Reading Time: 2 minutes It seems like just a fun, even silly, thing to do — bury a pair of underwear made of white cotton, and then dig them up a couple of months later to see what soil microbes have done to them. But the Soil Your Undies campaign has a very serious purpose: To show people that […] Read more
Underwear campaign fun with a serious purpose
The goal is to promote awareness that soils are living, breathing entities — and need protection
How much fertilizer do you need to apply?
Agronomy research scientist offers his tips for planning your applications this spring
Reading Time: 2 minutes Soil tests are still the best way to determine your fertilizer requirements for spring. “We can determine where we’re starting from as far as the nitrate that is present in the soil and what’s there for the plant at the start of the year,” said agronomy research scientist Doon Pauly. “Phosphorus, potassium, and salinity don’t […] Read more
This is some pretty special dirt
The unique collection of intact soil cross-sections is both a piece of history and a ‘priceless’ educational tool
Reading Time: 3 minutes A decades-old collection of ‘soil monoliths’ donated to Lethbridge College will be an invaluable tool for teaching students about soil. The 110 monoliths are vertical cross-sections about one metre long that show soil from a variety of regions in its natural state. Long been housed at Agriculture Canada’s Lethbridge research centre, the soil monoliths have […] Read more
A large weed seed bank is a ‘gift that keeps taking’
No till, chaff collection, forage in rotation, and chemical control all reduce weed pressure
Reading Time: 3 minutes Below the soil surface lurks the weed seed bank — the predominant source of weed pressure on current and future crops. “You do not want to draw on this bank account,” said provincial crop specialist Harry Brook. “It is a source of annual and perennial weeds that will wait for years before the right conditions […] Read more
Stop fighting Mother Nature — because you’re going to lose
Most farmers in Alberta still love tractors more than biology and are heading for big trouble, says Dwayne Beck
Reading Time: 3 minutes Like a voice crying in the wilderness, Dwayne Beck has been beating the drum of soil defence as the foundation for a healthier farming system for decades. To some, the longtime research manager of the Dakota Lakes Research Farm is a wise prophet and caretaker. For others, his message is radical and uncomfortable — something […] Read more
Canada’s soil is in crisis — and change is needed, says advocate
Agronomy has ‘masked’ soil degradation, but the crunch is coming
Reading Time: 4 minutes The biggest crisis facing Canadian agriculture is right beneath our feet. “For the first time in history, we have the technology and tools to produce food in a sustainable way, yet farmers and their influencers cling to old ways and values,” said Don Lobb, an Ontario farmer and a longtime leader in the no-till and […] Read more
Opinions differ on quinoa prices in 2019
CNS Canada — There are opposing views on what will happen with Canadian quinoa prices in 2019. One buyer believes the specialty crop will increase a few cents per pound; another believes the price will slightly decrease in the New Year. Dan Boulton of NorQuin at Saskatoon said there is a world shortage of quinoa, […] Read more
Clearwater County aims to cook up successful cover crop recipes
Cover crops offer many benefits but what’s the right mix of grasses, brassicas, and legumes?
Reading Time: 3 minutes Clearwater County has started experimenting with cover crops, and outlined some of their benefits during its recent West County Ag Tour. “It’s a great year to talk about cover crops because in order to maintain our moisture in the soil, we are going to need organic matter, which cover crops build. We are going to […] Read more
Here’s how to take control of the soil sampling process
Much can go wrong when soil sampling — here are the key things to keep in mind when getting the dirt on nutrients levels
Reading Time: 5 minutes Soil testing has long been a recommended practice before applying nutrients, and variable-rate fertilizing has made it more essential than ever. But the difficulty with soil testing is that so much can go wrong. Everything from how a sample is handled to the choice of a lab can impact results and recommendations. However, producers have […] Read more
Researchers aim to get a handle on mysterious soap holes
U of Calgary wants to build a database of the odd little bogs of greasy — and often treacherous — mud
Reading Time: 2 minutes Do you have a soap hole on your property? Researchers from the University of Calgary are asking landowners who have one of these “mysterious occurrences of liquified clays” to contact them so they can record their location. Early settlers of Alberta and Saskatchewan found these odd formations of sand, silt, clay, and water and gave […] Read more
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