Danish firm Kongskilde offers its 9200 Series vertical tillage implement to North American farmers in working widths from 11 to 43 feet.

Less common tillage implements

A look at implements from brands that aren’t exactly household names in Canada

If you get a thrill out of attending as many farm shows as you can reasonably get to in a season, you’ve likely noticed a few uncommon equipment brands displaying their wares. At the U.S. Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, in August, Mark Moore made a point of stopping by exhibits from a couple […] Read more

Can tillage fit into a no-till system?

Can tillage fit into a no-till system?

Some zero-tillers are now looking to tillage to manage disease and weed issues

A large majority of farmers in Western Canada have adopted zero-till systems — with the exception of those in the Red River Valley who are dealing with heavy, wet clay soils where tillage is just a fact of life. Most farmers understand the many benefits of zero till, such as prevention of soil erosion, better […] Read more


Native grass prairies and sunset

Forages and grasses for marginal land

Permanent cover crops can increase fertility in "problem soils" over time

Jeff Schoenau has a word for agricultural areas currently in annual production that fail to deliver a return on expensive inputs: “heartache land.” It’s better known as “marginal” land, and it can be defined as land with soil that has limitations including poor water-holding capacity and water availability to roots due to sandy texture or […] Read more

Six limiting factors in your soil that will make or break your operation

Six limiting factors in your soil that will make or break your operation

Without these six key ingredients, your soil — and your farm — could be in trouble

Farms and grazing operations — organic or otherwise — are only as good as their worst resource, according to Oregon-based grazier Abe Collins. “Soil is our primary infrastructure on the farm,” said Collins, who spoke at the recent Organic Alberta conference. “Biologically, chemically, and physically, you need to be looking at the limiting factors in […] Read more


Building up the soil in your fields

Building up the soil in your fields

Changing your crop rotation and management can change the content of our soil

New research is showing that it is possible to make new, nutrient rich, productive soil on your farm without waiting for eons, simply by changing your crop rotation and management. The research, led by Dr. Stuart Grandy at the University of New Hampshire, is revising our conventional understanding of how soil organic matter (SOM) is […] Read more

Cover crops can help increase production by keeping soil cool, retaining moisture, and feeding the microbes and earthworms that build a healthy soil.

How to plan your first cover crop

Before you choose a cover crop mix, make sure you know what you want it to do

Cover crops are becoming more popular. But how do you plan your first cover crop? The first part of the planning process is setting goals, says Kevin Elmy, owner of Friendly Acres Seed Farm at Saltcoats, Saskatchewan. Elmy has been growing cover crops for seven years and now grows and sells cover crop mixes. “With […] Read more


Dr. Mario Tenuta looks at arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi through a microscope at CanolaPALOOZA, hosted by the Manitoba Canola Growers Association and the Canola Council of Canada at Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, in June.

Nurture fungus for good growth

Find out why your flax suffers following canola. It’s all about the fungus

There are a of things to consider when you’re planning long-term rotations: herbicide rotations, nitrogen needs, rainfall. How about adding fungus to that list? The relationship between fungi in your soil and plant roots has a big impact on your crop health. This relationship can cause flax to be stunted when it’s grown in rotation after canola. […] Read more

A cover crop mix of warm and cool season plants ensures that soil life always has food.

Good reasons to plant cover crops

Not organic? Don’t have cows? Cover crops could still be a fit on your farm

If you went to a workshop about cover crops 10 years ago you wouldn’t have had any trouble finding an empty seat. Today, producers pack these workshops. Word is spreading about the benefits that cover crops could bring to their farms. Cover crops provide many soil and production benefits: increased organic matter content, vibrant, working […] Read more


Putting life back into tired soil

Putting life back into tired soil

Productive soils should translate into more productive livestock

Last fall we were able to disc 10 acres of our old hayfield that has been increasingly infested with water hemlock. Considering this has been a work in progress for about 10 years it felt magnificent to actually, finally, have the equipment, time, and weather all at once. After researching chemical control of water hemlock, cultivation […] Read more

New Wheat crop

In-crop nitrogen fertilizer application

Agronomy Management: In-crop N application is becoming more popular. But is it a good fit for your farm?

Many farmers in Western Canada band their nitrogen (N) fertilizer before seeding or place all fertilizer in a side or mid-row band at the time of planting for their cereal and oilseed crops. Both are very sound practices. After seeding, most of the N fertilizer will slowly convert from ammonium nitrate (NH4+) to nitrate nitrogen (NO3-), the form […] Read more