Two new liquid rhizobial inoculants, the first of their kind to be registered in Canada, are now available for soybeans, peas and lentils. Developed by the Winnipeg bio-research company XiteBio Technologies, these unique inoculants differ from conventional products in the way they form cooperative, synergetic partnerships with background rhizobia that have inhabited the soil for […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Maestro delivers accurate corn seed placement at 10 m.p.h.
BRANDON — Improving methods to more accurately place seeds of high value crops has become a precise science. Now, Horsch, formerly known as Horsch Anderson, says it has what many producers are looking for in its Maestro corn planter, which can plant corn at 10 m.p.h. on a well-prepared seed bed. The Maestro officially entered […] Read more
Flax industry confident seed supplies adequate
Triffid elimination causes uncertainty | Some farmers worry prices will soar due to limited varieties next year
Concerns are growing about flax seed prices and availability next spring as Canada puts the finishing touches on efforts to rid the country of the genetically modified variety Triffid. However, Todd Hyra of SeCan said he doesn’t expect problems next year. “One of my goals is to make sure the market isn’t shorted next spring,” […] Read more
Tote box delivers crop uniformity
Seed totes | Speed King retains seed integrity and uniformity from seed cleaning plant to field planter
A pretty decent crop could be expected if every seed going into a specific field was uniform in size, weight, shape and quality. Seed uniformity within a field means that everything should happen at the same time if Mother Nature is kind: germination, emergence, application of crop protection products and harvest. Uniformity is possible and […] Read more
Electric future ahead for precision planting
Innovations Planters and drills are expected to adopt more precise electric drive systems
PORTAGE LA PRAIRIE, Man. — Electric drive systems will gradually become the norm as farmers demand greater precision in their seeding systems, says independent agricultural consultant Bill Lehmkuhl. Lehmkuhl said when Kevin Anderson first installed Norac electric motors on his metering systems 15 years ago, he introduced a technology that will eventually become the standard […] Read more
A harrowing experience at 10 m.p.h.
BRANDON — It’s late June, past the crop insurance deadline. Eight thousand soggy acres still need to be seeded to canola. Tractors move but drills and carts sink. That’s the situation Morris Feduk of Melville, Sask., faced 11 months ago. Always one to try pulling a magic rabbit out of his hat, Feduk floated on […] Read more
Dairy farm biodigester will be the first to operate in Manitoba
Manitoba’s first dairy-based mesophillic anaerobic digester is in the final stages of testing and is expected to be ready for operation this fall. It is on the Sweetridge dairy farm south of Winkler. It is a pioneering project that must withstand the cold Manitoba winter, which many people say will kill the sensitive bacteria critical […] Read more
Singulation and spacing are not the same thing
Planting corn | Don’t ignore tube errors, says seeding expert
PORTAGE la PRAIRIE, Man. — People new to the nuances often assume that singulation and uniform spacing go hand in hand. “Not true,” corn planter guru Bill Lehmkuhl told a corn planter school sponsored by Pioneer Seeds earlier this spring. “Singulation and uniform spacing are two totally different issues,” he said. “The word singulation refers […] Read more
Producers can salvage a crop with shallow seeding
Drill setup | A late start and poor conditions leave growers with little room for error
Late snow melt? Cold soil? Too much rain? Tough seeding into mud? Short growing season? It doesn’t mean this year’s canola crop necessarily has to be a crop failure. Agronomists say there’s one opportunity to rescue the canola season, and if it isn’t done right the first time, there won’t be another chance until 2014. […] Read moreDigesters unlock manure’s potential
There’s no doubt anaerobic digesters work, but making them economically viable in Canada’s extreme prairie winter is another matter. Anaerobic digesters use heat to convert biomass, whether it’s for generating electricity or producing environmentally friendly materials. There are two types of digesters: the more common mesophillic digestion system that functions at 35 C and thermophillic […] Read more
