What goals should be set for canola yield targets? How have yields been trending? Why is this information important? Achieving a final goal yield at the end of the season is an important component in the profitability of a cropping operation, and setting realistic targets can give producers a reference point from which they can... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Grazing corn is becoming increasingly more common. So is grazing cover crops. But what happens when you put the two together? How wide should the corn rows be in order to make space for the cover crop? And is this a profitable way of farming? Byron Long of Long Family Farm at Barrhead County, Alberta... Read More
Every field has a test plot. That's the modus operandi at McBlain Farms. Tyler McBlain’s grandfather started no-tilling back in the 1980s and was a huge proponent of on-farm testing to determine what agronomic practices work best on the farm and its unique mix of heavy clay and lighter soils. Over the years, the farm,... Read More
Despite an extremely dry September that played havoc with plant establishment, the winter wheat crop across Ontario appears to be packing plenty of yield potential as it heads into the dormant winter months. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson says the crop is not as big as he had hoped — estimates peg it between... Read More
Knowing your soil is critical to understanding a field's potential and setting realistic yield goals that make economic sense for the 2025 growing season. Heading into a the new year with depressed crop prices, growers will be looking to sharpen their pencils this winter to optimize input investment, including everything from seed and weed control... Read More
Biologicals have tremendous potential to help growers manage the stresses that impact corn throughout the growing season. Questions remain, however, on how to deploy these products, which include living organisms, bacteria, amino acids or plant extracts, in the pursuit of higher corn yields. AGRIS Co-operative agronomy strategy manager Dale Cowan has been testing biologicals for... Read More
The old saying "it's not how you start that's important, but how you finish" applies to the story of the 2024 soybean crop on the Prairies and Northern Plains. Final yield numbers from crop insurance — usually the best overall estimate — are not yet public, but Statistics Canada says Manitoba farmers set a new... Read More
Better seed genetics and strong market prices are putting kidney beans on the radar for an increasing number of edible bean growers in Ontario. On this episode of RealAgriculture's Edible Bean School, Hensall Co-op origination manager Wade Bickell looks at the evolution of kidneys and how two new varieties, Dynasty and Gallantry, have helped fuel... Read More
Weather is one of the many, but main, factors that determines yield outcomes at harvest. It's also a factor that is completely beyond a grower's control. Or is it? While farmers can't make the rain fall or the sun shine, there are plenty of things that can be done to mitigate the stress that a... Read More
How does commercial nitrogen fertilizer impact soil organic matter? Does adding nitrogen burn up organic matter or does it actually enhance organic matter levels in farm soils? Earlier this year, Syngenta soil health assessment lead Jordan Wade and Washington State University agronomist Andrew McGuire teamed up to answer that question. After reviewing decades of academic... Read More