Four tips for choosing canola varieties - AGCanada

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Volume 37, Number 16 | October 17, 2011

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PRACTICAL PRODUCTION TIPS FOR THE PRAIRIE FARMER

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Four tips for choosing canola varieties Fall is the ideal time to evaluate canola varieties for next year. Running your own side-by-side trials is ideal for comparison, but regional data works too BY JASON CASSELMAN

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arvest is the best time of year to decide which canola variety to plant next year. Field evaluation and variety differences are still fresh in your mind right after harvest. Now’s the time to review in-season notes regarding emergence, vigour, flowering, growth characteristics, swathing timing and yield information. This information helps you start making decisions on which varieties will remain in the lineup for next year and which ones will drop off and be replaced by the latest selection of hybrids.

COMPARE, COMPARE, COMPARE Canola variety selection is one of the primary steps in developing a successful crop plan. Decisions based on relevant information ensure the plan is sound and suitable to established yield targets. Farmers need to stick with varieties to local growing conditions and environments. Consult a range of sources for information to establish a short list of varieties to assess. These sources will include on-farm trials, local variety assessment and regional variety testing.

PHOTO: JASON CASSELMAN

How did this year’s varieties perform? At best, new lines are around for three to four years. Make the most of them by securing seed early. On-farm trials include information from your own fields or from a local farmer who is known for doing proper trials and recording accurate information. Regional variety testing is the data reported by seed companies and some third-party sources. The value in regional variety testing

is the compilation of data from a wide range of locations in the data set. The performance of canola varieties can vary from region to region; evaluate information on varieties to choose ones that are best suited to their farm. Ideally, you’ll have a few sideby-side or strip trials on your

own land to compare varieties. Establishing these variety comparisons and following through to harvest helps get true yield information and other important facts based on your own management and location. When harvesting, plot yield is not the only measurement to look at, however.

In This Issue

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Adjust for moisture and quality. Make notes on harvestability and other agronomic factors such as how fast one variety dried down compared to the other. Compare varieties on how each one handled growing season stress. Is one

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Wheat & Chaff ..................

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Features ............................

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Crop Advisor’s Casebook ..

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Farmer Panel .................... 10 Columns ........................... 14 Machinery & Shop ............ 19

Get equipment ready for winter SCOTT GARVEY

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Meet this year’s Outstanding Young Farmers

Cattleman’s Corner .......... 24 FarmLife ............................ 37

STARTING ON PAGE 31

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Wheat & Chaff LYNDSEY SMITH

NEW CANOLA VARIETIES This second October issue of Grainews is dubbed the “new canola varieties” issue. Starting on page eight, you’ll find 20 new varieties to wade through as you begin crop planning for next year. It always amazes me, but yes, farmers are already buying canola seed for next year. It seems a bit rushed, in my mind, but if you

have a favourite, early fall seems to be the time to secure supplies. As editor, I get invited to many plot tours and new variety demos to take a look at the best and brightest varieties that seed companies have to offer. Many companies add in a competitor or two for comparison, and yes, they look different, but not always better or worse — just different. What I found interesting this year was that a few companies are moving towards removal of certain variety favourites now that they feel they have a worthy replacement. I found this fascinating, especially given that the farmers I

spoke with weren’t terribly happy to be losing access to a triedand-true variety for their farm. I’ve always thought that it was only when it came to cereals that farmers didn’t want to adopt new varieties quickly, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Yes, the rate at which new lines of canola are introduced is far faster than cereals, but it does appear that even so, farmers cosy up to a star performer and don’t want to let it go. And should they? Given that these new, improved varieties will also cost more, I see where there may be some resistance. That said, if the benefits are well and truly what the company claims, you’ll be happy you made the switch... eventually. And just how do you decide which varieties to choose? For this issue’s cover story, Jason Casselman has compiled his list of four tips for developing a whole-farm approach to variety selection. It’s not just about picking the highest-yielding variety (although, wouldn’t that be nice?), it’s about staggering maturities for risk and time management, using good data to fairly assess new and existing varieties and making the most out of every bag of (very expensive) seed.

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U.S. subscribers call 1-204-944-5568 or email: [email protected] If you have story ideas, call us. You can write the article and we’d pay you, or we can write it. Phone Lyndsey Smith at 306-731-3637 Fax to 204-944-5416 Email [email protected] Write to Grainews, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Man. R3H 0H1

HEARTS

Ask for hearts When you renew your subscription to GRAINEWS, be sure to ask for Six Please Be Careful, We Love You hearts. Then stick them onto equipment that you, your loved ones and your employees operate. That important message could save an arm, a leg or a life.

From the very new, we move to the old. Old machinery, that is. Hawk-eye Grainews readers will have noticed Scott Garvey’s occasional “Keep it going” segment where he features an older piece of machinery that is still working well for its owners somewhere on the Prairie landscape. These machines don’t even look their age half the time, that’s how well loved they are. We’re looking for more stories along this line to feature in upcoming issues of the magazine, so if you’ve got a well used but very usable piece of old machinery chugging away on the farm, Scott would love to hear about it. Email him at scott. [email protected] or call him at 306-435-2667. Of course, there’s also the everyday or slightly under used pieces of equipment on the farm that need some extra care and atten-

tion. In this issues’ Machinery and Shop section, Scott walks you through some winterizing/longterm storage tips for machinery old and new, plus he’s compiled a list of tips on restarting equipment that may have sat out a season or three. Machinery and Shop starts on page 19.

OUTSTANDING YOUNG FARMERS Fall is my favourite season for a few reasons. I don’t much love extreme heat, so the warm days and cool nights suit me just fine, and it marks the beginning of conference season. Yes, I really am that silly, but I work from home. Conferences are my social life. As farmers, you must understand! Fall also marks the naming of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for the year, and I’m pleased to feature each of this year’s finalists in this issue (starting on page 31). The awards ceremony takes place in Brandon, Man., this year in mid-December. For more on the program and the awards conference, visit www. oyfcanada.com. In reviewing this year’s candidates, I’m amazed by two things: one, the number of children these very busy people manage to raise, and, two, at some point these young farmers had to take an incredible leap full on into the farming business world. The first point fascinates me, as I have one daughter and a child on the way and I can hardly keep groceries in the house, let alone start, build and manage a farming operation. Second, I’m not a big risk-taker, so I would love to have been sitting around the table when a couple said, “This is it. We’re all in,” and went from there. It’s just something I don’t know that I could do, sound business case or not. My hat well and truly goes off to these aspiring and inspiring young farm families.

TWITTER, TWEEPS AND TWEET UPS For many of you, using email and financial software is about all the relationship you’d like to have

PHOTO CONTEST

Give us your best shot Proud grandmother Sandra Beaumont snapped this great photo of Max and Quinn Olson (aged two and four) of Wadena, Sask., bottle feeding an orphaned calf named Mary. Mum Raena is helping them out, as the dog anxiously awaits any dribbles. The kids are also showing their Rider Pride, of course, but we won’t tell them it really isn’t helping any. Thank you, Sandra, for sending in the great photo. A cheque for $25 is on its way to you for your trouble. If you’d like to see your photo in Grainews, digital files are preferred. Send them to [email protected]. — Lyndsey

with your computer. For others, including me, an Internet connection at all times is nearly as important as a morning coffee. In this day of smartphones that can seemingly do just about everything, it was only a matter of time before I had to get one. Once you have a smartphone, of course, then you need to be into things like Facebook and Twitter, the socalled social media realm. At last month’s International Federation of Agricultural Journalists conference, Twitter was a huge part of sharing experiences, photos and camaraderie between the over 250 attendees who ended up in six different buses on three different farm tours. All of us “tweeps” could essentially carry on a very public conversation while miles and miles from each other. I also met up with people I only knew through the virtual world — finding each other in a sea of people by tweeting to each other. We didn’t have a meet up, we had a tweet up. Yes, really, that’s what it’s called. Social media is a very interesting and fun world. It can also be far more useful than simply finding your friends in a crowd. As one Grainews reader (and tweep of mine) said, “There’s so much real-time information out there while farmers are all in the field, smartphone at their fingertips.” And it’s very true. One of my favourite hash tags to follow is #westcdnag. Any articles, comments or questions related to western Canadian agriculture can be marked by this tag, making it searchable by others. Farmers can follow along to ask things like, “I have three wheat midge per head, should I spray? Is it too late?” Or, which variety is performing best for you in your area? Is now a good time for foliar N? All of these questions and more are thrown out to a virtual community and usually there is no shortage of farmers, agronomists and even research staff willing to provide an answer — in 140 characters or fewer, of course. If you’re new to the Twitter world, I highly recommend checking this out and not being afraid to ask or answer questions. Lyndsey

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Wheat & Chaff Farm safety

Keep small hands out of harvest work

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n  most  Canadian farms harvest time means it’s all hands on deck. Everybody has a role to play, from driving machinery or trucks, to preparing food at all hours or lining up deliveries and preparing bins. But all hands can’t always do the job — at least not if they’re small. Harvest isn’t the only time it’s busy that many farm families put even their younger members to work. But if you’re planning to put your kids to work, take time for safety first. A good place to start is with the

North American Guidelines for Children’s Agricultural Tasks. Maybe you’ve heard of this manual of age-appropriate tasks but have never taken the time to look at it carefully. Do it today. Your child’s life could depend on it. This manual recognizes that work is an integral and highly valued part of family farm culture. They’re prepared by U.S. and Canadian ag safety and child development specialists to indicate tasks kids can handle safely. Your child might be able to handle more or less than the guidelines suggest. Start with the norm and then decide what’s best for your child.

End uses

There are 62 guidelines in all, organized into seven colourful booklets that have been focus tested with farm families for reading level and usefulness. They cover such areas as animal care, manual labour and haying operations. Each package covers: Adult responsibilities in assigning children this job; Can your child do this job? (a developmental checklist); Illustrations of main hazards; Supervision levels recommended for different age groups. Download the complete set of North American Guidelines for Children’s Agricultural Tasks at

www.nagcat.org/nagcat. Read the sections and consider printing them for future reference. If you have time to read just one section, make it Tractor Fundamentals. There are practical tips for deciding and guiding re: three-point hitch implements, driving a farm tractor, hydraulics and power takeoffs plus a tractor chart. It’s your decision, but no matter how short staffed you are on the farm, keep in mind that the guidelines recommend that kids under 12 should not operate a tractor of any size. They shouldn’t be riding on a tractor either. The

most recent report of agricultural fatalities in Canada compiled by the Canadian Agricultural Injury Reporting program shows tractors were involved in almost half of all agricultural fatalities among children. And, finally, if your kids are already an important labour source on your farm, remember that while incredibly clever, they don’t know everything just because you do. Take time to train them. So read the guidelines, train your kids and finish this year’s fall work safe and sound! † For more farm safety information, resources, tools and stats, go to www.planfarmsafety.ca.

Research

Headway made in U.S. Polish canola gets fingerprinted biodiesel market

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recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) decision means the reopening of an important market for Canada’s canola industry, according to the Canola Council of Canada (CCC). The EPA has approved the G o v e r n m e n t   o f   C a n a d a ’s petition to use the aggregate approach for approval of Canadian feedstocks, including canola, for biodiesel production in the U.S. The decision means biodiesel produced in Canadian plants using canola can be

sold in the U.S. It also means biodiesel produced in the U.S. from Canadian canola can be marketed in the U.S. Currently U.S.-produced biodiesel using Canadian canola is being sold into Canadian markets in order to meet inclusion mandates in Alberta and B.C. “We are thrilled that we have this opportunity to increase our exports of canola into the U.S. for use in biodiesel production,” says CCC president JoAnne Buth. † Canola Council of Canada

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Find us on Twitter: Lyndsey Smith is @grainewsgal Lee Hart is @hartattacks Scott Garvey is @machineryeditor

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anadian scientists have helped sequence part of canola’s genome. Determining the DNA sequence of crops allows researchers to understand the mechanisms of the plant, and to map traits of interest. This information can then be used by breeders to develop crops for Canadian farmers that are more disease resistant, drought tolerant, location suitable and with increased yields.

With advances in DNA technologies, the Polish canola genome was completed in less than two years, and for under $1 million. By comparison, when the human genome was fully sequenced in 2003, it was the result of 13 years of work and approximately US$2.7 billion. Scientists from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and Agriculture and AgriFood Canada (AAFC) contributed

to an international consortium that has sequenced the genome of Polish canola, a significant milestone for global crop genomics. This will improve how scientists understand key genes and ultimately lead to the development of new, more productive and profitable varieties. † For more information, visit the NRC website http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/index.html, or visit the AAFC website http://www.agr.gc.ca/ index_e.php.

Farm safety

Alberta 4-H makes helmets mandatory

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lberta 4-H members in horse programs will be required to wear helmets when taking part in mounted 4-H events, starting this month. All Alberta 4-H members in horsemanship Levels 1, 2 and 3, while mounted on horseback, will need to wear ASTM/ SEI- or BSI-approved equestrian helmets. Any members born after 2000 will also be required to wear helmets. Several 4-H clubs within the province have already added

mandatory helmet policies on their own. The new policy is considered a matter of risk management. The council, in proposing the new rule last year, said it’s expected to “reduce the risk of horseback riding injuries to our equine project members.” Anticipating pushback from members and parents, the provincial council said last year that in any organized event where liability is involved, safety is “everyone’s business.”

Expecting parents to suggest that children who are experienced riders should be exempt, the council also cited an Alberta study finding the highest incidents of injury are among more experienced riders. Riders  who  reported  an injury had an average of 27 years of riding experience, the council said. Knowing how to perform an emergency stop and dismount is a useful skill to learn, the council said, but it wouldn’t replace a helmet if a rider takes a fall. †

Disease management

Clubroot confirmed in two Saskatchewan fields

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t wasn’t entirely unexpected, but it’s bad news nonetheless. In early October, SaskCanola officially announced that clubroot, a nasty soil-borne disease limited to Alberta until now, had been confirmed in two fields in north-central Saskatchewan. “As the grower organization, we want to ensure that all canola growers are made aware of the situation immediately. Collectively, farmers will need to be more vigilant as to their farming practices this fall and coming spring in order to prevent further spreading of this disease,” says Brett Halstead, chair of SaskCanola. SaskCanola has recognized the risk of clubroot spreading from Alberta to the province for some time and has invested close to $1 million in levy funding on research programs that have focused on clubroot prevention and man-

agement, including the purchase of new detection equipment for the provincial lab. In 2009, the Ministry of Agriculture along with SaskCanola, industry and agriculture organizations, established the Saskatchewan Clubroot Initiative (SCI). Through this initiative, a provincial Clubroot Management Plan was developed by SCI to promote awareness and identify priorities for clubroot prevention and management. Clubroot management and prevention includes proper crop rotation, scouting susceptible crops regularly, and good sanitation practices for farm equipment. For information about clubroot, its prevention and management, canola producers can go to websites: saskcanola.com; clubroot.ca or agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crops † SaskCanola

photo: clint jurke, canola council of canada

The above plant shows a low-level presence of clubroot galls during the growing season.

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Cover Stories Variety selection » CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 1 6 6 6 Dubl in Ave n ue , W in n ipe g, MB R3 H 0 H1 www. g ra in e ws . c a

four tips for choosing canola varieties

PUBLISHER

better than the other if it is too wet or did it pull through during a period of drought? Higher yielding and poorer quality is not necessarily better. An additional source of on-farm trial information is from other local farmers who have their own variety trials and side-by-side plots. When evaluating this data, make certain the trial has followed proper protocol and is a valid representation of the varieties. Comparisons between varieties that were not grown in the same field or under the same environmental conditions are not fair assessments. Seed dealers will have a good source of side-by-side trial data compiled from the local area. Look at this information and verify the results that are presented. Greg Sekulic agronomist with the Canola Council of Canada in the Peace River region, recommends farmers also look at CVT (Canola Variety Trial) Data. Sekulic says, “The data collected through the CVT program is an important resource; it does give a general sense of variety comparisons.” Sekulic says days to maturity vary for varieties depending where they are grown, so be sure to use regional information when comparing maturity. Canola in the northern Alberta Peace region will mature at a different rate than the same canola seeded in central Saskatchewan due to differences in hours of sunshine in the growing season. Another source of regional data is seed company variety trials. The performance of a variety in the field may be less than expected due to agronomic issues i.e. flooding, hail or insect damage clearly outside of the variety characteristics. Sekulic also says, “That’s why it’s important to go look at the local variety trials the companies put on. That way you can see the relative maturities and statures. The more you see, the better decision you can make.” Comparing varieties is easier when they are laid out in plots in the same field. You notice more differences in the varieties and evaluate the features that set each one apart. The seed company seed guide provides information on the varieties but having seen the varieties in the field first hand completes the picture.

Bob Willcox Associate Publisher/ Editorial director

John Morriss

Editor

Lyndsey Smith Cattleman’s Corner Editor

Lee Hart Farmlife Editor

Sue Armstrong Machinery EDITOR

Scott Garvey Pr oduction Director

Shawna Gibson Designer

Steven Cote MARKETING/CI RCULATION Director

Lynda Tityk

Circulation ma nager

Heather Anderson

Two varieites seeded side-by-side highlight the vast differences in growth characteristics out there.

Grow more than one variety How many varieties to grow on the farm? In short, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Consider harvest timing and workload. Too many fields at the same maturity can cause problems for swathing or harvest if they are all ready at the same time. Sekulic recommends a strategy of planting at least three canola seed varieties. Of the three varieties, split the acres between 25 per cent of canola acres in longer season varieties, 50 per cent of the canola acres with a regular season maturity and the remaining 25 per cent of canola acres to shorter season varieties. Sekulic advises farmers to start in the spring by planting some of the first fields with the early-maturity varieties then switching to the longerseason ones and finish up seeding with regular-season varieties. Sekulic adds it’s a good idea to mix genetics by maturity ratings and also for herbicide and disease resistance management. Top yields are obviously important, but farmers need to be mindful of their growing season constraints in conjunction with weed and disease management.

Get the most from one bag Canola

seed

has

certainly

increased in price in the last few years when compared to herbicides and other pesticides. There is no doubt, however, that the value of the canola seed varieties that we are now seeding has also increased greatly. Look at the whole package of crop inputs and how much more value the seed brings to the farm before balking at higher seed costs. Higher seed costs are associated with insect and disease resistance, greater stress tolerance and improved nutrient efficiency. Considering that it was just over 15 years ago thst growers started to see varieties switch from open-pollinated varieties to hybrids, seed varieties have come a long way. That said, it’s important to get the most value from that bag of seed. Get the seed count for the seed lot and do the math to seed the optimum rate per acre for each seed lot. Review notes from the previous season on emergence and plant stand to check the performance of your seeding tool. If you have a few bags of seed left over at the end of the season ask your retailer if you can return them. Each retailer will have a different policy on returned seed, but if it is done early enough and the bag doesn’t look like it has been used for a floor mat, somebody else might be able to seed it. Be vigilant with seed that is kept on farm and used the following year. Do not consider seeding it unless it is stored in an area

with controlled temperature and humidity. Re-check germination prior to seeding.

Think ahead Canola breeding programs work with thousands of variety crosses every year to find the right combination that will provide higher yields combined with better disease resistance, stronger vigour and a broader maturity range. Seed companies increase their investment and breeding facility capability every year to bring improved canola seed varieties to market. Improvements in varieties are driven by demands both from farmers and end users. Farmers want higher-yielding and more profitable varieties in the field. End users want products that meet their needs for food, fuel or feed. With the increased speed and capacity to develop new varieties the lifespan of a canola variety is not going to be very long. Varieties are unlikely to be around for more than three or four years. With this in mind, if you plan ahead you should have ideal qualities and characteristics required in a variety to fit your crop plan, and not just a familiar name or number when choosing a variety. † Jason Casselman is a partner and agronomist with Dunvegan AG Solutions Inc. (www. howtogotoagsi.com), based at Rycroft, Alta.

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Features SEED STORAGE

Three tips for storing seed It pays to earmark next year’s seed now. Special attention to maintaining and monitoring a binned crop’s quality is good insurance BY PATTY MILLIGAN

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emperature and moisture are the drivers behind effective seed storage. According to Blaine Timlick, program manager for insect control and sanitation for the Canadian Grain Commission, if farmers can manage those issues, their grain will stay in the best condition for the longest time possible. That, combined with regular germination tests throughout the winter, will help ensure that farmers get through to spring 2012 with the viable seed they need.

ature down to 15 C as uniformly and quickly as possible.

PREVENT MOISTURE MIGRATION High temperatures in the bin also lead to problems with moisture, the next challenge that farmers must overcome when storing seed. Moisture takes a toll on stored crops by setting off several processes that lead to the deterioration of the quality of seed. A high level of moisture causes seeds to germinate. In addition, microflora (fungi and bacteria) can grow. Farmers can minimize moisture by ensuring no leakage in the bin

as well as by drying damp grain. Even if the grain is at a low level of moisture, say 11 per cent, when it’s brought in, if it hasn’t been cooled adequately, a convection current will develop inside the bin if the ambient temperatures drop. The warm air in the centre of the mass of grain meets the cool air at the surface to create condensation. As a result, farmers can expect the growth of molds and decrease seed germination, especially on the surface of the mass.

MONITOR GERMINATION It’s common to conduct germination tests through accred-

ited labs as close to the seeding date as possible, but testing germination throughout the winter has huge benefits. If something goes wrong in storage, germination rates immediately drop; in this way testing germination can acts as an important signal. White suggests testing once a month so any problem that arises can be remedied immediately. You can then take steps to dry the grain, adjust the temperature, increase aeration, or turn the crop. Timlick and White stress how easy testing germination can be. Farmers simply have to scoop out a sample — preferably from various

areas of the bin — and throw the grains onto a wet paper towel on top of a plate and see what comes of it. Unfortunately, many farmers don’t get around to it because they’re busy with other tasks. In addition, obtaining the sample is not easy. Timlick says that while today’s bins are fantastic in terms of pest control and moving grain, they aren’t designed for easy access. The logistics of crawling into a hopper-bottom bin to get samples is daunting if not impossible. Corrugated steel bins provide easier access; use the advantage and sample more often. † Patty Milligan writes from Bon Accord, Alta.

COOL CROPS A.S.A.P. Contrary to the last few harvesst, high daytime temps in 2011 hastened dry-down and provided good harvesting conditions. As a result, the crop in the hopper, and eventually the bin, went in warm. The key is to get the temperature down to between 15 C and 20 C quickly, Timlick says. “Like grandpa used to say, ‘Keep your grain cool and sweet,’” he says. But Grandpa’s 10-ton wooden storage boxes cooled off quickly. Cooling grain in today’s huge “tin cans,” Timlick says, requires far more planning and energy. Grain is such a good insulator, he says, that getting the temperatures down can be difficult; aeration systems and temperature sensors are a must. Even with monitoring systems in place, “if you take grain off and it’s 30 C in the bin and 30 C outside, aeration’s not doing much.” Noel White, research scientist with Agriculture and Agri-Food’s Canada’s Cereal Research Centre suggests running fans at night. Farmers without aeration systems must keep a close eye on the temperatures. Turning the grain a couple of times can help cool it off.

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INSECT POPULATIONS DENT GEMINATION High temperatures in the bin create ideal conditions for insect populations, especially the rusty grain beetle. Below 15 C to 20 C, insects don’t die, but they don’t feed or reproduce either. If the grain is left hot this fall, White predicts that the beetle could reach large numbers by late November. Insects in the stored grain have a huge impact on germination; Timlick says that hungry insects go for the germ portion of the seed first. Insects often are overlooked as a storage issue, as they rarely show up in sampling, however given the right conditions, like this fall, numbers could increase substantially. “Numbers are probably higher this fall, so Canadian farmers should be on guard,” Timlick says. “The unusually hot 2011 harvest is similar to normal harvests in the American Midwest where insects are always a problem and grain is commonly fumigated eight to 10 times in order to deal with them.” He advises Canadian farmers not to worry about insects getting into the bin, but rather to focus on getting the grain temper-

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Nodulator® and XLerated Performance. Accelerated Yield.™ are trademarks or registered trademark used under license by Becker Underwood Canada Ltd. The Becker Underwood logo is a trademark of Becker Underwood, Inc. and is licensed to Becker Underwood Canada Ltd.

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Features Crop production

Crop Advisor’s Casebook

WHAT KILLED THESE WHEAT PLANTS?

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ob, one of my agronomy clients, is a serious grain producer who farms 5,500 acres of spring wheat and canola south of Yorkton, Sask. Bob and I try to scout his fields together every seven to 10 days to monitor crop progress. Until the beginning of July, Bob’s wheat crop had been progressing well, but when I called him on July 8 to schedule our weekly scout, he said he was concerned about one of his fields. “Some areas are turning brown and completely dying, mostly on the hilltops. I think it’s damage from a chemical,” he said. Bob said that established spring wheat plants in the fourto five-leaf stage were dying off in randomly-occurring patches on ground situated at higher elevations. He said he had noticed the symptoms seven days after spraying, and this was why he thought it was an herbicide issue. When I arrived at Bob’s farm, we thoroughly scouted the field. I noticed patches of wheat that had grown to the three- to four-leaf stage before it had rapidly withered and died. No other plants were growing in the patches, and the wheat had dried up completely. The number of dead plants indicated the germination rate had been excellent, with a plant

Chad Zavislak stand population of 40 or more plants per square foot. According to Bob’s records, his seeding rate and depth were correct, as was the fertilizer rate. His herbicide application rates and procedures were also correct. Looking back on this field’s herbicide application history, nothing jumped out at me that could be the cause of the issue we were addressing. To me, the problem did not seem to be a seeding or herbicide application error. Next, we spent a lot of time looking for insects, such as cutworms and wireworms, in the affected areas. However, not one worm of any kind was found above ground or slightly

Crop Advisor’s Solution

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very farmer, at one time or another, feels the need to rush from task to task on the farm during the spring crunch. But even experienced farmers like Steve, who farms 3,900 acres of wheat, canola and barley near Ste. Rose du Lac, Man., needs to slow down and make sure they’re performing their farm procedures correctly. At the beginning of July, Steve called me about one of his canola fields. He said the plants in this field were noticeably behind the rest in development and a lot shorter, when compared with those in his other fields. He couldn’t figure out what was causing the problem, although he thought it could be stress on the plants from the heavy precipitation that spring, or that he hadn’t used his new air drill correctly, or he thought

Tundra

the soil’s fertility wasn’t up to scratch — he was still improving the soil of this new parcel of land, which he’d acquired a few years before. What Steve found puzzling was that his other crops were doing fine on this new land, and his other fields of canola were progressing well. Upon initial examination of Steve’s field, his canola plants did appear to be delayed in maturity by about a week. According to Steve, the field had been progressing well up until the flowering stage, when he first noticed the symptoms. It was time to test some of Steve’s theories. First, I established that his operation of the new air drill had not caused the problem; his seed depth was correct. I didn’t think excess precipitation was causing the damage either because the field had good

Dying patches of wheat weren’t due to herbicide damage, wireworms or cutworms. below ground in any of the patches we examined. None of Bob’s other fields were exhibiting these symptoms, so I thought there must be something different about the seed planted in this field, or the field itself. “Can you think of anything, anything at all, that was done to this field that was different from all the rest?” I asked. “Not really,” said Bob. “But I this is the only field where we didn’t apply a seed treatment.” Ah-ha, I thought. I began to

explore this new avenue by pulling up some plants from the affected areas. Upon examination of the root mass, I knew what was causing the dead patches of wheat, but I sent a few plants to the lab for analysis to be sure. “The bad news is that we can’t do anything to reverse or fix the problem in this field this year, but the good news is that I’ve solved your problem and we can prevent it from happening next year,” I told Bob. Why are patches of dead wheat appearing in one of Bob’s fields?

Send your diagnosis to Grainews, Box 9800, Winnipeg, MB, R3C 3K7; email [email protected] or fax 204-944-5416 c/o Crop Advisor’s Casebook. Best suggestions will be pooled and one winner will be drawn for a chance to win a Grainews cap and a one-year subscription to the magazine. The best answer, along with the reasoning which solved the mystery, will appear in the next Crop Advisor’s Solution File. † Chad Zavislak is a sales agronomist at Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Yorkton, Sask.

DON’T CUT CORNERS ON TANK CLEAN OUT drainage and the rest of Steve’s crops were progressing well. Steve had been improving the soil’s fertility since he had acquired the new parcel of land. Tissue tests of the canola plants from that field revealed the soil to be low in potash and phosphate, but this was no surprise to Steve and was not responsible for the symptoms we were addressing. Also, I didn’t think the soil was the problem because his other crops on this new land were faring well. Steve has a good fertility program in place, and he was following recommendations made from the soil tests completed each fall. He’d already had some good results when he applied a foliar fertilizer to his crop with his Group 10 herbicide at the end of June. We scouted some of the field when I first arrived. With no evi-

Tundra

dence to support any of Steve’s theories, we decided to do a more extensive scout. At the far end of the field, we found the first real clue to what was causing the damage — two acres of healthy, normal canola plants. Sprayer records confirmed what I suspected had happened. While spraying this field at the end of June with the foliar fertilizer and Group 10 herbicide, on his second pass, Steve ran out of chemical. Thus, the two-acre area with healthy plants had only been sprayed once, not twice like the rest of the field. Steve explained that since he’d run out of the chemical at the back end of the field, he didn’t want to go back in and trample any more ground, just for two acres. These two acres and his sprayer records confirmed he’d caused a Group 2 injury to the canola

plants caused by chemical residue left in the tank after spraying his field of wheat. Because he’d sprayed the whole field with that one tank, the next field didn’t exhibit any problems. Pressed for time, Steve had not rinsed his tank properly. But time is not wasted on tank clean-outs. I recommend that all farmrs take the time to thoroughly rinse their tanks with an ammonia-based cleaner and then with water, also making sure your booms are rinsed and primed well. Best management practices on the farm can save you time and money. Steve’s field is recovering. Despite the herbicide injury, Steve should be able to harvest roughly two-thirds of the average yield for that field. † Ryan Turnbull is an area marketing representative at Richardson Pioneer Ltd. at Dauphin, Man.

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Features New varieties

20 new canola lines for 2012 Here’s a rundown of varieties commercially available for the first time in 2012 By Lyndsey Smith

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total of 20 new canola varieties are offered for the 2012 growing season. In this year’s line up is a variety resistant to clubroot and two lines tolerant to sclerotinia, as well top yielders and specialty canolas. All information listed here is provided by the company listed as the distributor.

Bayer CropScience InVigor L120 is a LibertyLink hybrid that yielded 134 per cent of checks 46A65/Q2 in 2009/2010 WCC/RRC co-op trials. L120 is rated as resistant to blackleg, and is an early maturing hybrid earmarked as a replacement for InVigor 5020. Seed availability is listed as limited for 2012. All varieties listed here are developed by Bayer CropScience. InVigor L135C is a LibertyLink hybrid with clubroot resistance that yielded 138 per cent of checks 46A65/Q2 in 2010 WCC/ RRC co-op trials. Rated as resistant to blackleg, L135C also offers early maturity. Seed supplies are limited to areas in Alberta with confirmed clubroot presence. InVigor L170S is a LibertyLink hybrid with sclerotinia toler-

ance that yielded 137 per cent of checks 46A65/Q2 in 2010 WCC/ RRC co-op trials. L170S is rated as resistant to blackleg, and is a later maturing hybrid. Seed availability is listed as limited for 2012.

BrettYoung 5535 CL hybrid is a new early maturing variety well suited to the short and mid season growing zones. 4435 CL yielded 127 per cent of 46A65/Q2 in 2008 and 2009 Co-op trials on average, but managed a 148 per cent in the short season zone. The variety offers an R rating to blackleg and seed supplies are listed as good for 2012. This variety was bred by DL Seeds and is distributed by BrettYoung.

Canterra Seeds CANTERRA 1990 is a GENRR hybrid, with an R rating for blackleg. This variety, developed by DL Seeds, yielded 103 per cent of InVigor 5440 and is the highest yielding of Canterra’s varieties. Seed supply is listed as limited for 2012. CANTERRA 1980 is a GENRR hybrid well suited to all growing zones. Yielding 103 per cent of 45H29, this variety is rated as

resistant to blackleg. Seed supply is listed as limited for 2012.

first variety in Cargill’s new V-class hybrids. Clocking a 136 per cent yield of co-op checks in the mid-season growing zone, V12-1 is resistant to blackleg, and is part of Cargill’s 2012 specialty canola program. Seed supply is listed as limited for 2012.

Cargill Limited Cargill’s VICTORY V12-1, a Roundup Ready hybrid, is the

Dow AgroSciences 1012 RR is a Roundup Ready hybrid variety with yields of 115 per cent of NX4-105 RR. Developed by Dow AgroSciences and distributed through Richardson Pioneer,

EXTENDED OUTLOOK FOR THE PRAIRIES Weather Forecast for the period of October 9 to November 5, 2011

Southern Alberta

Peace River

Saskatchewan

Manitoba

Oct. 9 - 15 Look for variable weather ranging from fair to wet with rain. Chance of snow. Blustery at times. Changeable temperatures.

Oct. 9 - 15 Variable weather this week ranging from fair to wet with rain. Blustery at times. Changeable temperatures.

Oct. 9 - 15 Disturbances result in variable conditions this week ranging from fair and dry to wet and blustery. Temperatures vary from mild to cold.

Oct. 9 - 15 Fair skies will be interrupted by rain and blustery winds on a couple of occasions this week. Temperatures vary under blustery winds.

Oct. 16 - 22 Fair overall with seasonable temperatures, but cooler outbreaks will bring rain or wet snow on two occasions this week. Occasionally windy.

Oct. 16 - 22 Fair overall with seasonable temperatures, but cooler outbreaks will bring rain or wet snow on a couple of occasions this week.

Oct. 16 - 22 Look for seasonal to cool temperatures with sub zero lows. Often fair but some rain on a couple of days, mixed at times with wet snow.

Oct. 16 - 22 In the south fair weather interchanges with rain, possibly heavy in places. Seasonal to mild at times.

Oct. 23 - 29 Temperatures fluctuate from mild to cool with a few sub zero lows. Blustery. Fair, but rain or snow on a couple of days, heavy in places.

Oct. 23 - 29 Temperatures fluctuate from mild to cool with a few sub zero lows. Blustery. Fair, but rain or snow on a couple of days, heavy in places.

Oct. 23 - 29 Occasional snow in a few areas, except scattered rain in the south. On fair days temperatures average near to above normal. Cooler in the north.

Oct. 30 - Nov. 5 Expect changeable conditions this week with occasional snow, heavy in a few areas.

Oct. 30 - Nov. 5 Expect changeable conditions this week with occasional snow, heavy in a few areas. Some rain in the south with highs well above zero.

-1 / 10 Grande Prairie 21.7 mms

Oct. 30 - Nov. 5 Unsettled at times as fair skies are interrupted by snow, heavy in a few central and northern areas. Scattered rain in south. Seasonal to mild.

Precipitation Forecast -2 / 11 Edmonton NEAR NORMAL

-1 / 10 Jasper

30.9 mms

-1 / 10

30.3 mms

-3 / 12 Red Deer 20.2 mms

Banff

-1 / 13 Calgary 15.5 mms

1/8 The Pas

-3 / 10 Prince Albert

17.3 mms

Forecasts should be 80% accurate, but expect variations by a day or two because of changeable speed of weather systems.

Oct. 30 - Nov. 5 Fair but snow on 2 or 3 days, heavy in a few places. Some rain in the south. Blustery. Temperatures vary from mild to cool with sub zero lows.

Oct. 23 - 29 Fair and seasonable overall but snow falls on a few days this week, changing to rain in the south. Cooler and a chance of heavy snow in central and northern areas.

0 / 14 Medicine Hat cms Lethbridge 15.519mms 15.9 mms 26 cms 1 / 14

-1 / 11 North Battleford 13.6 mms

-1 / 11 Saskatoon 16.9 mms

33.2 mms

21.6 mms

BELOW NORMAL

-1 / 11 Yorkton

-1 / 11 Dauphin

1 / 11 -2 / 12 24.5 mms 31.2 mms 0 / 13 Gimli Regina -1 / 12 Moose Jaw 20.3 mms 39.8 mms Swift 18.3 mms 1 / 12 -2 / 12 Portage 0 / 11 Current -1 / 12 Brandon 32.7 mms Winnipeg 17.5 mms Weyburn 22.2 mms 29.5 mms 19.7 mms 0 / 13 Estevan Melita -2 / 13 21.3 mms

28.2 mms

Precipitation Outlook For October Much Above Normal Below Much above normal normal below normal normal

Temperatures are normals for October 15th averaged over 30 years. Precipitation (water equivalent) normals for October in mms. ©2011 WeatherTec Services Inc. www.weathertec.mb.ca

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Features Viterra, LDM Foods and selected independent retailers, 1012 RR averages a higher net income than the above listed check, has excellent standability, is resistant to blackleg and is grown under contract. Seed supply is listed as good for 2012. 1014 RR is a Roundup Ready hybrid variety with yields of 114 per cent of NX4-105 RR and is resistant to blackleg. Distributed through Richardson Pioneer, Viterra, LDM Foods and selected independent retailers, 1014 RR has excellent standability and averages a higher net income than the above listed check. Seed supplies are listed as good for 2012. Grown under contract. 2012 CL is a Clearfield hybrid that yields 107 per cent of NX4205 CL. 2012 CL has an MR rating to blackleg, displays excellent lodging resistance and averages a higher net return per acre than the above listed check. Grown under contract, seed supplies are listed as good for 2012. Contracts

are available through Richardson Pioneer, Viterra, LDM Foods and selected independent retailers. 2014 CL is a Clearfield hybrid that yields 103 per cent of NX4205 CL. 2012 CL has an MR rating to blackleg, displays excellent lodging resistance and averages a higher net return per acre than the above listed check. Grown under contract, seed supplies are listed as good for 2012. Contracts are available through Richardson Pioneer, Viterra, LDM Foods and selected independent retailers.

MONSANTO DEKALB 73-75 RR is a GENRR hybrid that yields 103 per cent of InVigor 5440 and has an R rating for blackleg. Developed and distributed by Monsanto, 73-75 has a good all-around agronomic package and good vigour with a slightly earlier maturity to DEKALB 72-65 RR. Seed supply is listed as limited for 2012. DEKALB 73-15 RR is a GENRR

hybrid that yields 106 per cent of 73-35 RR and has an MR rating for blackleg. Developed and distributed by Monsanto, 73-15 has high yield potential with a maturity of 1.3 days earlier than 73-35 RR. Seed supply is listed as limited for 2012.

PIONEER HI-BRED 45H31 is a Roundup Ready variety that yields 129.4 per cent of 46A65/Q2, is resistant to blackleg and exhibits great standability and harvestability. Available through Pioneer Hi-Bred sales reps, seed supply is listed as good for 2012. 46S53 is a Roundup Ready variety that also offers resistant to sclerotinia. Yield is rated as 121.8 per cent of 46A65/Q2. 46S53 is resistant to blackleg and exhibits improved standability and sclerotinia resistance over 45S51. Available through Pioneer Hi-Bred sales reps, seed supply is listed as limited for 2012.

46H75 is a Clearfield variety that yields 129.8 per cent of 46A65/Q2, is resistant to blackleg and exhibits early growth and great standability. Available through Pioneer Hi-Bred sales reps, seed supply is listed as limited for 2012. D3153 is a Roundup Ready variety that yields 126.9 per cent of 46A65/Q2, is resistant to blackleg, and combines exceptional standability with its yeild potential. Seed supply is rated as excellent for 2012 and is available through DuPont at Federated Co-op and select independent retailers.

SECAN Fusion is a Roundup Ready composite hybrid yielding 123 per cent of 46A65/Q2. Developed by DL Seeds and distributed through SeCan, Fusion has an R rating for blackleg and an affordable seed price. Seed supplies are listed as limited for 2012.

AC Synergy is a synthetic conventional Polish canola, yielding 117 per cent of Polish canola checks. Developed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and distributed through SeCan, AC Synergy matures two weeks ahead of Argentine canola and offers a significant yield advantage over open pollinated Polish canola. Seed supplies are listed as limited for 2012.

VITERRA VT 500 G is a GENRR hybrid rated to yield 107 per cent of 45H21. Rated as resistant to both blackleg and fusarium wilt, maturity is rated at equal to or one day later than the check. VT 500 G has medium maturity and is suited to all growing zones with excellent standability and lodging resistance. Seed availability is listed as excellent for 2012. † Lyndsey Smith is the editor of Grainews. Contact her at [email protected].

more “It’s affordable than what you’re using now.

Hopefully, that’ll mean an increase in tips. ”

Claire’s learned a lot chewing the fat with her customers. Here’s a small taste. This year growers can cash in on the outstanding value of the Clearfield® Production System for Canola. From the new ARES™* herbicide, to new hybrids, including hybrids from Nexera™, to proven fungicides like HEADLINE® and LANCE®, they’re all priced to ensure a great ROI. Order before December 31st and save up to $4 per acre† for even more savings! Contact your BASF retailer or visit the diner at clearfield.ca/canola for more juicy tidbits. * ARES herbicide is in the final stages of registration † Certain conditions apply. Offer Terms & Conditions available online at clearfield.ca/canola

Always read and follow label directions. AgSolutions, and HEADLINE are registered trade-marks of BASF Corporation; ARES is a trade-mark, and Clearfield and the unique Clearfield symbol are registered trade-marks of BASF Agrochemical Products B.V.; LANCE is a registered trade-mark of BASF SE; all used with permission by BASF Canada Inc. HEADLINE and/or LANCE should be used in a preventative disease control program. Nexera is a trade-mark of Dow AgroSciences LLC. © 2011 BASF Canada Inc.

110200326_GrainNewsAdR1_v1.indd 1

11-10-04 5:10 PM

Client: BASFCAN

Publication: Grainnews

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Features FARMER PANEL

Farmers keep tabs on corn and soybean opportunities Corn and soybeans may not be a fit for every acre, but these traditionally eastern crops are making their way west in a big way BY LEE HART

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f it was up to the seed companies the whole country might be seeded fencepost to fencepost with easy to grow and profitable corn and soybeans, but then that might be the hope of the marketers of any hot new crop variety. As new higher-yielding corn and soybean varieties with lower heat unit requirements are being introduced to the market each year, more acres of these traditional warm sea-

son crops are expanding into new territory across Western Canada. Are these crops catching your interest? Most farmers contacted early last month for this October Farmer Panel were actually hard into harvest when that question was posed to them, so their thoughts were more focused on what was in the field in 2011, but corn and soybeans had not escaped their attention. One farmer had already been growing them for 15 years, others were just new at it, still others were

seriously looking to include them in rotation, and others didn’t see either crop having a fit on their farm any time soon. Here is what farmers contacted for the October farmer panel had to say about including corn and soybean crops in rotation:

MEL PENNER ALTONA, MAN. Mel Penner has been growing corn and soybeans on his family farm in southeast Manitoba and

just north of the North Dakota border for about 15 years. While varieties have improved over the years, and both have been profitable crops in his rotation, Penner says weather is the wildcard in the success of these crops. “There have been a lot of farmers interested in corn and soybeans, but at the same time, the last three or four years have been quite wet,” he says. “This year we started out wet and now (approaching harvest) it is quite dry. August is when you need the moisture as

Advice well-grounded.

August is when your yield of both corn and soybeans is determined. With soybeans for example, if you don’t have rain in August you can go from a 45 bushel crop to a 20 bushel crop real quick. In a year like this some guys may change their attitude about how good these crops are.” Penner grows about 1,500 acres of soybeans and this year about 2,200 acres of grain corn. All corn and most of the soybeans are produced as row crops on 22-inch row spacing to optimize yield and weed control. He says he somewhat reluctantly switched over to Roundup Ready varieties because that is where breeding and genetics technology were producing the highest yields and it does afford ease of management. He expects to keep both crops in rotation, and does have some potential to increase soybean acres in the future, but a lot will depend on weather patterns.

KENDALL HEISE ISABELLA, MAN. Kendall Heise who crops about 3,000 acres of cereals, oilseeds and pulse crops near Isabella, Man., northwest of Brandon, says he would like to get into these crops, but figures it may be a few years yet. “I see more farmers growing both of these crops in this area, and I think we are almost there,” says Heise. “A lot of guys are growing corn for silage and it looks really good, and one of the first things if I grew soybeans is that I would have to get crop insurance coverage. But I think both corn and soybeans are getting very close to being a viable crop in this area.” He says if the economics or profitability of these crops are as good as people claim, he isn’t worried about adding row cropping equipment to his machinery line. “ We b u y n e w e q u i p m e n t when we’re producing grains and oilseeds, so that is something we do now,” he says. “Equipment shouldn’t be an issue provided the economics are there.” He says it may take a bit more variety development, combined with climate change for these crops to have a low risk fit on his farm. In a rapidly-changing world, you need top quality inputs to produce a profitable crop. And that applies to the expert advice you get on seed as well.

GERRID GUST DAVIDSON, SASK.

Your Pioneer Hi-Bred sales representative lives in your area and knows the unique challenges you face. Plus, our rep team is backed by a global research and development network and the strongest agronomic team in the business. All of this expertise is readily available to support our seed genetics, throughout the growing season and beyond.

Gerrid Gust says he’s waiting for lower heat unit varieties of corn, and soybeans with improved frost tolerance to be developed before he tries them on his Davidsonarea farm in central Saskatchewan, about half way between Regina and Saskatoon. “I talked to one fella who grew soybeans this year, but he said he wouldn’t grow them again,” says Gust, who is part of the family grain, oilseed and pulse crop farming operation. “You see a bit of it around, but I don’t think they’re ready just yet for Davidson.”

Ask your local Pioneer Hi-Bred sales rep for recommendations on our full lineup of Pioneer® brand products and services. You’ll be sure to get advice well-grounded.

www.pioneer.com All purchases are subject to the terms of labelling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM Trademarks and service marks licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. © 2011 PHL. PR2122 WBrand Advice Vrsn3_GN_F_E

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Features He says his area just doesn’t consistently have the heat units to support either crop and he says frost can be an issue for soybeans both early in the season and at harvest “so we need some varieties with improved frost tolerance,” he says. Initially, he also wondered if he would have the acres to justify investing in row cropping equipment. Although he says his new Seed Master can be adjusted so it seeds similar to a planter. Even though his canola yields this year weren’t as good as he hoped, he says right now along with wheat, barley and pulses, canola is his best oilseed option.

GREG GENIK GILBERT PLAINS, MAN. Greg Genik has had two years of producing silage corn on his west central Manitoba farm at Gilbert Plain, west of Dauphin. It is considered a non-traditional corn growing area, however, he says the newer lower heat unit varieties have potential. Genik’s first corn crop in 2010 was almost a disaster. Under dry growing conditions it yielded only five tonnes per acre. “But we also had silage barley the same year and it produced next to nothing,” says Genik, who runs a cow-calf and feeder operation. “The corn was terrible, but it did much better than barley.” That experience, followed by a decent looking crop this year, has convinced him to keep corn in his rotation. Genik, who grows two varieties of Pioneer Hi-Bred 2050 and 2150 heat unit corn, estimates the 2011 crop will yield about 12 tonnes per acre. He rented a corn planter to seed the crop under cool, wet conditions this spring, and then it turned warm and dry for the rest of the growing season. He expects to harvest silage the third week of October. “I don’t think there is a lot of extra management with corn,” he says. “It is like any other crop, you have to use good production practices, good weed control and proper fertility. The big thing with corn, as with other crops, is the weather. That’s what determines the kind of crop you’ll have.” While his experience with corn hasn’t been perfect, he sees it has potential to produce some type of crop under extreme conditions. “Some people may say it is expensive to grow, but I think when you figure out the cost of production for each pound of dry matter produced it isn’t much different than growing barley.”

BRENT THOMAS HARTNEY, MAN. If you can get your ahead around the fact you could be combining in March, you’ll probably do fine growing grain corn, says Brent Thomas. While producing corn has been a steep and sometimes painful learning curve for the southwest Manitoba farmer, Thomas says the opportunity is there to earn a good return from the crop, which even on a poorer year can outshine canola and sunflowers. Thomas, who farms near Hartney, close to both the North Dakota and Saskatchewan borders, has produced three crops of corn — silage in 2008 and grain in 2009 and 2010. He doesn’t have any corn in this year. In fact due to the extremely wet conditions last spring he only got about 20 per cent of his farm seeded and

that went into canola, which by fall had turned out to be a disappointing crop. Despite the challenges of growing and harvesting corn, Thomas says it can produce a good return. In 2009 the crop yielded 60 bushel/acre which at about $5 bushel, he says is breakeven, but then in 2010 with improved growing conditions yields jumped to about 110 bushels per acre. “When you’re looking at 110 bushels at $5 to $6 per bushel you are looking at some serious money,” he says. “Our 2010 crop was 110 bushels per acre and it was one of those crops you dream about. I think the opportunity is there with this crop, but it takes some learning, and you need patience, and you have to have faith that the weather won’t work against you,” at least not every year. Thomas has grown about 450 acres each year of a Pioneer Hi-Bred 2050 heat unit variety. He had row planting equipment he’s used for sunflowers which works

well for seeding corn on 30 inch row spacing. He has upgraded the combine header for corn harvesting. His limiting factor is not having grain drying facilities, only aeration bins, so that means leaving the crop to naturally dry in the field until it is within one or two points of the target 15.5 per cent moisture preferred by ethanol processors. “If you had an ideal year where you could get the crop seeded by May 5, and then good moisture and heat during the growing season and a nice fall, you could probably have naturally dry corn in the bin by Remembrance Day,” he says. “But the weather has been so extreme, so that means you just have to be patient and adapt.” The 2008 silage crop grew reasonably well, but then the silage deal fell through at the last minute, leaving Thomas with a corn crop no one wanted for silage, and was too immature to salvage as grain. In 2009, he grew both grain corn and sunflowers. It was a very

dry year. The corn only yielded 60 bushels per acre but it was twice the yield of sunflowers, “and that’s what really opened my eyes, that it was a crop with more potential and more adaptability in these heavy clay soils than sunflowers,” he says. And with Roundup Ready corn it meant fields were cleaner and it would work better in rotation with canola. The 2010 grain corn crop did much better than 2009, producing a 110 bushel yield. But getting it mature and dry was the challenge. “There were some nice days in November if you weren’t harvesting corn, but it was mild and foggy and just too much humidity,” he says. And then there was frequent snowfall through December and January “and you can’t combine corn plants with snow on them.” So it wasn’t until February and on into March Thomas got some decent days to harvest corn. Working by himself, 450 acres takes 12 to 15 days of combining. “You just have to take it day by

day and see what the weather is going to do,” he says. “The corn dries really well and stands well, but you don’t want any snow on it. So you’re waiting for a sunny day, that is cold, no snow and the ground is still frozen so you can travel with the combine.” He says harvesting in February and March works very well, allowing him to combine good quality grain corn at 16 or 17 per cent moisture and then putting it in aeration bins until it dries down to 15.5 per cent. He says somedays he was even able to combine dry corn at 15.5 per cent moisture. He does note that combines don’t work well at -30 C and ideally it should be a sunny day, at -10 C to -15 C temperatures. “It is a crop that has its pros and cons and it does take some learning,” he says. “But it is also a crop you can make some money on.” † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at [email protected].

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Features Crop selection

New mustard aims for the sky A new mustard type, carinata, shows real promise in the biofuel industry, specifically for use as jet fuel. A hardy crop, carinata shows potential to thrive where canola and other mustards cannot By Leeann Minogue

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here’s a new mustard in town. “Things have been tough for mustard lately,” says Kevin Hursh, executive director of the Saskatchewan Mustard Commission. “There’s not great weed control (for the crop), and yields have not kept up with canola.” Add to that the relatively small market for mustard as a condiment (people will only eat so many hot dogs), and there hasn’t been a lot of room for mustard acres to expand. As Hursh says, “producers grow what they can make the best dollar with.” So what if we could use mustard for something else? That’s the question that’s driven new investment by the Saskatchewan Mustard Development Commission (SMDC) and Mustard21 Canada Inc., a nonprofit corporation formed by the SMDC and the Canadian Mustard Association, with the goal of growing a value-added mustard industry in Canada. The investment seems to have paid off. In the 2011 growing season, Agrisoma Biosciences Inc., the commercial partner for Mustard21, tested an Ethiopian mustard, Brassica carinata, in 20 sites across North America. Unlike traditional mustards, carinata is an industrial oilseed with at least 40 per cent erucic acid. This industrial oil content opens the door to new non-food markets. The most exciting of these potential new markets is carinata’s potential as a biojet fuel. Military and commercial jets are beginning to incorporate biojet fuel. Carinata oil, as well as oil from camelina, which is also grown here, has the technical properties that make it a good fit for this market. In fact, Ag West Bio recently announced that it will

lead a study to evaluate the feasibility of processing and refining bio-jet fuels in Saskatchewan. The study will look at the logistics and economics of all of the segments of the supply chain that would be needed to grow, process and sell bio-jet fuel on the prairies. Patrick Crampton, Agrisoma’s Vice President of Business and Product Development is a member of the steering committee leading the Ag West Bio study. He says that even though “jets and agriculture don’t meet too often except for spraying time,” carinata could give farmers a chance to get even more involved in energy production. As for the carinata meal, it may have uses in certain plastics, and, due to its low fibre content, researchers are testing its potential as a fish feed in Eastern Canadian aquaculture facilities.

Tips for growing carinata

Contract opportunities Farmers hoping to seed carinata in 2012 will be able to do so under contract with Agrisoma, however, they’ll have to wait for more detailed agronomic information and contract details. According to Patrick Crampton, Agrisoma is still evaluating the results of the 2011 crop, and will have complete information available in time for the Crop Production Show in January, 2012. While Agrisoma is not yet sure how much carinata they’ll be able to contract next spring, they do expect it to be in the thousands of acres. “At this point,” Crampton says, “availability of seed is the largest determinant.” Agrisoma has already decided which of the seven varieties they tested this summer will be commercially available next spring. Now, they will spend the winter increasing seed supply by growing a crop in South America. By January, Crampton says, “we’ll

Ethiopian mustard, carinata, contains at least 40 per cent erucic acid. have a pretty good idea of how seed production is going down in Chile.”

Expanded acres Carinata yields higher than traditional mustard and is very heat and drought tolerant. Crampton says “carinata thrives in hotter and dryer conditions.” When asked if carinata might compete for acres with canola, Crampton replies “we’ll see it grow in places where canola isn’t even recommended. The whole intent of the project is to expand mustard acres.” Kevin Hursh isn’t concerned about carinata replacing traditional mustard either. He believes this new type will be relatively easy to use for

genetic engineering, much like canola, which would raise several new possibilities for mustard growers. Another advantage that carinata brings to the table is more options for weed control. Patrick Crampton is excited about the possibilities. “Herbicides that maybe don’t work on yellow mustard do work on carinata. Carinata tolerates Lontrel, and we’re moving forward with a minor use submission.” He also says that carinata “has the same branching growth habit as canola,” giving it an ability to fill more space and grow a more robust stand than normal mustard. Crampton says “The challenge of mustard is that there’s a set global market. Having another market will let growers expand acres without causing prices to fall.”

Growing carinata, or Ethopian mustard, is similar to growing mustard and canola with some differences: •  yields 20% higher than check crop (Cutlass) •  mid to long season maturity (seven days later than Argentine canola) •  thrives in the brown soil zone •  seeded at 10 to 15 pounds per acre •  aim for 16 plants / square foot •  seed size is approximately equivalent to largest hybrid canola seed •  yellow seeded crop, with lower fibre content •  can be straight cut at harvest time •  nitrogen and phosphorus requirements similar to canola •  excellent blackleg resistance •  good to excellent lodging resistance •  resistance to aphids and flea beetles •  may still need a seed treatment for flea beetles •  tolerant to Lontrel (Agrisoma is moving forward with minor use submission) Researchers work on several new crops every year. Not all of them can make it, but sooner or later, someone is going to start growing the next “canola.” It’s a long trip from the Ethiopian highlands to a jet engine, but carinata is taking the first steps of the journey. “It’s a great story,” says Crampton. “It’s still early days.” † Leeann Minogue writes from Griffin, Sask.

Crop selection

Growing soybeans on the fringe It would seem that soybeans do well far outside what’s typically been thought of as the ideal area. The success, in part, is due to new genetics developed specifically for our northern climate By Harry Siemens

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hen  farmers started dabbling i n   s o y b e a n production in the prime growing areas of the Red River Valley of Manitoba back in the mid-90s, very few varieties were actually suited to the area. From a mere 2,000 acres in the late 90s, Manitoba farmers grew around 600,000 acres in 2011, in part because of the introduction of new varieties bred specifically for the shorter growing season. Further expansion out of the

typical growing zone is already underway and set to continue. The jury is still out on the average yield this year, but reports indicate soybean yields ranged from 25 bushels and acre to a few reports of over 50 bushels, depending how much moisture those fields received during the two months of hot, dry weather in July and August. Back in 2002, Roland Pfitzner’s best yielding variety was an old non-GMO variety from Ontario called Harmony, making up almost half of his total farm acres of 2,500 acres. Pfitzner’s rule of thumb and advice to

other would-be growers at that time was, “We need varieties developed for and suited to a farmer’s soil and climate. Just because it may do well in Grand Forks, North Dakota doesn’t mean it will do well at Ile de Chenes, Man., a halfhour southeast of Winnipeg.” While more and more farmers started growing soybeans, the biggest challenge continued to be access to suited varieties. “We’ve sure come a long way since those early meetings in southern Manitoba with maybe two different varieties to choose from,” says Dennis

Lange, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives’s new business development specialist for pulses. “In the last five years or so, we’ve seen varieties that are a lot earlier maturing and that perform well in Manitoba. We are seeing more trials by companies  grown  under Manitoba   conditions   rather than down in Grand Forks.” Variety advancement should continue with the formation and announcement that will see new genetics developed for soybean farmers as a result of a new public breeding program supported by the Manitoba Pulse

Growers Association (MPGA). The Advanced Canadian Field Crops through Breeding project began in April 2010 and will continue through till March 2013. This project is managed by the newly created Canadian Field Crop Research Alliance (CFCRA), which MPGA is a founding member. Farmers from Manitoba,  Ontario,  Quebec and the Maritimes have come together to ensure that farmers have access to globally competitive varieties for years to come. Andrew Saramaga farms with

» continued on next page

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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13

Features

Doug Chorney put one-third of his total acres into soybeans in 2011 because he was looking for ways to cut back on nitrogen fertilizer and improved varieties suited for his farm. Here he’s taking off his 2011 soybean crop.

» CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE his father in the Oakbank, Beausejour, and Dugald areas near Winnipeg, and is president of the MPGA. He started farming back in 1994 part-time and full-time in 2003. The Saramaga family farm has been growing soybeans since about 2001 planting only nonGMO varieties during the first three years. In 2004, North Star Genetics introduced some Roundup Ready varieties and the Saramaga family has been growing them ever since. For Andrew and many other farmers like him who have had some really wet conditions, the soybeans have shone compared to some of the other cash crops. He commends the private investment of companies and the regional research done by them so instrumental in developing and bringing in genetics into Manitoba and helping find the right ones. “Pulse growers are looking at going further west and into some of the fringe areas and trying to develop some crop insurance coverage throughout western Manitoba to help spur some growth in the industry out that way,” says Saragmaga.

TIPS FOR GROWING ON THE FRINGE Doug Chorney farms at Beausejour, Man., about 65 km north of the Trans Canada highway and about 130 km north of the U.S. border. This is not soybean country by any stretch, and yes, he planted a third of his acres into soybeans in 2011.

“Others started to grow soybeans in the area about ten years ago, but (they were) originally all non-GMO varieties. As the better varieties have evolved they seem to be well-adapted to our climate,” says Chorney. He admits it hasn’t been easy growing later season crops north of the Trans-Canada Highway. “It’s

excessive moisture issues, while this year excessive moisture in spring and drought through the summer dropped yields to about 25 bushels an acre. “That’s no fault of the soybeans, just the weather,” he says. “With relatively normal growing conditions in the future we will be growing soybeans

I know from years of experience growing sweet corn that seeding into cold ground is a mistake remarkable how successful some of the longer-season crops like corn, sunflowers, and now soybeans can be,” he says. “It really has been the adaptive varieties that have made it possible.” For Chorney, one of the big motivations for soybean production has been the the high nitrogen fertilizer prices, so farmers keep looking for alternatives to canola for an oilseed. In spring he first plants his cereals and other oilseed crops and waits for the soil temperature to reach at least 8 C before planting his soybeans. “Eight degrees is plenty warm enough, but you don’t want to go in too early with a crop like soybeans,” he says, “I know from years of experience growing sweet corn that seeding into cold ground is a mistake. We will generally start around May 15 with soybeans.” In his first year, he averaged 41 bushels an acre, but last year had

for many years to come,” says Chorney. “We’ve scaled back canola production because canola doesn’t like having wet feet.” He straight-cuts the soybeans at about 13 per cent moisture using an air reel to help push the shorter plants up the header and always rolls the fields to make it easier to straightcut the beans. For Chorney’s farm, varieties Legend 0036 and North Star Genetics’s Warren and Portage varieties have done well for him. He advises all new soybean farmers to use lots of inoculate to begin with, at least until the inoculate and bacteria build up in the soils. “People who skimp on inoculate generally are disappointed with results they get at the end of the year,” he says. †

d, canola hybri R R N E G g in yield Viterra’s big r own robust u o f o lt u s re e direct ans that this e VT500G, is th m T V x fi re gram. The p ive science s lu c x e breeding pro e th h it ou d by Viterra w ith V T500G y hybrid is bre W . s c ti e n e gy of VT G nds and technolo rmer that sta fo r e p te li e n r of a a.ca it seed.viterr get the powe is V . s ld ie y ig elivers b strong and d ore. to find out m Data Canola Trial a rr e it V 1 1 0 e2 Watch for th fall. available this

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Harry Siemens is a farm journalist, speaker and broadcaster based at Winkler, Man. Visit his website at www.siemenssays.com, or contact him at [email protected] or 204-325-5215.

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Columns MANAGEMENT MINUTE

The secret to this farmer’s success What does it take to become an Outstanding Young Farmer? Management Minute co-author Andrew DeRuyck shares his secrets were recently named Manitoba’s A: Despite Dad having this A: Goal setting with my wife Outstanding Young Farmers. I felt secure and stable farm he made Tanis and very detailed short- and it was my duty as a responsible things pretty clear when he told long-term business planning allows ANDREW member of the media that some- me, “Just cause I got money us to remain on track. We have DERUYCK one shed some light on the full doesn’t mean you got money.” always known what we are working story of Andrew and Tanis’s suc- The quest for financial self suf- towards and where we want to be cess. The following candid inter- ficiency has kept me going over in the end. When we get discourthe years. aged along the way we remind each view took place at my farm overTBqq2!!!!!Tbqq3!!!!!TGRACOL TFqtpo!8:11 M: What do you see as the best other what we are doing this all for. two pots of coffee and one bottle decision in your farming career, M: What is the biggest mistake of single malt scotch. Enjoy. MARK Client: Co.your so far? you have ever made in your farm Mark: HowBroadhead did you get SLOANE A: Learning the financial end of business and how did you recover start farming? 88755 Kpc!Op; Andrew: Mom and Dad let the business and understanding from it? ¦!2232!Kbdltpo!Tu!OF-!Tuf!224!¦!Njoofbqpmjt-!NO!66524!¦!723/878/4566 A: I would say not incorporating me keep cows on the farm in my own risk appetite. Having this Epson Profile: TGracol TSwop Supplied I put off incorporatT261!!!T244!!! 231!!!T211!!! 96!!!T76! Lpi: T311 T286!!! skillColor set has allowed me to matchT News soonTenough. exchange forT labour, andTRevenue Stock: T Fortune bankrolled T McCoy TProducto TPub TNewsmy TSupplied Epson Stock: TComm/Gracol Newsand pre-bought some business and financial reali-T Pub/Swop3 ing oneT year ucky for me, Approval this colCanada the beginning of that expensive fertilizer. Cash umn happens to coincide while I worked professionally off ties to my risk appetite. Mark: I have heard you use income tax made that managewith the Outstanding the farm. Dad having a secure and Young Farmer edition of stable farm from which I could the “F” word on the farm on a ment decision, and then fertilizer regular basis. Explain how you dropped significantly in the spring. Grainews. Andrew DeRuyck, my build upon was key. maintain “focus?” This decision reminded me that business partner, and his wife Tanis M: What drives you?

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my primary business is farming not market speculation. I recovered by having strength in my balance sheet and and a well-managed cash flow. What was difficult to swallow was the opportunity for profit that I gave up that year. M: What is the most valuable lesson you learned at university? A: Three things: The door of a bathroom stall is not a black book; never be the first guy in the pool — you can learn a lot from watching others test the waters; and, the relationships you build early in your career will last you a lifetime. M: What is the best decision you have made during your farming career? A: Definitely to allocate time and resources to strategic planning. Doing a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) drove us to diversify our operation into consulting work and custom work, which has carried us through some tough times. M: What do you see as the greatest financial risk as a young farmer and how did you mitigate this risk? A: The capital required to operate a business that will return a modest living these days is tremendous. This often results in highly leveraged operations with extremely tight cash flow. There is very little room for error. The safety nets can be unpredictable for young farmers with cracks that leave you exposed to risk. M: If you were transplanted onto a foreign farm of similar nature, what are three things you would take with you to ensure your success? A: Easy! I would take you (I need good help), Dad, because I know he still has money and my wife for lots of other reasons. M: What will you tell your son or daughter before they start farming? A: Do it because you love it, don’t risk things you aren’t willing to lose and don’t take help for granted. M: What is your strategy for sustainable growth in your business? A: It is very important to grow your business in line with equity, labour and cash flow. Growth doesn’t mean more production units to me — to me it means more bottom line. M: Wow, you make managing a successful farm sound pretty easy! How do you explain your hair loss? A: Hair loss is genetic, Mark, and farming has been anything but easy! Like any business it takes dedication, perseverance and discipline. If it was too easy everyone would want to do it. Editor’s note: Best of luck to Andrew and Tanis DeRuyck as they vie for the title of Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers next month at Brandon, Man. † Andrew DeRuyck and Mark Sloane manage two farming operations in southern Manitoba and are partners in Right Choice Management Consulting. With over 25 years of cumulative experience, they offer support in farm management, financial management, strategic planning and mediation services. They can be reached at [email protected] and [email protected] or 204-8257392 and 204-825-8443.

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Columns MARKET INTELLIGENCE

How farmer selling impacts lentil prices Western Canadian farmers hold significant sway in the large green lentil market. Selling into a falling market may just soften prices further JEFF JACKSON

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ow that the lentil crop is more or less in the bin, where are we at with supplies? My estimate was around 800,000 metric tonnes (MT) or so of production while other analysts were reporting more or less twice as much. I have great respect for the difficulty in assessing the size of the crop any year and more respect for those who form an opinion and have the courage to voice it. While I still cannot come to the same conclusions as other respected colleagues regarding the size of the market I have been influenced by some post-harvest discussions and reports of better yields than I expected in some areas so will revise my production estimate to 1,000,000 MT of production split 60/40 in favour of green lentils. Even with revised production numbers higher than previous, I stand by my earlier recommendations in regards to marketing the production of green lentils. Buyers the world over were not flush with good-quality green lentils. Yes, we have produced a greater proportion of No. 1 and No. 2 greens than last year but the basic fact is this: if the world wants to buy laird lentils they come to Canada. Your selling decisions in the case of green lentils greatly impacts the price you receive. Western Canadian farmers yield significant influence on price, for better or for worse, based on your selling patterns. As for reds, I stick with my

past opinion to sell. The world has plenty of red lentils both in Canada and other growing regions. With a perceived oversupply no one is eager to purchase red lentils at values growers find exciting. This price has remained relatively stable to maybe slightly firmer. Farmers, reluctance to sell has mildly influenced this price. This would apply even more greatly to greens. We have seen the grower bids for laird lentils slowly descending over the last few weeks. I am surprised to see this happen. I understand that selling a laird at

Your selling decisions in the case of green lentils greatly impacts the price you receive 28 to 30 cents is more appealing today than selling a red at 18-20. Everyone’s situation is different, of course. Needs for storage and cash flow dictate some of what you sell and when. If for whatever reason you feel you need to sell lairds as the market falls then do what you must for your operation. My opinion remains however the more you resist selling greens the greater you can influence the price to climb. So far, enough greens have been coming to the market to not only prevent a price increase but create a negative impact. As I discussed in the opening there are varying opinions on

the size of the crop. If the world perceives there is a large crop they will be more reluctant to buy in volume putting downward pressure on the price. If you can weather what I believe will be a short period of downward pressure (assuming fewer and fewer growers bring lentils to market) then I believe as stated before you can see prices of 30-plus cents for No. 2s and 35 to 36 cents for No. 1s. Ask yourself why someone would be encouraging you to sell as the market falls — do they have your best interest in mind? The current market for reds sits in the 20-cent range. As noted earlier there is what feels like more than enough supply. I believe there is potential upside to perhaps 25 cents but realizing that is not really in control of the grower. Keep in touch with your farm broker or marketing company on a regular basis, perhaps weekly or even more often. Demand may come in short bursts and you want to be poised to take advantage of it when it happens. Don’t panic because prices are softening today. The world needs and wants green lentils, but I am not advocating waiting for a peak of 40 cents. I am saying be thoughtful about the impact selling has on the market and understand why you are a seller today or why you are not. With red lentils be watchful and you will be able to take advantage of surges in the market. Even though the crop is likely a bit larger than I had earlier anticipated that does not mean prices must keep falling — you have a say, too. †

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Jeff Jackson is marketing manager, pulses for Scoular Canada based at Calgary, Alta. Have you got marketing strategy questions? Send them to [email protected]. The opinions above reflect the writer’s and are not necessarily the opinion of Scoular Canada.

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Columns FARM FINANCIAL PLANNER

Selling the farm and moving to town — more travel and no more chores BY ANDREW ALLENTUCK

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lberta farmers we’ll call Hank, 63, and Ethel, 62, have raised elk and bison and grown grain for three decades in the foothills of the Rockies. Hank has also been an employee of the federal government. He retired with a full pension three years ago at age 60. They have one son with a different career path who is not interested in taking on the family farm. They were fortunate to get into elk and bison relatively early in the boom for exotics. The business was profitable for many years, but the BSE outbreak in 2003 injured their business and cut is profitability. Today, they still have to do chores, but their business is poor. They wind up subsidizing it with $10,000 per year of their savings. It’s time to move on, they say. They want to downsize their operation, which is now just a few bison, and get more time to travel. It is a process already underway, for they sold 220 acres for $200,000 three years ago. They used the cash to pay off all bills and are now free of debt. What’s next is the issue, for while the bison business is losing money, the land has appreciated dramatically. Hank and Ethel want more time and more economic security in retirement. We asked Don Forbes, a farm financial planner who heads Don Forbes & Associates/Armstrong & Quaile Associates of Carberry, Man., to work with Hank and Ethel. His plan — downsize the farm, make use of tax breaks available to farmers, and invest for dependable income. First move: sell remaining 300 acres of land remaining in his 450 acre parcel for $400,000. Then transfer remaining land to the son

as a legacy. The declared value of the transfer will be one dollar. The value of this transfer is that he will receive the legacy at the tax paid current value. Next move: The farm meets the standards for the Qualified Farm Property Capital Gains Exemption. Assuming that the combined sale price of $650,000, which is sale price plus the deemed value of what is transferred to the son, minus book value of $210,000 results in a $440,000 capital gain, there will be an offsetting tax credit. The proceeds will be received tax-free. The timing of the sale and transfer are critical. They should be done over the next two years before each partner is 65. That way, Old Age Security will not be clawed back on the basis of the capital gain. Even though there is no tax on the gain, it does boost notional income, Mr. Forbes explains. Moreover, the transactions should be split in order to reduce the impact of the Alternative Minimum Tax that effectively brings excluded transaction back into taxable income. Along with the sale of land, Hank and Ethel should sell their farm machinery and livestock. Assuming that the current market value of this property is $65,000, there may be a taxable recapture of depreciation, Mr. Forbes cautions. Ethel worries that capital markets are unsteady. It is possible to structure investments of the $465,000 cash proceeds (the balance is the son’s legacy) of the farm and equipment sale to produce predictable income. First, take $200,000 as Ethel’s share of the cash realized — that’s half the total — and buy a life annuity from an insurance company. That capital would provide $12,672 per year for her life with a

guarantee that a minimum of ten years worth of payments would be paid. That’s a yield of 6.34 per cent on what amounts to a long bond. Government of Canada 30 year bonds pay only about two thirds of that. The extra return is based on the insurance company’s ability to invest in corporate bonds and to keep undistributed money

Second, invest the balance of $265,000 in non-registered, jointly owned assets with a blend of large cap, dividend paying stocks and low fee exchange traded funds. The stock investments should make it possible for the total portfolio to rise in value with inflation, compensating for the declining real income that will be produced

Land sales should be timed so as not to impact other sources of retirement income after Ethel’s passing. There is also a non-taxable return of capital component of $9,000 per year in the payout. The annuity payments will qualify for the $2,000 pension income credit A word of caution: interest rates remain below their historical averages. The foundation of annuity payouts remains interest on long government bonds. Assuming that rates rise in the next 18 to 24 months, the annuity purchase should be delayed until perhaps 2013 when Susan is 64, Forbes suggests. However, the annuity is more than just a device to produce steady income. In a sense, it is a life insurance policy that produces income in life rather than in death. It is also substantially guaranteed by Assuris, the life insurance industry’s guarantee fund, that protects 85 per cent of promised benefits and up to $100,000 of principal. For a full, 100 per cent guarantee of $200,000 of principal, the annuities could be purchased from two insurance companies.

by fixed payout annuities. This investment portfolio does will rise and fall with capital markets. To reduce fluctuations, it would be possible to sell the more volatile components, such the the BRIC and agriculture ETFs and to use to proceeds to buy a laddered bond fund. It’s a tradeoff of growth for reduced volatility. Once the farm is sold, $10,000 per year that the couple has used to subsidize its losses can be switched to a travel fund. Other parts of cash flow can be used to boost Tax-Free savings accounts. TFSA growth and payouts are not subject to tax and therefore have no impact on future Old Age Security payments. Moreover, with some planning, the couple can plan to split Hank’s government pension income and all retirement income when both are 65 in 2013 These steps seem complex, but they are really just a way of converting farmland to stock, bond and annuity investments. If these steps are taken, then by 2013,

when Hank is 66 and Ethel is 65, the couple will have two Old Age Security benefits of $6,481 each per tear, total Canada Pension Plan benefits of $9,137, employment pensions totaling $41,136, taxable dividends of $2,973, interest of $3,118, taxable gains projected at $8,358, Ethel’s annuity payment of $12,672 per year and RRIF payments of $10,354 for total income of $100,710 before tax. Assuming that they pay a 15 per cent average tax on all income, they will have $85,600 per year to spend on a new way of life. They have already bought house in town and paid for it in full, so their income, apart from utilities and house maintenance of perhaps $15,000 per year, will be theirs to spend on travel and much of the good life they postponed while building up their farming business. They can set aside a fund of $6,000 per year so that they can buy a new car every five years. As their lives progress, they will have the option of cashing in some stocks or bonds to raise income, should they wish to do so. The conversion of farm to capital market assets will not only make it easier to convert assets to cash, but to adjust the portfolio to the changing levels of inflation, to invest in Canada or other countries with perhaps what will be stronger economies or stronger currencies. This is not a prediction, but only an acknowledgment that the only certain thing about the future is that things will change. Most of all, they are going from duty to the land to living for themselves. And that, of course, is the goal and idea of retirement. † Andrew Allentuck’s latest book, When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work, was published by Penguin Canada in January, 2011.

GUARDING WEALTH

A how-to bond investment guide for beginners Investing in bonds is typically less risky than owning stocks and is sometimes more profitable BY ANDREW ALLENTUCK

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hy buy bonds and, if you want to, how do you do it? We’re not talking about Canada Savings Bonds, which pay approximately zilch, but about negotiable bonds that can pay enough to put dinner on the table and, for adept investors, a good deal more. Think that’s impossible with twoyear Government of Canada bonds that pay about 2.2 per cent per year to maturity or 30 year bonds that pay about three per cent to maturity? No, it is quite possible. Here is how it works. Bond prices move opposite to their yields. Yield is the return divided by the price of the bond. When yields rise, bond prices fall and vice versa. Here’s an example. If a $1,000 bond came out with a five per cent yield, $50 per year, and interest rates

suddenly rise to 10 per cent per year, then the $50 yield could be gotten from a $500 bond. It works in reverse too, so that if a $1,000 bond with a 10 per cent yield now faces a market in which new bonds pay just five per cent or $50 per year, then the bond price will soar to $2,000 because $50 is five per cent of that amount. In the present market, racked with fear of Greek bond defaults, central banks have been pushing down interest rates. Short term rates for bond terms of a few days to a year are just fractions of one per cent. But rates at two years and longer could go down further as a result of even more central bank adjustments. So if you do buy a two year bond or a five or a 10 or a 20, you could find yourself with a capital gain. Indeed, in this market, most of the gain on bonds that are bought and sold by traders (and not just put under the mattress like Canada

Savings Bonds) are purchased for potential capital appreciation. There are many ways to buy bonds. You can buy the bond itself from a stock broker. Those brokers that have licenses to sell stocks and bonds are also called full service brokers, discount brokers or online brokers. These days, there are no physical bonds. You get a credit on your account when you buy after cash on deposit in the account is debited. When you sell the bond, you get cash on deposit and the bond line shrinks in the event of a partial sale (selling $5,000 out of a $10,000 bond position) or disappears if you sell all of your bonds. You can also buy bonds in bond mutual funds. The good part is that many bond managers know their stuff and can make money even when, as now, interest rates are very

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Columns » CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE low. The bad part is that bond fund fees, which average a suffocating 1.55 per cent of net asset value, can suck virtually every penny of yield out of your returns. Not all bond funds have such high fees. Shop for bond funds online and you will find some fine ones that have fees as low as 0.6 per cent. If you want to get really low fees, you can buy your bonds as exchange traded funds. The fees are lower, as little as a fifth of one per cent of net asset value. If you buy your bond ETFs via a discount broker, the trading costs may be just a few dollars. Bond ETFs come in many flavours including Canada government bonds, U.S. Treasury bonds short (one to five years), medium term (out to 10 years) and long (out to 30 years). There are U.S., and Canadian corporate bond funds too. Because corporate bonds can default, the return is a little higher. But bond ETFs tend to pick investment grade bonds with very little default risk. Diversification into dozens of issues dilutes the default risk so that it is not serious. You can buy bonds in an incredible variety. There are Canadian government and corporate bonds, U.S. government and corporates, inflation-protected bonds that compensate for inflation (unlike conventional bonds that suffer from it), commodity linked bonds that pay more when the price of copper or gold or whatever rises, bonds from most countries in the world either individually by country or in various packages of countries, junk bonds that are much the same as stocks, funds that speculate in defaulted bonds, and bonds and funds of bonds that convert to stocks. You can also buy bond futures, bond indexes and futures on bond indexes. However, for most investors, it is best to start simple in domestic government and high grade corporate bonds. Bond funds offer expert management in the case of mutual funds with active managers and diversification with no management in the case of ETFs. But there is a downside to all funds. In the event of a major liquidity crisis when everybody wants cash to pay off loans or just to stuff into safe deposit boxes, bond funds both managed and ETFs may have to sell both the good stuff and their losers, even losers that could turn around and be profitable. That forced selling can leave the investor with unexpected losses and, if the positions are in taxable rather than RRSP or TFSA accounts, there can be capital gains or losses. That amounts to unplanned outcomes. So be aware that when you get into a pooled investment with other people, the will of the masses may govern. If you want to go it alone, which is fine if you just want Government of Canada or provincial bonds that have no default risk to speak of and no risks with foreign currency exposure, then you have to deal with a bond dealer. Bonds are not like stocks, however, for the dealers act as principals. They sell bonds out of their own inventories and therefore want to make as much as they can. When they buy, they like to pay as little as possible. That means that retail spreads, the difference between what you pay or get and what the dealer pays or gets can cost you.. Big pension funds with muscle get

smaller spreads, of course. Stocks are traded on commission and so the spread is irrelevant. If you do buy bonds directly from a broker, then you pay for the bond plus accrued interest. So if the bond pays 12 per cent per year and the interest payment date is Oct. 31, then buying the bond on Dec. 1 means you have to pay the price plus a month’s interest, which is one per cent in this example. This has to go into your pricing estimates. If you have an established account with a broker and want to get bonds at issue without paying a hefty markup, you can indicate interest and sometimes get the bonds at what is called a noncompetitive bid, that is, you will pay what large institutions pay. You have to set this up in advance and work with your sales person to make this happen. The procedure is to indicate an interest in buying government bonds when issued. If you are ready to buy when the bonds are issued, you will get the day’s best price or

perhaps close to it. Prices may drop the next day or next week, or rise, but you will have gotten at least the day’s best deal. Buying corporate bonds is challenging. You need to read the offering documents, understand when and if the bond may be

Unlike stocks, much of the bond market is invisible called in by the issuer prior to maturity, understand the credit standing of the issuer, examine how much money the issuing company has to service the bonds and pay interest due, and get a sense of the attitude of the investing community toward the bonds. If you buy obscure bonds issued in small amounts — under $100 million or so — you may have a solid

investment but be unable to sell before maturity. Issue size influences the liquidity of the market for the bond. Finally, and this is a critical point, understand that much of the bond market is invisible. Unlike stocks, which have their prices published every second of every trading day, most bonds are not traded, are therefore not price, and their prices, even when known by the insurance companies and pension funds that own them and trade them, may not be easy to find. Of course, if you own a bond exchange traded fund, its price will be published just like that of any stock. It will be listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange or on other exchanges around the world. If you buy a bond mutual fund, your manager will take care of pricing and trades. This may seem complex because it is. But it is also rewarding. In this tough market, Canadian fixed income mutual funds returned 3.8 per cent for the 12 months ended

August 31. Some bonds funds, such as those holding inflation-protected Real Return Bonds, returned 10.5 per cent to holders in that period. Yet global bond funds paid just 1.3 per cent, largely because the Canadian dollar rose and took away some of their gains. In the end, bond investing is worth doing. It can add security to a stock portfolio, income — especially in RRSPs where there is no tax on returns until the money is paid out, and provides an asset that, in general, tends to rise when stocks fall. Bonds are worth having, but picking them remains part science, part art. Study the market first, then put a toe into the waters. As you become more familiar, you can add to your bond portfolio. It may not be as exciting as stock investing, but bond investing can provide the stability that stocks lack. † Andrew Allentuck is the author of Bonds for Canadians, published in 2006, and When Can I Retire? Planning Your Financial Life After Work, published earlier this year.

Sclerotinia the hard way. Sclerotinia is a costly disease for canola growers. Provincial disease surveys* indicate that 82% of prairie acres are affected by it. Losses can easily top $30 per acre... almost $5000 per quarter section. Spraying to control sclerotinia is expensive and uncertain because it depends on critical timing.

Or the easy way. There’s a simple, certain and effective way to limit these losses. Plant canola seed with the Pioneer Protector® Sclerotinia trait. It puts your first line of defense against this costly disease right into the seed, to protect your yield potential through to harvest. Control sclerotinia the easy way: Pioneer Protector.

www.pioneer.com *Average number based on 88% affected in Manitoba, 92% in Saskatchewan and 64% in Alberta. Results from the Provincial Disease Surveys, 2010. Field results show that Pioneer Protector ® Sclerotinia resistance can reduce the incidence of sclerotinia in a canola crop by over 50%. Individual results may vary. Depending on environmental and agronomic conditions, growers planting Pioneer Protector Sclerotinia resistant hybrids may still require a fungicide application to manage sclerotinia in their crop. All purchases are subject to the terms of labelling and purchase documents. ®, TM, SM Trademarks and service marks licensed to Pioneer Hi-Bred Limited. © 2011 PHL. PR2045_PRscl_GN_F_E

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Columns OFF-FARM INVESTING

Six qualities of successful farmers Being a successful farmer isn’t just about the balance sheet. A healthy home life, being a part of your community and valuing your health are also a part of success ANDY SIRSKI

O

ver my 41 years of working with farmers in Western Canada, I have noticed common qualities of successful farmers I have met over the years. From what I have seen, four categories more or less make up a decent person. They include decent mental, physical, financial and spiritual health. But I think we can expand that to maybe eight or more things that I have seen successful farmers do or follow. On a scale of one to 10 where 10 is good, most people likely have some threes, fives, sevens and nines. Odds are every farmer has one or two tens. I will start by saying that I don’t think you should let anyone tell you if you are successful or not. Every farmer and his family should have his or their own definition of success. I will take the positive approach and discuss the characteristics I think successful farmers need to have or already have and use wisely.

EDUCATION At one time scholastic education wasn’t all that important in farming. It was more a hands-on business than it is now. Now I think the successful farmer needs to be able to see the world as it is and deal with the good and bad to help him, his farm and his family deal with risks and opportunities. While being a dentist or doctor or high income specialist might bring in lots of income that can help support a farm, most farmers likely should have a degree or diploma in agriculture. The discipline might vary to more closely match the enterprises you are going to run — cattle producers likely should specialize in animal health and nutrition, with a side education in forages and finances. Crop producers likely should major in plant science, soil fertility and grain marketing with a side education in finances. A degree or solid training in management and financial analysis can also make a good background for a farmer. In the end, the actual education a person has will likely be less

Tundra

A succesful farm business strikes a balance between long hours and family time all while taking care of your mental and physical health. important than the ability to look at situations critically, make decisions based on what you know and be flexible enough something pops up you did not expect or if you get new information.

RESPECT FOR PHYSICAL HEALTH Most young adults have good health, however, we can control some things that can help us stay healthy and manage some things we cannot control that can steal good health from us. Preventing accidents and damage to a body and or mind is important and farming is one of the most dangerous occupations in the country. Being safe on the farm means keeping shields in place, not sticking arms and legs where they don’t belong, decent rest, decent eating and drinking habits and understanding the risks of dealing with fires, chemicals, equipment and livestock and taking steps to reduce risk.

PROTECTING MENTAL HEALTH While physical health is important day to day, good mental health likely is more important long term. After all, a person can learn to work without a finger or leg or an eye, but poor mental health can end a farming career and lead to a rough life. Worry, anxiety, depression and more are serious concerns and shouldn’t be a secret. Building a strong support base and seeking help is key to maintaining mental health.

VALUE YOUR FAMILY If a family is part of your long term plan, then we need to pay attention to members young and old. Lately I’ve heard the saying, “Do you want to be the richest man in the graveyard?” Along the same line, I would add that the cost of legal fees, breaking up the farm, and so on related to a divorce can buy a lot of flowers and evenings out.

something to be said for playing with the kids on the lawn or on the deck or on the living room floor. There’s something to be said for having meals together or having a beer and a cigar or coffee and cake on the deck with the older children. There’s something to be said about anticipating what children might need and offering to help out ahead of time. If

Some down time is healthy, but businesses aren’t built by going to football games and golfing There seems to be little wisdom in working so hard that a once-devoted wife and mother finally says enough is enough. With just one such event, a farm can face an auction sale, a big tax bill, legal fees, big cash costs and an empty house. Children are a blessing. They will bring grandchildren which are even a bigger blessing. But if a farmer, or anyone for that matter, works so hard that the children don’t see him at 4-H speaking events, at Christmas concerts or at the kitchen table with homework sooner or later those kids will figure out what is more important to dad — the farm. Eventually they will resent you and your farm. There’s

they help out from time to time some recognition and reward is good, too.

MAKE TIME FOR DOWN TIME Some recreation is good and healthy, but no business is built by going to football games, golfing or fishing. I often see and hear how people know every detail about hockey, football, curling and so on but a board has been loose on the fence or corral for months. As you might guess, one of my pet peeves is that a lot of people know the statistics on hockey, football, golf and so on, but don’t know how to set up a Tax Free Savings Account or buy stocks and sell covered calls. I understand that most people don’t have to or need to be experts in investing but some basic knowledge could be a good skill to have for years to come. Some farmers can’t seem to find any money to spend on recreation. With the cost of raising children, farming, and equipment and so on, sometimes it looks like there is no money for going out for supper, new clothes or a family vacation. But these costs should be in the budget. Maybe some paint has to be a year older or maybe a new clutch goes into the older truck instead

of a newer truck around a good clutch. Maybe the herd gets a $3,000 bull instead of a $4,000 bull so there’s money for some of the recreational parts of life. A good balance between recreation, work, family time and learning new skills is important for the upcoming successful farmer.

VOLUNTEERING AND CHARITABLE DONATIONS Some farmers are too busy to help with the local fundraiser, but they like their kids to have a place to play hockey. Or people sure like to come out for a good meal at fall suppers but “those guys” are too busy to help organize, cook or clean up. Your community needs your support, as time as well as money. I’m not sure I would put leading a farm organization as a necessary part of being a successful farmer, owever, the positions are limited compared to local organizations. I do think helping out at local organizations should be part of being a successful member or a community. Charity, either local and distant, is a personal decision. However I do know that most of us in Canada are better off than most people in other parts of the world. Yes, we could be charitable to the point of giving away all and still not solve the hunger in Ethiopia, or the floods in Pakistan, but a $10 or $20 donation now and then likely is immaterial in the whole farm business budget. Our family has started a different donation system. Instead of giving each other gifts at Christmas we put the money into buying goats that go to families in poor counties. Last year I doubled it since we are richly blessed. † Andy is mostly retired. He spends time gardening, traveling with his wife Pat, fixing old cars, visiting with his grandchildren and managing his investments. Andy also publishes a newsletter called StocksTalk where he tells readers what he does with his investments and why. If you want to read it free for a month go to Google, type in StocksTalk.net, click on free month, click on forms, fill out free months and click send.

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Machinery & Shop AUTOMATION

No driver? No problem! Kinze recently announced it will soon have a market-ready automation package that will allow a tractor and grain cart to work without a driver SCOTT GARVEY

A

t its product introduction event in Illinois in August, John Deere introduced Machine Sync, a telematics product that will allow a combine operator, and the combine’s autosteer system, to take control of a tractor and grain cart during on-the-go unloading. It does not, however, eliminate the need to have an operator in the tractor pulling the cart for the trip back to waiting trucks. As impressive as Deere’s technology is, Kinze, an Iowa-based implement manufacturer, is nearly ready to introduce a completely robotic grain cart telematics product. The company held a public demonstration at the end of July to show off the result of its Kinze Autonomy Project. As reporters watched, an unmanned tractor pulling a Kinze grain cart took a load of grain from a combine and delivered it safely to the required location. To create the Autonomy sys-

tem, Kinze, which has been building grain carts since 1971, partnered with Jaybridge Robotics of Cambridge, Massachusetts. The company believes the system will soon make grain cart drivers obsolete. It could have applications far beyond just one single farming operation, as well. “We’re excited to introduce the first truly autonomous row crop solution in the world on this scale,” says Susanne Kinzenbaw Veatch, vice president and chief marketing officer at Kinze. “This technology could be used to do a variety of tasks, including planting, nourishing, maintaining and harvesting crops.” Two years in development, the technology has been tested under a variety of real-world conditions, according to the company. As innovative as it sounds, though, it’s not the first on-farm automation product. A few other companies have already introduced similar systems designed for some other farm-equipment functions, such as automated feed delivery, ut their range of operation is relatively limited compared to Kinze’s system, which allows a tractor to work in a field without direct supervision.

PHOTO: KINZE

Kinze Manufacturing of Victor, Iowa, recently demonstrated its automated grain cart system. It allows a tractor and grain cart to work in the field completely autonomously. The company says a commercial version of the technology will be released soon. “Some simple forms of autonomy are used in rice production and orchard operations,” Veatch says. “However, until now, no other manufacturer associated with row crop production has offered truly autonomous technology like this.” In the demonstration, the company used a John Deere tractor equipped with their Autonomy system. The combine operator

simply signals for the cart when its time to unload, and the tractor responds by positioning itself under the unloading auger and follows the combine. When the cart is full, the tractor pulls the cart to the staging area, where a truck driver can manually unload it. After that is complete, the tractor returns to the field on its own, ready for another cycle.

“our neighbors

Details on exactly how the technology works are still limited. And while the company is not yet releasing the system for commercial use, it expects to do that soon. It will eventually be sold through the Kinze dealer network. To watch a demonstration video, visit www.kinze.com. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected].

henry ruMpf, Battleford, SK owns two M200 Windrowers with three d60-d draper headers

CAn’t

believe 40'

run

thAt We CAn

heAders in our hills.” (12.2 m)

30' (9.1 m) – and now we are doing the same amount of acres with two 40' (12.2 m) headers and doing it faster. In a heavy 50 bushel wheat crop, and challenging downed canola crop, we cut 8,000 acres (3,237.5 hectares) without stopping for anything.”

MacDon owners are talking… read and watch what they are saying. Visit Producers Corner and MacDon TV at macdon.com. (204) 885-5590

EARLY BIRD SALE Buy Early, Save More! OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER event ends december 31, 2011

21260 MacDon Testimonial D2 Rumpf 4C Oct Grai.indd 1

Publication

MacDon: Testimonial D2 – Henry Rumpf (M200 with D60) (CDN)

MF21260-0911

M200 WindroWer With A d60 drAper heAder

“We used to run four swathers – two 25' (7.6 m) and two

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Machinery & Shop Maintenance

Make a fresh start with an old(er) machine Restarting a machine that has been ignored for a few seasons requires a little extra preparation before turning the key. Even then, budget in time for unexpected maintenance

By Scott Garvey

W

hen older farm equipment ends up sitting unused for a few seasons, restarting it usually requires a little extra effort. Lack of use can be as hard on farm machinery as years of service. To show you what’s involved in a typical restart, here’s a look at what we had to do this summer to get the gas engine in this IH 715 combine running again after sitting idle for three or four seasons. Not only was it necessary to take the standard precautions, but, as usual, a series of problems developed during its inactivity that had to be dealt with. This combine, which belonged to a neighbour, didn’t have any serious problems when it was parked, it was simply replaced by a much newer model and found itself out of a job. We were hopeful that a just-add-gas approach would do the trick, aside from taking the typical steps to ensure it was safe to turn the key. As it turned out, that was just wishful thinking.

Start with fresh fluids Before restarting any engine that has been sitting idle for a long time, it’s important to ensure just hitting the starter won’t damage it because of a lack of lubrication. It’s often a good idea to first drain the crankcase and refill it with fresh oil. Over time, condensation can lead

to a build up of water in the sump. The oil inside the 715 looked pretty good, so I decided to leave it in until the machine could be put inside the shop for a complete service. The engine coolant also looked reasonably fresh and the level was good. Putting fresh gasoline in the tank ensured the fuel would ignite properly. Stale fuel won’t. It’s best to first remove any old fuel and flush the tank before adding more. Fortunately, the carburetor wasn’t badly gummed up from the remains of evaporated fuel. If it had been, removal, a thorough cleaning and installation of a rebuilt kit would have been necessary.

Check connections An overall inspection hinted to only one issue: only two spark plug wires were connected. The others were removed and lying at the bottom of the engine compartment, for some reason. With two wires still in place it was clear which way the distributor rotated. The missing wires were simply reattached to match the standard firing order of a six-cylinder engine, 1-5-3-6-2-4. If they had all been missing, it would be necessary to establish top dead centre of the number one cylinder. To do that, removing the valve cover and bumping the engine over with the starter would show when the intake valve closed. Lining up the timing marks on the crankshaft pulley would then show top dead centre on the

WF- Tough - 6 x 6.625 -:AGI 11-07-15 9:10 AM Page 1

compression stroke. Once that was set, the rotor inside the distributor would be at the firing position for the number one cylinder. The wires could then be reinstalled using that starting point. Despite some relatively good luck so far, when the engine was turned over it failed to fire. Placing a testor on one of the ignition wires revealed there was no spark. (A testor can be purchased from a specialty tool retailer for about $20) A check under the distributor cap revealed a lot of dust and chaff. Once that was cleaned out and the inside was sprayed with electrical cleaner, spark was restored and the engine immediately fired, making for an easy fix. But the engine wouldn’t stay running for more than a couple of seconds. Eventually, the problem was traced to a lack of electrical current to the fuel shut-off solenoid on the carburetor, which kept choking off the fuel supply. Finding multiple reasons for a problem during these kinds of restarts isn’t unusual. But before the source of that problem could be found and corrected, the starter acted up. The drive refused to disengage on one attempt to start the engine. The excess current draw partially melted the end of a battery cable before power could be disconnected. Tracking down a new starter proved a little difficult. A salvaged replacement from another wrecked combine did the trick, and the price was right.

All systems go? After it started, the little six-cylinder gasoline engine ran smoothly, with the gauge in the cab indicating oil pressure was high. There were, however other problems to sort out before the combine was ready to travel. The mechanism driving the unloading auger was stuck in the engaged position. The drive belt was removed until penetrating oil could be given enough time to free it. When the clutch was engaged on the first attempt to move the combine out of its long-term parking spot, the machine lurched to the left and would only spin in circles. The wheel brakes on that side were seized to the drum. A lit-

tle bit of back-and-forth bumping eventually freed them. After a final once-over, we drove the combine the six or seven miles home without any hiccups. Now that it’s running again, the 715 needs a good cleaning to remove a layer of dirt — along with what a family of racoons left behind! A complete inspection and greasing along with manually checking all the components will take a little more time, but the machine is almost ready for work again. And although there isn’t much demand for class III combines these days, I’m sure I can find something for it to do around here. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected].

This 715 combine spent several seasons sitting unused on the edge of a farmyard. Getting it running again involved taking the usual start-up precautions and coping with the gremlins that develop when a machine sits idle for long periods.

Did you notice the grass and debris caught in between the rim and tire bead? When re-inflating a tire that has been completely flat for a long time, debris can get trapped when it refills with air. Jack it up slightly first to prevent the problem; it will avoid a trip to a tire repair shop.

like me

www.grainaugers.com

1-866-467-7207

The fuel shut-off solenoid on the carburetor was not functioning, so the engine could only run for short periods before starving for fuel. Tracking down problems that develop when a machine sits unused for long periods can be a time-consuming process.

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Machinery & Shop MAINTANENCE

Give your truck a facelift BY RON SETTLER

A

fter seeding this spring my truck looked a bit grubby and tired. Plus it had a few little maintenance issues that were troubling it. When I got in to drive it one look told me I had more work to do in cleaning it out. After a while, driving it wasn’t much fun. Perhaps you’ve had the same thoughts. Suddenly, a new trucks look pretty good. They’re clean, everything works and they come with a warranty. It’s only $20,000 or $30,000 difference to trade in for a new one. Not bad if you say it fast, but to me that’s a lot of money. How about we move that decimal point over a notch and see what $2,000 or $3,000 can do for your old pickup? No, it won’t make it a new truck, but for up to $27,000 of potential savings I’m sure it’s worth seriously thinking about. Here are my five tips to staying happy with the truck you’ve got.

MAINTAIN IT First, get your truck serviced and checked over. If you can do it yourself, that’s great. Make sure it’s in good shape and it’s going to run for the next while without problems. There’s no point in spending a bunch of money on a truck that is just about worn out. If one large component such as the engine or the transmission is weak then price out repair costs. It might be cheaper to repair or replace the part rather than replacing the whole truck. A little bit of maintenance will often keep expensive repairs away. Keeping a truck in shape is not always cheap, but buying a new one is much more expensive.

the glass isn’t cracked but only pitted its replacement is likely covered under your additional insurance if you have glass coverage. It’s amazing how much better the world looks through a new windshield. Make sure to get new wiper blades for your new windshield while you’re at it.

FIX THE LITTLE THINGS Have you got a door that doesn’t work well? Every time you get in and out it will annoy you. Get it fixed and you’ll be a much happier person. If you don’t keep the hinges in good shape and adjusted then the latch and handles start wearing and breaking. The same goes for other annoying little problems. Spend a bit of time and a few dollars to get all those items fixed. If you can’t do it I’m

sure there’s someone in your town who can fix them up for you.

FIX THE RADIO My 10-year-old truck has a radio with a CD player. Now, the CD player didn’t always work. It worked enough to be annoying. You know the way these things work. You get ready for a drive, get your go-cup full and hit the road. You plug in your favourite CD and today it won’t play. Well it worked yesterday but not today. Why not? So you tap the dash gently with your fist (just to shake the dust out) and it still doesn’t work. So you try another CD. No go. Finally you find one that works, however it’s spiritual folk music that’s sung in some foreign language with accompaniment using sticks and logs. Not my favourite music

I’m supposed to be driving a red truck. Well, it was red at one time, butt after five or six weeks of seeding, rain and hauling who-knowswhat-where, it’s more of a natural earth tone both inside and out. Take some time and clean your truck properly. Wash it inside and out. Clean all the mystery junk from out of the box and under the seats. Make sure to clean the door jambs and all the other little mud and dirt catchers that make a truck look dirty. Take time to clean inside the fenders and all the nooks and crannies that trap dirt and moisture. Then give it a spray of Rust Check inside the panels, the doors and anywhere else mud and dirt collects. It will keep the truck looking good and help keep rust at bay. Then buy an air freshener if it’s called for. An air freshener won’t make it run better but if it’s clean, tidy and smells nice inside it at least seems to run better.

REPLACE THE WINDSHIELD When you drive into the sun is your windshield so pitted that it’s hard to see through? Not only is this unsafe but it makes driving a real chore. If your windshield is getting old and pitted, replace it. If you have glass insurance it won’t cost too much. If you don’t have insurance it still might be worth the expense if it’s hard to see through. Even if

and which garage sale did I buy that one at, anyway? This is why you fix your radio. I took it out and sent it to a guy who specializes in repairing factory sound systems. It cost around $200 and it works just wonderfully. When I want to play a CD it plays it. Life is good. Well, that’s about it. The choice is yours. You can let your truck slowly disintegrate until you have to mortgage the farm to replace it or you can keep it in good shape

so that you can enjoy driving it instead of dreading having to get in your truck. P.S. Many thanks to all the readers who have called or written and commented on my articles. I enjoy hearing from you and look forward to keeping you informed of the goings on at Ancient Acres. † Ron Settler farms with his wife Sheila and their sons Ben and Dan. They also operate a repair and salvage business at Lucky Lake, Sask. You can contact Ron at 306-858-2681 or email at [email protected].

Ma ste r Se ede rs C onf ere nce

for PL A mo NT re i OA nfo REGI T TE rm ND N atio A, S T HE n: 1 K ■ 5 TH A NN -88 UA 8-7 NOV L 21- EM 300 BE 1/ R ww 3, 2 w.s eed 011 ma s te r.ca

Success

through innovation. With revolutionary new technology like the UltraPro Canola Meter, Zone Command, and the Nova XP-820

SeedMaster is the only farm equipment manufacturer to win multiple Innovation Awards, including the coveted Gold Innovation Award at the 2011 Farm Progress Show. ■

KEEP IT CLEAN

After seeding time, this once-red truck is a lovely shade of brown.

Smart Cart, we help you drive yields and profitability higher than ever.

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Gold: UltraPro Canola Meter Sterling: Nova XP-820 Smart Cart Sterling: Zone Command

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Machinery & Shop NEW EQUIPMENT

SeedMaster’s Nova XP-820 Smart Cart is VRT ready SeedMaster’s new air cart made its first public appearance at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show in June. Here’s an in-depth look at what it has to offer BY SCOTT GARVEY

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ate last year, management at SeedMaster gave some of their customers (and Grainews) a preview of a prototype air cart the company had under development. In June, that prototype appeared at the Western Canada Farm Progress Show in the form of the Nova XP-820 Smart Cart, where it won a Sterling Innovation award from show organizers. This fall the new cart begins production, so we thought it was time to take a detailed look at what makes it different from the company’s previous models and why it won that award. “It all started with a wish list that I, as a farmer, wanted in a pressurized air cart,” says Norbert Beaujot, president of SeedMaster and chief engineer on the XP-820 design project. One of the other things on that wish list was large capacity. To meet that requirement, the XP-820 is big. Its three main 260 bushel compartments and a 40 bushel small-seed tank give it an 820 bushel capacity. Although Bourgault’s new 950 bushel 9750 air cart beats the XP-820 when it comes single-unit capacity, the XP-820 can be combined with SeedMaster’s 300 bushel, toolbarmounted seed tank for a combined total of 1,120 bushels. When it comes to the drill-cart combinations readily available in Western Canada, that pairing puts SeedMaster in first place in overall product-carrying capacity — for the time being, at least. To carry those bushels, the XP-820 uses a single-axle, twowheeled design that places some of its forward weight on the toolbar. The company claims this configuration minimizes skewing on hillsides and allows it to track better in

turns. It also makes backing up the entire seeding unit a little easier. Carrying capacity is one thing, delivering seed safely to the openers along with supplying adequate fertilizer amounts is another. “Most air carts were designed to work with air drills up to only 60 feet wide, not the 70- to 90-foot drills many producers now use to seed crops faster as farm sizes increase,” says Beaujot. “And they weren’t built to handle the high rates of fertilizer now being used on these large air drills as variable rate fertility gains momentum.” “I believe that’s why we won the Innovation Award,” he says, “because rather than simply building a bigger air cart, we’ve found new solutions to some very old problems.” According to the specifications SeedMaster has released on the XP-820, it’s capable of delivering up to 400 pounds of fertilizer per acre at five m.p.h. on any size of drill currently available, and it can do it with no plugging and minimal seed damage. “That’s up to 50 per cent more product than existing carts,” says Beaujot. To achieve that, the number of primary runs has been increased. “It’s like adding lanes to a highway,” he says. “Instead of the standard six or eight, we increased it to 10.” Two separate fans supply the air required to move product through seed and fertilizer lines, and the volume rates are individually controlled. “We did that by isolating the airflows for seed and fertilizer in each primary run so air can’t leak from one run to another,” says Beaujot. “That lets us feed low fan speeds in the seed run and high fan speeds in the fertilizer run, side by side. We also use slide gates on each primary

run to balance the airflow. You can set lower air speeds on short hoses carrying product to the centre of the drill, and higher air speeds on long hoses carrying product to the outer edges of the drill to prevent seed bounce.” Seed bounce occurs when very high airflow rates cause seed to come out of the openers too quickly, negatively affecting placement accuracy. That can be a problem, especially for smallseeded crops like canola. To further minimize the risk of seed damage, rubber-lined distribution manifolds with six or eight outlets are used instead of the typical 12, which Beaujot says requires less air to distribute seed and fertilizer. It also helps reduce plugging. The XP-820 is equipped with load cells under each compartment to supply real-time data to the monitor in the tractor, letting the operator know how much product is left in each tank. “Farmers have never had a way of knowing with precision how much is in their tanks,” says Beaujot. “So they’re constantly running back to check tank levels, hoping they don’t run out of seed or fertilizer. Now if there’s 50 acres left to seed, they can fill with the exact amount needed — to the pound — so they’re not cleaning out leftovers at the end of a field. It’s a tremendous time saver.” Operators can also use information from the load cells combined with GPS data to confirm they’re seeding at exactly the correct rate. To make loading safer and easier, the XP-820 uses a remotely-controlled fill conveyor and compartment lids can be opened and closed hydraulically, entirely eliminating the need to climb up on the cart. The XP-820 and its DICKEY-

aohn controller come ready to handle variable rate application as well. It uses 10 primary metering runs; the extra runs mean each zone is now only eight feet wide, which further minimizes overlap when the company’s Zone Control feature is used. “You can stop or start any of those metering rollers to control

product flow to eight-foot sections of the drill,” says Beaujot. If you missed seeing the Nova XP-820 at SeedMaster’s display in Regina last June, it will also put in an appearance at the Agri-Trade show in Red Deer in November. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected].

PHOTOS: SEEDMASTER

SeedMaster’s Nova XP-820 Smart Cart is a entirely new design compared to the company’s previous offerings. It’s capable of delivering up to 400 pounds of product per acre at five miles per hour.

Two fans — one for fertilizer and one for seed — feed air into 10 primary runs with isolated airflows, allowing farmers to run low air speeds for canola and high speeds for fertilizer, which helps prevent seed bounce and damaged seeds.

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Machinery & Shop MAINTENANCE

Five ways to prepare machinery for winter The best time to perform routine maintenance on engines is when preparing equipment for winter storage BY SCOTT GARVEY

ow that the 2011 crop — what there was of it, if you live in southeastern Saskatchewan — is in the bin and winter crops are safely in the ground, it’s time to put your equipment back into winter storage. That means it’s also the perfect time to perform all those annual, routine engine maintenance chores. Aside from saving you time in the spring, getting fresh oil and fluids into engines now will better protect them during a long period of inactivity. That’s the advice we picked up from the mechanics instructors at Assiniboine College at Brandon, Man., when they contributed to a previous instalment in the Shop Class Series. Here’s a summary of what they recommended farmers keep in mind when doing maintenance on engines, along with a few other tips.

condition regularly and ensure the additive concentration is still correct. If it is not, specific additives can be added without changing all the coolant. Also, check to see if your engine has a coolant filter, if so it must be changed annually. When replacing coolant, be sure to select the correct type. For diesels, heavy-duty diesel antifreeze is the only option. Don’t use an automotive type or anything containing silicate, which is an additive that coats and protects internal aluminium engine components from acid corrosion. Gasoline car engines have a lot of aluminium components, but diesel engines have very few, so the silicate has nothing to cling to. That causes it to collect in the radiator and heater core causing trouble. This is known as silicate fall-out. Conversely, specialized diesel antifreeze does not contain silicate and can be harmful to gasolinefuelled automotive engines.

CHANGE THE OIL

TAKE CARE OF THE RAD

Fall is the ideal time for an oil change. The contaminants from combustion that build up in oil can cause internal damage to an engine during long periods of inactivity. Leaving machines sitting with a sump full of fresh oil prevents that, extending an engine’s life. If you plan on starting a machine during the winter, make sure you’ve selected the appropriate oil for cold-weather use. Synthetic 0W40 is usually a good pick for winter operations; it has very good viscosity in cold weather. First check the owner’s manual to make sure that that weight is recommended for the engine you intend to put it in. Using an oil with a viscosity rating suitable only for warmer weather can delay getting lubrication to vital components during cold-weather starts. That, of course, translates into rapid wear and brings you closer to a costly overhaul. When performing an oil change, start the engine to warm up the oil before draining it, this stirs up the contaminants that settle to the bottom and lets the oil drain easier and faster. But, use caution handling hot oil as it can burn you, sometimes severely. Always wear nitrile gloves; skin can absorb harmful chemicals from waste oil. When changing filters, pre-fill those that mount vertically with fresh oil before installation. This restores full oil pressure much sooner. Before spinning your filters on, always clean off the filter base. Use some clean oil to lubricate the rubber filter gasket. Follow the installation instructions on the oil filter, and don’t over tighten it.

It is also a good idea to check the rest of your cooling system periodically. Check the radiator cap sealing rubbers for cracks or hardness. Also, look in the radiator neck for contamination which can prevent the cap from sealing properly. Check fan belts for cracks or shiny glazing, replace them if you find these problems. Then, check the fan and fan shroud for cracks. Check the water pump weep hole for signs of leakage. If coolant is dripping from the weep hole, it is time for a new water pump. To inspect and clean the outside of the radiator, use a soft broom to brush debris or chaff away. Be careful using compressed air, a steam cleaner or pressure washer to clean radiators; use only lower air or water pressures to prevent damage to the radiator’s delicate fins.

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CHECK THE COOLANT Don’t forget about the other fluids either — particularly the engine coolant. Long-life coolant usually lasts for about five years, while regular types should be changed and the system flushed every two to three years. Even if the engine isn’t due for a coolant change, use a commercial test kit to check its

CHECK AND CHANGE AIR FILTERS Be sure to also inspect the air intake system, too. Some machines have a smaller, primary air filter inside the larger secondary one. A secondary filter element should be changed at least every second year. If this filter is dirty, never clean it, just replace it. Finding a secondary filter dirty means your primary filter has a hole in it, and it, too, must be replaced. Always use the new gaskets that come with your filter. Many newer-model machines have a filter restriction gauge that lets you know when it’s time to service the elements. If the gauge indicates everything is OK and it’s not due for service, leave it buttoned up. Don’t open air intake systems unnecessarily. When you remove a primary air filter, it can be inspected for cleanliness by putting a trouble light inside and looking at how much light passes through the paper element. There should be a nice glow visible. If you see a very bright point of light, the filter has a hole in it; and you should not reuse it.

PHOTO: SCOTT GARVEY

Before driving your equipment into the shed for the winter, it’s a good time to think about performing annual routine maintenance procedures. If the filter is dusty when you take it out of the housing, tap it lightly in your hands to shake off the loose particles. Then, using an air compressor, reduce the line pressure to no more than 30 p.s.i. and carefully blow compressed air from the inside out. Never do this with full air pressure; it will tear the element, rendering the filter useless. Also, do not tap the filter too hard; that will dent it, which will also ruin it. If you remove a filter that is loaded with dirt and chaff, do not bother cleaning it;

just replace it. After servicing the filter, inspect it again with a light to make sure there are still no holes in it.

SCRUB IT DOWN Finally, give your machines a bath. A few minutes with a pressure washer will remove all the dirt and grime. Keep in mind that one of the things engineers are currently looking at for new equipment in the future is onboard fire suppression systems,

because new emissions-compliant engines tend to run warmer than older designs. That increases the fire risk from buildup of chaff and debris. So clean engines thoroughly. A little wax on a machine’s sheet metal will also help preserve that like-new shine. Once all the maintenance and cleaning is done, your equipment will be washed and ready to be put to bed for the winter. † Scott Garvey is machinery editor for Grainews. Contact him at [email protected]

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Cattleman’s Corner Pasture Management

Seven tips for better fences by Angela Lovell.

have a little give in them. She uses two strands of very hot wires for exterior fences.

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eeping the “juice” following through an electric fence is critical to its ongoing and effective role in controlling cattle. Adele Popp, who farms with her husband John near Erickson, Man. says that all begins with using proper materials and construction techniques. Popp explained the key elements of an effective electric fence last summer to visitors participating in the 2011 Summer Pasture Tour for Women. While Popp admits the thought of working with electricity initially “scared the heck out of me,” she says if the system is built properly there is nothing to be concerned about. Here are seven tips Popp says are key components to an effective electric fence:

Grounding A properly grounded wire is the most important part of an electric fence system as it collects the electrons that travel underground. Popp uses two-metre long galvanized steel ground rods and galvanized connectors. Ground rods are most effective driven into permanently moist soil. In dry years

Energizers

photo: angela lovell

Adele Popp demonstrates and explains different components and equipment that can be used for an electric fence – including solar powered fencers, step-in posts, and wire reels. the area around the rods may need watering to maintain conductivity. Rods should ideally be spaced evenly about three feet apart, and at the rate of one ground rod per joule of stored energy.

Wire Popp uses a 12-gauge, highquality, galvanized, rustproof

tensile wire for permanent fencing and less expensive aircraft wire for temporary fences. For better visibility, especially around her horses, she has used plastic tapes or twines that have the electrical wire woven into them, but says they are less reliable than bare wire. Overtightening the wire can dislodge the brace posts, so wires should

There are a range of solar powered and plug-in electric fence systems of various sizes available. It’s important to size the energizer correctly to make sure it has enough power to electrify the length of fence required. On Popp’s farm a 36-joule energizer powers 200 miles of fence. Many systems now come with a portable remote fault detector, which can detect weak spots in the fence. A general rule, she says that one joule will power three to five miles of fence. Solar-powered fencers require a deep-cycle battery, and it’s always a good idea to have a second backup battery charged and ready to go. To determine the correct angle for the solar panel, stand a nail in the centre of the panel at noon. If it’s at the optimum angle, the nail should have no shadow.

Insulators There are many types of insulators, but Popp has found the

step-in type particularly useful, especially for temporary fencing.

Wire reels Popp finds plastic reels crack in cold weather and don’t hold up as well as metal reels. A heavy-duty reel design from 7-L Livestock in Langruth, Man. can easily be hung on a wire fence or a wooden board and it has an attachment for using a cordless drill to rewind the wire instead of hand cranking.

Troubleshooting If there’s no power in the wire, the first thing Popp checks is the battery if it’s a solar system. A portable fence tester is essential for finding the fault along the fence line. Some disruptions can be caused by the cattle themselves so placing the equipment on the opposite side of the fence away from the animals will help prevent accident breakage or disturbance. Buying high quality equipment and regularly maintaining fences will save you a lot of work in the long run, says Popp. † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer based in Manitou, Man.

Wildlife Management

Cougars prefer deer to calves Healthy population of cougars extend territory to the prairies. BY MIKE LAMB

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ith mountain lions moving increasingly eastward onto the prairie, a few precautions can safeguard livestock, pets and young children, say experts. One night last spring, a cougar the size of a German Shepherd made her way through Pincher Creek, aiming to snag a couple of easy meals. The cat made her way from her mountainous haunt, padded along the poplarlined stream that cuts through the middle of town, and dined on a beaver and a Canada goose several miles east of Pincher’s darkened homes. Six nights later, she returned to the mountains the same way she came. Her movements were followed by University of Alberta biology student Jeremy Banfield, who uses satellite and conventional transmitters to track Alberta’s biggest cats. It’s part of a two-year study will identify where southern Alberta mountain lions hang out and what they eat. Using collared animals with small receivers, Banfield can pinpoint his subjects and trace their movements in 15-minute increments. “There’s no doubt cougars are moving east, out of the foothills along creek and river bottoms,” says Banfield, who is studying the big cats in preparation for his master’s thesis. “They’re learning what type of habitat to use and what to avoid.” The collared cougar in this case, as with the 11 others Banfield and his team have been studying, avoid people and domes-

tic animals. Banfield, under the guidance of Prof. Mark Boyce, is zeroing in on cat diets and movements between Crowsnest Pass and Waterton Park. Using a GPS satellite relay, Banfield can determine when and where a kill has been made. Depending on the size of the ambushed animal, a cougar can spend upwards of four days feeding on the carcass, transmitting a tight cluster of locations. To date, the dozen cats, who were tranquilized and collared after being treed by hounds, show a knack for being adaptive and opportunistic.

Bum rap Cougars often get a bum rap, especially when it comes to killing livestock, says Jan Allen, a retired Pincher Creek wildlife officer. “Cats never caused us nearly the problems bears did,” says Allen, who specialized in problem predators. “We spent 50, maybe 100 times, more (time) chasing bears than cats,” he adds. “Cougars like the taste of deer, and there are plenty of deer around so they stick with them. Bears on the other hand will eat darned near anything.” There are exceptions. A Crowsnest cougar three winters ago fattened up almost solely on barn cats and dogs. “Cougars learn how easy it is, and that’s that,” says Allen of the lion that consumed more than 60 house cats and three dogs before being shot on a front porch by an upset pet-owner. The best way to protect potential cougar targets is to enclose them at night, keep garage and

barn doors closed, and ensure tall grass and shrubs are trimmed well back from areas where pets play and domestic livestock graze, biologists say. Cougars usually shy away from open areas and rely on thick vegetation to launch quick attacks. Chasing deer away from rural properties also lessens the chance of cougar encounters. Cougars expanding their range eastward is nothing new, Allen says. “Hell, they’ve been seen in Fort Macleod, Medicine Hat and the Cypress Hills, anywhere they can move under the cover of a river bottom.” He speculates cougars regularly slip through both small and large Prairie towns. Banfield’s study tracked a female with half-grown kittens, who fed for four days in May on a deer carcass right next to a business in the hamlet of Beaver Mines. “And no one even knew they were here,” notes Banfield while crouching over the deer’s scattered remains. Commercial and residential buildings, as well as a well-travelled road are visible nearby. His study indicates cougars here prefer deer 72 per cent of the time, followed by moose, at nine per cent, and then beaver, elk, mountain sheep and goat, porcupine and birds in descending order. One coyote and one fox were also eaten, probably because they lingered over scraps. Cougars can be possessive of kills, but are chased off carcasses by wolves and bears, which is one reason Banfield totes pepper-spray when he approaches a kill site. “We usually give the scavengers

photo: rod sinclair

Researcher Jeremy Banfield holds up the remains of a recent cougar kill. a day or two to pick things over, but you can never be sure of what you’ll find,” he says. “Sometimes it’s another cat or an irate bear. I only had to spray one of them.” Nearly 200 kill-sites were pinpointed and interpreted during this study. “For sure these cats depend on lowlands, especially in winter,” says Banfield. “They go where the cover is and where there are deer. The Oldman River valley is a prime example. Cougars may zip across the prairie but they

don’t stay there long… they look for cover.” The study won’t produce estimates on regional cougar populations. That type of study would require far more tracking-subjects and field time. “We do know the number of cougars in the foothills and mountains of this area is healthy. Real healthy,” he says. “There are a lot of cats out there.” † Mike Lamb is a freelance writer based in Burmis, Alta.

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Keepers & Culls Saskatchewan hay Texas bound! LEE HART

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ere is an interesting turn of events — I understand a lot of southern Saskatchewan (perhaps southern Prairie) hay is heading as far south as Texas this fall. Much of southern Saskatchewan, most years or historically, is borderline semi-desert — rainfall is usually minimal. But the last few years, and particularly this year with ample-to-excessive rain, hay crops are phenomenal. On the flip side, much of the southern U.S. experienced a serious drought. So the demand is there, and apparently hay and greenfeed of just about every type and quality is being trucked to the southern states selling for $200 to $250 per ton delivered. Dallas Leduc, who is part of a mostly grain family farm near Glentworth, Sask., says hay sales were a real bonus for him this year. Leduc had seeded about 300 acres to straight alfalfa, mostly with the intent of having the forage legume in rotation for a few years

to improve soil fertility for future grain crops. “As far as the hay sales are concerned, I was just the middleman,” says Leduc. “I was approached by a guy who wanted to buy all the hay I had, in the swath in the field. He paid me $30 per ton for hay in the swath, he did all the baling, loaded it up and hauled it to Texas. My understanding is hay of all type was being delivered in Texas for $220 per ton.” Leduc says with a hay crop that produced 1,000 tons off 300 acres, the hay deal was a real bonus. “We’re usually dry here, so most years there is little or no surplus hay,” he says. “But the last couple of years hay and grain yields have been exceptional. We are producing some excellent crops. The one problem we have is with late seeding, but if you can get it seeded, the moisture has been there.” On the CattleToday.com website, I also found this comment from Saskatchewan rancher, Randi, who reports: “Wow, we have one of the best hay crops up here that we have ever had. Five bales to the acre on land that you’re usually lucky to get 1-1/2 - two bales to the acre on. That’s big round bales by the way, 5-1/2 x 6-foot bales, 1,200-1,400 lbs. each. So since we

have three times as much feed as we will possibly need this fall, and its like that everywhere up here I decided to advertise south of the border, we’re only an hour north of two border crossings. So I advertised in Montana, North Dakota and Wyoming. “Well, I’d heard it was dry further south, but I never expected the calls from Texas and Oklahoma. I’ve got a waiting list now, and all I can say is WOW. By the time it gets down there it is going to be worth between $200 and $300 per ton. I think that if it was in the reverse, and I was looking at that kinda money, the cows would have to go. But then again we have to feed for about six to seven months of the year. When you have to feed a cow about 2-1/2 tons of feed for the winter those kinda prices really adds up! “I sure hope you guys get some rain down there to break this bloody drought!” (Randi and her husband ranch in southwest Saskatchewan and produce Shorthorn, Hereford Black and Red Angus genetics. They’ve recently gone to using Simmental-x bulls on some cows for terminal, growthy calves. You can read more about their operation at: easygenes.blogspot.com)

CONTACT US

Write, Email or Fax Contact Cattleman’s Corner with comments, ideas or suggestions for and on stories by mail, email, phone or fax. Phone Lee Hart at 403-592-1964 Fax to 403-288-3162 Email [email protected] Write to CATTLEMAN’S CORNER, 6615 Silverview Rd. N.W., Calgary, Alta. T3B 3L5 So there you have it. As the adage bears out — one man’s pain is another man’s gain. No one likes to see a drought, but at the same time if you can help out and cash in too, why not? Lee Hart

COMING EVENTS • Manitoba Grazing School/ Forage Symposium — The annual school organized by the Manitoba Forage Council is scheduled for Dec. 4-6 at the Victoria Inn in Winnipeg. A number of speakers are lined up to talk about forage production and grazing management, and there is even a panel on how to manage the farm during wet cycles.

• Immediately following the grazing school, the annual Manitoba Forage Symposium will be held at the same hotel Dec. 7. It is a one-day event with a focus on forage quality topics as well as marketing. For information on both events contact the Manitoba Forage Council at (204) 6222006 or visit their website at www.mbforagecouncil.mb.ca • Canadian Forage & Grassland Association — the annual meeting and conference of CFGA will be held Dec. 13 and 14 at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Saskatoon. Among the topics on the agenda, how to increase beef and dairy profitability through forages, pasture management, and hay marketing. For more details contact the CFGA at (204) 726-9393 or visit their website at: www.canadianfga.ca. †

www.canadabeef.ca

A new Chapter in Canadian Beef Marketing

Canada Beef Inc. A new chapter in Canadian beef marketing

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Board of Directors Ten provincial association members have been selected as inaugural board members: Brad Wildeman (Chair), SK; Dane Guignion (Vice Chair), MB; Grant Huffman, BC; Chuck MacLean, AB; Jeff Warrack, AB; Paul Sharpe, ON; Gib Drury, QC; Jennifer MacDonald, NB; Jim Bremner, NS; John MacDonald, PEI.

On July 1, 2011 Canada Beef Inc. became the official, independent marketing agency for Canadian beef. The Beef Information Centre (BIC) and Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF) joined the Canadian Beef Cattle Research, Market Development and Promotion Agency (National Check-Off Agency- NCOA) and are now operating as one organization, Canada Beef Inc. Brad Wildeman (Chair)

In 2010, the Canada Beef Working Group was mandated by beef producers and other industry stakeholders to investigate and develop a new organizational structure for maximizing efficiencies and effectiveness for domestic and international beef marketing activities.

Industry representation covers all sectors along the beef value chain: Dwight Greer, Eastern Meat Solutions, Beef Processing and Distribution; Brian Read, XL Foods; Francis Labrecque, Levinoff Meat Products; Mike Kennedy, Cargill; Arthur Batista, Ecolait; and Scott Ellerton, Sysco Canada. Canada Beef Inc. Executive

In developing its recommendation the CBWG took into consideration the long-term needs of the industry; the funding and marketing challenges that lay ahead; the contribution and needs of stakeholders; the results of the due diligence reviews of the BIC and CBEF; the results of the previous studies and the opportunities to simplify the funding and approval structures. On January 6, 2011 the CBWG presented the results of its investigation and its recommendation – to create a single independent national beef cattle marketing, promotion and research organization.

Robert Meijer, former Director of Corporate Affairs for Cargill Limited, was appointed President of Canada Beef Inc. effective August 1, 2011. Meijer brings 14 years of policy, regulatory, legislative, political and communications experience to Canada Beef Inc. The executive team also includes the following: John Baker, VP North America Market Development/ Technical Services Cam Daniels, VP International Market Development/ Technical Services Ron Glaser, VP Corporate Affairs & Operations Herb McLane, VP Trade & Regulatory Services Michael Shittu, VP Finance

Canada Beef vision and mission. Vision To position Canadian beef as the premium beef product of choice for domestic and international markets Mission To enhance and sustain the profitability of Canadian beef producers through excellence in product promotion, positioning and the facilitation of domestic and international marketing initiatives

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Cattleman’s Corner Animal Health

Handle and apply vet meds with care Some very innocent and preventable mistakes when administering vaccines can be costly BY ROY LEWIS

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o achieve the maximum benefit from vaccines and antibiotics they must be handled properly until they are administered. Since producers pay good money for these products and the pharmaceutical companies want to ensure maximum benefit, proper handling practices need to be followed. Vaccine failures are not desirable for anyone.

TEMPERATURE The most common product damage is with improper temperature control. In the heat of the moment (this could be considered a pun) when handling cattle you must put someone in charge of handling the products to be administered. Their job is to ensure safe, efficient administration of a quality product. We often are processing in inclement weather either freezing in winter or under very hot conditions with lots of sunlight in summer. It is far more harmful to freeze product than have it get a bit warm. Keep in mind that as soon as the product is administered it is in an environment of 39 C (body temp). If you freeze vaccines, they are toast and should be discarded. I have most producers use an insulated container. You can put in warm water bottles in winter or ice packs in summer to keep the product at the right temp. If the weather is really bad, the full syringe can even be placed in the container between uses. This also protects the product from UV light, which can also be detrimental to

some products. Heat lamps or in car heaters are also used to keep product warm. Be ever-cognizant of maintaining the ideal temperature range between 5 C to 15 C. Getting product too close to these heatproducing devices can fry product and that is a no-no as well. Protect the product even when picking it up from the veterinary clinic. I encourage producers to bring insulated containers with them or we send them home with ice packs in the summer. Don’t make the mistake of throwing vaccine on the dash: the strong heaters in vehicles or the warmth of the sun has cooked a lot of vaccine over the years I am sure.

REHYDRATE Only rehydrate the amount of vaccine you will use directly (within the next hour). This is especially true of the modified live vaccines, which are in common use these days. Once rehydrated their absolute maximum shelf life is 24 hours and even that is very iffy. It is better to rehydrate and use them right away. The modified vaccines are also very fragile so do not disinfect the needle with alcohol between uses. This will render the vaccine inactive and destroy its effectiveness.

LABELS Always label the syringe as too what product it contains. For example, if formalin is present in the blackleg vaccine and if you accidentally pull up a full syringe of modified live vaccine in the same syringe, the small amount of formalin left will destroy all

the vaccine. Label the syringe to avoid this mistake and place the vaccines apart from each other so these mistakes don’t happen.

CHECK DOSE Double- and triple check the volume to be given. It is not uncommon for automatic guns to get bumped and the setting accidentally changed. Over-dosing wastes valuable product and under-dosing will provide protection. Make sure automatic guns are dispensing properly. The newer models are very accurate and don’t allow air to get into the syringe. I always make a mental note of how long a bottle of vaccine should last. A 50-dose bottle should be empty after 50 head. If it doesn’t run out or runs out too early take a minute to check things out — there could be an improper setting. Companies usually have just a little bit extra product per bottle (one or two per cent) as a buffer.

HANDLING When administering multiple products, make sure they are kept at least 10 cm apart as contact may inactivate them. Either administer products on opposite sides of the neck or make a conscious effort to place them apart. Try and consistently give products in the same place. If cattle have any type of local reaction to the drug at least you know what product produced the effect.

FOLLOW DIRECTIONS Last but not least, follow label directions as to dosage and type of

Rancher Susie Masi measures out a dose of vaccine as cattle are processed at Kootenay River Ranch, Fort Steele, B.C. administration (subcutaneous or intramuscular). Use the neck area when administering either way. Have the cattle properly restrained to avoid broken needles or vaccine being discharged into the air. Use the one-handed subcutaneous technique to avoid injury to the applicator. If you believe a product was not applied properly, repeat the vaccination. This will not harm the animal and it is far better than way underdosing. This occurs in situations where vaccine is injected intradermally (between the skin layers), discharged into the hair, the automatic gun is not discharged fully or the needle is pushed through fold of skin and

out again so the vaccine is discharged into the air. Also check the vaccine’s expiry date. These are all very common errors right at the time of vaccinating that should be avoided. Avoiding or recognizing these common errors will help you convey maximum immunity benefit to your herd. The products have been engineered to work and it is up to all of us to be diligent with their handling and administration. † Roy Lewis is a practising large-animal veterinarian at the Westlock Veterinary Centre, north of Edmonton. His main interests are bovine reproduction and herd health.

Commentary

Some thoughts on “organic” beef Claims of being better is long on rhetoric and short on facts BY HYLAND ARMSTRONG

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ecently, at Calgary food store that specializes in organic and natural foods, out of curiosity I thought I would visit the meat section to see what type of products were offered. It was obvious the meat was marketed in an entirely different manner than in a conventional store. Each portion was in a separate cryovac pouch with extensive labeling on each package. The labelling included the name of the producer, how to get in touch with the producer, and how the product was made. The labels clearly stated that the beef was produced without the use of genetically modified organisms, hormones, pesticides, herbicides, animal byproducts or antibiotics. In addition, it clearly stated the cattle are treated in a humane manner in a free-range setting. I have even seen one instance where the producer claims his production strategy is endorsed by the B.C. Humane Society.

Just for the fun of it I then “visited” a number of these producers on the Internet, just to see what they had to offer. It was clear to me these producers were intent on creating a niche market for their product. In order to do so they were willing to go to great lengths to produce a quality product and ultimately stand behind it by making it possible for the consumer to contact them. However, despite the positive attributes of this marketing strategy, the concept of “organic beef” is flawed. Essentially the producers who produce this beef are relying on misinformation and the ignorance of the consumer to sell their product. In my opinion some of the claims made by the producers of “organic beef” are misleading, if not imaginative.

CONCERNS To make my point, let’s look at some of the claims made by these producers. •  The term “organic beef” is by definition misleading. The produc-

ers try to attach a special meaning to the word “organic.” All beef is created through natural processes and is by definition organic. Even the antibiotics, growth enhancers and dewormers are created by natural processes and by definition organic compounds. Many of these compounds in fact are derived from “natural” sources. For example, Penicillin is derived from the penicillium bacterium, Ralgro is derived from fungi in the fusarium family and Ivermectin is generated as fermentation product of the actinomycete Steptomyces avermitilis. •  Organic beef is a healthier choice than generic beef. This is the claim made by many producers on their websites and is made in reference to certain medical aliments and conditions. Unfortunately, to substantiate these claims the producers rely on anecdotal evidence with personal testaments as their proof, but do not offer any credible scientific studies to substantiate their claims. •  Organic beef is raised in an ethical and humane manner. “Organic beef” producers like to

use buzzwords like “free range,” “grass fed,” “humanely treated” and “environmentally sustainable production” on their packaging or websites. As a consequence, the consumer is left with an impression organic beef producers hold a monopoly on sustainable resource management and humane treatment of livestock. No genetically modified organisms are used in the production of the product. Those producers who make this claim ignore the fact all of the domestic crops and animals are the product of some level of genetic engineering. The various breeds of cattle and varieties of forage crops used by the “organic beef” producers are in fact genetically modified organisms; the consequence of thousands of years of selective breeding for desired traits. Perhaps what is more perplexing is there is not any scientific evidence that supports their assumption that the new generation of genetically modified organisms are in any way harmful to the environment or to human consumption. •  No growth hormones or

antibiotics are used in the production of the product. Once again rhetoric has been substituted for reason. These producers tend to ignore two basic facts. The first is the compounds are organic and readily metabolized by the animal’s body. Second, because these compounds are readily metabolized, if the producer follows the manufacturer’s recommendations, little residue will be left in the meat. Here again the threat to human health is exaggerated in order to be used as a marketing ploy. It is unfortunate but the “organic beef” producers are doing the cattle industry a disservice. In my opinion, their marketing strategy relies on misinforming the general public. This misinformation leads the consumer to believe the use of antibiotics, growth hormones, and genetically modified organisms are harmful practices and will reduce the quality of conventional beef. † Hyland Armstrong is a retired rancher from Cypress Hills, Alberta. He can be reached at [email protected] or 403 528 4798.

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The Dairy Corner DAIRY CORNER

Pros and cons of robotic milkers

It’s amazing technology that is just going to keep making progress, but some dairy producers say there is still a place for a more hands-on approach to milking BY MARIANNE STAMM

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hat many young kids dreamed of when they were sent to the barn to milk cows has come true. With the robotic Voluntary Milking System (VMS) cows really do milk themselves. Robotic milkers, as many call them, are being seen on more dairy farms. Neil Boelman of Yoke Farm Ltd. near Westlock, Alberta (north of Edmonton) is one of those to install the system. Boelmans installed two robotic milkers into their existing barn in 2008. Boelman says he watched a nearby farm install the system into their older barn, and thought, “If they can do it, we can too.” He’s never regretted the decision. He loves the quick information and the reliable “help.” He says the cows are healthier and happier, and believes that eventually the system pays for itself. “The technology that’s coming on stream is mind boggling,” Boelman says. “We’re constantly upgrading.” Soon sampling will be able to detect hormone levels. A farmer will know two days prior that a cow is coming in heat. It will take lactose measurements, and tell you a cow is sick before she is. Farmers can get information early; respond quicker. These new technologies will be available in 2012 for robots. Getting a good herdsperson is a headache for many dairy farmers. “I think it (VMS )does a better job than 98 per cent of the milkers out there would do, and more efficiently,” Boelman says. “It doesn’t have an attitude, it doesn’t get drunk, and it doesn’t sleep in. It’s reliable.” The VMW can help take the headache away.

QUIET COWS Like many other farmers using the VMS, Boelman says the vet often comments on how calm his cows are. Cows are often less stressed than when milked using traditional methods. They can come in to milk as often as they like, and take the time they need. The cows are getting fed at an interval basis, including concentrate, throughout the day, so they always have enough energy. Boelman says he uses fewer antibiotics since he has the robots. He thinks it’s a combination of less stress and also better udder health. The robot is a very consistent milker. “As long as you have good conformation udders, it does a great job,” Boelman says. Sometimes it will milk a cow that is starting to dry up or the teat placement isn’t 100 per cent. But if it doesn’t get the milk in the one milking, it will get it next time.” Boelman thinks the system makes economic sense. “Reliable help is hard to get,” he says. “With the amount you have to pay to attract people to come, it will pay pretty quickly to have a robot do it.” Boelmans milk 100 cows, which go through the robots an average 2.8 times per day. Boelman says the robots should be able to milk up to 115 cows, but their existing barn isn’t quite big enough. If he pushes the number to 110,

PHOTOS: MARIANNE STAMM

Angela and Bill Feenstra say that for their 100 cow dairy a new, but conventional parlour made the most sense.

Leah Feenstra, in the Westfalia double 10 parlor, is part of the “stable” work force on the family farm at Didsbury, Alta.

Neil Boelman, left, with brothers Reint, (centre) and Menno like the convenience and the technology of robotic milkers.

The Boelmans of Yoke Farm near Westlock, Alberta have two of these DeLaval robotic milkers on their farm.

the cows begin to produce less. Especially the weaker cows need space to wait until a robot is free. Cows don’t go to pasture during lactation. Boelman says they give more milk that way. Service availability was the prime reason to choose a DeLaval system, he says. Lely is another provider, but is only serviced in Red Deer and central Alberta. DeLaval is from Edmonton and has a technician in Fort Saskatchewan. Having quick access to a technician is imperative when working with the VMS. Often things can be solved on the phone, but sometimes they do have to come out.

enough to be able to troubleshooting adequately. (Boelman also cautions farmers that are far from a service technician to think twice about a VMS, or to make sure they have extra parts on hand.) Feenstras decided for a Westfalia side-by-side, double 10 milking parlour. They milk twice a day. The office is located next to the tank room, complete with flat screen

ANOTHER OPINION Robotic milkers aren’t for everyone. Bill Feenstra, of Didsbury, Alberta (just north of Calgary) built a new barn a few years ago and decided against the VMS. He cited stable family labour, limited expansion capability of VMS, and inadequate troubleshooting capacity as major factors in the decision. “There’s usually more than one factor that will make you go one way or the other,” says Feenstra. “Is your labour stable? We have family labour and they don’t mind milking.” His daughter Leah is his right-hand girl for the cows, with his son helping out sometimes on days off. They use a contract milker

for their days off, weekends and holidays. As on the Yoke Farm, the vet often comments on how calm the cows are. “I think it helps that our family labour is very calm,” Feenstra says. The Feenstra farm has been in growth mode for the last 10 years and now milks 100 cows. Expansion can be problematic with a robot. “Robots have a lim-

It can take quite a bit of beating, it just keeps humming along. As long as you keep on top of your maintaenance and your technicians are well educated it should last a long time ited capacity, and when you hit the capacity, you need another robot,” Feenstra says. “If you have to put in a robot for $250,000 and you milk 10 more cows, you’re way over. In the parlour, it’s just another 15 minutes.” Troubleshooting skills and capacity are important, Feenstra thinks. “If there’s a problem, can you follow the dots to find the problem or do you have to pick up the phone?” he asks. “I’m on the road a lot.” He says he’s not home

computer that gives Feenstra all the information he needs. The cows wear transponder collars that tell him when they are in heat. He uses a webcam to monitor calving, and it can also watch sick cows and calves. Through the Internet he can access his latest milk quality report from anywhere in the world. Feenstra admits that the VMS delivers more information than his system can, but a farmer also must use that information. Not everyone does. “The technology is really

improved,” Feenstra says.” I think if I was building again, I’d have to have another look at it. But I don’t know if I would do it.” Price wasn’t an issue with Feenstra. He had to build a bigger barn to accommodate the milking parlour. When building new, he feels the price is probably about the same whether or not a farmer chooses the VMS. Feenstra has a word of caution for farmers who don’t like being in the barn. “The robot is not supposed to get you out of the barn,” he says. “It’s just a different kind of management style. But you still need to be in the barn to manage it well.” Boelman agree. “If you just want to save time because you don’t want to milk anymore, then you might get a rotary parlour that might work better for you,” he says. Whatever system a farmer decides to use, they still need to be there regularly, several times a day. Boelman goes through the barn four times a day, checking the computer for cows that need attention, feeding, and watching. But as the folks at Delaval say (http://en.delaval.ca/Products/ AutomaticMilking/DeLaval-VMS) , a robot gives you more freedom to decide how and when you will spend that time in the barn. But again, that’s a lifestyle choice. † Marianne Stamm is a freelance farm writer from Jarvie, Alberta. Contact her by email at: [email protected].

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Cattleman’s Corner THE MARKETS

Cattle prices remain vulnerable JERRY KLASSEN MARKET UPDATE

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anadian cattle prices held value throughout September but the market feels vulnerable moving forward given the weak economic environment. Alberta packers bought fed cattle in the range of $100-104/cwt in the early fall period. At the same time, prices in the U.S. Southern Plains were hovering between $116-$118/cwt. U.S. cattle on feed numbers continue to run above year-ago levels and beef production will likely come in larger than earlier

projections. However, domestic beef demand looks softer for the fourth quarter given projections for a contraction in consumer spending. Feeder cattle values have been relatively stagnant this fall but are poised to move higher later in winter. Stronger barley prices have tempered buying enthusiasm from major feedlot operators but lower available supplies will keep the feeder market well supported.

BULLISH U.S. cattle on feed for slaughter as of September 1 totalled 10.7 million head, up five per cent from September 1 of 2010. August fed cattle marketings were up a whopping seven per cent in comparison to last year while feeder cattle placements

were actually down one per cent in comparison to August of 2010. Analysts were expecting on feed numbers to be up seven per cent, placements to be up eight per cent and marketings up five per cent. Therefore, all categories were considered bullish for the feeder and fed cattle markets. The drought in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas resulted in feeder cattle being placed sooner than normal. It now appears that placements will continue to be below year ago levels throughout the final quarter of 2011 and 2012. Fourth quarter U.S. beef production for 2011 is expected to be down 240 million pounds from last year. First-quarter 2012 production is projected to drop nearly 300 million pounds in comparison to the first quarter of 2011. Overall, 2012 beef pro-

duction is expected to be down a whopping 1.165 billion pounds relative to 2011. This will bode well for Canadian cattle and beef exports next year. Cattle on feed in Alberta and Saskatchewan as of September 1 were 622,289 head, also up five per cent in comparison to September 1 of 2010. Placements were up one per cent in comparison to August of 2010 and marketings were down one per cent from last year.

CURRENCY CHANGES Our Canadian market has been struggling due to the stronger Canadian dollar, but we now find the market structure changing. The U.S. federal reserve announced that it will sell short-term bonds and use the money to buy up

Tips & Tales

calving We need your...

Friends and neighbours, we are once again looking for your best calving tips and tales for Cattlemen’s expanded January 2012 Calving special. We’re looking for good ideas, practical advice, or humorous tales and calving photos to share with fellow readers. A reward will be sent for tips & tales printed in this special.

longer term bonds. This in essence drives up U.S. short term yields and is friendly for the U.S. greenback and bearish for the Canadian dollar. If the Bank of Canada also decreases its overnight lending rate, this would further weaken our Canadian dollar. In any case, we should see Canadian cattle prices gain on U.S. values over the next six months. S e a s o n a l l y, b e e f d e m a n d declines from the late September through November. Restaurant and grocery store spending slows by nearly seven per cent during this period, which causes beef consumption to ease. Wholesale beef prices are expected to come under pressure in the short term; therefore, it will be difficult for cattle prices to move higher. We all remember the 2008 meltdown and the economy is moving in a similar fashion. High unemployment, weak consumer confidence and a contraction in retail spending will continue to temper beef demand. From January 2008 through December 2009, the correlation between the weekly close on the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Live Cattle futures was 0.65; from January 2010 to August 2011, the correlation jumped to 0.9. There is a very strong direct relationship between the Dow and Live Cattle Futures because consumer spending is responsible for overall U.S. economic strength and beef demand.

TAKE PROTECTION Deferred live cattle futures have been trading near historical highs and I feel it is prudent that cattle producers take some protection for their winter and spring marketings. Beef production estimates could come in larger than expected because on-feed numbers are higher than last year. Domestic and export beef demand could drop sharply if the stock market continues to grind lower. China, Europe and Southeast Asian economies are vulnerable to recessionary pressures. Cow-calf producers should also look at some price protection because the corn and barley fundamentals are historically tight. Feeder cattle will move in line with the fed market as feeding margins move into negative territory. We all know how the market can change within a six-month period. † Gerald Klassen analyzes cattle and hog markets in Winnipeg and also maintains an interest in the family feedlot in Southern Alberta. For comments or speaking engagements, he can be reached at [email protected] or 204 287 8268.

BY DAN PIRARO

Your reWard,

a limited edition

Enter before November 30, 2011

Canadian Cattlemen cap Send your Calving tips & tales (and your address) to:

Canadian Cattlemen

1666 Dublin Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3H 0H1 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: 204-944-5416

Bizarro

OCTOBER 17, 2011

grainews.ca /

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Cattleman’s Corner RANCHER’S DIARY

Trich outbreak concerns ranchers hoped their new house would be finished by now, but it will probably be another six weeks. Nick ran in his first college track meet on Saturday and placed third for his team. He’s running longer distances now, 5,000 metres instead of 3,000.

HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

AUGUST 23 ast week Andrea and I rode to the 320 pasture and fixed several holes in the fence where wildlife had broken or stretched wires. We don’t want range cattle getting in; we’re saving that grass for Michael and Carolyn’s yearlings. They recently got back from their trip to Iowa to take Nick to start his first year of college at William Penn University. On Friday young Heather drove to Helena, Montana to start her third year at Carroll College, and on Sunday Michael and Carolyn hauled several horses over there, including the one she’s been training for her HAB professor. The college will use the other four horses during the school year for HAB classes, so students will have several horses to work with. Then the horses will come home to the ranch for summer. It will be different now for Michael and Carolyn, with no kids at home. We received disheartening news yesterday. Our neighbour, Jack Jakovac, recently had a vet pregcheck his heifers, second- and third-calvers — the young cows he keeps home on pasture every year, and discovered half of them were open and some were aborting! The vet tested the aborting cows for trich (trichomoniasis) and they were positive. The rest of his cows are out on the range and can’t be tested until they’re rounded up in late September, but some of them may also have the infection, which means other range neighbours may also have infected cows. This is a scary situation for the whole neighbourhood. We’ve never had to deal with trich. This is a protozoan infection spread from infected bulls and cows by

L

SEPTEMBER 20

PHOTO: HEATHER SMITH THOMAS

You could barely see the cows in the tall grass. While pastures were mature, there was still a bit of green. breeding. State law requires that all bulls be tested every year. Some of the cattle a new neighbour brought to our creek last year probably had trich, because the only way Jack’s cows could have become infected was from a cow that went through the fence into his place in December. Alfonzo didn’t come to get the cow, so Jack put her in a corral overnight until he could haul her home the next morning. He put her with two virgin yearling bulls he’d just bought, and probably didn’t think that would be a problem, because at that time of year he’d assume the stray cow was pregnant. Those bulls apparently bred the open cow and became infected. Their infection was not detected because Jack always trich tests his bulls at the end of his breeding season, rather than in the spring. One of those yearling bulls stayed in the home pastures to breed heifers and young cows and the other one was turned out on the range in May. So now this devastating disease has probably been spread to other cattle.

2011 Capturing Feed Grain and Forage Opportunities Conference: Feeding is a Changing Game Nov. 22-23, 2011 at the Strathmore Travelodge, Strathmore, AB Highlights Include: • Changed Your Feeding System? How to Handle the Fall-out -Dr. Barry Robinson, Great Northern Livestock Consulting Ltd.

• From Round Bale to Corn Silage and Everything in Between -Dr. Robert Westra • Wintering Sites: Where Do All the Nutrients Go? -Don Flaten, University of Manitoba

• DDG’s and Other By-product Feeds: Are They for Me? -Dr. John McKinnon, University of Saskatchewan

Banquet Presentation Beef Marketing Strategies - Debbie McMillin

For more information: Check out the “Coming Events” at www.agriculture. alberta.ca OR the “Upcoming Events” section at WWW.ARECA.AB.CA

To Register: Contact the Chinook Applied Research Association at 1-403-664-3777

Registration Fees

(includes GST, coffee breaks, lunches, breakfast)

Individual $140 • Farm Unit $250 • Student $100 • Banquet $30

SEPTEMBER 10 After we found out about the trich problem, we rounded up our bull from our group of cows in the post pile pasture, and put him in the corral where he would be safe. A neighbour has some stray cows (that came home early off the range) on the lower place, right next to our pasture, and we didn’t want to risk having a mix-up. We don’t want our bull to become infected! The state veterinarian came the end of August and met with all the ranchers on Jack Jacovak’s range and discussed the trich problem, and the fact that this year all the bulls will need to be tested three times (to be sure they are free of this disease) and all cows should be

preg checked, with any open ones sold. Everyone is hoping to can get this problem stopped before it spreads farther around the valley. Last week Andrea and Rick spent part of an afternoon helping Lynn fix a bad place in the heifer hill fence in the brush by the creek. We want to make sure that possibly infected cattle can’t come through into our place when he puts them in that pasture above us this fall. After we worked on the fence, we moved our cows and calves to the heifer hill pasture. Andrea’s kids started school. Dani is in first grade, Sammy in third, Charlie fourth and Emily in eighth grade. They are enjoying being back in school and seeing their classmates again. We’d

Michael and Carolyn put yearling steers and spayed heifers on the 320. In spite of our hot, dry weather, some of that tall grass is still green. They were short nine yearlings, however, that went through the Cheney Creek fence and out onto the neighbour’s range. During the past few days, Michael and Carolyn helped those neighbours round up their cattle, and found their missing yearlings. Yesterday on our own range, two new neighbours rounded up their cattle, but didn’t find them all. Some have gone into Mulkey Creek (French’s range). We heard a wolf howl a few mornings ago. Ranchers in our area are glad the wolf hunts (that were halted last year by environmental groups) are starting again. One of our friends on the other side of town lost several calves and a cow to wolves this summer, and hunters recently saw eight wolves in that pack. After a long, hot summer, if feels like fall. Temperatures have been below freezing some nights, in spite of hot afternoons. We had rain one night, which eased our dry conditions and cleared the smoke out of the air. We’re hoping our fire season will soon be over. † Heather Smith Thomas ranches with her husband Lynn near Salmon, Idaho. Contact her at 208-756-2841.

BEEF MANAGEMENT

More than 15,000 producers connect with VBP

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anada’s beef producers continue to show their commitment to on-farm food safety. Recent participation figures for Verified Beef Production (VBP), the national beef on-farm food safety program, shows an increasing percentage of the national herd participating in the program. “That’s an important message for Canada’s domestic and export customers,” says Terry Grajczyk, manager of the VBP program for the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association. “It is the kind of information that will be useful in ongoing efforts to build marketing confidence, such as Canada Beef Advantage marketing promotion.” The VBP program is a dynamic program to uphold consumer confidence in the products and good practices of Canada’s beef producers. It is completely voluntary. Producers take workshop style training to learn program fundamentals and how they can use Standard Operating Procedures to enhance animal health and feed management. They have the option of

having their records audited by an independent validation auditor to verify their efforts. There are more than 80,000 beef producers across the country and because of that number and their geographic distribution, producer training has been the primary goal of the program, says Grajczyk. All producers in all regions of Canada have access to the VBP program. To date, more than 15,400 producers have participated in VBP training workshops, including over 750 producers who have chosen to complete the online version of the training course. The online version has been designed as easy to use, even for dial-up Internet connections. “Using a weighted average approach that means that 55 to 60 percent of Canada’s beef production is covered under the VBP program,” says Grajczyk. “As well, more than 700 of these producers have opted to proceed to the next step of having their cattle operations audited and become Registered.” Support from provincial governments has helped participation, adds Grajczyk. For

example, support in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and PEI for workshops, equipment purchases and on-farm auditing is one reason producers are able to participate. However, VBP will continue to require good planning and support, she says. “While more producers are identifying VBP as part of a differentiated product, and they know it’s the kind of information Canada’s competitors are using in their marketing efforts, one challenge is to find ways to bring value back to producers who make the effort.” Canada’s beef producers already have a reputation for acting responsibly, but VBP takes that to a new level. Grassroots driven and industry-led, the program is part of a broad effort by Canada’s food providers to ensure on-farm food safety. It is based on the principles of an international food safety program used widely in many industries, called Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), which has been specifically adapted for VBP. † More information on VBP is available at www.verifiedbeef.org.

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers

Brandon to host 2011 OYF BY LEE HART

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s  many  as  150 O u t s t a n d i n g   Young Farmers alumni and guests from across Canada are expected in Brandon, Man., in midNovember for the national competition that will select two finalists from a field of seven regional nominees, to be named Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2011. This is the 31st year for the national event that brings together nominees who have been selected as regional winners to compete for the national title. The regions i n c l u d e   B C / Yu k o n ,   A l b e r t a , Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada.

“Our theme for 2011 is “Back to the Country,” as we bring the national program to Brandon, which is in the heart of Manitoba’s agricultural production,” says Herman van den Ham, chair of the Manitoba hosting committee. “The event has been held in a number of major centres across Canada in recent years and we felt it would be fitting to bring the national awards program to a smaller community that has strong agricultural roots.” Regional nominees, participating in the November 15 to 20 event include Kevin and Annemarie Klippenstein of Cawston, B.C.; Matt and Tara Sawyer of Acme, Alta.; Franck and Kari Groeneweg

of Edgeley, Sask.; Andrew and Tanis DeRuyck of Mariapolis, Man.; Wes and Briar Wiens of Niagara-on-theLake, Ont.; Rene Gagne and Pascale Chabot of St. Elzear de Beauce, Que.; and Geoff and Jennifer Bishop of Annapolis Royal, N.S. As the 2011 nominees arrive in Brandon Nov. 15 to make final presentations to judges, OFY alumni will arrive later in the week to participate in social events and local tours, before the awards banquet Nov. 18. Among the tours planned early in the week are visits to the Douglas Bull Test Station, an auctioneer competition, a tour of the Agriculture Canada research centre at Brandon and a tour and dinner

at the Western Canada Aviation Museum. Weekend tours include a visit to a local dairy farm, a visit to the International Peace Garden on the Manitoba/North Dakota border, and tours in Boissevain. The Friday morning there is also a OYF forum where a number of guest speakers are lined up to discuss the topic “The Impact of the Environment on Agriculture.” “We hear so much about the impact that farming has on the environment, and we thought it would be interesting to flip that around and have a discussion on the impact the changes in the environment are having on agriculture,” says van den Ham. Canada’s Outstanding Young

Farmers’ program is designed to recognize farmers that exemplify excellence in their profession and promote the tremendous contribution of agriculture. It is open to participants 18 to 39 years of age, making the majority of income from on-farm sources. The program is sponsored nationally by CIBC, John Deere, Bayer CropScience, and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and supported nationally by AdFarm and Canadian Farm Business Management Council. For more information on the national event and OYF program visit: www.oyfcanada.com † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews in Calgary, Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at [email protected].

British Columbia

Organic growers focus on planning Producing a product is a start, but this young couple shows that it’s proper management and marketing that builds success BY FRANK PEEBLES

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hen  Annemarie Klippenstein  left the family farm after high school, she first sought a career about as far away from dirt as she could. She left the Fraser Valley countryside for the flash and flare of fashion modeling in Vancouver. Kevin Klippenstein was practically raised inside a spreadsheet. At 15 he was already pursuing small business opportunities, at 17 he was managing a restaurant, at 19 he bought his first house and was in demand in B.C. and Alberta as a consultant to the restaurant industry. During her time in Vancouver, Annemarie also got involved in the food service business, but when pressures of the big city started to settle around her, the life-long farming infection began to itch despite her youthful vows. She turned to what she knew best from her large family (she has 11 siblings) — all were raised from earliest childhood growing organic produce. Somewhere about that time she and Kevin met, although it wasn’t through the Vancouver restaurant industry. Part of his courtship with Annemarie included tagging along on her trips to sell her modest supply of produce at weekend farmer’s markets. Soon their shared passion for food started to really cook. “In my family I would be voted the least likely one to go farming,” says Annemarie. “But I knew that I could do it, I just didn’t see how I could do it on my own.” With Kevin, she found a willing and capable partner. Today they have one of B.C.’s model agriculture operations: Klipper’s Organic Acres based at Cawston, B.C. in the ag-rich Okanagan-Similkameen region, south of Penticton. They’d made a local name for their 40-acre market garden and orchard operation for the past 10 years, expanding from five

acres in 2001 when the farm was launched. But this year their reputation erupted when they won the B.C. & Yukon Outstanding Young Farmers of 2011 title, an award they were finalists for in 2005, ’06 an ’07. It isn’t easy to know which aspect of Klipper’s Organic Acres was most appealing to the B.C. judges. Diversity is their essence, however. They don’t grow dozens of fruits and vegetables, they grow hundreds. In fact they grow multitudes of each species. They time the ripening of different varieties so the harvest is spread across the calendar for everything from peaches to tomatoes and other produce. The spread in variety maturity also helps insulate them from unexpected events like bad weather, or a passing pest. Although their intent was to sell everything they produced at Vancouver-area farmers markets, they have now diversified their operation to include value-added fruit products, along with a summer and winter Community Supported Agriculture box program allowing them to have year round income. This past year, they also began a gift certificate program, which allows consumers to purchase gift certificates at the beginning of the year and exchange them for produce throughout the season. Detailed records and good planning are key to their management strategy. “What I’ve always done is planning and budgeting,” Kevin says “Counting the trees and how much fruit they will produce, is something I try to figure out. A lot of farmers don’t do those projections and that is a problem. I’m in the books every day, I always know what I’ve spent and what I’ve got.” Annemarie agreed that fierce accounting is the farm’s secret to success. An agricultural operation is bounced around by many outside forces, but if you haven’t attempted

OYF nominees for BC and Yukon, Kevin and Annemarie Klippenstein and their children, Landen, 6, Kiarah, 8, Azalya, 12 and Brayden 13. to calculate those scenarios, and have a planned response for each possibility (making juice or dried chips if your crops aren’t prime, for example), you just aren’t doing your homework. “We are planners. We are always thinking ahead,” she says. “If we decide to do something, we do it full force. We intend to be successful at it, with a plan in place. A good business plan includes many options, because things happen unexpectedly. As the business makes sudden demands, you have to be flexible, but you must map it all out as best you can.” It is true that most farmers in B.C. have to work outside jobs to

make ends meet. The Klippensteins teach, as a second income, but not off-farm. Kevin is chair of the newly formed Organic Farming Institute of B.C., and they use their food company as a classroom, with an active apprenticeship program turning out new farmers entering into the organic production experience. With a keen interest in good environmental  stewardship, Klippers Organic Acres was the first organic farm in B.C. to complete an Environmental Farm Plan and also first to be certified “Salmon Safe.” That’s an eco-certification program that works directly with farmers to promote environmen-

tal farming practices that protect Pacific salmon habitat and water quality. And the Klippensteins don’t just harvest fruit and vegetables. In 2009, they also began harvesting the sun, installing solar panels to power drying facility and apprenticeship accommodations. The Klippensteins, along with their four children, have futures plans for expansion into agri-tourism, and they step up to be leaders on various regional and provincial associations. It’s not enough to try to grow your business and your customer base, they say, you also have to grow your industry. † Frank Peebles writes from Prince George, B.C.

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Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers ALBERTA

Expert advice contributes to successful farm business With plenty to do on a mixed-farming operation, these Alberta farmers say getting outside professional advice is key to their overall management BY LEE HART

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att and Tara Sawyer have been introducing environmentallysound  production practices and drawing more on outside expertise on specific management issues for their south-central Alberta farm, as they build a wellrun, profitable family farm. The Sawyers, along with their three children, and Matt’s parents – Glenn and Joy Sawyer — run a 4,500 acre mixed farming operation near Acme, about an hour northeast of Calgary, that includes 4,200 acres of annual cropping and a 50 head commercial Black Angus beef herd. Their focus on improved management and sustainable production practices, was recognized earlier this year as they were named Alberta Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for 2011. They will represent the province as regional nominees at the national awards competition in Brandon, Manitoba in November. “Even as we go through a transition as my parents become less involved and we take on more of the farming operation, I think the strategy is to keep it simple,” says Matt. “As dad is less involved in the day-to-day operation, we’ll need to look at hiring a good qualified fulltime person, and with that we will need to expand our farming operation, but keep it all manageable.” Matt, who is the third generation on the farm, began farming fulltime in 1993 after graduating from Olds College. In 2003 he and Tara

bought his grandparent’s 2,400 acre farm, which they farm in conjunction with his parent’s land. At one time they ran a 150 head cow-calf operation, but downsized after the BSE crisis, and now have an established 50-head cow herd, which they hope to expand. The Sawyers have been working to reduce the environmental impact of their farming operation. In recent years they have developed a no-till annual cropping system for grains and oilseeds, they use GPS and field guidance systems to improve seeding, fertilizer and chemical application efficiency, and working with the provincial delivery agency developed an environmental farm plan. Part of that planning process led to developing a recycling program for all unwanted materials including empty pesticide containers, and relocating fertilizer bins and fuel storage tanks to spill-containing concrete pads. More recently through the Growing Forward program, the Sawyers have accessed funds to help with the cost of upgrading water pumping facilities so they are above the rising water table on the farm. The beef operation works well with their land base, as cattle can graze marginal land not suited for crop production. And again, because of the rising water table following successive wet years, Sawyer has had to deal with increasing areas of salinity, which aren’t suitable for annual crop production. So far about 60 acres has been

seeded to salt-tolerant grass species, which not only help lower the water table, but also make excellent feed for cattle. While Matt majored in agricultural production in college, he realizes he neither has the time nor expertise to focus on every aspect of the farm business. “One of the best decisions we’ve made in recent years has been to hire the services of a crop advisor,” says Matt. “On some parts of the farm we were having a real problem with wild oats. Now in working with the crop advisor we know we are applying the right chemicals at the right time to control weeds. I know some people may say, “why hire someone when you can do it yourself,” but I like having that professional advice in developing a weed control program and you also have that expert standing behind you if there are any doubts about product effectiveness. There is a lot to do on a mixed farming operation, so it provides peace of mind knowing you have that specialist providing advice. On the other end of the production cycle, Sawyer also relies on crop marketing services to help with marketing decisions. “We still have to make the decisions, but we’ve been using ProFarmer Canada (Mike Jubinville) services to help in the process,” says Sawyer. “We get three market reports per day which keeps us current on what the markets are doing, and also helps explain why markets do what they

Alberta OYF nominees, Matt and Tara Sawyer and their children Emmett, 11, Cassidy, 9, and Quinton, 8. do. We look at other free services as well, but it is the combination of information that hopefully helps us make the best decisions about when to market crops.” While Tara manages the household for the family, which also includes children Emmett, 11, Cassidy, 9, and Quinton, 8, along with school, sports, community and 4-H activities, she is also actively involved in many aspects of farm management. And if that wasn’t enough to keep her busy, she has also developed a successful catering business, Eclectic Catering Inc. — an incorporated company — that specializes in business luncheons, open houses

and private dinners. One of the features of this business has been to incorporate as many farmgrown products as possible, into a largely home-cooked menu. Looking ahead, Matt sees continued growth of the farm business. “I don’t know if any of our children will be interested in farming, but that option will be there if they do,” he says. “We plan to increase the beef herd and will farm more acres as the timing is right. We’re not planning to farm half the province, but just work on well-managed growth.” † Lee Hart is a field editor for Grainews at Calgary. Contact him at 403-592-1964 or by email at [email protected].

SASKATCHEWAN

Groenewegs keen to help new farmers get started Immigrating to Canada themselves less than a decade ago, these farmers have worked hard to build their own successful farming operation By ANGELA LOVELL

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urning challenges into opportunities is something Franck and Kari Groeneweg are very good at. It could be one of the reasons the couple from the Edgeley area of Saskatchewan (northeast of Regina) were named as the province’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for 2011. “Our motto, in some ways, is to try and make lemonade out of lemons,” says Franck, who grew up on a farm in France. “It’s not so much how you do in good years, it’s how you manage the bad years.” Kari and Franck have had a few of those. The couple had long dreamt of owning their own farm and moved to Saskatchewan in 2003, from Iowa, to make that dream a reality. In 2004, an early frost in late August significantly reduced the quality of their grain crop, seriously affecting their cash flow into 2005 and 2006. In 2005 they bought a grainburning stove so they could use their low quality grain to heat their home. Realizing there were plenty of other people in the same situation, the Groenewegs decided to start a business selling the stoves, which, as it turned out was a good decision. “We went to the (Western

Canada) Farm Progress Show in 2005 and a lot of people were interested in it,” says Franck. “Then hurricane Katrina hit in the fall and the price of natural gas went up 40 per cent. So it was the perfect time to start that particular business and it provided cash flow and optimism and helped keep us afloat.” It’s that perseverance, along with their obvious passion for farming that drives the Groenewegs and has helped them expand from their original 1,880 acres to 9,000 acres in just eight years. Green Atlantic Farms currently consists of owned, rented and custom managed land in about equal thirds, on which they produce spring wheat, canary seed, canola and peas. They have embraced innovation by custom designing a seeder, which matches the width of the field sprayer and reduces fertilizer and chemical overlap. They have also invested in a rubber track tractor to reduce compaction on their sensitive clay soils. A lack of permanent grain storage at the farm has been alleviated by use of a grain bagging system, which Franck says also lowers fuel consumption costs during harvest and increases efficiency. They use social media tools to stay in touch with trends and promote the farm. Along with the equipment and

technology they have never lost sight of the importance of building relationships with people. “A great part of our success has been the people who have come alongside of us,” says Kari. “We have surrounded ourselves with people who have worked closely with us, given us ideas and strengthened our courage.” Kari is a big part of the team and balances the farm bookkeeping duties with being a mom and home educator to the couple’s four children – Luke, 7, Julia, 5, Emma, 3 and Solange, 1. The Groenewegs are both active in their local church, and Franck is president of the Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation and a director of the Saskatchewan Canola Development Commission. The farm has one full-time employee and various casual helpers and usually hosts a few farm trainees each year from Holland, France or Germany. Motivating workers to feel a part of the farm is also a big part of the Groenewegs’ philosophy. They are taking it one step further by experimenting with a mentorship program, which involves renting a quarter section of land to an employee. “We want to help young farmers who want to get started in agriculture,” says Franck. “And it’s a mutual benefit. We can work

Saskatchewan OYF nominees, Franck and Kari Groeneweg and their children, Luke, 7, Julia, 5, Emma, 3 and Solange, 1. together and benefit from some economy of scale, make better use of equipment and good farming practices. Young people, who are looking at getting into the industry, see the limitations of so many things, so we are thinking about how we can bring them into our operations and make them feel like they are accomplishing something for us and for themselves.” The Groenewegs are very proud of their OYF award and give huge credit to the many people who

helped them along the way, and has motivated them to help establish tomorrow’s Outstanding Young Farmers. “The title is a great “thank you” to all those people who have stood behind us through thick and thin and all the rough times and hard years at the beginning,” says Kari. “It’s very fulfilling for us and gives us lots of encouragement for the future.” † Angela Lovell is a freelance writer based in Manitou, Man.

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers manitoba

Farm success built on avoiding the icebergs These commercial grain farmers also use their business management experience to help other farmers develop sound business plans and create smooth farm succession plans BY ANGELA LOVELL

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ndrew  DeRuyck believes good farm management  and realistic planning are essential to sustain growth and make farms more resilient to changing conditions and markets, and it’s quite apparent he practices what he preaches. The way Andrew and his wife Tanis have handled change, to diversify and strengthen their own farm operations, played a large part in their selection as Manitoba’s 2011 Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF). The couple crop about 1,120 acres near Mariapolis, in southcentral Manitoba and, since purchasing land from Andrew’s parents 11 years ago, they have evolved out of cattle and into grain, custom seeding and spraying and farm management consulting. The DeRuycks had a 275headd cow-calf beef herd when BSE hit, and as Andrew worked on farm business projections he quickly realized it was time for the first big change. “I saw profitability was going to be down, and I started to assess our strengths and weaknesses,” he says. Major strengths were that Andrew and Tanis had degrees in agriculture and that Andrew had experience working for several large agricultural and financial companies, including Dow AgroSciences, BASF, Farm Credit Canada and CIBC. The situation prompted Andrew and Tanis to start a farm business management consulting company, which eventually led to a partnership in 2009 with financial advisor Mark Sloane, and the formation of Right Choice Consulting. The company

offers private financial and strategic planning advice to producers and also works with government agencies like Agri-Stability, the Farm Debt Mediation Service and Canadian Farm Business Advisory Services. After experiencing the challenges of a farm succession within his own family, Andrew saw another opportunity in helping to counsel other farm families through the same process. So, in 2008, Andrew obtained his mediators certificate to offer yet another service to producers and their families. Andrew firmly believes his own farming experiences and his understanding of the industry help make him more credible as a farm management consultant and mediator. “I see the financial problems and management challenges other guys are facing,” he says. “And I have hands-on knowledge with my own farm, so the two businesses have very good synergy.” Although the consulting business has been part of the DeRuyck’s farm diversification plan, it’s not the sole reason for their success over the years. They have always believed in following the same advice they give their clients; planning carefully and keeping an eye out for opportunities along the way. “We do a lot of little things well,” says Andrew. “I think the thing that has probably made the biggest difference and brought it all together is our own business planning. We spend a lot of time doing projections and looking for problems on the horizon. If we know what challenges are ahead we have the time to work through and think of ways to overcome them.” It also allows them to pre-

Manitoba OYF nominees, Andrew and Tanis DeRuyck and their children, Ben, 9 and Paige, 6. dict trends and see opportunities that might otherwise be overlooked. They were able to assess the right time to exit the cattle business and move into grain, and make equipment purchases viable by offering custom work. “It’s the timing and recognising opportunities out there that’s probably been the single most important thing for us,” says Andrew. “Being aware of our business and doing the right things at the right time.” The DeRuycks harbour no illusions about being the biggest farmers or becoming overnight millionaires. Their approach con-

Andrew says sustainable growth matched to equity growth is the goal for the next five years.

tinues to be to maintain steady, sustainable growth. “We are very much focused on the net rather than the gross,” says Andrew. “Our plan for the next five years is sustainable growth and for the growth to be matched with our equity growth. And I guess consistent profitability — that’s also a major focus of our operation.” With two children of their own, Ben, 9 and Paige, 6, both Andrew and Tanis have personally been very supportive of the OYF program in the past and, although surprised to have been named as Manitoba’s nominees for the national competition,

they were happy to participate because of the importance of what it represents to them and future generations of farmers. “In agriculture we don’t tend to celebrate our successes,” says Andrew. “So I think OYF is a great program and I believe it’s important to all farmers and all of agriculture to get our young people excited and enthused and focus on some of the positives and the success stories and show them that this can work and you can have a good life in farming.” † Angela Lovell writes from Manitou, Man.

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Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers ontario

New technology helps make better grape vines These Ontario farmers are applying the latest technology to a very traditional method of vine reproduction to bring improved varieties to the country’s grape growers BY ANGELA LOVELL

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roduct innovation and quality are two key elements behind the success of Gemmrich W. Nursery, a grapevine propagation farm in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont., that helped earn Wes and Briar Wiens, the title of Ontario’s Outstanding Young Farmers (OYF) for 2011. The Wiens purchased their grapevine propagation business in 2004 from the previous owner, Martin Gemmrich, who was a third generation propagator. It was an opportunity that in some respects fell into their laps, says Wes. “We were picking up new vines for our own vineyards from Martin and out of the blue he suggested we buy the business,” he says. “He didn’t have any children and he had been thinking about an exit strategy and who could be a possible successor. We had an excellent relationship with him and he saw that my father had a future in my brother and myself. He liked our approach to farming and viticulture and that prompted him to approach us about it.” Wes and Briar now concentrate on the propagation part of the farm, while Wes’ brother and father continue to run the original vineyard, which was purchased by their grandfather in the mid 1970’s. Vine propagation involves taking wooded cuttings from vine material that is deemed useful

for root production and then grafting on buds from different grape varieties such as Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot and others. The grafted stock is grown for one season in a nursery field and then sold to grape growers and vineyards across Canada, mainly in Ontario, British Columbia, Nova Scotia and Quebec. Last year the farm produced over 100 different vine combinations using 35 grape varieties. Vine propagation is a very traditional practice done much the same way for more than 100 years, however there aren’t as many multi-generational grafters in Canada as there are in a wine growing country like France. That lack of experience has it drawbacks, but can also be a bit of a blessing, says Wes, because it has prevented him from becoming entrenched in old ways. “It allows us to approach what we do with an open mind and apply new processes, procedures and products to what we do,” he says, adding that new technology has been another factor in the development of the farm. “Automation throughout different processes is one thing we have embraced and also GPS technology has been a valuable tool as far as our field maintenance and vine establishment are concerned. Those are two technical tools we have really benefitted from.” The Wiens constantly strive to

build on the excellent reputation established by the previous owner. “Everything we do is for the purpose of producing better quality vines for our customers and because of that we have experienced customer loyalty in the industry that has allowed us to grow,” says Wes. Research has formed another big part of their business plan. “We are focused on research related to better understand grapevine physiology and how we can create better quality vines for our customers,” he says. It hasn’t always been easy to keep abreast of new developments in the industry. Wes has often travelled to more established wine regions around the world to learn new practices and technologies. He also participates in joint research projects with the Vineland Research and Innovation Centre, Brock University and Niagara College. The Canadian wine industry is fairly small, and that’s part of the reason the Wiens have an eye to expand into U.S. and other international markets in the years ahead. Wes is actively involved with the Canadian Grapevine Certification Network, which is working collaboratively with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to re-vamp the Canadian certification processes for grape vines and make it easier to access export markets while increasing the confidence of the Canadian market against grapevine diseases.

Ontario OYF nominees, Wes and Briar Wiens and their children, Kaityn, 8, Berlin, 6, Rowan, 5 and Addisyn, 1. As a young farm family with four small children, Kaityn, 8, Berlin, 6, Rowan, 5 and Addisyn, 1, the Wiens are honoured and humbled to be named OYF nominees. They say stories of innovation and dedication they’ve heard from the other finalists were a huge encouragement for them. “Dedication and innovation are definitely two words I would use to describe our own philosophy,”

says Wes. “You have to be dedicated in agriculture these days in order to make a go of it. But you also have to be innovative and creative to see the opportunities out there, whether it’s through developing, alternative markets, procedures or technology — whatever it is that will give you an edge.” † Angela Lovell writes from Manitou, Man.

QUEBEC

Fourth-generation dairy farmers realize their dream This young Quebec couple is building a dairy operation they hope will appeal to the next generation of their family

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ard work and applying new technology and dairy production practices have helped a young Quebec Cityarea couple, build a successful, high producing dairy herd and also earned them recognition as Quebec’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2011. Over the past dozen years Rene Gagne and Pascale Chabot have grown the fourth generation farm from 50 cows producing on average 6,900 kilos of milk, to a 276 head operation, including 125 lactating cows with average annual production of 10,000 kilos of milk per cow with a quota of 144.25 kg/day of fat. With a modern dairy, and a family of four children, Rene and Pascale have realized two of their dreams in life. And as they continue to expand and improve their operation, they now hope it remains an appealing career choice for the fifth generation of Gagnes. Their Ferme Valerien Gagne Inc. farm, is located in the Beauce region of Québec, about 50 km south of Québec City. Born in St-Elzéar and passionate about farming, René Gagne had always helped out on the farm. He met his future wife, Pascale, at the local fair. René

and Pascale both have college diplomas in Farming Enterprise Management and Operation. One of their dreams was to be the fourth generation to operate René’s family farm. Although the transfer was not easy, René became owner at the age of 23. René and Pascale possess an extraordinary sense of entrepreneurship. They always strive to combine efficiency and productivity and take the necessary means to achieve this both in the barn and in the fields. In 2000, the construction of a free stall barn with a double-10 milk parlour was an important milestone for the business. Constant efforts to improve dairy genetics have allowed them to improve the classification of the herd from mostly Good, to 40 head rated Very Good, 88 rated Good Plus and 20 head rated Good. Pascale says it is hard to name an individual management change that has contributed to the farm success. “There have been so many changes that combine to make the farm what it is today,” she says, “It is hard to point to one in particular.” Pascale says she has to go back to 2000 when she and René decided to expand their 50-head tie-stall operation where the

cows were literally tied 24 hours a day and convert it to a freestall unit. At the same time, they more than tripled their existing quota and expanded the herd accordingly. Since then, they have greatly expanded the capacity of their dairy barn and their milk parlour. As well, they have transitioned from the small square bales they traditionally fed on their farm to a fullyautomated Total Mixed Ration system with the accompanying silos and mill that allow the TMR to load itself. Throughout the years, they have hosted numerous students, including 50 Quebecers from various schools and 18 Europeans. They’ve also hosted various events on the farm: training sessions, a UPA Open House and most recently a three-day seminar on hoof diseases. Pascale is a member of the Beauce Holstein Breeders’ Club. In 2008, she was named the Entrepreneur Woman of the year by the Union of Women Farmers of the Beauce region. The future promises to be no less interesting for the owners of Ferme Valerien Gagné. Their main goals looking ahead include improving the housing for their dairy heifers and maximizing the milk production

Quebec OYF nominees, Rene Gagne and Pascale Chabot with their children Dave, 9, Claudia, 6, Alex, 4 and Lory, 2. from each cow through better genetics. They are very mindful of the cost of concentrate and how it affects their bottom line and are looking at ways of keeping those costs in check. There is also a workshop to build so they can handle more of their equipment repairs in-house. Most importantly, with four young children — Dave, 9, Claudia, 6, Alex, 4 and Lory, 2 — they are preparing for the

integration of the next generation of dairy producers on Ferme Valerien Gagné: they’re doing their best to get their children interested in farming. “They are very young yet,” says Pascale. “But we’re hoping, at the very least to arouse their curiosity so they’ll want to get involved.” † Compiled with the help of the Outstanding Young Farmers organization and Rheal Cenerini, a writer/translator based at La Salle, Man..

Helping today’s Outstanding Young Farmers feed tomorrow’s growing world.

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Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers ATLANTIC CANADA

The making of a modern dairy With the support of family, these farmers introduced better genetics and technology to improve dairy herd profitability BY FRANK PEEBLES

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eoff and Jennifer Bishop might be putting cutting edge dairy science to use in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley today, but it all started when Geoff’s grandparents bought the family’s first cow back in 1970, less than a year after they arrived from England and settled in the Round Hill community. The operation grew steadily, and the second generation of Bishops was milking about 75 Holsteins when Geoff (the third generation) returned from farm study in England and New Zealand. He had also attended Nova Scotia Agriculture College where he met a kindred spirit in his wife Jennifer, who grew up just across Confederation Bridge in the red agricultural dirt of PEI. While many family farms across Canada were sinking under the weight of old ways and slow progress, this operation got stronger legs thanks to the older Bishops welcoming the ambition and farm management plans of the younger ones. Their work in developing a successful family dairy earned Geoff and Jennifer recognition earlier this year as

Atlantic Canada OYF nominees, Geoff and Jennifer Bishop with children Luke, Emma, Matthew and Ryan. Atlantic Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers for 2011. In the highly regulated Nova Scotia milk industry, the Bishops needed a mathematically sound business plan. One of the first changes Geoff tackled was to develop a herd of higher value, higher performing registered cows. They also bought more quota and expanded the milking herd, which today stands at 165 head. “Geoff’s father had always wanted to expand the herd and the quota, so this was a chance for the whole family to real-

ize some dreams for the farm,” says Jennifer. “They had a great start with 75 cows, but everyone worked together and now we have a new barn and milking parlor with capacity for 200 head.” There are two key sides to any dairy operation, the mechanical aspect and the animal aspect. The extra quota gave them the certainty to move ahead with the new infrastructure, but Jennifer says that only dealt with how the milk was handled once it left the cow. The family also wanted to address cow needs as well.

“I think the single most important part of our farm’s success is animal husbandry — nutrition, cow comfort, looking after the longevity of our cows,” says Jennifer. Proper nutrition for the herd has led to not only invest in better rations and feeding systems, it has become a sideline to their overall business. They are home base to the only soybean extruder in the Annapolis region, a machine that presses extraneous and unhelpful oil from soybeans to produce the soy meal the cows thrive on. The process allows them to get the best part of the soybean to the cattle. However it also provides them with a saleable supply of soymeal pellets, and they capture the oil for sale as well. “We are looking at ways of diversifying, and this is something that not only saved us money on feed ration costs, but opened up new income streams for us,” says Jennifer. They also invested in a selfpropelled forage harvester and an excavator for their own needs around the farm, but during down times those machines become available for rent to others in the area, again providing a revenue source back to the farm. “Modern farming is not the old

picture of the old guy in overalls with a pitchfork in his hand and a piece of hay sticking out of his mouth,” says Jennifer. “My husband is out in the field with a laptop. All of our cows wear pedometers to track their movement, which is a big indicator of health. It is big business, not just driving a tractor.” Where the farm will be in five years is all rooted in these recent investments. Many of their upgrades are brand new, so they are at the beginning of their plan’s arch. They have to see things through with what they have recently begun. “I think a downfall of a lot of farms is getting too big, too fast and not applying the money in the right areas,” says Jennifer. “We want to grow, but we have to get there by taking steps that work, so we know we can depend on it.” There is a fourth generation of Bishops now involved in the family farm. Geoff and Jennifer have Luke, Emma, Matthew and Ryan watching everything they do. Jennifer is a teacher by trade, with a specialty in agriculture education, and she has taken one of the children on a mission to Ethiopia where food and water is precious. She and Geoff are also active in advocating for their industry. They step forward for dairy and agriculture associations, advertising campaigns and websites all aimed at boosting the Maritime’s milk business but also the many other products that are grown in the Atlantic Canada region that goes so well with their products. † Frank Peebles writes from Prince George, B.C.

Save the farm — and your family — with this informative video series Watch Elaine Froese at www.grainews.ca Current Video Series Schedule Elaine Froese is an expert in helping family businesses talk about tough issues. She’s a catalyst for courageous conversations for positive farm succession planning. Like many of her clients, Elaine is an active farmer and she watches the sky. Her common-sense and down-to-earth style of communicating and asking hard questions is deeply appreciated by folks who find it hard to ask for help.

July 11 - July 17 - Freeloading The brother who stayed on the farm is getting free room and board. The sister who left fills up with gas when she comes home on the weekend. Elaine talks about ways to ensure perception and reality of equitable benefits from the family farm. July 18 - 24 - Treating children fairly isn’t always fair There comes a time when a spouse who’s been working off the farm asks the question — How many farms can this family support? The answer may not be easy. July 25 - 31 - Making a succession plan Recent studies have shown that only about half the farmers who plan to retire in the next few years have a succession plan. Elaine reviews some of the excuses, and how to get beyond them.

Dealing with Transition Starting a successful farm career is hard. Ending a successful farm career can be even harder. In this video series first prepared for AgVision TV, host Kevin Stewart talks to farm family coach Elaine Froese (www.elainefroese.com) about the ways to maintain healthy family relationships while transferring the farm to the next generation.

August 1 - 7 - Ten barriers to succession planning If we think there’s no deadline, we tend to put it off, but if you want the children to take over, the deadline may be looming sooner than you think. August 8 - 14 - Dealing with death It’s inevitable, but too often we fail to plan for it. In this segment, Elaine suggests steps to leave a lasting legacy, and to ease the burden for the farm and the family when a farmer passes away. August 15 - 21 - Does your family know what to do when you die? It’s inevitable — all of us will pass on sometime. Elaine recommends compiling a binder containing everything from financial information to instructions for your funeral.

AGCanadaTV is sponsored by

Don’t miss any of the informative videos in this series visit www.grainews.ca

OCTOBER 17, 2011

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Home Quarter Farm Life SEEDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT

Gratitude and understanding Answering the “why” question explains intent and that helps to resolve conflict ELAINE FROESE

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ven though the aroma of turkey soup may have vacated your home, you likely can still recall the warm feelings of having folks express what things they were thankful for in 2011. People come in all sorts of colourful characters, but as a coach I’ve seen amazing things happen when one person expresses appreciation for another human being. Sometimes it takes a thoughtful pause or a tough question of, “Why is this so important to you?” to figure out where the other person is searching for meaning. Would you not like a great formula to help influence other farm team members’ actions and motivation to change as you try to grow your business and resolve conflict? My mastermind friend Judi Walsh introduced me to Instant Influence by Dr. Michael Pantalon. She’s used his methods on her clients and grandsons with great success. Pantalon uses the three guiding principles of: 1. No one absolutely has to do anything: the choice is always yours. (This aligns with my tag line which is “Your farm. Your family. Your choice.”) 2. Everyone already has enough motivation.

3. Focusing on any tiny bit of motivation works much better than asking about resistance (new learning for me). An attitude of gratitude is commonly seen as a very positive motivator. In farm succession, researchers have pointed to lack of appreciation as a huge stumbling block. But rather than focus on the resistance pieces, how about looking at the key motivation for change in farm family business planning. Here’s my adaptation of the six steps Pantalon uses for “instant influence”: 1. Why is planning for the future and putting agreements into place so important for you? Why might you be willing to change your current inaction? 2. How ready are you from a scale of one to 10 (with one being “not ready to all”) and 10 means totally ready? 3. Why didn’t you pick a lower number? If you picked one, what would it take to turn that one into a two? 4. Imagine you’ve changed your stubborn ways about not wanting to make written agreements and business plan timelines. What would the positive outcomes be? 5. Why are those outcomes important to you? 6. What’s the next step, if any? • Urgency. I just found out that farmers in Saskatchewan have until December 2012 to get their Taking Stock applications approved and processed with the consulting work done in order to get their rebates. You might be willing to change your current inaction if you knew

that government support programs to help pay for your team of advisers was soon to be gone. You might also be willing to act because your wife has suggested she is thinking of visiting a lawyer on her own, and ending her commitment to you and the farm. Your body may also be sending you strong signals that it is time to change your manager role. • Readiness with a number on it makes it easy to compare with your son or daughter’s number. I’ve done some assessments with intergenerational folks which have been very telling. When you measure something and give it a numbered ranking, you get a strong sense of how the other person is feeling about their ranking. Some young successors rank their readiness as 11, beyond 10, and they hope Dad’s number is above five. On the 10-point scale I am at a 10 for being ready to say thanks for a great life in Canada, and the many blessings of being an independent farmer. My gratitude also stems from healthy relationships and a sense of order with plans, documents and risk management in place. • “WHY?” is that powerful question again. I agree with Pantalon that “why?” is one of the most motivating questions. Answering the question “why?” helps to explain your intent. Knowing intent, helps to resolve conflict. Answering your spouse or successor as to “why aren’t you willing to commit to conversations?” is tough if you don’t have a team of trusted advis-

ers or a sense of readiness to do the hard work of decision-making for the good of all. Having cancer, an accident or watching the neighbours self-destruct may be your underlying reasons for action, but hopefully you are more proactive with a healthy reason to act, rather than reacting to a crisis. • Positive outcomes are a brilliant motivator. When I was asked to write a letter to myself when I was 30 lbs. overweight, feeling fat and tired, it was easy to write about how great it would feel to have more energy, look healthy and enjoy activities more. Sam Horn has suggested changing our “to do list” to the “I’m looking forward to” list. Positive outcomes that we can look forward to are highly motivating, especially if there is a strong emotional connection to the experience. Think about the long drive home to the farm to share turkey supper, and the sacrifices everyone makes to be there. Everyone is hoping for family harmony, fun and a great time of celebration. How good would it feel to hear the “thank you Mom and Dad” when you have extended substantial gifts with a warm hand instead of leaving things to unfold in the execution of your estate? • Why are those positive outcomes so important to you? I have seen a lot of mucky messes in farm families that could have been avoided. I can be passionate about asking you to look for the reasons why you need to act since I have seen many families freed from hurt and

unforgiveness when communication with respect has brought clarity, certainty and family unity back to the farm. “Thanks for giving me my husband back,” said the woman whose spouse had been overtaken with the anger of frustration until the business structure was changed. “Thanks for helping us see with the eyes of the next generation Elaine,” says the founding couple whose assumptions were shattered, and a new vision engaged their young adult successors. • What is the next step? This is typically my closing question in the family meeting or coaching call. Making changes is really a series of small steps that create an extensive journey and adventure of planning for change. You might need to chat with yourself, your spouse, your accountant, your lender. After some soul-searching you might consider saying, “I love you son and am proud of you for standing with us all this time. Thanks for being here. I am ready to make transition plans for all of our benefit.” Buy a copy of Michael Pantalon’s book Instant Influence and let me know how you’ve gotten your folks to do something FAST on your farm. † Elaine Froese, certified coach, is a catalyst for courageous and safe conversations with farm family teams motivated to put agreements on paper. Buy her action guide Do the Tough Things Right at www.elainefroese.com. Call 1-866-848-8311 for coaching or speaking events. Email your success stories to elaine@ elainefroese.com. Elaine is a member of the Canadian Association of Farm Advisors. See her in action at www.smartfarmbc.ca/ succession-planning.

Garden Party Concrete labour of love Couple converts dairy barn to create successful concrete business BY VIVIAN NEMISH

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ural Saskatchewan has many individuals with entrepreneurial skills, and Tony and Bonnie Rudolph of rural Rosthern are among these gifted people. Garden Party Concrete was established 11 years ago when the couple weighed the options of diversifying their farm. A portion of the 70-year-old barn that once operated as a dairy facility was converted into a 4,000-square-foot working space used to manufacture decorative concrete garden accessories. “The idea of creating stepping stones was an adventure that evolved into a home-based business,” said Bonnie. The concrete is made according to Bonnie’s perfected recipe. Bagged cement is mixed with a pre-measured amount of water, cement gravel, fibreglass mesh, dyes and additives to produce quality concrete. The ingredients are measured into an industrial mixer for blending. The fibreglass mesh is used to bind the concrete and additives are used to produce a smooth finish. The concrete is dyed to provide a consistent colour throughout the entire piece. If the stone should be dropped and a piece chipped out, it would

not be as noticeable as if the surface had only been painted. Another option with the dye is to create tree wells and stones to match the colour theme of any garden or yard. Bonnie is proud that over the years she has developed a recipe to produce a more durable form of concrete — it’s not unbreakable, just more durable. Once the concrete is mixed, it is poured into moulds and placed on the vibrating table which gently shakes it, allowing the air bubbles to rise to the surface (which will actually be the bottom of the stone), leaving a smooth top when finished. The dyed concrete will set in the mould for three days before it is removed and set to cure for another 15 to 20 days. “Humidity plays an important role in the curing process,” says Bonnie. “The higher the humidity, the longer the curing process takes.” Large oscillating fans assist with air circulation. All the products are reinforced and Prairie-weather durable. The paint used is designed specifically for concrete and a sealer is used to enhance the product. Garden Party Concrete stock consists of hundreds of moulds of various sizes and designs and memorial stones and benches

continue to be popular items. Although the business began with production of decorative, patio and personalized stones it has since expanded to include lawn and garden concrete items, some of which are accentuated with wrought iron. Bonnie and Tony work effectively as a team — mixing, pouring and painting. They continue to attend shows across Canada, hauling 6,000 pounds of concrete and 2,000 pounds of iron per show. “The business has gone beyond our expectations,” says Bonnie, “and the biggest challenge lies within keeping the products new and interesting.” Garden Party Concrete is a unique business that displays great pride in promoting rural Saskatchewan. Bonnie even designed a stepping stone mould to celebrate the Prairies. People have been very supportive and appreciative of the work that goes into making a quality product that is durable, long lasting and capable of withstanding the elements of Prairie weather. Bonnie or Tony Rudolph can be reached at 1-306-2324770 or go online to www. gardenpartyconcrete.com to view their catalogue. † Vivian Nemish writes from Blaine Lake, Sask.

Tony and Bonnie Rudolph take pride in producing their quality products.

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Home Quarter Farm Life

Passing on hunting responsibilities In many Prairie families, hunting is a rite of passage hunts to eat and help to control the numbers of geese, etc. in the process. Hunting is a very necessary part of our ecosystem that is unfortunately losing public support. This is another reason why when our children showed an interest in hunting we supported their decision. By and large, wild meat is lower in fat and depending on what crops they have been grazing on, fairly chemical free. Whitetailed deer is a source of red meat that isn’t injected with hormone

DEBBIE CHIKOUSKY

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unting has always been a big part of our existence. One of the main reasons we decided to leave the city was so my husband could hunt at home. His dream was to be able to sit out in his own field and shoot supper. So, acreage and location decisions were based on affordability and white-tailed deer population. My husband remembers when his dad started taking him on hunting trips. For many Prairie men those hunting trips are their passage from child to man. The responsibility of feeding their families is passed on from father to son. On those trips the lessons on the responsibility of gun ownership were combined with the responsibility of the decision to take a life for food. Those lessons stay with them forever. The children remember when they were little and Grandpa would come and stay for a week at deer season. Chores had to be done an hour earlier so the men could get out to hunt in time for sunrise. That was the only time of the year that I didn’t have to argue with children to get them out the door before dawn. Then we would wait with anticipation for Daddy and Grandpa to come back home. If we heard a shot

Hunting is a big part of existence for the Chikouskys. we would wonder if it was from them. Our family loves deer liver. It is a once-a-year treat. I think deer have a sense of humour too. More than once we got calls from neighbours telling us that they had seen a big buck in our front yard in the middle of the afternoon while the men were eating and warming up. We never saw it though, but the hoofprints were there. I could imagine them looking in the windows laughing as they passed by. Then after days of waiting patiently, Grandpa or Daddy would come back early for a mealtime and the children knew that meant they had bagged an animal. For families that don’t hunt, I can assure you it is a bittersweet

moment. There is an adrenalin rush and huge excitement, but there is also the sombre reality that another of God’s creatures has given the ultimate sacrifice so that we can survive. So, when our children decided to take their hunter’s safety certificate it was my husband’s turn to pass on what his father had taught him, and his father before him, about the messy parts of hunting. They always said, after the shot is fired that is when the work starts. I have watched the two of them trudge through snow and bush for a whole day following blood trails because they didn’t get the quick kill. But it is the responsible hunter who finishes the job. It is also the responsible hunter who

For families that don’t hunt, I can assure you it is a bittersweet moment implants either. But, for the inexperienced palate wild meat can take some getting used to. There are a few tricks though. When we were first married, my mother-in-law told me to soak the meat in a salt, vinegar, water brine overnight before cooking it. I use enough water to cover the meat, 1/2 cup pickling salt and about 1/2 cup vinegar. If the meat floats, turn it over so it doesn’t get dry. This will successfully pull out extra blood that is in the meat, which is one reason it can have

a game flavour. Another complaint is that wild meat can be dry, due to its lack of fat, so wrapping it with bacon or any pork fat is helpful. My daughter isn’t crazy about Canada goose cooked whole but will eat it ground. I then use it for the same recipes I would use ground beef for. My son’s personal favourite is Goose Jerky. We use the same recipe for making Deer Jerky.

MARINADE FOR JERKY 1/2 c. soy sauce 2 tbsp. dry sherry 1 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 c. water 4 tbsp. sugar Slice meat in thin strips and make enough marinade to just cover it. Then let meat soak in the marinade for at least two hours; overnight in the fridge works well. Drain. Place strips in a single layer in dehydrator or on a cookie sheet and dehydrate at 150 F till crispy. Store in the fridge. We are all looking forward to deer in our freezer this winter. All the water in our area has been keeping our men from hunting and putting a lot of extra stress on the deer population for the last three years, but it is drier here. My son is starting to talk about good spots and my husband has been talking about getting the guns ready. It’s been awhile since we had a good feed of deer liver so I hope they are lucky. † Debbie Chikousky farms at Narcisse, Manitoba Email her at [email protected].

Dames on the Range Group provides authentic rural Alberta experience BY CHRISTALEE FROESE

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his is definitely “not our momma’s social club.” The slogan adopted by Alberta’s Dames on the Range is about as straightforward as they are — if you’re expecting to come out to rural Alberta for crumpets and tea, think again. What you’re more likely to be doing is fixing fence, driving cattle through the foothills of Alberta, collecting sage for tea or eating barbecued ribs by a campfire. “Our guests have an authentic experience when they come here — it’s much more of an in-depth experience because they get all of us.” When Debbie Webster refers to “all of us” she’s talking about the Dames on the Range, a marketing group that has formed in southwestern Alberta to promote what their rural businesses have to offer. Consisting of 14 members, from B & B owners, to ranchers, outfitters, naturalists, artisans and retailers, the Dames on the Range is a unique breed of cowgirl that not only knows how to ride a horse and rope a calf, but can host a crew of visitors from France, Australia and England. “Our dames walk the land, are familiar with the landscape, cel-

ebrate their heritage, honour their predecessors by preserving the landscape — I mean we know it, and we take an active role in identifying what is actually happening on our landscape.” Dame Ginny Donahue of Sierra West Cabins and Ranch Vacations, a working ranch near Lundbreck, Alberta, agrees that the women of

Debbie recalls one of those first guests exclaiming that she now understood what undisturbed native fescue rangeland was this group are a unique breed who take pride in living off the land and showing others what natural wonders lie in southern Alberta. “Rather than just a cowboy’s wife, I’m a dame on the range,” said Donahue. “A dame on the range entitles me to being something special, it’s a special kind of cowgirl.” The Dames on the Range organ-

ization was the brainchild of Webster, owner of Chimney Rock B & B, located west of Nanton, Alberta. She pitched the idea to a few associates in 2007 and by 2008, the dames launched their first tour, attracting a group of women for several days of horseback riding, wagon rides, campfire cookouts and living the life of an authentic Albertan cowgirl. Debbie recalls one of those first guests exclaiming that she now understood what undisturbed native fescue rangeland was, which Webster took as an enormous gift of praise. “If we want people to visit us and be advocates for looking after our landscape, they have to come here and understand how we’re managing it and how we’re preserving the largest tract of native fescue rangeland in the world.” While protecting the natural setting of the foothills is one mission of the Dames, entertaining guests from around the world is an equally important calling. With hundreds of visitors now booking holidays through the Dames on the Range website, this group of eager cowgirls has come up with travel packages that appeal to more than just women and are being geared towards families and groups. Donahue said working as a team allows the

Debbie Webster, the woman who had the idea for the Dames on the Range. Dames to offer a variety of activity options to each visitor during any given tour. “The biggest thing that has come from this is the awareness of women out in the rural areas who are in business and the partnerships we can form together. “It’s also all about cross-promoting and making the almighty buck go further.” Webster is the central booking agent for the 14 Dames on the Range, customizing packages to suit the needs of travellers and bringing in other dames, like cowboy poets, artists and performers, when needed. “I’ve realized there are a lot of us out there,” said Webster, a farm girl who became a career banker in Calgary before marrying Tony

Webster and becoming a Dame on the Range. “I can’t tell you how many women come up to us and say, ‘that’s so cool and fun’ and then they start telling me about themselves and I say, ‘you sound like you could be a dame on the range.’” While the official “Dames on the Range” have experiences to offer to visitors, Webster said the only prerequisite for being a true dame is that “you have done some living and you are eager to share those experiences with someone.” For more information on the Dames on the Range or to sign up for the “Not our momma’s social club” newsletter, visit www. damesontherange.ca or call (403) 646-0151. † Christalee Froese writes from Montmartre, Sask.

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Home Quarter Farm Life POSTCARDS FROM THE PRAIRIES

Not sure what to be for Halloween? If you’re looking for cheap and scary, please see Exhibit A JANITA VAN DE VELDE

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trust my family to do anything for me. If I’m hungry, they feed me, if I’m dirty, they clean me and if I’m sad, they hug me. It doesn’t get much better than that, does it? However, I can now with blinding certainty strike one task from the list. The day in question started like almost any other — innocuous and virginal in the blank slate that it offered. Let it be said that I had been toying with the idea of giving my one-year-old daughter a haircut for some time. The poor thing was born a hairy creature and she didn’t lose it like most babies. Rather, it continued to grow at an exponential rate. Lacking the ability (or desire) to push her hair out of her eyes, it was time I did something about it. Now I can do most things myself if I put my mind to it, however after a dozen or so wrestling matches with my son in an attempt to give him a haircut (cue images of steer wrestling, mixed martial art holds, Twister mats drenched in canola oil… all these images would work), I decided to enlist the help of an expert. In hindsight, the expert was a rather vociferous, self-proclaimed one — let it be said my sister holds no certification whatsoever in the arena of hairstyling. At any rate, she offered to help and that was good enough for me. So I packed up my daughter and we headed over to my sister’s place. I asked her to take off a few inches. To preface this story, my sister insists that I tell you what she heard was, “Make her look like Lloyd Christmas.” (If you’ve never watched the movie “Dumb and Dumber,” then give yourself a brain break and go rent it.) My job was to hold the video camera to capture the inaugural first haircut. The first order of business was to introduce the concept of bangs so as to eliminate stray hairs from getting into her eyes. I must admit, the first cut looked darling. My sister occupied my daughter with a cupcake and snipped just above her eyebrows, revealing the perfect arches on her adorable face. At this point, I remember being momentarily distracted by my nephew and I turned to film him for a bit. Mere seconds later, I turned the camera back to the stylist and her prey, and damn near dropped the camera. Me: “What the @#$% are you doing?” Sister: “I’m layering the bangs a little to thin them out.” Me: “What? You can’t do that to a girl! She looks like the victim of accidental electrocution.” Sister: “This is what I did for his” (waving scissors in general direction of her son). Me: “Yeah, but she’s not a boy. You can’t layer the top of the head to make it spike out. That only looks cute on a boy.” Sister: “Good point. @#$%. What do I do now?” Me: “Well, it looks ridiculous. I guess you’ll have to cut it all down to the shortest layer so at least there’s a chance of it lying in a straight line.”

Evil One: “Hmmm… I’ll see what I can do.” Now I’ve been told a picture paints a thousand words… see in blinding detail, Exhibit A the result of my sister’s “I’ll see what I can do.” I believe it’s called witchcraft. She was quick to point out that the wraparound fringe was completely unintentional, as was the upward skewing to the left. And that avocado my daughter’s holding in the photo? I believe she was intending to smash it on Auntie’s head, however, she lacked the strength and requisite fine motor skills to complete said task. We thought maybe it would look better if we wet it down; this resulted in the complete and utter destruction of two grown women, as we lay rolling on the bathroom floor, our collective blad-

ders releasing a little urine as they can no longer cope with this level of amusement. So if your friend asks you to go as Dumb and Dumber for Halloween this year, don’t bother fretting over who’s Dumb and who’s Dumber… that’ll work itself out in the wash. Just insist they go as Lloyd and you stick with Harry. † Janita Van de Velde grew up on a farm near Mariapolis, Man. She holds a bachelor of science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Manitoba, and has worked for a financial institution since graduating. She lives in Regina, Sask., with her husband Roddy and their children Jack, Isla and James. Her first novel, Postcards Never Written, was the recipient of the Saskatchewan Reader’s Choice Award and also listed by CBC as one of the top funny books in 2009. She donates a portion of proceeds from the sale of her book to World Vision to help those less fortunate. For more information, or to order her book, visit her website at www.janita.ca.

Exhibit A.

Something Special for the

Grainews

Lovers on your Christmas List...

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OCTOBER 17, 2011

Home Quarter Farm Life SINGING GARDENER

Onion-growing tips Maybe not everything you ever wanted to know — but still some good info TED MESEYTON

I

, Ted, have put away my Australian summer garden hat for the season and am back to wearing my Singing Gardener cap.

AN EMAIL FROM BIRCH HILLS, SASK., … got me to thinking about onions. It reminded me of days when I was a disc jockey and a 78 r.p.m. song I used to spin called: “Onions, You’ve Been Eating Onions.” So today — How about everything you ever wanted to know about growing onions and then some? Well not quite! That would take a book of many pages. I shall however, squeeze in as much info as possible on this Singing Gardener Grainews page. Subject: onions “I read your items in Grainews and get lots of input. I have had gardens for 50 years and never had trouble ’til last year with onion sets I grew. The tips started to brown then moved down the stem. The onions were OK stored, just smaller. I was wondering if it is a blight or too rich of soil. Everything else is fine.” From: J & L Arp.

THE ONION MAGGOT … may, or may not be responsible for aforesaid problem. However, it’s such a common pest I shall provide some insight. Onion maggots are the offspring of a small fly that lays eggs near the base of the plant or right on the onion bulb itself. Small maggots injure or kill the plant by burrowing into the neck end. This often causes green stems to prematurely brown. Adult maggots are legless, pearly white and about 1/2 inch long (or less) when fully grown. The pest tapers to

SUE ARMSTRONG

LOVE HEARING FROM YOU Do you have a story about a farm or home-based business? How about some household management tips? Does someone in the family have a special-diet need? Share some of your recipes and some meal ideas. Send them to FarmLife, 1666 Dublin Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba R3H 0H1. Phone 1-800665-0502 or email susan@ fbcpublishing.com. Please remember we can no longer return photos or material. — Sue

a point at the head. A single maggot is capable of weakening or killing many onion seedlings by also destroying underground roots. Several maggots will team up and gain entrance to a developing larger onion through the base and then burrow upward. Such destruction reduces size and quality of large bulbs, while onion sets and transplanted seedlings lose uniformity. White onions are more susceptible than yellow and red ones; but none are totally immune.

PEST CONTROL SUGGESTIONS Try mixing some sand and wood ashes together about 50/50 and applying it to soil surface around onion plants. Sometimes, I also like to stir in a trowel full of used coffee grounds as well. Or, get diatomaceous earth from your garden centre or animal feed supplier and sprinkle on soil surface around onion plants. Alternatively, I recommend organic gardeners try Insect Stop natural dusting powder or Reemay row cover, also called Frost Blanket. The lightweight, transparent, porous material is draped over onions and cole crops, providing protection from insect pests and frost. (See my Oct. 3-11 Grainews column for source of Reemay and Insect Stop.) One of the best suggestions for home gardeners lies in the manner of planting. Avoid growing onions in rows. This only serves to help maggots travel from root to root. Instead, scatter onion plantings throughout the entire garden and keep them well spaced. This in itself will starve out many maggots.

ONION THRIPS AND WAYS TO TRIP THEM UP They are very tiny, extremely active brown insects with wings. The larval form is a wingless version that’s even smaller and can barely be seen with the naked eye. As they feed on onion leaves, the larvae cause plant tissue to collapse and wither. A sign of feeding thrips is whitish blotches that run together forming silvery areas. Heavily infested onion plants become stunted, the leaves are bleached and die back from the tips and necks grow abnormally thick, while bulbs fail to develop to their full potential. Injury is at its worst during hot, dry summers, such as we experienced this past season in many areas of Canada. Grow onion sets separate and apart from groups of larger onions, since thrips will migrate. A spray or dusting of rotenone powder available at garden centres will usually provide a good measure of control. However, several applications about five to seven days apart may be required, as this product breaks down quickly. Apply rotenone in the evening when bees are least active.

On a side note! I’ve dusted cattle louse powder containing rotenone on lilies and around the base of lily plants to control lily leaf beetles. This catches any adult beetles I’ve missed after hand-picking and terminates their grubs. Other onion challenges include wireworms that attack the tiny rootlets. There can also be issues such as neck rot, pink root, smut and fungal diseases including damping off and downy mildew. Fusarium basal rot (also a fungal disease) first shows up as yellowing leaf tips which die back as the season progresses. Roots rot off underground and white mould appears. Onion maggots referred to earlier can spread this disease. A four-year crop rotation program, lighter soil, raised beds and growing diseaseresistant varieties will help. Keep in mind it’s difficult to overfertilize onions. They like a lot of nutrients and are never known to refuse a liquid feeding of seaweed extract diluted in water according to label directions. Especially beneficial is plenty of compost and rotted or dried cattle manure that’s spread two or three inches away from the bulbs. Work it in as they grow. Do this more often in sandy or lighter soil, but stop feeding once tops start to fall over. Be diligent about watering. Don’t allow soil around shallow roots to dry out during bulb formation. Dry soil may cause a bulb to split and form into two onions. You can assist onions to increase in size by pulling away some of the soil along the side edges. Leave just the bottom third of the bulb in the ground. The downside is the tops of bulbs can get sunburned during continuous sunny, hot weather. Exposed areas of the bulb can be left with greenish parts and a stronger onion taste.

AN OLD RUSSIAN EXPRESSION … translated into English says: The onion is used against seven illnesses, but onion peels can be used against 77 illnesses. Research says the benefit is found in a special effective form of quercetin crystals located in onion peels. Decades, even generations ago, people who lived off the land were very inventive. Indeed they had to be; often for survival. As a result, very little was wasted.

ONIONS BELONG … to the plant genus Allium and are related to garlic, chives, leeks and numerous other cousins. All of these absorb sulphur from the earth and form a class of volatile organic molecules called amino acid sulfoxides that are responsible for bringing tears to the eyes when cutting into onions. Supposedly, the more you peel onions, endure

PHOTO: TED MESEYTON

These Sunnyside Sweet Spanish onions were grown by Enda Murray from transplanted seedlings that were first started indoors. The bulbs are mild flavoured, have sweet flesh and are good keepers. It’s critical onion necks are completely dried before storage and kept free from moisture. By the way — Enda is an Irish boy’s name and is said to suggest or mean: birdlike or freedom of spirit. their sting and cook with them; the less they’ll affect you over time. Meantime, other options are to chop an onion beneath water, turn on the kitchen fan while cutting onions to scatter the sulphur compounds, wear eye-protecting goggles, or chill onions first in the freezer. After handling onions, dot your fingers and palms with lemon juice or vinegar to help neutralize the lingering odour. Before I tell you about some health benefits and home remedies attributed to onion skins and peels, readers are reminded that I am not a doctor and do not diagnose nor prescribe. Seek the guidance of your healthcare professional appropriate to any condition. Recipes that follow are derived from folklore sources and grandmother’s old-time kitchen. Results may vary and there are no guarantees, but some of you may well think twice before chucking out onion peels. Rinse the outside of whole onions before peeling off skins. Discard any mouldy or spoiled sections.

ONION PEEL REMEDIES For a dry cough, simmer 2 tablespoons of crumpled, dry skins or fresh onion peel in 2 cups of water for a few minutes. Remove from heat and let the brew cool, then strain. Drink 1/4 cup of warm onion tea three times daily, before meals. You also can use garlic and onion peel half ’n’ half for brewing tea. This is said to be an effective home treatment against psoriasis. A cup of onion peel “tea” taken daily is a reputed old remedy against hypertension to help lower blood pressure. Tea from onion peels may also tone cardiac activity, boost immune system, and reduce muscle spasms. Those who experience nighttime leg muscle cramps

might consider sipping a cup of onion peel tea early in the evening before going to bed. A good night’s sleep is usually certain to follow. Mix equal amounts of onion juice and honey and take three to four teaspoons of this mixture daily for respiratory issues. It helps liquefy mucus and prevents its further formation. Onion juice and honey is also one of the best preventive potions against the common cold. For rhinitis, hay fever, itching, sneezing, seasonal allergies or dripping nose of any nature, put 4 tablespoons of chopped onion skins in a pot of boiling water. Cover the head with a towel and inhale the onion vapours for three to five minutes. Always be extremely careful when using boiling water. Any way you look at it, onions are a health-promoting, dynamic bulb. † This is Ted Meseyton the Singing Gardener and Grow-It Poet from “The Happening City” of Portage la Prairie, Man. An old Dutch proverb says sickness comes on horseback but departs on foot. Want to slow down the horse and speed up wellness? Keep healthy by leaving footprints in the garden! Rely on your own ability to grow onions, garlic, tomatoes and other veggies and fruit as part of your lifelong regimen. My email address is [email protected].

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