and left huge deposits of salt clays. Consequently, there are places where groundwater can dissolve those old salts and deliver them to the surface, making farming difficult or even impossible. Farmers who own […] Read moreMore and more farmers like Jeff Barlow are learning how to get faster, sharper agronomic answers from social media. Here’s how
At first glance, the list of today’s social media sites looks like a collection of spelling mistakes. It’s grown way beyond Twitter and YouTube, and now the list stretches to 100 and beyond. You might have heard of Google+, LinkedIn and YouTube, but what about Plaxo, Bebo, Hi5, IRC, FMyLife and Tumblr? Facebook and Twitter […] Read more
