Nobody can predict our future relationship with China. But long before the current schmozzle, some Canadian businesses had already started putting Canada first and weaned themselves from dependence on China. One of those businesses is the Winnipeg-based technology company 151 Research, the firm that invented and developed GrainViz. Braden Pierce is an engineer and one […] Read more
Ron Lyseng
Stories by Ron Lyseng
Bin monitoring system detects everything from heat to humans
The new GrainViz technology is so sensitive, it can identify and trigger alarms when it detects anything from the smallest bug to a trapped human in a grain bin. The latest version of GrainViz technology was unveiled in Winnipeg Dec. 12. At the same news conference, GrainViz co-founder and vice-president Boyd Koldingnes announced that his […] Read more
Stay on the ball when storing grain
Not everyone stores grain securely in big well-engineered bins. In many parts of the world, including North America, grain gets piled on the ground, sometimes with retaining rings. And sometimes there’s not even a steel or concrete retaining ring, says GrainViz entrepreneur Boyd Koldingnes. When he and the marketing team were in California recently to […] Read more
There’s a better way to predict the weather
Your farmyard weather station is good at predicting weather you’ve already experienced. It predicts history. And your rain gauge is only accurate within a radius of about eight inches. These encouraging words come from Daryl Ritchison, chief meteorologist at the North Dakota Agricultural Weather Network called NDAWN. He says your weather station and rain gauge […] Read more
Climatologist explains the fickle nature of thunderstorms
Why do fierce thunderstorms sometimes leave very little moisture on the ground? It’s a riddle that’s puzzled humankind for thousands of years. University of Missouri climatologist Neil Fox wanted to solve the riddle. To get at those answers, he turned to a relatively new research tool called dual-polarization radar. Farmers beyond a 30-mile radius (48 […] Read more
Weather forecast with a personal touch
Accurately predicting when, where and how much rain seems like magic. If you’re foretelling the future, and you’re accurate, then it must verge on magic right? Or is it science? Ask Scott Kehler and he’ll tell you it’s all a matter of science, but it’s got to be good science. Kehler is the chief researcher […] Read more
Explain it again, Sam
BRANDON — GrainViz engineer Braden Pierce had his hands full at Brandon AgDays explaining the revolutionary new technology that uses radio waves to measure moisture in a grain bin. The easy part was understanding 24 radio transmitter/receivers attached around the circumference of the bin wall. That concept is similar to radar, where a signal is […] Read more
Breeders help wheat beat the heat
Wheat is a cool season crop with an optimal daytime growing temperature of 15 C during the critical reproductive stage. Here on the Prairies, we can see 30 C during this stage. Eighty percent of wheat plants exposed to 30 C during a three-day period around anthesis had abnormal anthers, both structurally and functionally. For […] Read more
Stop Evil Kn-weevil dead in his tracks
The bean weevil is an evil little insect that bores into bean pods to devour the meal, thus leaving a hollow shell. It’s happy eating any type of bean seed. The larvae bore into the pods and continue feeding until coming out as adults to infect more seeds. They impact beans in the field and […] Read more
Latest bin level monitor opts for simplicity in design
The third version of the LevAlert E-Z Eye indicator helps farmers keep both feet solidly on the ground when checking levels in grain bins
FARGO, N.D. — Climbing grain bins to check levels is a nasty and dangerous business, especially at this time of year. Even a secure circular stairway can get icy and lead to accidents. Simple non-digital bin level indicators have been on the market for at least 30 years, but their acceptance by Canadian prairie farmers […] Read more
