Today's Statistics Canada numbers of 2013 production confirmed what everyone already new — Canadian farmers have a heck of a harvest in the bin (or headed there shortly). So while the production figures are perhaps old news and bearish, there is one very cool tidbit of information in the list: canola production, for the first... Read More
Category: Crop Production
The Canadian Grain Commision (CGC) launched two online, dichotomous keys to help producers identify stored grain insect pests today. I took a test run of the keys, and found them to be fast, simple and totally within my budget (free) --- so, nothing like their paper counterparts. A dichotomous key is relatively simple to use,... Read More
Post-harvest spray applications are an effective way to deal with hard-to-control perennial and winter annual weeds like Canadian thistle, foxtail barley and dandelion. But, whether you're dealing with frost, labour shortages or incredibly dry conditions, spraying in the fall can be a challenge. A dry fall can not only limit the active growth of weeds,... Read More
4-H has been an integral part of the rural landscape for just over 100 years now. It's something that's so familiar to the young rural experience that it's substantial contributions to the towns and cities it's in can sometimes be overlooked. 4-H is a place where kids are exposed to all the elements that make... Read More
Fall is a great time to get effective control of some nasty perennial and many winter annual weeds. Fall weed control is especially important ahead of — or shortly after — winter wheat planting. The reality is, however, that many farmers skip this weed control window. Just like skipping a pre-plant burn-off in the spring... Read More
With concern over bee health and the potential impact of seed treatments that contain neonicotinoid products increasing, the seed industry is taking steps to offer farmers choices in seed treatment options for 2014. How do you decide if you need to order seed with or without an insecticide seed treatment? Greg Stewart, corn specialist with... Read More
Is the soybean setting on the combine really where you should start when setting up the combine for harvest? And is a flex header really necessary or just a nice-to-have sort of piece of equipment? The answers are yes and yes, and in this video, Harvey Chorney, of the Prairie Agriculture Machinery Institute and a... Read More
Seed is one of the most important inputs that farmers use all year. The difference between a good crop and a bad crop can be the quality of seed put into the ground, yet seed is not often given much thought, if at all. Just like soil testing or tissue testing, a seed test can... Read More
With good lodging resistance, early seeding and marketing flexibility, it's no wonder faba bean acres continue to rise in Alberta. And with harvest nearing completion, those faba bean stalks are starting to fall, leaving many a smiling farmer in their wake. "By now a lot of the faba beans have started to come off," said... Read More
Canola that goes in the bin dry but hot is still at risk for spoilage. The same can be said for grain with high weed seed, insect parts or just dockage in general. While it seems obvious to some, reports of full bin losses happen every year — losses that could be avoided simply by... Read More