Local news & Farming Articles - Manitoba Co-operator

Dry conditions saw many Manitoba producers harvesting canola ahead of schedule this year.

Was this year actually wetter than last year?

Both this year and last year have been dry, but this year might actually be the wetter of the two, going by numbers alone

By Alexis Stockford September 7, 2018

Manitoba’s fields have had their feet to the fire this year as the province suffers through its second consecutive dry growing season — but Manitoba Agriculture data says this year might have actually been the wetter of the two. Timi Ojo, meteorology specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, says more rain fell from May to late August

Damage to canola from frost is dependent on the seed moisture content and the time of the frost.

Crops, Local news, Weather

Assessing frost damage on crops

Fall frost information bulletin from Manitoba Agriculture

By Manitoba Agriculture September 6, 2018

If frost does occur, the information below will give you some details to help assess any potential impact to crop yield and quality. The full impact of frost will not be obvious immediately. Several warm days may be required for the extent of leaf and crop damage to be evident. The magnitude of frost injury

Manitoba Agriculture pulse crop specialist Dennis Lange, seen here assessing soybean maturity Sept. 14, 2017 at the Morden Research and Development Centre, estimates soybean crops are maturing about two weeks earlier than last year due to the dry and hot growing conditions most of the summer.

Crops, Local news

Manitoba soybean maturity two weeks earlier than normal

Dry, hot weather has resulted in more salinity in some fields hurting soybean yields

By Allan Dawson September 6, 2018

Dennis Lange started rating various soybean varieties for maturity Aug. 20 and the same day he heard some soybeans were harvested near Roland. “On average I would say we’re about two weeks earlier than normal based on when I normally start maturity ratings in the plots,” Lange, Manitoba Agriculture’s pulse crop specialist, said in an

Terry Buss, Manitoba Agriculture’s farm production extension specialist for pulses, explained dicamba drift on susceptible soybeans last year at the Crop Diagnostic School at Carman, Man.

Crops, Local news

Dicamba drift not a problem in Manitoba this year

There are many ways to mitigate drift, but using the right spray nozzles is one of the most critical

By Allan Dawson September 6, 2018

For the second straight year dicamba drift, which has damaged millions of acres of crops in the United States, hasn’t been much of a problem in Manitoba, officials say. While there’s pressure to further regulate the broadleaf weed killer in the U.S., that’s not the case in Canada. “We’re aren’t seeing an awful lot of

Country Crossroads, Local news, Other

Create safe play areas on your farm

By Manitoba Farm Safety September 5, 2018

Especially during harvest, there is equipment moving around the farm constantly. Children may perceive the farm as a gigantic playground if they are not given clear rules to follow about safe play areas. Clarity and consistency are key. Little ones do not always recognize or understand dangers even if they have been explained before, and

This photo of Brandon in 1912 reveals many details about the early economy of the Wheat City.

Country Crossroads, Local news, Other

The Maple Leaf Flour Mill in Brandon

There were many early mills in Manitoba, but they didn’t last

By Alex Campbell September 5, 2018

One of the photos in the Manitoba Agricultural Museum’s photo collection is a 1912 view of Pacific Avenue in Brandon, looking to the east. It appears to have been taken off the roof of the International Harvester Corporation (IHC) warehouse which still stands at the northeast quadrant of the intersection of 18th Street and Pacific

Crop Report, Local news, Weather

Premature ripening in crops, spring cereals see better than expected yields

Manitoba Crop Report and Crop Weather report for September 4

By Manitoba Agriculture September 4, 2018

Southwest Region Another dry and windy week let producers continue with harvest. Sunday evening brought thunderstorms throughout the region, with high winds, heavy rains and some areas reporting hail. Crop damage from the Sunday storm was variable with some hail damage In Birtle/ Beulah and Strathclair areas. Severity depended on duration of event. Heavy winds

It’s ok to start swathing after a frost if most or all of your canola seed is already mature.

Local news, Oilseeds, Weather

Frost hits canola. Do I swath?

Consider these scenarios in the event of a frost on your canola

By Canola Watch September 4, 2018

With fall coming on strong and frost risk climbing, many canola growers are wondering what to do with standing canola. The Canola Council of Canada’s CanolaWatch has the following recommendations for before and after a frost. For canola that you’ll be swathing If frost is forecast, should you swath canola now or leave it standing?

Rains early this week are too late to change the outlook for this year’s crop, but farmers will be looking for more to  help pastures, dugouts and soil moisture levels recover  for next year.

Local news, News, Weather

Tiptoeing around the dreaded ‘D’ word

The word ‘drought’ is being tossed around in Manitoba’s agriculture industry, but the province isn’t ready to go there just yet

By Alexis Stockford September 1, 2018

Most of Manitoba is dry for the second year running, but is it a drought? The term fits, according to AAFC. The agency’s national drought monitor says most of eastern Manitoba and the Interlake is in moderate or severe drought, along with land stretching through southern Manitoba from the Ontario border and well into Westman.

Crystal City’s skyline was in flames Aug. 20 when fire took a grain elevator and spread to a local hardware store. Locals who came to combat the flames say efforts were hindered by lack of cellphone coverage.

Local news, News

Communications breakdown

In the wake of last week’s fire, Crystal City residents have joined the rural Manitobans  taking cellphone companies to task for what they say is subpar coverage

By Alexis Stockford August 30, 2018

Crystal City residents say that poor cell coverage compounded the crisis caused by a fire last week. That’s when fire erupted from the top of the local grain elevator, spewing ash and embers into the air, razing the elevator to the ground and setting a hardware store ablaze. “I heard of one firefighter who was

Daily Network News

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Local news