Category: Crop Schools

We've talked before about the importance of soil tilth in contributing to corn yields. The logic behind it is fairly simple. The easier it is for root structure to grow and spread out, the more access to nutrients, water, etc. Not only that, but the effect compounds itself over time as those roots decay and... Read More

There are big strides to be made in the area of soybean yields. A big part of increasing those yields comes from from finding out what's holding your plants back. The truth is that their is a wide range of limiting factors that vary from field to field. Instead of becoming overwhelmed with intricate details... Read More

It looks as though soybean growers in Ontario may see an early planting opportunity this year. Mild conditions through the past few months and especially over the last few weeks have farmers more than ready to get in the fields. With the advantages of early planting in soybeans established, when an opportunity presents itself, farmers... Read More

There is always some risk involved when it comes to early planting of corn. The risk-reward scenario has to be weighed using a number of factors, some of which, like the weather, are out of the farmer's hands. This year you can add another factor to that scenario: tight corn seed stocks. If something does... Read More

In any situation, broadleafs and wild oats left unchecked in your field can end up robbing you of the yield you desire. The best way to manage these nutrient scavengers is to make sure you are using your crop protection products that work quickly and effectively. Ensure that you do your own research on the... Read More

The story for corn in 2012 is going to depend on a number of things. Numbers are first and foremost the determining factor in this story. How much demand will there be globally? How many acres are going to be planted? How much good seed is available to be planted? What will the yields look... Read More

It looks as though the basics of supply and demand are at work in a dramatic way in the soybean market to the point where soybeans could return to the highs of 2008. China is leading the charge on the demand side both from the consumer and the livestock end with growth in global demand... Read More

Market turmoil has always been something that producers have had to deal with, but increasingly, one of the only characteristics of the markets you count on is the instability of the markets. As analyst John DePutter put it, " Volatility is a fact of life in the markets." Those ups and downs have become more... Read More

Planting early is almost always a good idea. There are aspects and elements that we can't control like the weather that tend to throw the best laid plans out the window, but in general, the theory is simple. The soybean plant is a factory that produces soybeans. That factory runs primarily on sunlight. The more... Read More

In this episode of the Corn School we continue our series with agronomist Darel Walker about the key factors in the pursuit of 300 bushel corn. In the first episode of the series we looked at soil tilth as one of those factors; in this episode we look to proper nitrogen application as another piece... Read More