INDIAN HEAD, Sask. – Applying sophisticated precision farming techniques to prairie farming isn’t for everyone.
If you are the type of person who can’t program your VCR, then working with the computers, GPS systems and variable rate applications needed for precision farming might prove too technologically taxing.
“It definitely isn’t for everybody and likely never will be,” said Dave Potts, manager of M and L Teneycke Farms at Young, Sask.
Since last year, Potts has been working with Yann Pelcat, research manager for precision farming at the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation.
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Their goal is to develop field management zones with an eye to using variable rate nitrogen application.
Last year, problems with satellite signals created errors when Potts was applying fertilizer, making the results unusable, but things look better this year.
Potts is participating because he and the farm’s owner are interested in variable rate fertilizer application to get the best impact per dollar spent.
“We are working quite hard on really good management practices. Like, we work with a full-time agrologist and we soil test.”
But they don’t know how best to employ the farm’s variable rate application equipment.
“We’ve got a Raven controller so as we go down the field we can create a map that will tell us to put any kind of a rate wherever we want it,” he said.
The unanswered question is how to allocate different fertilizer amounts to each management zone.
“We’d like to get better than average. That’s what we are shooting for, but maybe it isn’t there, you can’t do it.”
The loss of information last year didn’t upset Potts.
“We aren’t going to find out a whole lot in one year anyway. It’ll be a period of years.”
Pelcat said that when working with some producers, the time demands of farming large acreages mean seeding and harvesting must go on even if there are problems with the satellite signal or other technical glitches.
“It is time consuming,” Potts said.
“But as the technology develops, it will get quicker.”
