The Seed Terminator attaches to the combine and pulverizes weed seeds before they become weeds. To see the unit in action on Lade's farm, visit 
https://youtu.be/O1Tg4UvM_lE.

Is mechanical harvest weed seed control a good option for the Prairies?

Saskatchewan farmers discuss the benefits and ROI of weed seed-destroying equipment

Saskatchewan farmer Josh Lade is starting to reap the rewards of using a harvest weed seed smasher on his farm. With his wife, Jeannie, and partners John, Janice, Rayden and Jenn Wiebe, Lade grows cereals, pulse crops and oilseeds on about 16,000 acres near Osler, Sask. In total, the Lades and the Wiebes have imported […] Read more

Les Henry is a Grainews columnist and a former professor and extension specialist at the University of Saskatchewan.

PHOTOS: Les Henry: Down on the farm

A big part of my Dundurn farm are my neighbours and the things we do for one another. In my case, I’m most often on the receiving end. Last fall, my good neighbour Iver Johnson, who is very handy with a wrench, helped me out with some tasks around the farm. His son Landon, who […] Read more


Plant leaves were necrotic and leaf tips were turning brown.

Crop advisor casebook: Why did this barley field turn yellow almost overnight?

A Crop Advisor's Solution from the March 23, 2021 issue of Grainews

Driving through lush, green farmland near Elfros, Sask., one day in July, I had a peaceful, easy feeling as I watched a gentle breeze rock the growing crops back and forth in the passing fields. It was a perfect summer day, one that farmers and agronomists dream about. The dream came to an abrupt halt […] Read more

Seven reasons to consider controlled traffic farming

Seven reasons to consider controlled traffic farming

CTF benefits may make the practice worth another look

Each time you drive across your field, you’re squeezing the life out of the soil beneath your tires. Sound overdramatic? Studies show as much as 80 per cent of compaction happens during equipment’s first pass. The downsides of compaction are many and varied, and all ultimately lead to lower soil health and decreased crop yields. […] Read more


As some producers are realizing the benefits of inter-row seeding and as soil compac­tion is becoming a more mainstream concern, con­trolled traffic farming and accurate-to-the-inch navigation are gaining attention. This photo shows inter-row seeding of canola using RTK technology.

Real-time kinematic technology use and costs

RTK technology offers ultra-precise, multi-year positioning, but its price remains a significant deterrent for Prairie farmers

When it comes to navigating through your crop, how accurate is accurate enough? It wasn’t so long ago that farmers scoffed at autosteer, saying “straight-ish” was straight enough. Now, as some producers are realizing the benefits of inter-row seeding and as soil compaction is becoming a more mainstream concern, controlled traffic farming and accurate-to-the-inch navigation […] Read more

The photo above shows compaction in a wheat field. Adam Gurr, who has been practicing CTF on his farm since 2011, has observed the most obvious source of compaction-related yield loss is a result of in-season traffic, most notably any seeding prep, seeding and sprayer traffic that occurs on wet ground.

Interested in controlled traffic farming? Start with small steps

CTF can prove both practical and beneficial, even with a step partway toward controlling in-field equipment traffic

For Prairie farmers who measure land in hundreds or thousands of acres, how much does it really matter if you drive your equipment a handful of inches this way or that way? A whole lot, says Adam Gurr, a Manitoba producer who completed a master’s degree in agronomy focused on controlled traffic farming (CTF) and […] Read more


Developing a pre-spring checklist is the first step in developing a safety management program that will help keep everyone safe and productive as they go into the busy spring season.

Tips to develop a spring safety checklist for your farm

There are many reasons why it’s needed, including your profitability

Many farming operations across Canada are still family owned, and because of that a lot of the occupational health and safety legislation doesn’t always apply to them if they don’t have paid employees or are small-scale operations. That said, Robert Gobeil, agricultural health and safety specialist with the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association (CASA), still advises […] Read more

The homestead quarter Watson and her husband care currently clearing.

Farming North of 60

Meet Your Farming Neighbours: A Prairie grain farmer finds new opportunities in the Yukon

Leona Watson’s upbringing on a large-scale Prairie grain farm didn’t prepare her for farming in a land where the permafrost shifts landscapes and the sun can shine 19 hours a day. Or did it? Six years after the born-and-bred farm girl followed her outfitter husband, Mac, as far north as farming allows, Watson sees a […] Read more


The affected canola plants had parts of their stems pinched off and were kinked over about six inches from the top. Symptomatic plants and others around them also had purpling leaves.

Crop advisor casebook: Why the deformed canola and purpling leaves?

A Crop Advisor's Solution from the March 9, 2021 issue of Grainews

In mid-July, I received a call from Carl, a grain farmer located near Onoway, Alta., who was concerned about disfigured canola plants in one of his fields. “It’s not a disaster yet and it seems to be happening in just one field, but I’d like to solve the issue before it gets any worse,” he […] Read more

A couple works out a farm transition plan for three children

A couple works out a farm transition plan for three children

Farm Financial Planner: The plan includes financial security for all, including a son with a disability

A couple we’ll call Max, 86, and Lily, 81, have farmed 480 acres in western Manitoba for the last 60 years. Their eldest son, who we’ll call Sam, now 60, retired from a city job with a solid pension. Sam now farms with his parents. He is the registered co-owner of the home 320 acres […] Read more