What Will Be the Corn Nitrogen Story for 2021? While the 2021 growing season started dry, regular and often heavy rains started for many areas from Southern to Eastern Ontario from late June through July. Some received well above normal rainfall in July. Naturally, conversations began revolving around “are we losing nitrogen (N)” or “will […]
Ontario Hay Listings is a free classifieds service provided by the Ontario Forage Council. Producers looking to buy or sell hay or straw are encouraged to post an ad. AAFC’s Agroclimate Impact Reporter is interested in how weather impacts farms throughout the growing season (i.e. what’s really happening on the ground). This ag-sector citizen science […]
Several reports of fields with fall armyworm (FAW) larvae have been coming in over the last few days. Growers or scouts drive by a field and pull over, shocked to see only stems left of plants with larvae happily feeding. So far most of the damage has been found in oats, rye cover crop, mixed […]
It is safe to say that western bean cutworm (WBC) is a pest that we can rely on entering corn and dry beans every year in Ontario. Though a frustrating pest to scout for, using traps to monitor moth flight has helped us better predict when to expect peak moth flight occurs, which is shortly […]
Tar spot in corn was first identified last year in Ontario on September 21, 2020 and confirmed to overwinter in Ontario on July 2, 2021 in West Elgin. Since then, tar spot has been also detected in Essex, Chatham-Kent, Lambton, Middlesex and Norfolk counties as of July 18, 2021 (Figure 1). This was anticipated since […]
Successful Subsoiling? In many fields, the month of August means the end of cereal harvest and the beginning of a window of opportunity. In many ways, this is the best time of the season for soil improvements beyond what small grains already provide. Applying manure, seeding cover crops, […]
If you are interested in learning more about planting green into a strip-till corn system, the video below outlines the experience that Matt Beischlag, a farmer based in Haldimand county, Ontario, had in the 2021 season. Matt and his family have a mixed farm of broiler chickens, corn, soybean and wheat cash crops, and red […]
This article was written by Dwiti Mistry, Canola & Dry Bean Research Assistant The major canola insect Brassicogethes viridescens, or the pollen beetle, is of growing concern in Canada as it has the potential to significantly impact yield from canola crops. The pollen beetle is a known canola pest in Europe and has also been […]
If you are interested or considering planting green into cover crops, the video below outlines key challenges and successes that Larry Dyck, a Niagara farmer based in Campden, Ontario has experienced. Larry farms with his son Ben and shares some of his experiences planting green into a cover crop mixture on heavy clay soils. This […]
Ontario Hay Listings is a free classifieds service provided by the Ontario Forage Council. Producers looking to buy or sell hay or straw are encouraged to post an ad. As cereal grain crops are harvested, there is an opportunity to establish an annual forage crop. For a late fall grazing or harvest, research by Dr. […]
Cover Crops for Weed Management It’s the time of year when Ontario farmers are turning their attention to seeding cover crops following cereal harvest. Each grower has their own reasons for growing a cover crop – whether it’s to improve organic matter, hold onto nutrients from manure, provide a nitrogen credit or protect against erosion. […]
Based on WBC trap counts, peak flight likely took place over the last 7 days. Though we never know for sure until a week later when moth catches really dropped. That said, comparing this year to previous years, it lands in the same week we have experienced peak flight since 2018 (Figure 1). Peak flight […]
The Making Cover Crops Pay series (available on YouTube and linked below) includes three practical webinars that have discussions and presentations by technical specialists and experienced farmers. This series is presented by Soils at Guelph, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) Soil Team, Grain Farmers of Ontario, and the Ontario Soil […]
What was that grassy weed in my winter wheat at harvest time? Three different types of grassy weeds have been found above the winter wheat canopy at harvest this year. To prevent them from becoming a problem, they need to be identified so that the appropriate management actions can be taken. Here is a breakdown […]
Forage soybeans are not normally recommended as an emergency forage. Forage soybean production has a steep learning curve. Successful producers started with a small acreage and took several years to learn how to manage this crop. Whole unroasted soybean seeds pose a risk of ammonia toxicity. Limit to 2-4 lbs/head/day. Protein exceeding animal demand will […]