Reading Time: 6 minutes Farming takes an uncommon amount of willpower and commitment to make things work despite the many uncertainties that farmers everywhere know all too well. It’s a skill that’s groomed in each new generation as it comes along, and it’s often tied to the peculiarities of the same tract of land that’s been in the family, […] Read more
Home is where there’s land to farm
The Schill family has set down new roots in Ontario’s Temiskaming region —and they’re glad they did
The challenge of even crop emergence
It’s a frequent subject but it’s also a source of conflict for many corn growers
Reading Time: 6 minutes In the days before the COVID-19 pandemic, talk during winter meetings and even well into spring centred on three key discussion points with corn: plant when the ground is fit, plant to moisture and pay attention to the critical weed-free period. Each comes under the heading of “giving your corn crop the best start,” because […] Read more
On-farm science
There’s undeniable value in collaborative on-farm research, with gains for both growers and researchers
Reading Time: 8 minutes Laurent “Woody” Van Arkel won’t deny it — he wants to know more about his soils, his crops and the interactions with fertilizers and manure and cover crops. And he tries hard to keep learning, working not only with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) but also with a master’s student […] Read more
Bringing soybeans into a more favourable light
Illinois researchers investigate transitory shadows to brighten soybean yields
Reading Time: 4 minutes One phrase often heard when the talk turns to getting more bushels out of a crop is the advice to “control the controllable.” Speakers making presentations use the term as a call for growers to streamline their focus on a select number of management practices. Factors such as planting depth, row width, weed, disease and […] Read more
Will more GMO soybeans be planted in 2021?
Market demands for soybeans are changing, as are consumer preferences
Reading Time: 6 minutes Any time there’s an outlook for lower commodity prices, the question comes up: “What would I plant instead?” On many farms, that’s when the non-GMO side of the soybean sector gets a fresh look. But one thing doesn’t change. Planting non-GMO food-grade or identity preserved (IP) still means having to balance the positives and negatives. […] Read more
A higher commitment
This independent farm in Kent County provides a valued service to private sector companies
Reading Time: 6 minutes The history of agriculture in Ontario’s Kent County is filled with superlatives. Its rich past includes decades of prosperity for area growers, who fed processors like Campbell’s and Libby’s with a variety of produce for over a century. Farm organizations such as the Ontario Wheat Producers’ Marketing Board and the Ontario Soybean Growers also called […] Read more
Where marketing meets agronomy
Is regenerative agriculture a feel-good slogan, or an honest-to-goodness scientific advance?
Reading Time: 7 minutes It has taken social media by storm, as well as all manner of other discussions about food and how we produce it. But, really, what is regenerative agriculture, and why has it become such a focal point? Skeptics may dismiss it as just another fad, something manufacturers and processors are promoting while filling web pages […] Read more
Is a united seed sector possible in Canada?
Finding modernization, value creation and synergy in a streamlined seeds agency
Reading Time: 7 minutes In spite of the size of agriculture in Canada, its home-grown seed industry is relatively small. Wheat and canola represent our two largest commodities by area, yet the domestic share of research and plant breeding activity is underwhelming. In part, that’s linked to the fact that the seed sector is comprised of a variety of […] Read more
Building interest for small grain cereals
This new initiative hopes to grow demand for small grains by recognizing their environmental benefits
Reading Time: 5 minutes It’s everything growers could ask for. Imagine market demand that’s driven by acknowledging the healthfulness of the crops you grow and their environmental and sustainability benefits, plus a premium return on investment so you can afford to plant even more. How many times have growers wanted this kind of market pull in exchange for excellence […] Read more
U.S. legal system helps weeds win
Luckily, Canadian producers are still outside the reach of the Ninth Circuit Court ruling on dicamba-based herbicides
Reading Time: 5 minutes In farming circles, the term “less-forgiving” has become more than a cliché. It’s now a mirror on reality. Farmers are already dealing with an incredible list of challenges and complexities, including everything from new seed technologies, concerns about land costs, equipment decisions, commodity markets, trade issues… you name it. Now growers in the U.S. must […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
