By Shane Thomas Plant nutrients are always big driving factors in how our crops yield, with macronutrients getting the majority of the attention. However, micronutrients can be limiting factors in a lot of our cropping systems, especially for those really pushing yield with intense management. One micronutrient that gets discussed a lot is copper. This... Read More
Category: Western Canada
It's early morning on a bright, clear day. The sun is just starting to climb. There's a heavy dew on the crop. Should you still head out to spray? Well, the dew is one thing, but there's a much larger factor at play here that should factor in your decision. Whether or not you should... Read More
The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture hosted the 2014 Agriculture Trade Summit in Saskatoon in early February. It was there that I met Jennifer Higginson, deputy director of the trade negotiations division of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Higginson's presentation dealt largely with the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA), citing an eventual elimination of over 95%... Read More
Can I just say now that I am SO glad to see tail lights on this month? February may be the shortest month of the year, but the combination of wicked weather (third coldest winter on record that Manitoba has experienced), a busy schedule and a plague-like illness has made this month feel 10 days... Read More
New Holland is introducing upgrades to their Twin Rotor CR combines. The changes touch on operator comfort, with an emphasis on overall capacity, efficiency and durability. Perhaps one of the most drastic changes comes from a 15% increase in capacity through the "Dynamic Feed Roll." The updated setup speeds up crop movement through streamlined feeding... Read More
In the past year, I have had two friends that lost canola seed bags off the back of their truck after seed pick up. Blame it on the wind, poor shrink wrap or your speedy driving, but you need to make sure that you have the seed bags secured on the truck or trailer deck... Read More
I suspect there will be a lot of angst over the new federal farm review and forecast – even though statistically, it’s a good news story. The report, released last week, showed farmers produced 96.5 million tonnes of grain in 2013. That’s a major leap over the previous year's relatively dismal 76.7-million tonne crop, which... Read More
If you've intentionally found your browser open to this article, chances are you've heard the melodious call of an auctioneer and considered, one day, also sitting in the limelight of an auction sale. Either that, or you just really like Danny Hooper. In 2013, I attended Western Canadian Agribition as both a Cattlemen's Young Leader... Read More
The Steiger RowTrac could aptly be described as the Hulk…..with bunny slippers. It’s a tractor that CASE designed to tackle the heaviest of farm jobs, yet tread as lightly as possible when needed. It’s highly adaptable as well, with the ability to pull almost any implement you’ve got on the yard, with multiple adjustments for... Read More
Where there are livestock, there's going to be manure. Tonnes of it, in fact. And while that "brown gold" may eventually make its way to neighbouring fields, all livestock owners, but especially feedlots, have to plan for manure management, storage and use. Manure is rich in nutrients, but too much of a good thing is... Read More