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The Rural Voice, 1982-12, Page 38FARM They told us if they had to pull beans to grow they wouldn't grow beans. They seemed to have a less hurried approach to farming - possibly due to some of their drier weather. We stopped at the Howe family farm. They were the fourth generation on that farm, originally coming from Manitoba. They farmed about 4,000 acres. The other crops they grew were soybeans, wheat, sugar beets, and up until recently, sunflowers. They had been growing white beans since the early 70's. The fewest beans they grew was 80 acres. One year they grew 700 acres. Their average yields went from 400 lbs. one dry year to 2300 lbs./acre, their best year. It appeared as if sugar beets were their most profitable crop and they were only growing white beans because of the economics. They were not dedicated bean growers and would grow pintos or any other crop that looked like it had the potential. They tended to switch crops more freely than Ontario farmers. They did not use atrazine so their crop options were left open. They used very little nitrogen, phosphorous or potash on their beans. They liked to plant their white beans after sugar beets and use the residual fertilizer. However, they did use zinc on their beans as did all the other growers we talked to. We asked the researchers at Dakota State University about the use of zinc. They said it was a common practice, but they could not document a need or response for this zinc. When asked why so many farmers used zinc, the comment was - "real good micronutrient salesmen". Their herbicide programs included Treflan and Amiben tank mixes and follow ups with Basagran. (Patoran or Afesin are not sold in this bean growing area.) When we looked at their bean plants they had impressive root systems. Big, sturdy and free of root rot. The growers were quite concerned about diseases. This area used to grow a lot of sunflowers until white mould became a problem. Now there are virtually no sunflowers in this bean area. The concentrated sunflower production made ideal conditions for the spread of white mould. The big growers in this area are concerned that a big bean acreage could cause an outbreak of a bean disease. They are especially concerned about white mould. They do have some rust problems. Their breeders are putting emphasis on developing varieties with rust and blight tolerances. The varieties that they grew are longer season than Seafarer. They grow some PG. 38 THE RURAL VOICE/DECEMBER 1982 ADVICE Fleetwood and some of a variety called Upland. They are looking at some new varieties that originated from the Camp- bells Company in the U.S. These are C-20, C-12 and C-11. The different varieties have different maturities, but all tend to stand upright. One of them appeared to have the maturity of Sea- farer. 1 was awed by the way one person dictated the bean acreage. For instance, one private company had contracted 40,000 acres. These contracts were attrac- tive to the growers because of contract price that was set in late winter. In effect the farmers were growing crops based on one or two men's prediction on bean prices at harvest. (I suggest that one or two people there had too big an influence on the crops that were grown.) Their advance contract system will lead to large year to year fluctuations in white bean acreage in that area. I doubt if these growers will change their acreage in small increments as we do in Ontario. This one fact will make the world white bean markets more volatile from year to year. I can't summarize all the things I saw in one short press release, but I sure had my eyes opened. I think the farmers in this area may have become complacent in white bean production techniques. You have gone after soybean production and are now growing them in a manner that would have been unthought of 10 years ago by the traditional soybean growers. However, in the same time we have not changed our thinking about white bean production. We have to look seriously at - 1) growing white beans in narrow rows. In North Dakota and Minnesota their nar- row row beans seemed to stand more upright, even Fleetwood did not flop over if it was in narrow rows. 2) Direct combining white beans - in the area we visited they were talking about 1-2% harvest loss by direct combining. 3) Growing other edible bean types, more coloured beans. 1 know a lot of you got burnt on kidney beans in 1981, but there were reasons. We have to build up our expertise in growing coloured beans so we can change acres among edible bean types. There is more demand for coloured beans than white beans. 4) Our use of Patoran and Afesin. North Dakota, Minnesota, Michigan and California don't use these products. They may be causing us problems (uneven maturity) which narrow rows and post emergent herbicides can overcome. 5) We have to continue as top priority breeding tole- rance to root rot. It is one of the few things that we can breed that will be of no concern to the growers of Minnesota or North Dakota. Contact the Purina dealer nearest you: Wright's Feed Service R.R.3, Ailsa Craig 293-3170 Dublin Feed Mill Ltd. Dublin 345-2330 Fischer Feeder Service R.R. 3, Mitchell 348-8725 Nichols & Ross Farm Service St. Marys 284-2333 Milton J. Dietz Ltd R.R. 3, Seaforth 527-0608 Morgan Bros. R.R. 1, Hensall 235-1487 Perth County Farm Supplies Milverton 595-8905 Millbank 595-8911 Brunner 595-8251 Lucknow Farm Supply Lucknow 528-2331 Ryan Drying Ltd. Walton Brussels Seaforth 887-9261 527-0527 Twin County Feeds Owen Sound 376-4213 Tara 934-3122 Oehm's Hardware Clifford 327-8397 I*I