HERE IS SOME CANADIAN PRAIRIE NFO:
SOYBEANS are increasing in acreage in Manitoba because growers have noticed that they can grow in wet soils better than most other crops.
CANOLA rotations continue to move from 1 in 4, to a 1 in 2 year rotation, risking increased risk of stem rot.
What I learned from earlier reading was that crop rotation is mandatory for maintaining a healthy soil.
What I also learned is the importance of POTASH. Down Town Saskatoon sports one of its tallest buildings: POTASH Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
I did not know what potash was, until I googled it. The name originates from the ancient process of leaving wood ash in a pot and allowing the bacteria to decompose it , creating an excellent fertilizer; rich in potassium and nitrogen phosphorous.
Most potash harvested for fertilizer is found in rock deposits, so there is a whole mining industry devoted to this process….for the soil and thus farmer’s benefit.
Another interesting fact that I learned was how new technology creates machines with computers, that systematically seed fields in the most economical way, to allow for bigger crops on less land.
I witnessed my friends with farms or ranches who had allowed portions of the their land ( I/4 section is 160 acres or more) to be leased for gas or oil seismic activity. Seismic or geographical exploration is used to identify and map oil and gas areas for drilling. The technique is based on analyzing how sound waves bounce off sub-surface structures. Farmers also need to know their surface right(as indicated in the diagram).
I witnessed Oil Agents and Farmers/ Ranchers working well together. Media and Government color our lives.(if we let them).
What I witnessed was that both disciplines care about Canada.
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