Crop Management
The high-clearance sprayer represents the most advanced agricultural technology that we have today — except for that obsolete guessing glass gauge we depend on to sight-estimate liquid volume in the tank. It’s time to get rid of the clear sight gauge. Most farmers and custom applicators agree that the sight gauge takes the word “precision” […] Read more
Crop Management
Lime falls out of soil scientist’s limelight
Continuing long-term research plots dating back to 2003 question the value of liming to enhance crop production in poor soils
Lime, often thought of as a cure for phosphorus deficient soil, may not be as effective as previously assumed, according to researchers. However, without phosphorus, plants wither and die. Although plants require phosphorus, there is often a “withdrawal limit” on how much their roots can extract from the soil. Soil-bound phosphorus is often in a […] Read more
NFU takes aim at new seed royalty proposal
The National Farmers Union will be hosting an event in Saskatoon tomorrow to express its views on seed royalties. Former NFU president Terry Boehm and Manitoba Regional NFU co-ordinator Ian Robson will speak at the event, to be held at 10 a.m. in the Hilton Garden Inn in Saskatoon. Agriculture Canada recently launched consultations on […] Read more
Organic acres on the rise
Organic is back. After a period of sluggish growth and a decline in the number of producers in the early 2010s, organic farming is expanding in Western Canada. Certified organic acres on the Prairies reached 1.824 million in 2017, up 29 percent from 1.4 million acres in 2015. The number of organic producers hit 1,605 […] Read more
Sport park turf design goes high tech
Baseball park lawns always appear so perfect with their logos and alternating light and dark stripes, determined by the direction the grass blades lay and how they catch and either absorb or reflect the light. And, while it might not be agriculture as we think of it, there might be some lessons to learn from […] Read more
Pumping iron in bread dough increases nutritional value
Breeding wheat that contains additional iron could improve the health of billions of people around the world suffering from iron deficiency
Pumping iron into our bakery dough might be the greatest thing since sliced bread. It’s called “biofortification” and is the process of genetically lacing crop varieties with required nutrients. Biofortification is the process of naturally increasing the nutritional value of a crop. It differs from fortification, which is the process of adding minerals directly to […] Read more
Protect stored grain this winter against plural perils
You’ve already invested the money to grow, protect and harvest the crop. Don’t let potential dollar returns slip away this winter while your grain’s in storage. It may seem obvious that there are certain steps you should take to protect the quality and thus the value of your stored grain. However, in the rush to […] Read more
Producers finding skid steers essential to farm
I asked producers through social media where skid steers fit on Canadian farms and it quickly became apparent that many farmers are very fond of the little loaders. “Chop off your right arm and that’s what life would be like without a skid steer,” said Brain Barnett, who farms near Moose Jaw, Sask. Matching equipment […] Read more
Trends stand out in Statistics Canada data: report
Winnipeg, Nov. 13 (CNS Canada) – Second-guessing Statistics Canada crop information may be a time-honoured tradition across the Prairies, but there are trends in the data that stand out, according to a recent report from the government agency. Looking at data over the past decade, total seeded canola acres were revised higher in the June […] Read more
Busted chipped engine could cost you $100,000
The days are long gone when we would simply crank the screw a half turn on the injection pump to squeeze out an extra 75 horses. It’s a little bit more complicated today. You can still gain a lot of performance with aftermarket chips, but they are usually from questionable sources. What about the consequences? […] Read more
