New publication, website
Organic farmers and those interested in reducing their reliance on standard crop protection products might be interested in a new publication and website run by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick.
The council has published Farmers Working with Farmers Towards a Sustainable Agriculture.
The publication, available in hard copy and on the net, documents collaborative on-farm research efforts and provides references to other resources.
An example is an article on methods to reduce the use of synthetic chemical fungicides to prevent late blight.
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The website is located at www.web.net/~ ccnb/farmer. To get the publication by mail write Conservation Council of New Brunswick, 180 St. John St., Fredericton, N.B., E3B 4A9, or phone 506-458-8747 or fax 506-458-1047.
Ag project website
Another location for information on farming without conventional crop inputs is the site run by the Ecological Agriculture Projects at the Macdonald Campus of McGill University.
Ecological Agriculture Projects has a large library and resource centre. It is a membership-based organization. The website at www.eap
.mcgill.ca has more on the organization and on organic and low input farming and gardening.
For information write Ecological Agriculture Projects, McGill University (Macdonald Campus) Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9, or phone 514-398-7771, fax 514-398-7621 or e-mail: info@eap.mcgill.ca
Crop divider
A Neepawa, Man., farmer has come up with a way to reduce yield losses associated with sprayer tire tracks.
Janus de Koning and sons figured they were losing two percent of their yield per acre because of tire tracks. They designed a divider to allow the crop to pass on either side of the tires.
The Crop Saver is made of non corrosive material so mud won’t stick to it. It can move vertically up to one metre (three feet) in a parallel manner in all field conditions.
The frame is connected to the 14-gauge stainless steel cone and a heavy duty shock absorber is incorporated into the assembly.
For information contact de Koning Farms at 204-966-3469 or 204-781-7920 or fax 204-966-3335.
check with d’arce
The Crop Saver is designed to separate crop for tires to pass.
Crop normally trampled, left, remains upright with the crop divider.
Spraying Systems new flow meter has no moving parts.
Crop dryer
IBEC has introduced a series of crop dryers dubbed the Millennium series.
New features include an improved duct system to increase air flow and drying performance; improved electrical system with on-board diagnostics; better automatic moisture control; new paddle switches; new ladder and catwalk design.
The leveling auger includes a centre hanger and improved drive system.
For more information write IBEC Manufacturing at Box 4090 Spruce Grove, Alta. T7X 3B3 or phone 800-363-4232 fax 780-962-1140 or visit the website at www.ibec.com.
IBEC’s dryers have a better duct system to improve air flow and drying ability.
Spray meter
Spraying Systems Co., maker of TeeJet spraying products, has introduced a new electromagnetic flow meter for use with electronic rate controllers. The technology, used in industrial applications for years, has no moving parts.
The electromagnetic flow meter measures voltage as a liquid flows through a magnetic field and provides accurate readings. Four models are available with capacities from 0.13 U.S. gallons per minute (0.5 litre/minute) to 53 gpm (200 L/m).
For more information write Spraying Systems at Box 7900 Wheaton, Illinois, USA, 60189-7900, or phone 630-665-5000.
Hay preservative
New Holland offers hay preservatives, as well as hay and silage inoculant application attachments for round and square balers and forage harvesters.
CropSaver is a chemical hay preservative manufactured for New Holland by Harvest Tec of Hudson, Wisconsin. It has a pH of six and the formula contains propionic acid and citric acid.
The company says that by using the preservative, hay, alfalfa and grass can be baled at a maximum 30 percent moisture level.
For more information contact a New Holland dealer.
