Recently in New varieties Category
It's nearly a new year, meaning that right now several people are swearing off cigarettes and fast food and promising themselves to finally lose weight and get active. I'm all for personal goal setting (no matter how fleeting the commitment may be), but I also believe that our professional life could benefit from some New Year's resolutions, too.
And so, I give you, in true Grainews fashion — The Top Five Things You Should Do On
Your Farm This Year (the title could use a little work, I admit).
1. Re-evaluate your seeding rate on all crops. Canola seed differs greatly in size from variety to variety. A poor growing year for cereals can mean smaller, lighter seeds. If you're still seeding by a set bushels or pounds per acre, you could be hamstringing your crop. Instead, use thousand kernel weight for each seed lot, factor in germ and vigour and target a plant stand density. For more on this, watch upcoming issues of Grainews. We'll be talking a lot about this.
2. Change one practice on your farm. Try a new variety, research and implement a new row spacing, fertilizer blend or opener. Soil test, treat seed or use a fungicide. But don't forget to...
3. Leave a test strip. How do you really know if something makes or saves you money or improves grade or yield if you leave no comparison? Try a 20 or 40 acre piece when evaluating a new variety, leave at least one strip at the lower fertilizer rate or leave one pass fungicide-free and evaluate the difference. One pass that suffers yield is not going to break the bank, but it may prove that your money was well spent, and vice versa.
4. Learn a new marketing skill. No one says you need to become a stock broker, but if you don't use production contracts, buy futures or watch the basis, you may be leaving money on the table. Choose one thing — identity-preserved production, for example — and do some homework. You may still decide it's not for your farm, but at least give it some thought.
5. Practice farm safety. It only takes a second to don protective eye wear, turn off equipment or mark stairways and exits in a shop. A 20 minute cat nap can mean the difference between a safe ride home or a car wreck. Take five minutes and learn CPR. All of these things could save your eyesight, your arm or even your life.
Happy New Year, everyone!
And so, I give you, in true Grainews fashion — The Top Five Things You Should Do On
Your Farm This Year (the title could use a little work, I admit).
1. Re-evaluate your seeding rate on all crops. Canola seed differs greatly in size from variety to variety. A poor growing year for cereals can mean smaller, lighter seeds. If you're still seeding by a set bushels or pounds per acre, you could be hamstringing your crop. Instead, use thousand kernel weight for each seed lot, factor in germ and vigour and target a plant stand density. For more on this, watch upcoming issues of Grainews. We'll be talking a lot about this.
2. Change one practice on your farm. Try a new variety, research and implement a new row spacing, fertilizer blend or opener. Soil test, treat seed or use a fungicide. But don't forget to...
3. Leave a test strip. How do you really know if something makes or saves you money or improves grade or yield if you leave no comparison? Try a 20 or 40 acre piece when evaluating a new variety, leave at least one strip at the lower fertilizer rate or leave one pass fungicide-free and evaluate the difference. One pass that suffers yield is not going to break the bank, but it may prove that your money was well spent, and vice versa.
4. Learn a new marketing skill. No one says you need to become a stock broker, but if you don't use production contracts, buy futures or watch the basis, you may be leaving money on the table. Choose one thing — identity-preserved production, for example — and do some homework. You may still decide it's not for your farm, but at least give it some thought.
5. Practice farm safety. It only takes a second to don protective eye wear, turn off equipment or mark stairways and exits in a shop. A 20 minute cat nap can mean the difference between a safe ride home or a car wreck. Take five minutes and learn CPR. All of these things could save your eyesight, your arm or even your life.
Happy New Year, everyone!
How have you managed the fallout of the killing frosts? Some of you managed to dodge the bullet, thank goodness. Did you swath? Was it the right move? I'd like to hear what happened. Drop me a line - lyndsey at fbcpublishing dot com
But on to choosing a new canola variety. Is it my imagination or does booking canola seed happen earlier every year? Sort of like the Christmas decorations at Costco being put out over the September long weekend, right? Something like that.
I was speaking with a farmer and faithful Grainews reader just this week who had already booked seed for 2011. He's going with a tried and true specialty canola variety that's done well for him in the past. It's a logical choice, sure, but each year there are several new lines to choose from. This brings me to a few questions: how do you decide when to try a new one? What do you factor in to your decision? Where do you go for variety comparison data?
I ask this because, unlike the past several years, there were no Prairie Canola Variety Trials (PCVT) in 2010. This means there isn't a one-stop-shop for third-party data available on new 2011 varieties. Comparison data of older lines (I use the term loosely) is still available, but for this year at least, you're on your own.
In the late October issue of Grainews, I'll be listing all of the new canola varieties for 2011, but will have to list company data for these lines. And that's OK, but perhaps not ideal. But, some would argue, neither was the information gleaned from the PCVTs. It's true that the trials weren't perfect - plots were treated the same, even when the lines had different herbicide tolerance and maturities. I can't say I entirely blame some companies for withdrawing their support.
But farmers deserve some sort of third-party comparison. I've spoken with a few seed companies and they agree. Next up, I'll speak with the Canola Council of Canada, the group spearheading the replacement or revamping of the PCVTs. I'll let you know what I find out.
In the meantime, there are places you can go to find information. Here are a few:
- The current seed guide by province, or its website. Alberta, www.seed.ab.ca, Saskatchewan, www.saskseed.ca and Manitoba, www.seed.mb.ca
- The Canola Council of Canada has WCC/RRC data, however it should be noted these comparisons are made under different trial protocols. Contact Raymond Gadoua at gadouar at canola council dot org for the list.
- Check with your local research group
and
- Ask the seed company for its data
(Thanks to the Canola Council for compiling this list. The full version will appear in the October 18 issue of Grainews)
But on to choosing a new canola variety. Is it my imagination or does booking canola seed happen earlier every year? Sort of like the Christmas decorations at Costco being put out over the September long weekend, right? Something like that.
I was speaking with a farmer and faithful Grainews reader just this week who had already booked seed for 2011. He's going with a tried and true specialty canola variety that's done well for him in the past. It's a logical choice, sure, but each year there are several new lines to choose from. This brings me to a few questions: how do you decide when to try a new one? What do you factor in to your decision? Where do you go for variety comparison data?
I ask this because, unlike the past several years, there were no Prairie Canola Variety Trials (PCVT) in 2010. This means there isn't a one-stop-shop for third-party data available on new 2011 varieties. Comparison data of older lines (I use the term loosely) is still available, but for this year at least, you're on your own.
In the late October issue of Grainews, I'll be listing all of the new canola varieties for 2011, but will have to list company data for these lines. And that's OK, but perhaps not ideal. But, some would argue, neither was the information gleaned from the PCVTs. It's true that the trials weren't perfect - plots were treated the same, even when the lines had different herbicide tolerance and maturities. I can't say I entirely blame some companies for withdrawing their support.
But farmers deserve some sort of third-party comparison. I've spoken with a few seed companies and they agree. Next up, I'll speak with the Canola Council of Canada, the group spearheading the replacement or revamping of the PCVTs. I'll let you know what I find out.
In the meantime, there are places you can go to find information. Here are a few:
- The current seed guide by province, or its website. Alberta, www.seed.ab.ca, Saskatchewan, www.saskseed.ca and Manitoba, www.seed.mb.ca
- The Canola Council of Canada has WCC/RRC data, however it should be noted these comparisons are made under different trial protocols. Contact Raymond Gadoua at gadouar at canola council dot org for the list.
- Check with your local research group
and
- Ask the seed company for its data
(Thanks to the Canola Council for compiling this list. The full version will appear in the October 18 issue of Grainews)
Profile
Grainews editor Lyndsey Smith answers readers' questions, asks her own and, now and then, discusses what's new and interesting in western Canadian production agriculture.
