Pesticide Drift Pesticide drift is a complicated subject and it carries significant financial and emotional baggage. This season has been challenging for many agricultural sectors and practices, and spray applicators have been challenged with difficult timing and limited opportunities for herbicide applications. When sprayer operators are rushed or frustrated they have to make hard decisions, and this sometimes ends badly….
Unseeded fields provide an opportunity to boost forage inventories with annual crops. These forage crops have a bonus of suppressing weeds and protecting the soil from erosion. When selecting a forage crop consider the livestock’s dietary needs, the type and quality of forage in inventory, herbicide or fertilizer previously applied, and resources that are readily available. However, during wet conditions…
Delayed Planting The spring of 2019 was unprecedented in Ontario. Cool temperatures and constant rainfall delayed planting of much of the crop. Most soybeans were planted in June and for some growers it was July. There are often pockets of the province that can’t plant due to wet soil conditions, but we have not experienced such a wide geography struggling…
Thanks to Snobelen Grain for picking up breakfast for the crowd. As always, if changes or clarifications to these minutes are required please contact Ian McDonald. This meeting concludes the spring series for Mt. Forest Ag Breakfasts. Thanks to all who participated in the various discussion and to those who read and commented on the meeting minutes. The group discussed…
Corn Early planted corn reached the ‘knee-high by the 1st of July’. Crop stages range from 12 leaf stage to still a few acres being planted. More so on the heavier soils some unseeded corn acres remain. Corn planted this late will have high harvest moisture and could be difficult to combine pending fall conditions. For the most part, plant…
For unseeded fields, the key benefits of cover crops are weed suppression, soil protection from sun and rain, and building organic matter. They can also be source of forage and bedding. When selecting a cover crop consider the cropping system needs, herbicide or fertilizer previously applied and resources that are readily available. For example, carrying over treated soybean seed is…
As always, if there are any points included here that need clarification or amendment or addition, please contact Ian. For annual crops seeded this spring, we recognize that many went into less than ideal ground conditions in terms of soil moisture, fitenes of seedbed, no burndown, etc. To date things have looked okay because of continued wet/damp conditions that have…
Summary The Pre Sidedress Nitrogen Test (PSNT) soil samples were collected from 66 different sites across the province between June 17th and 19th, 2019 The average PSNT value was 8.3 ppm, which is below the long-term average of 12 ppm Consider corn stage and yield expectation along with PSNT values when determining nitrogen rate requirements in 2019. Below normal soil…
This is the last meeting for the East Central group until a season wrap-up in December. Thanks to everyone who made time to come out and participate in the discussions and those that take time to read and comment on the minutes! As always, if there are any points included here that need clarification or amendment or addition, please contact…
Corn Grain corn planting is complete on intended corn acres except on heavy clays that received more rain this week. Crop stages range from 8 leaf stage to newly emerged. Overall plant stands look good on lighter and medium textured soils although plant stress is becoming evident on corn seeded into less than ideal conditions. There were reports of tough…
Thank you to Alex Zelem (C&M Seeds) who chaired the meeting and to Chris Meier (A&L Labs) for sponsoring breakfast. This was the last spring meeting for 2019. This year’s meetings have been the best attended since these meetings started over 20 years ago so thanks to everyone who attended. Since this has been such an unprecedented spring, a follow…
This was the last meeting of the Simcoe Breakfast group. We have analysed the spring to death and we can’t just keep talking about planting! Typically by now we have had fulsome discussions on fertilizer, herbicide and fungicide programs but that has not been the case this year. The general story for the region continues to be that there are…
Corn Grain corn planting is largely wrapped up. Depending on the region, anywhere from less than 10% (heavy clays) to 90%+ of intended corn acres have been planted. There were a small number of growers in higher heat unit regions intending to plant final fields of grain corn before the forecasted rain on Thursday, June 20th. There is also still…
Thank you to Ken Currah (BASF) for chairing the meeting. The final meeting for this spring will be on June 25th starting at 7:00 am for breakfast (meeting starts at 7:30) at the Malibu. Alex Zelem will be chair. Synopsis: Significant progress was made in the area the end of last week and through the weekend. Estimates are that 90-95%…
Thank you to Chad Garrod and Corteva for sponsoring breakfast. With such variable conditions, some producers are finishing planting, while others have not yet started. Even though yield potential has likely suffered, it’s important to recognize the need to manage good and bad crops to get the most out of each. Rural communities are made up of people who are…
