Reading Time: < 1 minute Farmers participating in an Alberta study of controlled-traffic farming have found similar results to those of Jodi DeJong-Hughes, says project co-ordinator Peter Gamache. “Travelling on wet soil affects compaction the most,” says Gamache. “So that’s when controlled-traffic farming shines, you’re always travelling on the same tramline — it’s a miniature road — and not damaging […] Read more
Controlled-traffic farming showing promise
Deadly power line arcing closer than you think
Reading Time: 2 minutes Since 2010, there have been five farm fatalities in Alberta as a result of farmers moving equipment into energized power lines. Most farm power line incidents occur during the busy spring seeding and fall harvest seasons. As such, Alberta’s Joint Utility Safety Team (JUST) wants to remind farmers to exercise extra caution during the hectic […] Read more
For efficient speeds and to protect tractor transmission — check your tires
Checking tire pressure every day can actually save you time, not to mention improve fuel economy and reduce wear and tear
Reading Time: 3 minutes Alate spring equals a rush to seed, but you’ll save time, money and wear on the transmission by ensuring the tires on each tractor are inflated properly. “Most people fill tires till they look full, about 20 psi,” says Lawrence Papworth, a senior engineer at the Agricultural Technology Centre in Lethbridge. “The numbers stamped on […] Read morePearce: With wheat in head, Ont. aerial applicators get ready
One farmer’s deliverance can be another farmer’s delay — and that seems to be the case for many growers in parts of southern Ontario. Rains in the past week have left some fields with flooded portions, mostly at the headlands. In spite of appearances, there doesn’t seem to be a lot of concern for those […] Read more
Leave crusted-over canola be, and hope for the best
With a cycle of high moisture and then a few days of dry, soil crusting is an issue in canola fields in parts of eastern Saskatchewan in particular, according to the Canola Council of Canada. Canola seedlings can’t penetrate the crust, and often curl back and die, the council said in its most recent Canola […] Read more
Seed Hawk preps for more plant expansions
Saskatchewan seeding equipment manufacturer Seed Hawk has mapped out a three-year expansion plan that calls for two major additions to its manufacturing plant. The planned additions are expected to provide the space needed to support a new corn planter line and expand Seed Hawk’s lineup of “zero-till seeding solutions.” Specifically, Seed Hawk said last week […] Read more
U.S. firms Andersons, LTG to buy Thompsons
A U.S. agriprocessing player and commodities merchandiser have paired up to buy a well-known name in southwestern Ontario grain and oilseed handling and ag inputs. The Andersons and Lansing Trade Group (LTG) on Monday announced a joint-venture deal to buy Thompsons Ltd., to close early in the company’s third fiscal quarter. Terms of the deal […] Read more
Rail service legislation passes unopposed
The federal government’s bid to set and hold Canada’s railways to agreed-upon levels of service by law has passed unopposed despite calls to tighten its terms. “Once adopted, this new Act will contribute positively to relations between shippers and railway companies, and enhance the effectiveness, efficiency and reliability of the entire rail freight supply,” federal […] Read more
Coming up in Grainews: Check water quality before spraying
Before filling up the sprayer, check your water quality. Spraying with hard water might still give you a kill, however, as former University of Saskatchewan professor Les Henry says, it may be “a lot less zippy than it could be.” Hard water, with high magnesium and calcium levels, is common in Saskatchewan because many wells […] Read more
Alta. farmer tries ‘tramplining’ over tramlines
Farmers interested in tramlines may balk at the setup costs — but Josh Fankhauser has saved several thousand by using a standard GPS and paying close attention to detail. Fankhauser farms 10,000 acres and runs 500 cattle with three partners near Claresholm in southern Alberta. This year, all their acres are either under dedicated tramlines, […] Read more
