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Home My WebLink AboutThe Citizen, 1989-05-17, Page 31THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 1989. PAGE 31. Huron grows top crop of farm census statistics BY LISA BOONSTOPPEL Huron County soars in chicken production and has a deep-rooted first place hold in many field crops reveals a Farm Structure Data report compiled from the Statistic Canada 1986 Census. With over 3,416 farms covering 714,610 acres, Huron has the most farms out of the census which includes the 10 counties that make up Southwestern Ontario: Bruce, Elgin, Essex, Grey, Huron, Kent, Lambton, Middlesex, Oxford and Perth. The highest total of agriculture products sold in Southwestern Ontario was achieved by Huron. In 1985, Huron sold $365,848,087 worth of agriculture products. This made up 14 per cent of the $2,598,206,981 of agriculture pro ducts sold in all of Southwestern Ontario. Huron holds the top place in many field crops. Huron has 65,584 acres of wheat, 48,899 acres of barley, 32,682 acres of silage com, 74 acres of dry field beans and 51,501 acres of white beans. Huron has a strong hold in second place with 9,818 acres of canola and 1,109 acres of flaxseed. Huron places third in mixed grains (38,706 acres), grain com (161,187 acres), and green peas (1,391 acres). Livestock production in Huron slides in comparison to crop pro duction. However Huron is first in chicken production with 9,356,749 birds in 1985. With 2,900,810 hens and chickens, Huron flies over second place Middlesex county who have 1,821,580 hens and chickens. Four-legged livestock aren’t as plentiful as chickens but Huron has 33,423 slaughter or feeder heifers, 39,041 steers, 1,465 goats and 363,698 pigs. Huron places second with these livestock numbers. There are 19,583 dairy cows and 9,824 dairy heifers giving Huron the third most dairy cattle. Oxford and Perth counties squeezed the top places in dairy cattle with over 31,000 head of dairy cows and over 15,000 head in dairy heifers. Huron takes third place in the number of bulls (7,086), beef cows (13,306), beef heifers (2,179), rab bits (5,303), and sheep and lambs (9,404). Grey county hopped to the top in rabbit and beef numbers. In farmland characteristics, Huron had 609,602 acres of im proved farm land. Improved land is area under crops, improved pas ture, summer fallow and other improved land (barnyards, home gardens, greenhouses and lanes). In the Census, farms were also classified by sales. These are the statistics of farm sales on the 3416 farms; farms; farms; farms; farms; 509 567 689 Huron farms who reported: under $2500,150 farms; $2500-$4999, 136 farms; $5000-$9999, 201 * $10,000-$24,999, $25,000-$49,999, $50,000-$99,999, $100,000-$240,999, 867 $250,000-$499,999, 215 farms and over $500,000, there are 82 farms. In farm size, these are the statistics for the 3,416 farms: under three acres, 91 farms; three-nine acres, 138 farms; 10-69 acres, 462 farms; 70-129 acres, 732 farms; 130-179 acres, 478 farms; 180-239 acres, 502 farms; 240-399 acres, 628 farms; 400-599 acres, 204 farms; 560-759 acres, 93 farms; 760-1119 acres, 54 farms; 1120- 1599 acres, 24 farms and 1600 acres and over, 10 farms. On all these different farms, there are farm operators. The report reveals that there are 88 Tips on soybean production Continued from page 30 third year soybeans, no inoculant is required. HERBICIDES Whether you use a pre-plant incorporated spray or pre-emerge herbicides, you may have some early weed escapes due to weather or soil conditions. Watch your fields closely. If you see those little annual grasses or broadleaf weeds coming, don’t wait for them to die - they probably won’t. A pass or two with a light harrow or rotary hoe will lift those little weeds out and help put the herbicide in position to work. If you wait, your options are going to be costly. Some producers routinely rotary hoe after seven days if no rain is received. In considering your herbicide options, besides weeds controlled and product price, check to see if there are limitations as to soil PH and soil organic matter or variety of soybeans grown. Remember that if twitch grass is a problem, a good com crop is better than a weedy soybean crop. EQUIPMENT Research has shown the value of narrow rows of soybeans - particu larly with the early varieties we’re growing in this area. However, if farmers under 25, 271 farmers under 29, 393 farmers under 34, 401 farmers under 39, 387 farmers under 44, 377 farmers under 49, 371 farmers under 54, 395 farmers under 59, 333 farmers under 64, 201 farmers under 69 and 199 your choice is between an older seed drill with inexact depth con trol or a 30” (or narrower) corn planter, I’d say to use the com planter. Uniformity of planting depth and emergence is more critical than row width. HOW DEEP? Except for Amiben all other broadleaf pre-emerge herbicides require that beans be planted at least I1//’ deep. Basically, soy beans are like com in that you’d like to plant to moisture. Keep in Upcoming meetings Wednesday, May 17 - Huron County Junior Farmers Meeting, OMAF Boardroom, Clinton, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 - Lucknow 4H Calf Club Meeting, Home of Steven Rintoul, RR 2, Lucknow, 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 17 - Hallrice 4H Club Judging Meeting, Home of John Franken, RR 2, Auburn, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 23 - Brussels 4-H Beef Calf Club, Home of Bob Alexander, Ethel, 7:30 p.m. farmers that are 70 and older. All these statistics were taken from the Census of Agriculture which is taken every five years. It provides statistics on crops, live stock, farmland, labour and capital. mind that soybeans don’t emerge like corn. The soybean has to push the seed up through the soil surface. If you’ve planted the seed over 2inches deep the emerging plant will have trouble pushing the seed that far in our clay soils. I’d say to set the depth for 1*/a inches to two inches. Further information on soybean production is available by contact ing the Ontario Ministry of Agricul ture and Food office in Clinton (482-3428 or 1-800-265-5170). Wednesday, May 24 - North Huron 4-H Vet Club meeting, Blyth Vet Services. Blyth, 8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 25 - Central Huron 4H Crops Club, Home of Chris Maloney, RR 1, Dublin, 8:00 p.m. Thursday, May 25 - Huron 4H Youth Leader and New Leader Workshop, Huronview, Clinton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May T1 - Huron County 4H Judging Competition, Brussels, Morris and Grey Community Cen tre, Brussels, 9:15 - 10:00 a.m. registration. FERTILIZERS Howson & Howson Ltd MILLS HOWSON AND HOWSON WE GET THE JOB DONE RIGHT r in TRUCK SPREADER UNIT •Low soil compaction »Saves time & labour •Dickey-John computer for accuracy •Straight mixed or micro ingredients •120 tonne per hour baffle blender • Bulk delivery - anytime - anywhere •Spreaders readily available CHEMICALS SPRAYER UNIT - 500 GAL. SPRAY TANK •PPI, pre or post applications •Low soil compaction & very accurate •Dickey-John monitor •52 foot boom width SUPPLY •Large supply of chemicals on hand at the right place BLYTH 523-4241 FLOUR & FEED MILLERS COMPLETE FARM SUPPLIES, GRAIN ELEVATORS WINGHAM 357-2700 CALLUSTODAY OR COME IN-WE’LL HELP YOU BUILD A FERTILIZER & CHEMICAL PROGRAM TO SUITE YOUR SPECIAL NEEDS.