Waterlogged fields a season long challenge: OMAFRA specialist Friday, June 3, 2011 by BETTER FARMING STAFFWeather has gotten in the way of planting, now some farmers are seeing crusty soil conditions getting in the way of plants.OMAFRA soil management specialist Anne Verhallen has been seeing some examples of crusting in the Chatham-Kent, Essex County area near Ridgetown where she works.“When you get into the clay types and clay loams — anything with a fair bit of silt in it will tend to crust,” Verhallen said, adding crusting happens typically in soils that have structural problems.“This year, however, there’s a couple of things going on,” she said. “We had an extended wet period. Some areas received significant pounding rainfalls . . . you’ve got a lot of energy hitting the ground and breaking soil aggregates apart.” She said when areas of a field hold water for a period of time they tend to hold water for the entire season, especially if they are not tilled.Verhallen said Ontario soils are mixed. “What will happen is flowing water will take all these ‘blow apart’ (by the impact of the rain) pieces away.” As the water heads for the low spots, sand drops out as soon as the water slows. When water ponds a little, silts drop out over a couple of hours. Clays stay suspended for a while and drop out to form a seal that will keep soils wet for much longer.“The next time you get rain,” she said, “it creates a vicious cycle that just keeps going.”The short-term remedy is tillage. Verhallen said she has been seeing some corn being replanted and tomato farmers who are either cultivating or using a rotary hoe “just to open up the soil and allow the crust to breathe a little bit better because it really has sealed.”While tillage will help get you through this season, Verhallen recommends a longer-term solution.“Take a look at how you’re managing things,” she said. “Can you get some reduced tillage? Can you go to a no-till system? Can you make sure there’s more residue? Can you do a better job of rotating crops to try and grow soil structure?” BF Researchers explore green roof plant options Ag critics named
Parliament’s shut down leaves farmers vulnerable Thursday, January 16, 2025 In March 2025, Canada's agriculture sector and broader supply chain will face a another setback with the expiration of the extended interswitching pilot program. With Parliament prorogued until March 24th, there is effectively no opportunity to renew or make the program permanent before... Read this article online
Ontario Apple Growers name new Chair Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Chris Hedges of Vanessa, Ontario, has been elected as the new Chair of the Ontario Apple Growers (OAG). After completing a year as the organization’s Vice Chair, Hedges () takes over from outgoing Chair Brian Rideout of Blenheim, Ontario, who has led the OAG since December 2023. Past OAG... Read this article online
Tackling vet shortages in rural Ontario Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Research conducted by the University of Guelph (U of G) highlights the challenges in attracting new veterinary graduates to serve food animals, such as cattle, in rural and remote areas of Ontario, particularly northern Ontario. This research is helping to inform solutions aimed at... Read this article online
Dynasty bean wins innovation of the year Wednesday, January 15, 2025 Dynasty, a dark red kidney bean developed by the University of Guelph, has earned the 2024 Innovation of the Year award. This high-yield, disease-resistant variety has become a top choice for growers in Ontario and North America due to its adaptability and strong performance. The award,... Read this article online
Bonnefield Announces Key Executive Promotions Tuesday, January 14, 2025 Bonnefield Financial Inc. recently announced the elevation of two of its senior executives, signaling a strong move to bolster its leadership amidst ongoing expansion efforts. Andrea Gruza will step into the role of President. Gruza, who has been instrumental in shaping Bonnefield’s... Read this article online