Better Farming - January 2017

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Better Farming January 2017 Follow us onTwitter @BetterFarmingON 45
CROPS: YIELDMATTER$
is available for human consumption,
Postel said.
Regardless of all the good initia-
tives in Ontario, at the end of the day,
the focus has to be on water. As
individuals, we will most likely
experience climate change effects
through the hydrological (or water)
cycle. We have already experienced
periods of intense dryness, if not
drought, followed by periods of
excessive rainfall.
Looking at past weather records
may hold little useful knowledge for
predicting the future rapid changes.
We have little idea of when, how long,
and how frequently extreme events
may occur, but they will potentially
impact everything we do. Change is
all around us.
For example, for the first time I can
remember, we accumulated over
4,000 Corn Heat Units (CHU) in
Essex County last year. Will this high
accumulation occur again? Should we
extend our maturity selections on
corn and soybeans? Can we grow
4,000 heat unit corn instead of 3,500?
If we can make this switch, what else
do we have to adjust in our crop
management?
While in Phoenix, I had the
opportunity to take a tour of the
desert research farm at the Maricopa
Agricultural Center. When you get off
the bus you are immediately struck by
how stark and dry the area really is.
But, the more you look, the beauty of
the place does emerge – it is just
different than what we are used to in
Ontario. Very quickly, you appreciate
how the farmers and residents in the
region have adapted to the scarcity of