BRANDON – A new two-wheel drive, radio remote control auger mover designed specifically for swing augers took first place at this year’s Inventors Showcase at Manitoba Ag Days in Brandon. Auger mover inventor Garth Brehon of Brehon Agrisystems in Saskatoon received $1,000 cash for his efforts. “It’s a safety thing and a convenience thing,” said […] Read more
Production
Swing auger travels by remote control
Never climb grain bin again
BRANDON – Laurie Brownlee says farmers who use his invention will never climb a bin again to see if it’s full. “If you have confidence that a sensor gives you correct signals that you can believe when the bin is full, you can eliminate plugged augers, spilled grain and failed shear pins,” said the trucker […] Read more
New Products
Lightbar guidance system Trimble has introduced a high-performance version of its AgGPS EZ-Guide Plus lightbar guidance system. The system is called the EZ-Guide 500 and features a seven-inch color LCD, data logging functions and multiple accuracy options. The system has a built-in lightbar with a guidance LED array that is easy to see, even in […] Read more
Attack field with proper ammunition
SASKATOON – Farmers interested in precision farming are encouraged to approach the subject using hand grenades, shotguns and laser-guided missiles. “One of the problems with precision agriculture is the dots being connected have no business being connected,” said Elston Solberg, a senior consultant with Agri-Trend. “Plants grow from the roots up and that’s where I […] Read more
Study looks to maximize returns from manure
LETHBRIDGE – Producers who want their crops to recover the most nitrogen possible from liquid hog manure are encouraged to pay attention to application rates and methods of placement. “In the case of liquid swine manure, (applied) at an agronomic nitrogen rate, we see recovery of about 50 percent of added nitrogen in the crop […] Read more
New oilseed gets researcher’s praise
Canadian oilseed growers could have a third major option to choose from if research into a new crop continues to build on its promising foundation. Seed growers and crop breeders are pumped about the prospects for camelina, an ancient crop that belongs to the same family as canola but produces an oil with a fatty […] Read more
Eliminate odour, danger right at the hog
WINNIPEG – A Vancouver company is using gravity to remove urine from hog manure. Called Closed Loop Manure Recovery, the system channels manure onto a sloped, perforated conveyor in the barn, where the urine is continuously collected for a nearby liquid processing and purifying plant. ATD Waste Systems president Victor Van Slyke, who invented the […] Read more
Composted manure good for potato field
LETHBRIDGE – The concept of applying composted manure to potatoes was introduced in Alberta in the late 1990s. The value perceived was adding organic matter and nutrients to potato fields. “There are additional benefits, as well,” said Ross May, potato agronomist for McCain’s at Coaldale, Alta. “I’ve had some producers say the fields they added […] Read more
Consider spot tillage against foxtail barley
LETHBRIDGE – The spread of direct seeding and the corresponding reduction in tillage has resulted in near epidemic outbreaks of foxtail barley in parts of Western Canada. Bob Blackshaw, a weed researcher at Agriculture Canada’s Lethbridge Research Centre, told farmers at the recent Agronomy Update conference in Lethbridge that tillage controls foxtail under conventional cropping […] Read more
Insects farmers must watch for in 2007
Western Producer reporter Bill Strautman previews the Alberta pest situation for the coming crop year. The next instalment will provide a prairie-wide pest outlook and offer tips on prevention. LETHBRIDGE – Grasshopper numbers in Alberta should remain low for 2007, much like they did in 2006, says Scott Meers, a pest risk management specialist with […] Read more
