While farmers in northwestern Saskatchewan are getting seed into the ground, warm weather tops their wish lists. Frost is “going to be our biggest enemy here, coming up this weekend, I think,” said Geoff Schick, assistant location manager for AgriTeam Services at Glaslyn, Sask., about 65 km north of North Battleford. As of Friday, weekend […] Read more
Guenther: Reseeding already considered in parts of Sask.
Prairie farmers set fastest planting pace in a decade
Winnipeg | Reuters — Western Canada’s farmers are sowing crops at the speediest pace in about 10 years, which bodes well for an early, large harvest this autumn. More than half of the region’s farmland is planted, compared with the usual pace of one-quarter, due to dry conditions, said Bruce Burnett, weather and crop specialist […] Read more
Warm weather aids seeding, but winter still lingers
CNS Canada — A late spring snowstorm will delay seeding operations in northern Saskatchewan, but better weather across most other areas of the Prairies is allowing producers to make headway getting this year’s crop in the ground. Up to 30 centimetres of snow fell in and around Saskatoon on Saturday and Sunday, knocking out power […] Read more
ICE weekly outlook: Canola drifts downward in rangebound trading
CNS Canada –– ICE Futures Canada canola contracts chopped around in sideways trading during the week ended Wednesday, before settling slightly lower. Activity was volatile with values generally staying within a $10 range, analysts said. Gains in the U.S. soy complex were responsible for much of the support canola saw over the five-day period, along […] Read more
Ready to pull the trigger? Some thoughts on seeding early
A head start is tempting, but frost dates and saprophytic organisms may curb your enthusiasm
Reading Time: 3 minutes To seed early or not to seed early; that is the question. “If you have an early spring, there is that tendency to want to go early,” said Doon Pauly, agronomy research scientist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development in Lethbridge. “I’m fully expecting that we will be in the field by the middle of […] Read more
Some tips on dealing with the long days (and nights) during seeding
Regular meals, exercise breaks, and simply talking to someone will help
Reading Time: < 1 minute Sleep often gets sacrificed during the long hours of seeding, and that can be dangerous. “When you’re tired, you may think and move slowly, make more mistakes, and have difficulty remembering things,” said Kenda Lubeck, farm safety co-ordinator for Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “Any time a worker disrupts (the sleep) cycle they need to […] Read more
Some farmers already seeding in southern Alberta
CNS Canada — Some farmers in southern Alberta are seeding earlier than normal this spring, thanks to some recent warmer weather. “Some guys are just starting to turn a wheel in southern Alberta,” Harry Brook, crop specialist with Alberta’s provincial Ag-Info Centre in Stettler, said Thursday. Soil temperatures are still not very warm, so more […] Read more
Expert says it’s a good time to reseed forage stands
There are several reasons for rejuvenating forage stands this year, but limited seed supplies are a reason to move quickly
Reading Time: 2 minutes This year may be a good time to look at reseeding forage stands. “Because of tough financial times, we’ve been allowing some of our forage stands to just go from year to year,” said Grant Lastiwka, a forage and livestock business specialist with Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development. “In addition, many forage stands that were […] Read more
Prairie farmers eye early start to seeding
Winnipeg | Reuters –– Western Canadian farmers, some of whom could not plant crops last year due to soggy soil, may be able to get a head-start on sowing their fields this spring. Canada is the world’s biggest canola exporter and the second largest wheat exporter, but its flat western provinces — Manitoba, Saskatchewan and […] Read more
Peace farmers funding research by doing what they do best — farming
Farmers in Alberta’s northwest corner are using sweat equity to fund research that matters to them
Reading Time: 2 minutes At a time when competition for government funding is stiff and every dollar counts, researchers are finding novel ways to finance the work they do. One of the most innovative is the Mackenzie Applied Research Association (MARA). Until last year, the association conducted research in Alberta’s northwest corner with a small staff and limited budget. […] Read more
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