Winter cereal production fell in Saskatchewan last year because of the weather, dropping to little more than 147,000 acres from almost 230,000 acres in 2003. But that is not an accurate picture of the overall trend, says Bob Linnell, executive manager of Winter Cereals Canada. “Winter wheat production has been around 700,000 acres, spread across […] Read more
Production
Winter cereal acres poised for rebound
New Products
Kills rodents The Rodenator Pro Pest Elimination System is capable of delivering a precision underground shockwave into the tunnels and dens of burrowing animals. It can also collapse tunnel systems to prevent re-infestation without chemicals, poisons, baits or traps. The Rodenator Pro injects a calibrated mix of propane and oxygen into the targeted rodent’s burrow. […] Read more
Old highway monster takes to the field as Spray Monster
MARQUIS, Sask. Ñ Darren Thul performs as many as five spray passes a year on the 11,000 acres he farms nears Marquis, including burnoff, in-crop, fungicide, insects, desiccation and fall Roundup. All this spraying puts up to 50,000 acres a year on his sprayers. Thul said the biggest complaints farmers have about sprayers is they’re […] Read more
Optical sensors give the skinny on wheat quality
Grain buyers want specific levels of protein, depending on how the wheat will be used. Bakers need high-protein for bread but low-protein for cakes, cookies and crackers. Because buyers will pay a premium for high-quality wheat, farmers need to not only grow it, but also know which exact locations in their fields have the wheat […] Read more
Research targets trouble with organic phosphorus
CALGARY Ñ Addressing soil phosphorus deficiencies has become one of the top priorities for the organic research community. “It seems to be a very high concern for soil scientists and for producers at this point,” says Brenda Frick, prairie co-ordinator of the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. “We get a lot of calls on that.” […] Read more
Stereo vision steers tractor
Agricultural autosteer is no longer considered science fiction. In the last two years, autosteer technology based on global positioning systems has become reliable and affordable and can be found on many Canadian farm implements. It’s available from different companies and comes as a factory option or a kit for on-farm installation. A team of ag […] Read more
RV battery solves yield monitor mystery
BRANDON Ñ Some producers won’t combine at night because their yields drop too much after the sun sets. At least that’s what their yield monitors tell them. Farmers who believe their monitors logically assume that shutting down the combine when the sun goes down is the right move. But those who sometimes question what’s on […] Read more
Too much manure can damage crops
EDMONTON Ñ Moderate rates of manure can provide most of a crop’s nitrogen needs but too much is not a good thing, says Jeff Schoenau, a soil scientist from the University of Saskatchewan who is monitoring soil changes that take place in plots receiving repeated applications of manure. “We’re looking at the impact of manure […] Read more
Diesel engine heats up with dragon’s help
Randy Parker credits a brush with bad luck for inspiring him to develop a way to quickly warm diesel-powered engines on cold days. Parker, a welder at Oxbow, Sask., has designed and patented a heater that can warm an engine block to starting temperature in 10 to15 minutes. The device, named the Dragon Boxheater, is […] Read more
Nitrogen: fall vs. spring applied
The best time to broadcast fertilizer depends on environmental conditions and the seasonal growth patterns of plants. Both spring and fall fertilizer applications have advantages. Fall application is most common and tends to have more favourable field conditions and lower costs and can help offset time constraints in the spring. However, spring application has fewer […] Read more
