Precision farming — encompassing field imagery, soil and elevation maps, variable rate crop inputs, guidance and the creation of field management zones — has been, arguably, the technology that has chugged along, rather than taken off. Depending on who you ask, widespread adoption of a full suite of precision agriculture options has been held up... Read More
Category: Agronomy
As 2017 soybean planting gets rolling across Ontario, what management considerations should be top of mind for growers? In our planting edition of Real Agriculture Soybean School, we put that question to Pride Seeds market development agronomist Dan Foster. In this episode, Foster explains why he’s excited to see Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans going... Read More
Do I plant a workhorse or a racehorse hybrid? That’s a typical question corn growers contemplate when making seed choices. But with the growth of precision farming and advancing genetic progress, there’s now a new question to contemplate: should I plant a fixed, flex, or semi-flex hybrid? In this edition of Real Agriculture Corn School,... Read More
Weeds are thriving in Ontario winter wheat fields and in many cases are beyond the size for optimum weed control. In this episode of Real Agriculture Wheat School, Deb Campbell from Agronomy Advantage explains that winter annuals are seven to 10 days ahead of normal and that means growers will have to shift their mindset... Read More
It's the last week of April and not only is there crop in the ground in areas of southern Ontario, but there's even a few corn and soy plants poking above ground! Don't feel bad, though, if that's not where you're at — there's plenty of field prep and planning still happening across not just... Read More
You can't really blame mice and deer from taking a bite out of overwintering canola swaths — your crop is literally a giant buffet for them. And, of course, animals have never heard the saying "don't poop where you eat," and so, to add insult to injury, not only has overwintered canola been downgraded by... Read More
Peter Johnson wishes farmers managed wheat more like corn. He admits that corn’s bigger yields and higher profitability creates more interest in intensively managing the crop, but that does not excuse growers from making good, basic wheat management decisions. One thing that drives Real Agriculture’s resident agronomist crazy is wheat growers who seed based on... Read More
The nitrogen is on, the wheat and weeds are growing, and field work and planting is beginning in earnest in Ontario's south (other areas and much of Western Canada will just have to wait a tiny bit longer). As #plant17 gets rolling, Peter Johnson is back with another edition of Wheat Pete's Word, and this... Read More
When I'm knee-deep (ankle, for most of you) in discussions about challenges in agriculture, I often ask, "What's the next bee?" I'm used to the funny looks I get, but what I mean, once I clarify, is what is the next issue in agriculture that will be debated and perhaps regulated not necessarily on the... Read More
Will you be splitting your wheat nitrogen application this spring? Agronomist Peter Johnson thinks you should. In this episode of Real Agriculture Wheat School, Johnson reviews the split N strategy and why growers should take a hard look at making it part of their management plan. “First of all, it simply buys you insurance against... Read More