Long row to hoe to get money tree
St. Clements, Man. - The prospect of an environmentally friendly biomass tree farm that annually returns $60 to $80 per acre holds a certain attraction, especially considering that each planting is good for 15 to 20 years.

Willow best biomass bet, but harvester still a hurdle
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky - Research indicates that willow has the best biomass potential for Canadian climates.

Wireworm appetite takes heavy toll
Wireworms could be a significant problem this spring - partly because of population increases and partly because of economics.

On the wireworm trail
Bob Vernon is tracking the not-so-elusive wireworm.

Crop rotation key to increasing grain's nutrient content - Organic Matters
A long-term study at the University of Manitoba is adding more weight to the theory that crop rotations in organic agriculture can affect nutrient content in grain.

Spring maintenance key to good performance
Your tractor was in storage all winter and now that spring has arrived, you're ready to take it into the field.

Poplars provide energy, carbon credits
ST. CLEMENTS, Man. - Pete and Irene de Graaf planted their entire century farm to poplar and willow trees in June 2005. Some are already 15 feet tall.

Money trees compete with canola
Consider an annual return of roughly $60 to $80 per acre on a tree crop planted only once every 15 to 20 years.

Alfalfa out, annual crops in
Shifting from alfalfa to a spring seeded annual requires careful management and some rain.

New Products
Welder generator

Soil sampling goes to the robots
Farmers, engineers and soil labs have been trying to take the drudgery out of soil sampling for decades. A new machine might be just what they've been looking for.

Soil sampler says probe will save on fertilizer
AgRobotics' AutoProbe was a dream come true for Scott McKee.

Don't press panic button
Mark Akins of Avonlea, Sask., has 450 acres of winter wheat to worry about this spring if he wants - but he has learned not to.

Know when enough is enough
Craig Shaw knew he needed to get the most from every dollar he spent on inputs, but in some cases, the more he spent, the more trouble he bought.

Additional fertilizer application will reap returns
Fertilizer is expensive, but cutting rates might prove more costly.

New malting barley varieties on track
A record number of new malting barley varieties have been recommended for registration at a time when research funding for the crop remains uncertain.

New Products
Harmony tank mix

Bad seeds can damage canola exports
Canola producers are being urged not to plant unregistered varieties this spring.

Cost/value of saving western waterways
MOOSE JAW - Calculating the cost of implementing rotational grazing in riparian areas is one thing.