We all have them or have seen them — the areas where crop productivity falls near null, and foxtail barley encroachment begins. Areas affected by high salinity are often referred to as alkali sloughs, and are considered for remediation. Years of no- or minimum-till farming across the prairies has certainly helped the situation, says Kelly... Read More
Category: Crop Production
A soil test can give a good indication of nutrient inputs necessary for a healthy crop, (provided the sample is representative --- more on this later). But besides something to consider in the spring, a soil sample may also be a tool for in-season plant health diagnostics. In these circumstances, the role of a test... Read More
I've seen my share of unintentional intercrop — lentils and mustard that just HAD to grow together, I guess (I call that one 'lustard') — but did you know there may be very profitable reasons to intentionally grow two crops on the same land in the same year? While intercropping is not rare on a... Read More
You've seen UAVs at work and added one to your Christmas list. You've mapped out management zones using data from a Veris machine or imagery from a satellite. You have GPS-referenced yield maps and a GreenSeeker in your back pocket. You are the farmer who loves a good gadget and wants imagery to make field... Read More
Water walks, not runs, off Seth Watkins' farm. That's the first of three principles Watkins uses to guide the agronomic decisions he makes on Pinhook Farms, based in Iowa. Watkins, who raises corn, soybeans and cattle across several counties in Iowa, spoke recently at the World Congress on Conservation Agriculture to share his experience with... Read More
Have you heard of the United Nations' (UN) "International Year of..." designations? The UN has put together various observances, as far as three years out, in an effort to help it reach its objectives on things like food security, for example. This year is the year of the family farm. Next year is the year... Read More
Farmers interested in growing winter wheat now have access to the first-ever winter wheat variety with an R rating to fusarium head blight. CANTERRA SEEDS announced today the official launch of AC Emerson winter wheat, with certified seed available to growers for fall planting in 2014. AC Emerson winter wheat was developed by Dr. Rob... Read More
Foxtail barley, or Hordeum jubatum, is a perennial bunchgrass with good tolerance to both salinity and spring flooding. Because of its relatively shallow root system, foxtail barley is quite susceptible to tillage as a management tool, however, due to the shift to low-till or no-till cropping techniques, this method isn't always an option. Increasing seeding... Read More
Palmer amaranth could be the next glyphosate resistance weed problem for Ontario farmers. University of Arkansas weed scientist Jason Norsworthy calls it “pigweed on steroids.” Norsworthy, who first saw glyphosate-resistant palmer amaranth in Arkansas in 2006, says the weed can grow two to three inches a day after it reaches four inches tall. “You can... Read More
There's a difference between new technology that becomes a useful tool and new technology that's just a toy. The difference is largely in the practical application of what any given technology makes possible. Exhibit A: the smartphone — great and powerful technology, but likely also overwhelmingly used to share silly cat videos and status updates.... Read More