No-till farming Archives - Manitoba Co-operator

Oleksandr Shevchuk continues to invest in building a logistical infrastructure to farm 14,800 acres in central Ukraine.

Ukraine farmer soldiers on

By Ihor Pavliuk August 25, 2022

Contrary to my pessimistic expectations, Ukrainian farmers somehow manage to survive. They harvest and sow winter crops, and some even buy new machinery. Of course, for most farmers, things are not going very well but these people manage to adapt to the most difficult conditions of the war. In particular, I can say this about my current subject,

Editorial, Farmit Manitoba, Op/Ed, Other

Editor’s Take: Charting a different path for Canadian ag

By Gord Gilmour December 12, 2019

The National Farmers Union used its 50th annual convention to release a major discussion paper that charts a new path for agriculture. There are a lot of details, but it makes the case that farmers have committed to a form of high-input agriculture that can be environmentally harmful and economically risky. The document’s key conclusion

Robert (Bob) McNabb, with wife Elaine, was inducted into the Canadian Conservation  Hall of Fame on November 13.

Farmit Manitoba, Local news, News, Other

Manitoba zero-till pioneer inducted into conservation hall of fame

Robert (Bob) McNabb called for greater passion for soil, aligning profit with ecology

By Geralyn Wichers November 27, 2019

Manitoba farmer Robert (Bob) McNabb called for greater passion for soil as he was inducted into the Canadian Conservation Hall of Fame in Winnipeg, November 13. In his acceptance address, McNabb called on those gathered to approach soil conservation with the same passion as teenage, Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg. “If we could get on

Ryan Pritchard and Yvonne Lawley point out the features of his strip tiller, which Pritchard modified himself.

Farmit Manitoba, Other

Soil is complicated… so are people

Soil Council of Canada's summit on soil health explored diverse issues of soil health across Canada and how to win people to the cause

By Geralyn Wichers October 11, 2019

It used to take six or seven passes over Ryan Pritchard’s fields to get them ready for spring — harrow, cultivate, harrow, deep till, fertilize. Pritchard, who works full time off farm, was looking for a way to save time. “Can’t go no till. It’s too cold a climate,” he told a tour group during

People climb a dike formed by wind soil erosion during a field tour at the Global Forum on Soil Stewardship.

Farmit Manitoba, Local news

Soil degradation a costly global issue

About a third of the world’s soil is degraded, which has economic and food security implications

By Geralyn Wichers August 12, 2019

When Prairie-dwellers think of soil erosion, they may think of iconic photos from the Dirty ’30s: towering clouds of black soil blowing across desolate land, teacups turned upside down against drifting grit. But as Francis Zvomuya told the classroom of farmers and agronomists at the Global Forum on Soil Stewardship, soil degradation is far from

Farmers, agronomists, and people with an interest in global soil health met in Carman July 25 and 26 to discuss the challenges of protecting soil.

Farmit Manitoba, Local news

Carman event serves up common ground on soil health practices

Canadian and African agronomists shared perspectives on conservation agriculture at a recent Canadian Foodgrains Bank forum

By Geralyn Wichers August 7, 2019

Jocelyn Velestuk stood in front of the research station classroom filled with people and confessed to an addiction of sorts. “I am obsessed with soil,” the Saskatchewan farmer and agronomist told her audience. “I even had a mud-themed birthday party when I was young,” she said in a later interview. “The first soil science class

Clayton Robins is among the few farmers happy about the state of his pastures and hay crops, something he partly credits to his pasture management and integration of alternative grazing on annuals. His take on cover crops has earned him a place in the CFGA’s national carbon sequestration project.

Crops, Forages

Manitoba forage growers tapped for carbon project

The national project is the next step toward the CFGA’s goal of having farmers paid for storing carbon

By Alexis Stockford August 6, 2019

Five Manitoba farmers are helping the Canadian Forage and Grassland Association (CFGA) put a value on carbon storage. Ryan Canart of Miniota, Allan Preston of Hamiota, Matt Van Steelandt of Melita, Jonathan Bouw of Anola and Clayton Robins of Rivers are all recognizable names on the grazing, soil health or regenerative agriculture field tour circuits

Comment, Opinion

Comment: Can we bring back our soil?

The Soil Conservation Council of Canada is calling for a united effort from the farming community, government and agriculture industry to make soil health a priority

By Cassandra Cotton, Paul Thoroughgood April 30, 2019

If soil health isn’t top of mind for you, it should be. Canada has some of the world’s most viable and productive farmland. This farmland is where you make your living. It sustains our rural communities. It grows our food. While Canada is a world leader in improving our soils, further steps are necessary to

Yvonne Lawley (l) presenting tillage research to growers at a field meeting last summer.

Crops, Oilseeds

Soybeans raise tillage issues

As the low-residue crop creeps into new areas, new techniques are needed

By Gord Gilmour April 16, 2018

Agriculture researcher Yvonne Lawley doesn’t want Manitoba farmers to rethink soybeans — she wants them to consider techniques to incorporate them into their production system more safely. The University of Manitoba professor says the crop’s earned a reputation as a soil buster, and at times that’s warranted. But they also bring a lot to the

A combination of snow covered in dirt is colloquially known as “snirt” and it’s a common sight around Manitoba this year, including here, east of Winkler.

Crops, Local news

Erosion lessons learned… and forgotten

The dust-covered snow of this winter suggests there’s a soil erosion  problem brewing, MSSS speaker says

By Allan Dawson February 8, 2018

Disappearing shelterbelts and blackened fields have some wondering if the soil conservation lessons learned during the ‘Dirty ’30s’ dust bowl are being forgotten. “From the edge of Fargo to the edge of Winnipeg I did not see one flake of white snow on my way up yesterday (Jan. 31),” Daryl Ritchison, interim director of the

Daily Network News

Canadian alpacas impress American judge at Agribition

U.S. grains: Chicago grains firm as traders gauge China purchases

U.S. livestock: Futures rally ahead of U.S. Thanksgiving

Tag Archives No-till farming