HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1990-01-03, Page 13System key to conservation
the
new
the
out.
The season for tire kicking is in
full force. The crop is in and
prospective buyers are out viewing
what is new in the equipment
lineups.
A popular item this year will
again be conservation tillage equip
ment. With the trend (and grant
programs) swinging towards leav
ing residue on the soil surface,
more neighbours are considering
adopting conservation tillage. Un
fortunately questions asked are still
limited to what kind of hp/ft do I
need to pull this, how deep can it
go and of all things what colour is
it.
Some of these may need to be
answered but, simply put, purchas
ing a piece of iron will not make you
a conservation farmer. It may even
turn you off adopting a conserva
tion system.
SYSTEM is the key word. Equip
ment available today makes
move toward adopting a
system easy if the rest of
package has been thought
Before you start kicking tires,
consider the following questions.
1) What is the problem you are
trying to solve?
2) is the solution realistic?
Many people are bent on adopt
ing extreme conservation measures
to solve minor problems. If you
have a \yind erosion problem on
two per cent of your land, lopk into
a tree windbreak before a No-Till
system. It will be less costly,..more
efficient and require the least
amount of change.
If you have decided that you
need conservation tillage, then
examine each of the following as it
pertains to your situation. Thor
ough examination of each part will
lead you towards the system best
suited to your land.
Drainage - The need for drainage
increases as the degree of soil
inversion decreases. This is a major
reason why it is more difficult to
adopt a No-Till system on poorly
drained clays.
Rotation - Rotation is necessary
regardless of which system is
chosen. The idea of reducing tillage
to delay a rotation is false. In 1988
starting you
weeds have
your present
and 1989 a 20 per cent reduction in
yield was obtained where corn after
corn was grown as opposed to corn
after beans. It is probably due to a
combination of improved soil struc
ture and a break in the insect and
disease cycles.
Fertility - With the more extreme
conservation measures involving
less soil disturbance, soil fertility
levels should be in the moderate to
high range prior to trying the
system. If levels are low, adjust
them while in a more conventional
system.
Nitrogen management is a criti
cal component of a high residue
cropping system. If possible all
Nitrogen should be injected under
the surface residue. Starter fertili
zers should be considered in a
conservation system.
Weeds - Prior to
should know which
been a problem in
system. This will help in develop
ing a strategy for next season. A
shift in weed population will occur
as tillage is reduced. In No-Till we
see an increase in perennials.
The new weed strategy must
make optimum use of existing
methods. Timing of applications is
most critical. Red Clover and
Alfalfa are major weed problems
when not properly dealt with. In
the No-Till system these should be
dealt with in the fall.
Residue - Select a system which
leaves enough residue to control
existing erosion problems, but not
so much as to interfere with your
cropping system. In the instance of
chisel plowing it is great to see field
swith seventy per cent residue in
the fall but a shame to see them
plowed in the spring because your
cultivator and drill could only
handle thirty per cent.
A good place to start in the
equipment game is to make sure
the combine is set up to spread all
crop residue the full width of the
header. This will minimize a lot of
the problems associated with
equipment plug ups and uneven
field drying at time of tillage or
planting.
Cover Crop - Cover crop selec
tion should be very
thought out. Evaluate -
need it, and if there
ramifications to the next crop.
Also, you may require a special
treatment of either tillage or spray
to control it in the spring.
Varieties - Varietal selection is a
final consideration. Added early
plant stress associated with No-Till
requires the selection of hybrids
with early stress tolerance and
good seedling vigour. This will
require on-farm trials. In 1988
trials run at Murray Lobb’s reveal
ed that the top three hybrids on
conventional land were not the
same as the top three on the
No-Till.
Ontario Maple
Syrup Prod.
announce
reg. meetings
Ontario Maple Syrup Producer’s
Association president, Bill Robin
son, RR 2, Auburn, has announced
local regional maple syrup pro
ducer information meetings as
follows: January 9, Saugeen Con
servation Authority, Hanover; Jan
uary 10, Greenhills Golf Club,
Lambeth; January 11, St. Jacobs
Community Centre.
All meetings will commence at
10:00 a.m. and conclude at 3:30
p.m.
Current issues including all the
latest in production technology will
be featured in discussions with
John Butler, Ontario Maple Syrup
Specialist and Clarence Coons,
Agroforestry Co-ordinator.
Maple syrup producers will be
asked to consider possibilities for a
container levy as a means of
providing support to the Associa
tion.
carefully
why you
are any
THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 3, 1990. PAGE 13.
watch
w El
While shepherds
When you’rea shepherd you have time to ponder things as this
youngster at theHullett Central School concert did. The concert
was held Dec. 22.
Letter to the Editor
THE EDITOR,
It is with pleasure that we send
our subscription renewal. We look
forward to our Citizen each week
(although we are usually a week
late getting it). It is a super way to
keep up with all the home news.
After being away from Brussels
since I960 it is always a joy to see
pictures and names we still know.
Thank you for a job well done.
Merry Christmas to all and the Best
for 1990.
Brian and Sheila Prescott
RR 1, Plantagenet, Ont.
Jill
ZILLIAX
INTRODUCES
S4 TELLITE
SYSTEMS
COMPLETE WITH THE #1
INTEGRATER RECEIVER
DESCRAMBLER ON THE
MARKET...
THE
TRX-100 BY TOSHIBA
...COMPLIMENT YOUR
SATELLITE DISH WITH THE
\AMITSUBISHr
\a/N \ CS-3120C
W 1 33” DIRECT VIEW
\ REMOTE
\ TELEVISION
\ ... YOURS EXCL USIVEL Y
a C- \ FROM ZILLIAX!
TOSHIBA 7 ■
WfUi:( >X4X< iwr/y.’
Introducing TRX-100 ■ Toshiba’s C/Ku full-compatible stereo satellite receiver with a VideoC/pher*
II descrambler module, an automatic antenna controller and actuator power drive circuit built-ini
Besides being technologically advanced, TRX-100 is truly consumer oriented, not only with its all-
in-one design and ease of use with full-function wireless remote control, but also with the striking
new “Image Magic" LCD panel which adds more "fun" to satellite reception. TRX-100 - a new-
generation satellite receiver for those who wish to encounter the difference
K
‘A
1
ON DISPLAY IN OUR 1
GODERICH
LOCATION HWY. #21 S.
524-4334
(LISTOWEL 291-1461)
ZILLIAX
FURNITURE & APPLIANCES I
ZILLIAX