Scott Buchan sees the impact of technology whenever he's watching his broiler chickens or looking at his hydro bills. For Buchan, who operates Buchrest Farms along with his family in Ontario's Waterloo Region, investing in technology and innovation plays a key role in making the operation more profitable and sustainable. Buchan notes that his energy... Read More
Category: Crop Schools
Harvested seed quality is heavily influenced by weather conditions throughout the growing season. Summers with drought conditions, as well as heat blast, can lead to an increased occurrence of mechanical damage in pulse seed lots. While the Prairies experienced both last year, the quality of seed going into 2025 is quite stable, says Carey Matthiessen,... Read More
A high-quality wheat crop starts before the seed is even planted, by choosing the best seed lot possible. A seed with excellent germination, strong vigour, and freedom from and protection against key pathogens is more likely to achieve strong emergence and a healthy plant establishment. This year's seed quality reflects the growing conditions of the... Read More
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times — that pretty much tells the tale of the 2024 edible bean season in the Ontario and Manitoba growing areas. With a cool, windy spring, Manitoba Ag pulse and soybean specialist Dennis Lange says he never expected to see record edible crops in... Read More
How does nitrogen leaf burn impact yield? What about leaf wetness at application? Will wet leaves mitigate the potential for damage from a nitrogen application? Those are just some of the questions University of Guelph researcher Josh Nasielski and RealAgriculture's Bernard Tobin tackle on this episode of the RealAgriculture Corn School. Tobin caught up with... Read More
Growers can throw the kitchen sink at corn to increase yield but there's no guarantee that the extra inputs will improve the bottom line when the crop goes to market. That was certainly the story Purdue University associate professor and extension corn specialist Dr. Dan Quinn observed in his trials across Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky... Read More
What goals should be set for canola yield targets? How have yields been trending? Why is this information important? Achieving a final goal yield at the end of the season is an important component in the profitability of a cropping operation, and setting realistic targets can give producers a reference point from which they can... Read More
Grazing corn is becoming increasingly more common. So is grazing cover crops. But what happens when you put the two together? How wide should the corn rows be in order to make space for the cover crop? And is this a profitable way of farming? Byron Long of Long Family Farm at Barrhead County, Alberta... Read More
Every field has a test plot. That's the modus operandi at McBlain Farms. Tyler McBlain’s grandfather started no-tilling back in the 1980s and was a huge proponent of on-farm testing to determine what agronomic practices work best on the farm and its unique mix of heavy clay and lighter soils. Over the years, the farm,... Read More
Despite an extremely dry September that played havoc with plant establishment, the winter wheat crop across Ontario appears to be packing plenty of yield potential as it heads into the dormant winter months. RealAgriculture agronomist Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson says the crop is not as big as he had hoped — estimates peg it between... Read More