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Tag Archives sustainable agriculture

Closeup of a plowed field, fertile, black soil.
Crops, Features

The five principles of soil health

USDA researcher says healthy soil needs a systems approach

By
At the Regenerative Agriculture Forum in Brandon in November, Jay Fuhrer, soil health specialist with the Natural Resource Conservation Service of the USDA, spoke about soil health. Fuhrer has identified five principles of soil health, and how they work to improve soil health and increase productivity. Fuhrer defined soil health is defined as “the continued […] Read more
Farmers take a look at smaller-scale plots on a tour of the research farm at Carman, Man., in the summer of 2019.
Crops

Testing the cover crop hypothesis

Agronomy researchers are catching up with what farmers are doing in their fields

By
It’s an exciting time for cover crop research. Last summer, many large-scale cover crop trials were underway across the Prairies looking at everything from cover crop combinations, rotations and planting methods to pollinator strips. One of the biggest ongoing projects, funded by Western Grains Research Foundation, Manitoba Wheat and Barley Growers and Manitoba Pulse and […] Read more
What was once a thin patch of grass rebounded nicely after pastured
poultry added nutrients to the soil.
Cattleman’s Corner, Features

Natural ways to improve soil quality

Cover crops may be more practical than molasses and milk

By
For many years there has been growing public concern that food is declining in nutrition. Dr. Arden Anderson, a favourite researcher, has studied the correlation between soil health and feed nutrition. His research has shown that the nutrient content of foods today compared to half a century ago ranges from 15 to 75 per cent […] Read more
Researcher Lana Shaw says intercrop researchers are finding 
crop combinations that are economically beneficial.
Crops, Features

Intercropping research catching up

Researchers are taking a look at the intercropping combinations farmers are trying at home

By
When most farmers think about intercropping, peas and canola come to mind, which has to date probably been the most common pairing for an intercrop system. But research by Lana Shaw at the South East Research Farm (SERF) in Redvers, Sask., has shown that other combinations — like chickpeas and flax or mustard and lentils […] Read more
Getting the most from your wheat crop
Crops, Features

Getting the most from your wheat crop

Count the heads, grow a uniform crop, and manage residue for best results

By
While we’re still changing our seeding rate approach from bushels per acre to thousand kernel weight, Phil Needham of Needham Ag Technologies, has moved on to thinking about heads per square yard. An agronomist originally from Britain and now based in Kentucky, Needham has made a name for himself advising farmers on how to increase […] Read more
Some researchers have found that the land equivalent ratio is greater with crops grown together than with crops grown individually.
Crops, Features

The science behind intercropping

When plants can share nutrients, they can yield higher together than separately

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Just as the adoption of no-till agriculture on the Prairies several decades ago was farmer-driven, the current shift to ecological (sometimes called regenerative) agricultural practices is no different, says Dr. Martin Entz of the University of Manitoba. “In this fascinating carbon world, we’re now moving beyond just crop rotation and beyond just grazing management all […] Read more
Cover crop growing after harvest.
Crops, Features

Why didn’t my cover crop work?

Kevin Elmy lists nine potential causes of things that could go wrong when you try growing cover crops on your farm

By
Ever try something and it didn’t work the first time? What’s the next step? Try again doing the same thing, modify the approach or give up? Ideally, getting a mentor or someone with experience to find out what went wrong will help create a successful situation. Or maybe it just doesn’t work. Cover cropping is […] Read more
Research plots in 2017 looking at nitrogen and phosphorus interactions.
Crops, Pulses

Worried about pea disease? Try peaola

Intercropping peas and canola can minimize disease and lower production costs

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With international pea processor Roquette opening a plant in Portage la Prairie, Man., in 2020, many growers will be thinking about taking advantage of the opportunity. Some, however, will be worried about one of the biggest challenges of growing peas: disease. There may be a solution, though. Researchers and experimental farmers are finding answers in […] Read more
Ryan Boyd talks soil structure to attendees of the Canadian Farm Writers’ Federation conference in Manitoba during late August. Also pictured is his daughter, Piper.
Crops, Features

Regenerative agriculture for the next generation

Ryan Boyd uses farming practices that rebuild his soil without breaking the ban

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When he came back to the farm, Ryan Boyd was looking for a lower-risk farming scenario. As a young farmer, “I didn’t want to stick my neck out and have a large loss in one year,” he told reporters and communications professionals gathered on the approach to one of his fields near Brandon, Manitoba in […] Read more
Some modern agricultural practices are reducing stable organic matter and driving many soils to be bacterially dominated.
Crops, Features

Bacterial-based soils: addicted to crop inputs

Adding high-quality carbon to our soils can make farming more fun and profitable


By
Soils everywhere in the world consist of air, minerals, water and organic matter. Where the difference occurs is in the composition of soil in different places. As agricultural producers, we can only really manage the organic matter. In a conference this winter, Jay Fuhrer, a conservationist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Bismarck, North […] Read more

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