There’s no debating the beauty of a canola field in bloom, but it’s possible to have a more scientific debate about canola flowers. Such as, how many yellow flowers are there, in a canola field that’s one section in size?
On the morning of July 14, the fields of northeastern Saskatchewan looked like a magazine advertisement for Canada’s canola industry.
The iconic Prairie scene – of bright-yellow canola flowers, blue skies and cumulus clouds on the horizon – convinced several drivers on Highway 16 to stop their vehicles and snap a photo with their phone.
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The canola blooms seemed endless. They extended miles to the south and north of the highway, stretching to the shores of the Quill Lakes. However, with help from a former Canola Council of Canada agronomist, the Western Producer was able to estimate the number of canola flowers in a 640 acre field.
While at the Ag in Motion outdoor farm show near Langham, Sask., the Western Producer asked visitors to guess the number of flowers.
We gave them four options:
A) 1.4 billion
B) 4 billion
C) 14 billion
D) 24 billion
Here are some of their responses:
- Kelly a farmer from Hagen, Sask., estimated 24 billion flowers
- Tanya Craddock, executive director of Sask Soil. After making some notes and mulling the question for 15 seconds, Tanya also guessed 24 billion
- Paul, who is from the University of Saskatchewan and was standing next to a soil pit, estimated 24 billion
- His U of S colleague, Mark, pegged the number at 14 billion
- Kaiden Bursaw, from Warman, Sask., was working at the Brett Young Seeds booth at AIM. Kaiden estimated four billion
- Ewan Best from Cooks Creek, Man., also with Brett Young, picked 14 billion flowers
- Bruce Burnett, the weather and markets analyst with Glacier Farm Media, picked 24 billion
- And finally, Lisa Koladich, who is from Fort Saskatchewan, Alta. and works for Nutrien, took her time before guessing.
“My mind is racing on the nutrients and herbicide applications…. I overthink everything. I’m going to go with 14 billion,” Lisa said.
The overthinking paid off, as Lisa is correct.
The estimate of 14 billion came from the following assumptions and facts.
Justine Cornelsen, former Canola Council agronomist, counted 120 blooms on some canola plants in central Saskatchewan.
In a year with good growing conditions, we assumed that a canola plant has 100 blooms.
Assuming healthy emergence in spring, we estimated five plants per sq. ft.
So, that’s 500 canola flowers per sq. foot and 43,560 sq. feet in an acre.
Then, multiply that number by 640 acres, which equates to 13.9 billion flowers in one section of canola.
