It can sometimes be comforting for an organic farmer if the view of their field from the roadway shows an absence of green growth between the rows of corn or soybeans. But according to the presenter of a recent Guelph Organic Conference session entitled “Avoiding Field Crop Disasters,” this illusion can often hide the troubling […] Read more
Tag Archives Tillage — page 5
Waiting and weeding are keys to organic success
After six years, this organic farmer is seeing reduction in some weeds
Paquette Farms wins conservation award
Farm uses minimal-impact tillage and pays attention to precision nutrient application
A dedication to low-soil-impact practices won Paquette Farms the 2019 Conservation Farm Award. The family was presented with the award at the Essex Soil and Crop Improvement Association (ESCIA) Annual Meeting in December. The award is presented each year to the farming operation which best displays conservation-minded farming practices from those nominated. The farms are […] Read more
Strip-till styles
Coulters and shanks both have their supporters, but coulters seem to be increasing in popularity
So you want to start strip-tilling – what type of unit should you buy? For some, coulter-based strip tillers offer more effective fertilizer management and versatility. For others, shank systems might help address issues in heavier soils. Ultimately, more growers appear to be adopting coulters — but that doesn’t mean shanks should be completely overlooked. […] Read more
Horsch debuts new primary tillage tool
The tool makes use of shanks versus discs popular on many primary tillage implements
Glacier FarmMedia – As better corn headers and straw choppers leave a cleaner surface and eliminate the need for residue-busting tillage implements, cultivators can get back to the job of performing primary tillage. That’s the premise behind Horsch’s new Omnis FT primary tillage line being launched this fall, says company rep Jeremy Hughes. Increasingly tough […] Read more
Researcher grades on-farm soil management
Eastern Canadian farmers get high grades for soil health awareness, but low grades for increasing soil organic carbon
Glacier FarmMedia – The grades are in. Eastern Canadian farmers get high grades for their understanding of soil health and the rapidly growing use of cover crops, but low grades for increasing tillage which reduces soil carbon storage. Mario Tenuta, a University of Manitoba soil scientist, says eastern farmers get a B for adoption of […] Read more
Halton area farmers doing their part to improve soil health
There’s no one correct way to manage soil health
Soil health continues to be a concern for producers and consumers across the country as quality dwindles. On Aug. 15, 2019 the Halton Soil and Crop Improvement Association put together a soil health seminar and farm tour to reiterate to showcase soil health concerns – along with what farmers are doing to improve it. Why […] Read more
Has the time come for integrated tillage management?
Understanding bulk density for compaction prevention
Tillage has its benefits, but the list of drawbacks to soil health is long. This poses a question: Like Integrated Pest Management, is it time for Integrated Tillage Management? The question was posed by Aaron Breimer, manager for Veritas Farm Management, during a presentation at Elgin Compaction Day on Aug. 8. For him, taking an […] Read more
Controlling compaction need not be expensive
Elgin field day highlights high-tech and low-tech methods of reducing compaction
Getting a handle on compaction starts with knowing how much equipment weighs and how some practical techniques can alleviate the iron load. Farmers, agronomists, and equipment dealers gathered at Elgin Compaction Day in Shedden on Aug. 7 and 8 to discuss how compaction happens, as well as how to fix and prevent it. Why it […] Read more
Local demonstration showcased soil management options
Machinery demonstration designed to spur more thinking on soil health
A Kingsville-area demonstration day was held July 23 to showcase a variety of tillage and other equipment and how each can be used to improve soil management. But while the machinery was the focus visually, the main purpose of the event was to highlight how producers can incorporate profitable and environmental production changes using both […] Read more
U.S. Midwest floods to weigh on diesel demand come harvest
Putnam County, Ill. | Reuters — A disappointing planting season due to massive flooding in the U.S. Midwest this spring is expected to have spillover effects on diesel demand during harvest season, analysts and traders said. Heavy storms that lingered over the Midwest left millions of acres unseeded and put crops that were planted late […] Read more
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