The concept of controlled traffic farming — that is, running all equipment on set paths in a field to reduce compaction — is one RealAgriculture.com has explored before. In this video, Steve Laroque discusses what he's learned in the second year of adopting the practice. Alberta is most certainly the leader of the practice in... Read More
Category: Crops
Did your wheat crop make you smile this year? Good yields and high protein in the face of strong commodity prices is the coveted winning trifecta of the wheat world. Unfortunately, Canadian wheat growers are not the only ones with bins full of high protein, quality wheat. The traditional high protein spreads only happen when... Read More
It's the beginning of October and it has been dry, dry, dry for many parts of the Prairies. Winter wheat is struggling to germinate and there have been several devastating grass fires over the last month in Alberta and Manitoba. While there have been frosts, above normal daytime temps even just a week ago set... Read More
The market seemed surprised by the Statistics Canada report released this morning. Farmers did not. StatsCan slashed a million tonnes from its earlier estimate and has pegged production at 13.2 million tonnes. Initial reaction from farmers was, Yes, we could've have told you that, but some market analysts are concerned the number is perhaps a... Read More
The Ontario corn crop certainly started out with great potential. Then the rain petered out. Pockets of the corn growing region received showers, but by late July, we were already talking about how big a bite the drought was taking out of yield. We'll know in a few week's time as the corn harvest gears... Read More
The Tillage Radish has piqued the interest of both eastern and western farmers. While cover crops are far more common in the east, western Canadian farmers are warming up to the usefulness of oilseed radish and the Tillage Radish. It's a versatile crop — the Tillage Radish creates massive roots that can break up hardpan,... Read More
Harvest is a great time to grab a sample of grain and have it tested for germination and disease levels. Harvest is also the easiest (and warmest) time to get a representative sample, as you can sample as you fill bins. The sooner you know some basic quality parameters the better, as poor germ or... Read More
Whether it's to fix nitrogen, protect against erosion or to do both these and provide grazing or green feed, cover crops are a key component of Ontario crop rotations. While many farmers are content with oats, red clover or ryegrass, the options for cover crops are seemingly endless. Christine Brown, cover crops specialist with OMAFRA,... Read More
Uniform seeding at a consistent depth is the first step to a banner wheat crop, but the first mistake many farmers make — seeding too deep — hurts them twice over. Wheat seeded too deep means fewer plants emerge and those that do are slower to grow and produce fewer tillers. It's an issue for... Read More
A large part of the Prairies is dry. And when we say dry, we mean dusty dry down a few inches. No, not everywhere and, no, not like the U.S., but nearly the entire growing area of Manitoba could use a good drink. Farmers in parts of Saskatchewan and Alberta say the same. A dry... Read More