Crop Management
Simplicity attractive | Tidue aftermarket rubber track system has shorter footprint
There are many North American built aftermarket rubber track systems on the market, yet at least one Minnesota dealer sees advantages in importing a new track from Italy. “Tidue is the simplest rubber track conversion anywhere in the marketplace today. It has the least number of working parts,” said Lee Rognes of RDO Sales. RDO, […] Read more
Crop Management
Is no-till land worth more?
Higher yields, fewer inputs | Value could be $1,000 per acre more
MINOT, N.D. — It’s a given in the real estate business that property next to the ocean is worth significantly more than property adjacent to a cement factory. In the agriculture business, it’s also a given that “good” land is worth more than “poor” land. With that principle in mind, Jim Halford, a producer and […] Read more
Resistant kochia discovered
Hugh Beckie’s prediction has come true: glyphosate resistance has continued to spread and the first resistant weed on the Prairies is kochia. Beckie, a scientist with Agriculture Canada, has confirmed that kochia pulled from three chem-fallowed fields in southern Alberta that had received multiple applications of glyphosate is resistant to the popular Group 9 herbicide. […] Read more
Inside the old Gleaners: readers’ questions addressed
This article is in response to correspondence from two Alberta owners of Gleaner combines: Wayne from St. Paul and John from the Peace River country. They had specific questions, but both said they would appreciate hearing about my experiences with the entire combine. This column is the first of two about the Gleaner. Let’s start […] Read more
Wide range of shapes, sizes, materials for farm sheds
When LaVern Dueck started manufacturing Diamond Shelters 22 years ago, the egg-shaped, steel-frame structures were a relatively new feature on the prairie landscape. Today, Dueck, president of Dueck’s Mechanical in Whitemouth, Man., manufactures the single-hoop and welded-truss shelters for a variety of purposes — everything from cold storage and insulated workshops to horse riding. “It […] Read more
Company thinks outside the bag
FARGO, N.D. — Trying to quickly and efficiently empty a grain bag is the storage method’s obvious disadvantage, but the task can also be physically dangerous. As well, grain vacuums can create a special set of risks. “Most farmers already have a grain vac,” says Mark Patterson of Walinga. The vacuums create tremendous suction energy […] Read more
Farmers grapple with grain bag proliferation
EDMONTON — Ken Hoppins took advantage of a recent bear pit session with Alberta cabinet ministers to ask a question about grain bags: who is responsible for them? The Kneehill County councillor, who asked his question of both agriculture minister Evan Berger and environment and water minister Diana McQueen, said even rural municipal councillors like […] Read more
Voluntary CWB to bring competitiveness: business leaders
What does the future hold for Canadian grain marketers after the Canadian Wheat Board loses its single desk authority? The answer is difficult, but grain industry executives say one thing seems certain: the new CWB will vie for farmers’ grain in a competitive and rapidly changing environment. Last month, wheat board president Ian White issued […] Read more
Farmers more confident in grain bags
Proper temperature key to success | Little research has been done, but anecdotal evidence indicates bags can be effective
Bernie Schloorlemmer spent a few days earlier this month hauling high moisture canola out of a grain bag to the local elevator to be dried. Poor harvest weather this fall forced hundreds of farmers in Alberta’s Peace River region to harvest tough grain and then cross their fingers that they could dry it before it […] Read more
Embracing earthy delights
Permaculture concept | Couple makes the most of the land while protecting the environment for future generations
A lush, green front lawn is a waste of potential. That’s how Julia Mitchell and Jason Baranec see it. The rural Lethbridge couple has embraced permaculture, which works with nature to create sustainable habitat and grow food. For these self-described “permies,” the front lawn is a common example of how people have separated themselves from […] Read more
