Clinton News-Record, 1987-07-22, Page 13260 take part in
Soil Conservation Day
"'Tillage for the 'Times” was the theme of
the 1987 Huron County Soil Conservation
Day, on July 16. Approximately 260 people
from close by and as far away as Lucknow
and Strathroy dropped in at the farm of
Jack and Norma McGregor, RR 5, Clinton,
to tour the trial plots, examine the equip-
ment on display, and listen to two speakers
at lunchtime.
Host Jack McGregor shared the 1986 Nor-
ma Alexander Conservation Award with
Bruce Shillinglaw. He began ridge tilling
five years ago, and now has about 500 acres
of corn and soy beans in ridge tillage. He
modified a planter to plant on ridges, and
purchased a ridge -forming cultivator. He
uses band spraying, which has cut his her-
bicide costs by two-thirds.
Mr. McGregor has found his yields are so
good, or better than before he began ridge
tillage. The adaptation has saved time,
money and soil.
Eric Devlaeminck, RR 2 Liman, was one
of the noon -time speakers. He practices
minimum tillage, utilizing a sweep bottom
plow which shatters the soil but maintains a
good protective residue cover. He goes over
his fields once in the spring with a
landleveller, then plants.
Mr. Devlaeminck does no -till custom
planting with a modified John Deere conser-
vation planter purchased from the Huron
soil and water conservation district, now
that he has more time to do more acres.
Mr. Devlaeminck has cut his herbicide
down to one-third by banding in 10 -inch
rows. His minimum tillage has resulted in
lower fuel costs, saved time, erosion control
and equal or better yields than with former
conventional methods.
No -till winter wheat harvested the follow-
ing day yielded 68 bushels to the acre.
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Farm Credit Societe du credit
Corporation agncole
Canada Canada
ANNOUNCEMENT
PAUL SCHOLTEN
Bob Aumell, Regional Manager of the Farm
Credit Corporation (Ontario) is pleased to an-
nounce the appointment of Paul Scholten as
Credit Advisor al our Godench Office He has
accepted this transfer from our Wyoming of-
fice to replace Mr Mike Rogers who retired
recently Mr Scholten will be serving the
farmers in the Twps of Goderich, Hay,
Stanley, Stephen & Usborne in the County
of Huron He may be contacted at
21 Bast Street, Suite 203,
Goccerich, Ontario N7A 3Z2
Telephone: (519) 524-8381
Canada
The other speaker was Jim Shaw from
Ridgetown College of Agricultural
Technology. Mr. Shaw is one of two people
in Ontario working to develop efficacy data
on weed control in reduced tillage. The 1987
OMAF weed control publication contains no
recommendations for no -tillage or ridge till-
ing, but Shaw hopes some data will be ready
for 1988.
Mr. Shaw emphasized the importance of
knowing one's weeds, as reduced tillage
means increased dependence on herbicides."
Farmers have to become more adept at
weed identification and weed biology, and
understand the strengths and weakness of
available herbicides.
Weed control in reduced till fields and
ridge till fields is usually as dependable as
in conventionally tilled fields, because the
same herbicides are used and cultivation is
possible. Full season control in no -till fields
remains a greater challenge, as it is fully
dependent on herbicides.
The Conservation Day was jointly, spon-
sored by the Huron Soil and Water Conser-
vation District of the Huron Soil and Crop
Improvement Association, the Ausable-
Bayfield Conservation Authority, the
Maitland Valley Conservation Authority,
OMAF and the Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources.
The HSACIA and HSAWCD are hosting a
series of crop production tours over the next
three weeks.
A twilight tour on July 22 will examine
hard red spring wheat varieties at Hill and
Hill Farms, solid seeded Ex Rico white
beans at Ken McCowan's, a white bean
variety trial, soybeans and soft winter
wheat on the Jack Peck farm and barley
trials at Gerald Hayter's.
CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, JULY 22, 1987—Page 13
Learning more about soil conservation was what Soil Conservation
Day is all about. On July 16, many area farmers journeyed to the
farm of Jack and Norma McGregor, 2.5 miles south of Clinton.
Throughout the day, those in attendance saw the McGregor's soy-
bean field, corn field and equipment. They also had the opportunity
to see a soil core test sample which Brent Kennedy explained. The
ay was sponsored by the Huron Soil and Water Conservation
District, the Ausable-Bayfie Conservation Authority, Maitland
Valley Conservation Authori , the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture
and Food and the Ontario istry of Natural Resources. (Anne
Narejko photo )
Winter Soft White
Wheat such as
Augusta, Houser,
Frankenmuth
Fredrick
varieties.
Order your hall seed wheat from us. We
handle the popular Augusta wheat, as
well as Houser, Fredrick and Harus. W.G.
Thompson's will again be offering "Cer-
tified Monopol Hard Red Wheat for sale
this fall.
Mitchell 34a-8433 Sootorth 345-2545
Pt. Albert 529-7901 Ailsa Crs+iq 293.3223 Greaten 225.2360