All of this is very low tech, but it works. How can you plan your 2016 crop if you do not know the details of the gifts Mother Nature is providing? In our area we know that most of next year’s moisture is in the ground and we can plan accordingly.
Tag Archives water
PHOTOS: Installing water table wells
Rethinking the natural water cycle
The natural systems we rely on and think of as simple are actually very complicated
Groundbreaking water research out of the University of Saskatchewan has just been published in the international science journal Nature. Researchers Jaivime Evaristo and Dr. Jeffrey McDonnell of from the U. of S. and Scott Jasechko of the University of Calgary have taken a new look at the hydrological cycle, something that’s been pretty well established […] Read more
Australians resilient to herbicide resistance
After the Millennium Drought, Australian farmers handle herbicide resistance with confidence
To understand how Australian farmers handle herbicide resistance, it’s useful to know about the Millennium Drought. The drought stretched over a decade and tested farmers’ mettle. But they emerged from those dry years with heightened confidence, says Brad Collis, editor of Ground Cover. “The industry’s come through it in very resilient frame.” Collis credits agriculture’s […] Read more
Irrigation: Past, present and future
During the past few wet years, irrigation projects have lost their urgency. Now is the time to refocus
This column has dealt with irrigation many times over the past decades, but this instalment deals mainly with the situation in Saskatchewan. Alberta is the big irrigation province where irrigation has been going for the longest but it has pretty well maxed out the acres that have water available. Manitoba irrigation deals mainly with potatoes […] Read more
Drought brings its own package of health risks for livestock
Pests, toxic plants and disease can all thrive under dry conditions
With the current lack of runoff moisture and few spring rains across much of Western Canada, certain disease conditions may become more prevalent. It will pay to be extra vigilant this year when checking your herds. We commonly see more blackleg and all the other clostridial diseases in dry conditions. With shorter grass, cattle and […] Read more
Manage water to optimize wheat, canola production
Use your irrigation system to its full potential by asking these four question about water needs
Often the most limiting nutrient in irrigated crop production is water! Many irrigation farmers tend to under-irrigate their crops, which limits yield potential. Often the main reasons for under-irrigation are simply not checking soil moisture frequently and starting the irrigation system too late. Knowing the answers to these four questions can help. 1. How much water does […] Read more
Hard water hampers weed control
To get the most from the herbicides you’re spraying in your field, check your water quality first
A North Dakota State University extension specialist says the performance of some herbicides can be adversely affected by using hard water to prepare spray mixtures. According to Richard Zollinger, there are a variety of water quality issues that can impact herbicide efficacy, including the presence of clay, silt or organic matter in the water. But […] Read more
Mother Nature, as usual, holds all the cards for farmers
Farmers are optimistic about the growing season, as long as the weather doesn’t tip too far either way
While the spring seeding outlook was generally good as of late April, farmers in different parts of the Prairies described being close to feast-or-famine conditions as they planned to get the 2015 crop in the ground. Producers from mid-Saskatchewan and east were hopeful about getting the crop in as long as it didn’t rain, while […] Read more
Aphanomyces hurting pea yield for Sask. producer
After repeated aphanomyces problems, Bernie McLean is taking a break from growing peas
Bernie McClean usually has a positive outlook on everything. But after three years of dealing with aphanomyces, he’s taking a break from peas. “It’s just too risky. I can’t afford the risk,” says McClean over a cup of coffee at his farm, which sits between Glaslyn and Medstead in northwestern Saskatchewan. Up until two weeks […] Read more
Stubble soil moisture map
Les Henry’s annual stubble soil moisture map shows, for the most part, an overall rise in the water table across the Prairie region
The situation as of freezeup 2014, brought a few changes. My red pencil was not used even in Alberta and “super wet” is back as it was in 2010 and 2012. “Super wet” is for areas that had significant rains on top of that needed to bring the entire soil profile to “field capacity.” The […] Read more
Cyber-Savvy Farmer
