MORRIN, Alta. – Controlled traffic farming reminds Peter Gamache of zero tillage 15 years ago.
The ability to increase profits by driving only on tram lines in the field and reducing compaction is an interesting concept, but how do you integrate it into the farm?
“The questions and skepticism and optimism are almost the same as they were 15 years ago with direct seeding,” said Gamache, during a controlled traffic farming field day July 29.
It’s Gamache’s job as project leader for the day to help farmers reduce the risk and look at ways to adopt the technology.
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Craig Shaw of Lacombe said Australian farmers have seen profits increase 10 percent because of lower compaction in fields. Shaw thinks it’s worth a look.
“It’s something well worth chasing,” he said. “It’s tough at the start. You’re making decisions based on not a lot of answers.”
Steve Larocque of Morrin, Alta., saw first-hand the benefits of controlled traffic farming in Australia. One farmer harvested 25 bushels per acre of canola with only 152 mm of rain while practising controlled traffic farming. His neighbours never even harvested a crop.
In Australia, larger producers who farm 20,000 to 50,000 acres are moving to it because of fuel savings of 30 to 50 percent.
“When I came back, I decided controlled traffic was the way to go.”
As equipment gets larger, so does the impact of the machinery on the soil.
It’s estimated 40 to 60 percent of the field is travelled on at least once during the season with the seeding, spraying or harvesting equipment. His goal is to reduce the traffic on the field to 16 percent and reduce the amount of compaction.
Making the decision to switch from a zero tillage system to controlled traffic system, with all of the equipment travelling on rows every 30 feet, is easier said than done.
Larocque farms 640 acres in central Alberta with his brother-in-law, Mitch Currie. Both have full-time jobs off the farm so they make machinery modifications in the evening.
With the help of his father-in-law, Sam, the trio changed their dual wheeled Steiger tractor into a single wheel tractor for about $3,500.
The 90 foot sprayer, purchased secondhand, didn’t have to be modified but leaked like a sprinkler. They missed the pre-harvest burnoff and the ability to set the tram lines based on the sprayer width.
The secondhand Concord drill was changed to a 30 foot drill from a 40 foot drill by nipping off the wings.
The drill hitch also needed modifications. Because the family wanted to start inter-row planting, seeding the crop between the rows of the previous year’s crop, they needed to make an offset hitch for the drill.
They also had to adjust the tie-rod ends of the grain cart so it would travel on the tram lines.
Bleeding the hydraulic hoses after
adjusting the drill took two days and brought on plenty of frustration.
One of the puzzles is what to do with the trash. Larocque said they might use a cyclone collection system that takes the chaff from the combine and drops it onto the tram lines. The wheels will roll over the lines and kill weed seeds.
Larocque’s jump into controlled traffic farming had many unforeseen surprises and machinery modifications.
While many farmers will follow Larocque’s progress, Gamache expects most farmers will use larger equipment and use 40 foot or 60 foot widths.
“If this is going to be adopted in Alberta, it’s not likely going to be a 30 foot system. It’s going to be bigger drills.”
Gamache said he doesn’t foresee many farmers adopting the technology soon. They will likely wait until there are clear benefits demonstrated by farmers like Larocque.
Tram lines are easy to see in barley but the canopy has covered them in the canola field.
