All farmers hate weeds. Especially weeds that are hard to kill. Weeds are yield-robbing nuisances that compete for valuable space in and out of the seed row. Some weeds are fairly easy to deal with and only create limited stress. But then there are those that seem to create havoc every year because they are... Read More
Category: Crop Production
We're kicking off May with wet, wet weather both at home and south of the border, and not one but two alerts for very early disease detection in Ontario's Bruce and Essex Counties. Peter Johnson, your host of Wheat Pete's Word, also has cautions on using saved soybean seed from the 2016 crop, why you... Read More
Seeding and harvest are the two main pinch points for time on the farm. Many farmers have gone to wider implements, bigger carts, and huge tractors in an effort to cover the maximum amount of acres per day to make the most of an intense spring start. But going wider and adding capacity creates a... Read More
High moisture corn delivers the energy benefits of straight grain corn, with the added bonuses of not having to dry or flake it, potentially higher yields and higher available energy, and, frankly, lower risk of crop and harvest losses due to the shorter Western Canada growing season. "If you can put up quality silage, you... Read More
Precision farming — encompassing field imagery, soil and elevation maps, variable rate crop inputs, guidance and the creation of field management zones — has been, arguably, the technology that has chugged along, rather than taken off. Depending on who you ask, widespread adoption of a full suite of precision agriculture options has been held up... Read More
As 2017 soybean planting gets rolling across Ontario, what management considerations should be top of mind for growers? In our planting edition of Real Agriculture Soybean School, we put that question to Pride Seeds market development agronomist Dan Foster. In this episode, Foster explains why he’s excited to see Roundup Ready 2 Xtend soybeans going... Read More
Do I plant a workhorse or a racehorse hybrid? That’s a typical question corn growers contemplate when making seed choices. But with the growth of precision farming and advancing genetic progress, there’s now a new question to contemplate: should I plant a fixed, flex, or semi-flex hybrid? In this edition of Real Agriculture Corn School,... Read More
Weeds are thriving in Ontario winter wheat fields and in many cases are beyond the size for optimum weed control. In this episode of Real Agriculture Wheat School, Deb Campbell from Agronomy Advantage explains that winter annuals are seven to 10 days ahead of normal and that means growers will have to shift their mindset... Read More
It's the last week of April and not only is there crop in the ground in areas of southern Ontario, but there's even a few corn and soy plants poking above ground! Don't feel bad, though, if that's not where you're at — there's plenty of field prep and planning still happening across not just... Read More
You can't really blame mice and deer from taking a bite out of overwintering canola swaths — your crop is literally a giant buffet for them. And, of course, animals have never heard the saying "don't poop where you eat," and so, to add insult to injury, not only has overwintered canola been downgraded by... Read More