"We've always done it that way" isn't always the best approach in farming, and that includes the decision on how much fertilizer to put down with canola at seeding. Canola is sensitive to fertilizer toxicity, especially in dry soil conditions. It's well worth revisiting what's traditionally been considered a safe rate in the seed row,... Read More
Category: Western Canada
The Successors is a RealAgriculture podcast series hosted by Kara Oosterhuis focusing on agriculture from the perspective of the up-and-coming generation. What does it take to change the original venture of your business? Why is it important to keep an open mind, even if you think you have everything planned out? And how do you... Read More
A new online tool has been launched to help farmers and agronomists in Western Canada understand nutrient removal rates to make more informed fertilizer decisions. The Prairie Nutrient Removal Calculator provides updated estimates of nutrient removal for 12 different crops, based on samples collected from farmers' fields in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba in 2020 through... Read More
To till or not to till? It's an ongoing conversation in areas where water is controlled through irrigation or risk of soil erosion is high. Carlo Van Herk, research technician with Farming Smarter, says strip tillage ahead of a canola crop could be the answer, as it creates a happy medium between soil water conservation... Read More
The Canadian Cattle Association’s (CCA) Canadian Cattle Young Leaders (CYL) Program has announced the semi-finalists for the upcoming 2023-2024 program year. Established in 2010, the CYL Program welcomes people ages 18-35 from across Canada involved in all areas of the beef supply chain and connects them with industry leaders to provide unique mentorship, and offers... Read More
Perhaps Mother Nature heard the call for rain just a little too loudly, as some areas of Ontario experienced violent storms and huge downpours over the last week. The early dry conditions did set the cereal crops back, but this moisture could make for a tidy yield improvement, says host of Wheat Pete's Word, Peter... Read More
Farmers across Canada may have planted slightly more canola and wheat than expected, if Statistics Canada's acreage estimates prove to be accurate. The agency released its June field crop survey results on Wednesday (June 28), and it underlined a shift away from pulses and smaller acreage crops toward growing more canola, wheat, soybeans, and corn.... Read More
There are several considerations when deciding to try cover crops to maximum potential, and there are likely equally plentiful considerations to termination when the time comes. While there are a few mainstream ways to terminate a cover crop, Farming Smarter at Lethbridge, Alta., is looking at using a roller crimper to do the job. The... Read More
Farmers in parts of Alberta and moving east will likely end up with some welcome moisture as the calendar flips to July; however, the parched southern areas aren't likely to see much of the rain action. Ontario is in an unsettled weather pattern that's sure to bring plenty of water followed by heat, and the... Read More
Scouting fields, it's very common to see several species of beetle scurrying along the ground and up plants. Plenty of these beetles are likely friends and not foes, as ground beetles are a diverse species with plenty of members doing good work in the crop canopy. Dr. Khaldoun Ali, a plant-insect ecologist at the University... Read More