There likely isn't a farmer around who'd give up their autosteer. Once technology gets integrated into the farming system, it's more likely that you're going to add capability, not take it away. That said, when you're ready move past basic guidance and into true precision agriculture, where do you start? Stuart Lawrence, territory manager with... Read More
Category: Technology
Selling grain can be as easy as a phone call, but that's the exception, not the rule. What's more, getting a deal done usually requires a bit of back and forth to get the terms that work for your farm. The easier it is for grain buyers and grain sellers to connect and negotiate, the... Read More
Just a few years ago, Dave Hooker, professor at University of Guelph-Ridgetown Campus, started a Twitter account as @CropDoc2. Like many, however, it sort of was just there and he didn't do much with it. Then, at the urging of a colleague, Hooker started Tweeting, asking questions, pushing out research findings and started a true... Read More
For many years people thought of farmers as being less intelligent than the general population. How many times did we see the picture of the farmer with the straw hat and dirty overalls, such poor fashion sense that he couldn't be as intelligent as the more sophisticated urban folk. Today's farmer is proving everyone wrong... Read More
Well, if you've got mad skill on the paintball course and an intense interest in ecosystems/agriculture, you'll be intrigued to know the two have collided. Developed by Dr. James Leary of the University of Hawaii, Herbicide Ballistic Technology (I know, just when you thought it couldn't get better), or HBT, gives sharp-shooting scientists the ability... Read More
I recently watched a movie about two journalists who wrote for competing papers during the holiday season. As it was long before social media, the journalists received handwritten letters of thanks or disagreement. It struck me then, that our technology has evolved at a pace that our expressions of gratitude maybe can't keep up with.... Read More
We've said it before, and we'll say it again, the sprayer is really a multi-purpose tool on the modern farm. From pre-seed burn-off, to in-crop protection and fertility applications, to post-harvest, the sprayer rarely sits still on the farm. Because it's involved throughout the entire growing season, the sprayer could potentially be a great place... Read More
Technology has won me a lot of opportunities in life, so don’t act surprised to hear I’m excited about the recent availability of Blackberry Messenger (BBM) to our Apple/Android traitors, I mean, friends. Here are three meager reasons I think you should give the program a try: Groups. Since our farm slowly moved towards the... Read More
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
As equipment becomes more sophisticated and tech-reliant, farming has become an increasingly precise and data-driven business. It's rare though that each tractor or piece of equipment and implement is purchased at the exact same time, complete with software interface, all from the same brand. And, even if they did, no brand of equipment has a... Read More