ESN-coated urea | There’s still time for applications, although official warns against broadcasting
Wheat fields with seed-placed Environmentally Smart Nitrogen-coated urea have yielded up to seven bushels per acre more than fields with conventional urea methods. The field scale tests were conducted in conjunction with provincial agriculture departments, universities and research centres in all three prairie provinces, said Alan Blaylock, agronomy manager with Agrium Advanced Technologies. Although it’s […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Farmers must be aware of toxic gases
GUELPH, Ont. — A farmer joked out loud that surface crusts on his manure pits were so thick he could drive across with his skid steer loader. A few people in the group laughed along politely, but many others on the tour bus slowly shook their heads in silence. The brief incident, which occurred during […] Read more
Fall tillage starts with tandem tune-up
Keeping everything in harmony | Pulling a poorly adjusted disc harrow is like playing a violin that’s out of tune
Conquering B.t. corn root balls and stalks has become an industry unto itself in the past decade. The older disc harrows and field cultivators just don’t have the weight or aggressive design to cut, slice and chop the residue of genetically modified corn, says Sunflower Manufacturing tillage specialist Larry Kuster. “I can recall dozens of […] Read moreMetering disc helps corn planter seed canola
Reduced static | Great Plains device uses pressurized air for improved spacing
Implement companies have been struggling to keep up with the recent trend of seeding canola with a corn planter. Great Plains has a unique way of dealing with the challenge. The company recently introduced a new metering disc, brushes and seed tube designed specifically to turn its corn planter into an accurate canola planter, according […] Read more
Beer solves guys’ problems
Successful restaurant saves farm | Brothers grow own malt barley and hops for beermaking
Losing the farm can drive people to alcohol to hide the shame and kill the pain. And so it was for the four Warwaruk brothers of Minnedosa, Man. They turned to beer — selling it. “It all came to a head in 1997. The local credit union called Dad’s equipment loan. Then (Manitoba Agricultural Services […] Read more
Apply lime to upgrade soil
Potatoes are typically grown under irrigation, on sandy soil and with plenty of commercial fertilizer. It’s the perfect setup for severe acidity and a perfect scenario for lime treatment. The three main factors contributing to severe acidity are irrigation, high fertilizer rates and soil with a low pH to begin with, according to independent agronomist […] Read more
Low pH diagnosis a cause for concern
Soil naturally becomes more acidic as it ages, gradually losing the capacity to grow crops as the pH drops. The question is, what can be done about it? “It’s a natural process,” said Don Flaten, a soil scientist at the University of Manitoba. “Soils acidify with age as water percolates through them.” Flaten said old […] Read more
Soil acidity: is the culprit nitrogen or zero till?
Levels of pH are gradually dropping where nitrogen is applied
Fields that become acidic almost overnight aren’t science fiction. Corn land around Bismarck, North Dakota, has become acidic in just a few years. It’s due to high rates of nitrogen fertilizer in combination with zero till practices, said local independent agricultural consultant Bob Amstrup. “We are creating an artificially low pH problem because of the […] Read more
Here’s the full poop on a new cart design
Big slurry tankers Top out at more than 100,000 pounds so there’s no room for slop in the steering and suspension
GUELPH, Ont. — The tanker industry concedes it has maxed out size-wise with its latest generation of big slurry carts, so now it’s time to make effluent more efficient. One of the best ways to quantify tanker efficiency is to count the number of round trips or the number of gallons moved per shift. If […] Read more
Extra enzymes enhance slurry efficiency
Adding new bugs | BactZyme bonds phosphorus and nitrates to soil, resulting in a 30 percent yield increase in the field
GUELPH, Ont. — Farmers who apply slurry to supplement commercial fertilizers could produce 30 percent more crop with the help of a new biological agent. BactZyme Manure Pit Treatment was initially developed in California to help dairy farmers comply with strict legislation regulating the leeching of nitrates and phosphorous, said Andrew Flokstra of Star-Gro Products […] Read more
