The AgriPost
August 26, 2016
It Took an Army of Volunteers The Record Setting Harvesting Hope Threshing Bee Brings Back Happy Times
Bill Newton fixes the buckle on a binder before heading out to the field. By Les Kletke
Bill Newton knows how much preparation goes into 15 minutes of fame. He was part of the army of volunteers that helped prepare the machines and all the other behind the scene activity that went into setting a Guinness Book of World Records for the most threshing machines operating at one time.
To qualify for the record the machines had to operate continuously for 15 minutes. To achieve this feet Newton moved his camper to Austin at the end of May and spent three weeks preparing machines. He went back to his home in Brandon for a few weeks and arrived June 20 to stay through August. Newton who is 77 years old was
Photo by Les Kletke not alone in his efforts and stayed in the campground that swelled with volunteers as the July 28 event neared. At the age of 13 Newton’s father emigrated from England to Aberdeen, Saskatchewan where he farmed with four brothers. His father eventually had a threshing machine and crew that travelled from farm to farm in
the area. Bill left the farm but it was in his blood and he spent 33 years with Flexi Coil’s research department. When asked what brought him to Austin he said, “I still enjoy working with the machinery. To make it work there is some maintenance involved and you have to be a part of that.” continued on page 2
By Harry Siemens Harvest 2016 ground to an abrupt halt after heavy rains topped up already wet soils in much of southern Manitoba. Yet the Sunday before the heavy Monday rains old-fashioned threshing machines, 138 to be exact from all over North America harvested for 15 minutes. Austin, Manitoba became home to another world record on July 31 when 139 antique threshing machines harvested a field simultaneously for 15 minutes at the Manitoba Agricultural Museum. “This was a once-in-a lifetime event,” said Elliot Sims, Co-organizer of Harvesting Hope: A World Record to Help the Hungry, held during the Manitoba Threshermen’s Reunion & Stampede at the Museum. “You just don’t see stuff like this anymore,” he said. “The energy from the participants and crowd was amazing. You could feel the pride and excitement.” You may wonder whether all the expense in organizing, moving machines and the energy that people expend in pulling it off is worth it, but you only have to get involved to find out it is much more than just running machines and threshing grain. In Austin, about 8,000 people watched 750 volunteers from across Canada and the US break the Guinness World Record for the ‘most threshing machines operating simultaneously.’ The previous record of 111 machines was held by a group from St. Albert, Ontario. Altogether, 75 acres of winter wheat was bound and 30,000 sheaves were cut to be threshed. The combined machines were capable of threshing approximately 17,000 bushels of continued on page 2
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Harvesting Hope August 26, 2016
continued from page 1
wheat per hour, with 6,100 horsepower of engine capacity driving them. “This was truly a celebration of our agricultural heritage,” said Sims. “We’re all very
happy to have succeeded, and the feedback we’re getting is great. Everyone seems to have really enjoyed themselves.” Funds raised are split between the Manitoba Agricultural Museum, which hosted
Army of Volunteers continued from page 1 The week before the event Newton was going out to bind the sheaves that would be used for the World Record attempt but a buckle was broken on the canvas. Just as he had to do on the farm in Saskatchewan, it was a matter of old time resourcefulness before the machine could go to the field. He repaired the buckle and then headed out to cut some wheat. One another part of the field a tire was causing problems and the operating crew resorted to some new repair methods to bind the bulge with duck tape in the field and kept on going. Helmut Neufeld who has volunteered at the Agricultural Museum for 37 years said this event would serve to keep the machines young. “We fixed up a lot of machines that were deteriorating,” he said. “This event got them into running condition and they will last a lot longer than when they are just in the shed. Neufeld had also moved his camper to the Austin site May 2 and was one of the Co-Chairs of Harvesting Hope with primary responsibility for the machinery used from the museum. Harvesting Hope will be releasing a coffee table book featuring pictures of the event later this fall.
Photo Courtesy of Shaylyn McMahon, Canadian Foodgrains Bank the world record attempt, and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Ken and Jaqueline Mack of Langenburg, Saskatchewan and Knoxville, Tennessee had seven threshing machines to help make the record book in a record-setting harvest.
Ken has restored all seven, selling two to the Amish people in Iowa. Five returned to his yard in Langenburg. “To get the threshing bee going, they had raised up the flag on one of the high lifts and we all watched it,” said Ken Mack. “When they started waving it, the steam engine blew the whistle and that is when the threshing began. We threshed for 15 minutes continuously and the ones that made it were in the record, and the ones that didn’t were out of the record books. You could only have a ten percent failure to get into the record and we made it with 139 running continuously for 15 minutes.” Mack said the units were set up in a 20-acre area with 6 different lines and configurations. “I was in line six with my one machine, some
of my other machines, a total of seven were in lines two, three and five and the guys running them, and I wished them good luck and said I’d see them after the ride is over.” Ken’s wife Jaqueline said one of the seven machines was a little more special than the rest because when he restored it, he used different parts, gave it a colourful paint job and named it ‘Johnny Cash’. Yes after the country singer. “People were more than interested about it especially the ladies,” she said. “Many people were excited about this small machine, and the band played a half hour of Johnny Cash music setting the tone.” Jaqueline said she had never seen this kind of mood before. “They were the hap-
piest. It is hard to believe that threshing like this brings out smiles in these people and they’re young again, strong again, and whatever situation they’re dealing with it fades to the background and threshing becomes king again. The camaraderie of the people, the people coming together, and the food, and the happiness, and remembering how it was when things were right in the world,” she said when asked about what brings out that mood. “They were actually ok. Although it was hard, it was tough, there’s the dirty thirties and all these situations, the same in the US and Canada. This brings back the times when neighbour helped neighbour, everybody was happy, no matter what, they got through it,” she added.
Ken Mack of Langenburg, Saskatchewan with his unique ‘Johnny Cash’ threshing machine, one of seven that he has restored, five he still owns in the record-setting Threshing Bee held at Austin recently.
Photo Courtesy of Ken Mack
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Global Competition and Price Drop Pressures Province’s Honey Producers By Les Kletke Manitoba honey producers are facing a down market and an average to slightly better than average crop. John Russell operates John Russell Honey Co. in Winnipeg with production based in the Petersfield area. He said this year’s crop would be average to slightly above average. “The canola honey is all in but we are hoping for some good weather that will bring a decent fall run,” said Russell. “The weather plays such an important role in honey production so it is difficult to predict the overall volume of this year’s crop. One thing he does know is that the price of this year’s crop is down. Last year producers were able to sell in the range of $1.80 to $2 a pound but this year the price is $1.20. He credits several factors for the drop. “One thing you have to be aware of is that honey is a global commodity, so when you have a major area of production with a large crop it impacts the price around the world,” he said. Countries like China and India are major producers of honey and because of lower labour costs, they can market honey below the cost of production for Manitoba producers. “We see honey being offered at $6.50 a kilogram for finished product and you know that has to come from other areas where costs are lower,” he said. Russell would like to see a change in regulations for blended honey sold in Canada, currently the label only has to say the product is a blend and does not give the ratio of Canadian honey in the product. “We can see product offered in stores that have a very low percentage of Canadian honey and it is listed as a blend. That is all the information required,” said Russell. He sees the situation as honey laundering from some countries that have a less desirable reputation in safety regulations. “We see a country like Nepal which has dramatically increased the amount of honey they offer on the world market,” he pointed out. “Did they increase their production by that much or is honey coming in from another country and being relabelled?” Like any other agricultural commodity, honey production is cyclical and the prices over the previous two years resulted from a shortage of the crop. Producers were able to take advantage of that but this year Manitoba producers face a market glut. “That is really hurting some producers who were not able to move last year’s crop and now have another year of production to sell into a down market,” he said. Russell said that while the majority of Manitoba honey comes from canola his production at Petersfield has a strong alfalfa base. “We have a lot of dairy producers who have alfalfa and while they try to cut the crop when it comes into bloom sometimes they get behind and blooming alfalfa makes great honey for us,” said Russell.
August 26, 2016
August 26, 2016
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Whom Can You Believe? “The first GMO’s were created using E. coli placed into a plant,” she said. “They were intended to do something else but the first GMO’s used E. coli.” The purveyor of sweet corn, seems to be an astute businessperson but yet this information had me shaking my head. I was there to buy a couple dozen cobs of sweet corn and as you might expect late on a Friday afternoon the supply was running low. I got the last dozen, and at $8 a dozen I have to acknowledge she was indeed an astute businessperson. I would have bought more but the lady ahead who almost ran over me as I crossed the street got there first. She was obviously in a hurry because she ended up well ahead of me, leaping from her van to purchase a dozen cobs of corn and was heading back to her van at a good pace but did have time to stop and offer a view on GMO’s when she heard me ask a question about the corn. I did not understand all of her comments but I did understand that, “GMO’s were bad,” and that I was below average intelligence for asking the question. That is life on the main street of Niverville on a Friday afternoon. Yes, the behaviour we expect from other parts of the world happen in rural southern Manitoba and it frightens me. No, I wasn’t worried about my personal safety, that lady would not have hit me, she was in too much of a hurry and did not want to do any paper work. What scares me is the lady that was selling the corn. She had two youngsters with her, one about 8 was helping her hold a banner on the sidewalk that proudly proclaimed non-GMO Corn, the other a toddler was in the van enjoying a bottle of what I am sure would only be the most wholesome of food stuffs. I carried on the conversation about GMO’s and what they were. I asked her what they were and how they effected our food supply. She informed me that her mother had told her about how bad they were, and her mother was a credible source because she had just switched her farm to organic production, and before doing so had studied with a well-known organic expert right here in south eastern Manitoba. That is what scares me, this lady sees her mother as a credible source on things scientific, and will no doubt have a strong influence on the youngsters in her charge. She already had her young son holding the banner proclaiming non-GMO corn. When I asked what GMO’s did, she offered as explanation on how GMO’s allow people to spray their crops with certain products. She is right and when I countered with the fact that GMO’s in corn and potatoes mean that the crop would be sprayed less often she listened attentively. I told her that I would pay more for GMO products if I knew they had been sprayed with pesticides less often. She listened politely; she is an astute businessperson. It scares me when people who are influencing the next generation, are so poorly armed for the job.
The Secrets of Putting Up Hay in Manitoba’s Current Wetter Climate Dear Editor: I spoke to Denis Allec of St. Claude and he explained to me how he manages to use the weather forecast in a new light. Denis told me that if the forecast is for rain – he then goes out and cuts hay – which is opposite of what most farmers would think of doing. I asked him to explain this rationale. First of all, Denis does both – bales hay put up as dry hay with light green wrapping and wrapped hay in long white rows. Denis also uses a mower conditioner which crushes the hay for quicker drying. His thinking is that once cut and conditioned, the hay is very wet anyway so that any rain on this hay will not do anything detrimental to the hay. He says that it takes about four days to dry the hay ready for baling – whether it has rained on it or not right after freshly cut (so, independent of rain). This method takes the rain completely out of the equation of putting up hay. This technique uses the strategy of working with the weather in that if you cut hay just before a rain storm, you save at least one day and possibly two as the hay is ready to cut. Denis works in batches of 20 to 25 acres. Before baling Denis uses a large rake which turns two windrows over and combines them ready for baling. It then takes from half to one day to dry ready for baling. These new large windrows may begin to roll around in heavy wind conditions. If the hay refuses to dry in high humidity conditions, Denis bales it anyways and uses these less desirable bales for bedding where the cattle ends up consuming a portion of them anyways. So Denis’ technique is as follows… If the forecast is for rain and then four days of nice weather, he goes out and moco’s 25 acres before it rains. He then sits at home and waits for the weather to change. If it refuses to dry – he uses some preservative and wraps the bales in long white rows. If it dries for three days after the rain, he rakes two smaller rows into one larger one and as soon as dry enough, bales the whole 25 acres and waits for the next cycle or batch of 25 acres. Louis J. Gautron
Crops and Life, the Shortness There of, Keeps Things in Perspective With all of the rain this summer, farmers are having a hard time getting out into the fields. Art Enns, who farms at St. Elizabeth, tried harvesting some ryegrass on a waterlogged field. These pictures, while from one wet field, are quite indicative of what’s in store for many farmers in southern and southeastern Manitoba. Gilbert Sabourin, who farms about 3,600 acres southwest of St. Jean, says he’s rarely been able to check on his crops over the past couple of months due to the wet conditions. “It’s soggy and bin-busting bumper crop is gone for sure. There’s still potential for an average crop, if it stops raining and the sun dries out some of the fields.” “Nice and clean but only did 31.2 bushels. That part was not successful,” says Lloyd Wiebe of Altona. “I didn’t know what to expect. It’s just been too wet over here.” Then I got a call from a farmer in southern Ontario who tells me there are already parts of that province that will not have a crop because it is too dry. When you follow the contrasting comments and weather discussions across this great country of ours, some farmers are up and some farmers are down, but all farmers agree if things don’t work they say, “I’ll give it my best shot, and if it doesn’t work out, there is always next year.” That next year’s comment has always been around and will always be. However, think about what that really means. This year, those who lose a crop don’t have an income. Oh, yes, there is crop insurance and various income programs, but for the most part, they pay out for some expenses incurred while trying to grow that lost crop. Several weeks ago, I did a story that talked about tile drainage. I have spoken to several farmers this year who have tile drainage on some of their fields, quite costly, but this year the payback will be quite good. Jim Pallister at Portage la Prairie has over 3,000 acres tiled so far on his farm and says it is so good to look at those crops, doing well and the drainage tile flowing after every rain. “It just goes to show those plant roots didn’t need that water to thrive.” A farmer south of Plum Coulee tells me back in July that the soybeans without tile were already 50 percent gone and the 220 acres of soybeans with tile drainage looked perfectly healthy. He also tells me that he tiled the worst fields and even just parts of the worst fields for poor drainage. When you lose 10 to 15 or even 20 percent of your crop each year when it rains too much, the losses start to mount. The word I’m getting from many farmers in southern Manitoba this last week is that fields are soft, in some instances combines, swathers, tractors and grain carts will sink into real swampy areas without warning. That is tough to accept, yet those farmers keep at it, try to keep their cool, even when working long hours, over-tired from lack of sleep. I know some farmers who swath all their canola from about four am until the sun starts to dry off the canola enough to cause some shattering. That is dedication, commitment and doing it professionally. This past weekend we travelled to Edmonton, with an overnight in Saskatoon visiting The Berry Barn. What dedication from the Erlandson family in bringing such consistent product to the table at their eatery. We travelled onto Edmonton to help celebrate our cousins’ 60th wedding anniversary and his 80th birthday. Both milestones in their own rite, but the key to or making the quick trip was that he had news last week that he now faces terminal cancer. That helps to put things into perspective yet again.
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Transition Planning – The Initial Meeting By Lynn Gilmore How do you get your planning started when your farm family has taken the first step and are ready to start the discussion on transition planning? The retiring generation and the next generation decide that the timing is right and the process needs to get started. Getting the process going and underway can be a challenge. Structuring in the form of a formal meeting or planning process can be beneficial. Getting the first meeting organized is often the most difficult step even when both parties agree it is time. Prior to the first meeting, there will be some pre-meeting work required. Family members should be given an opportunity to provide input on agenda items. The agenda then should be sent out prior to the first meeting so that all family members have the opportunity to think about the items on the agenda and be prepared for the meeting. The agenda should be made specific to your farm. It is also important to allocate a time for the meeting and stick to it. It’s okay to have to leave the remaining agenda items until the next meeting. It is important to minimize distractions, so a location other then the family kitchen should be considered. Every farm situation is unique and there will be different agenda items for each farm. Here are some things to consider when putting together an agenda for the initial planning meeting for your farms transition. Administration - Who will chair the meeting? There should be someone identified to chair the first meeting. There should also be someone who will take notes and ensure they are circulated after the meeting. Having the notes captured can help the process move forward. They are also a reference for future meetings. Purpose of the meeting - People need to be clear about the meeting and the purpose of it. This is why circulating the agenda before the first meeting will get people thinking about the transition process. Where are things at - This should provide family members with an opportunity to talk about where things are at personally, on the farm, within the family and in the transition planning process. This should be a general discussion about how things are going in each of these areas and what everyone’s thoughts are on the above items. This allows family members time to talk about their own situations and it provides an opportunity to gain an understanding of the process, and to get perspectives from other members of the family. This is also a good time to have a general discussion on how things are going on the farm financially. A good understanding of the financial performance of your farm is extremely important when working through the transition planning process. Ownership and Management transition - This is a good time to discuss how ownership and management transition may look for your farm. There are many different options that can be used to transfer ownership of the farm. These options should be discussed early and before making any final decisions. Management transition is also another important part of the transition plan and should be a topic of discussion. How do family members see the management transfer happening on their farm? Estate planning - This agenda item will allow a discussion on wills, power of attorney, tax and insurance. There are many estate-planning options. A general discussion on how an estate plan may look for your farm will be important to have going forward. Communication - As we all know, communication is key in any situation. In the transition process, it is also equally important to the success of transition on your farm. A discussion should be had on how information will be communicated within the family and also how the farm will communicate to outside advisors. Open communication and distribution of information can minimize conflict and keep the transition planning process moving forward. Concerns/Issues - This agenda item allows a formal time to discuss any concerns or issues that have not come up in the meeting. There may be items of concern to family member that do not fit the other elements of the agenda. Next Steps/Timeline/ and Next meeting - At the end of the meeting if there were any action items that came up it will be important to record these and make sure they are reported on for the next meeting. This would also be an opportunity to put timelines on any action items from the meeting. If everyone is clear on the timelines and they are written down, there is some accountability to keep the process moving ahead. A meeting date should be set for the next meeting in order to keep the process moving along. Following an agenda and sticking to it can lead to a successful first meeting and can be the first step in embarking down a successful transition path for your farm. For more information on Transition Planning, please refer to the Transition Planning Guide at gov.mb.ca/agriculture/business-and-economics/transition-planning/transition-planningguide. Lynn Gilmore, Business Development Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture.
Thieves After Farm Parts
August 26, 2016
Goodbye Dad! In late July my Dad, Udo Penner, was killed, and my Mom ended up in the hospital with cracked ribs and a fracture in her neck. This happened around 10 am on a beautiful bright sunny day when they By Rolf were on their way to church. Their car Penner was hit by another vehicle that didn’t stop at a stop sign and appeared to have been going full speed. I’d like to thank the paramedics, firefighters and RCMP who got to the scene quickly, acted professionally and did what they could. I’d also like to thank our friends and neighbours who were at the scene, called me and stayed with us while all this unfolded. The staff at the St. Pierre-Jolys hospital and Health Sciences Centre all did excellent work looking after my mother. She has made a remarkable recovery since the collision. Everything still feels very raw right now. It probably will for a long time. Words like senseless and stupid don’t adequately express what happened. Dad had a lot of life left in him. He was in really good shape for his age and he still had a lot of plans for the future. I had plans for him too; he was my right hand man on the farm, the farm that he and his dad started from nothing after emigrating from Europe following World War II. He loved his family, he loved his farm, and he was a man of faith. He also loved the community, and all of the neighbours surrounding our farm. We’re all going to miss him...a lot. Goodbye Dad!
Penner’s Points
Urgent Options Needed for Community of Churchill and its Port Dear Editor: If you have ever had, an opportunity to fly into Churchill you will share with me the experience of wonder at the region’s amazing vastness as well as its isolation. The people of Churchill are the salt of the land, warm, friendly and immensely proud of their home community. Eyes twinkle as they regale you with Churchill’s story and how they came to be residents; however, this is soon replaced by a pained expression when the take turns on the topic of the port closure. While I was grateful for my opportunity to visit Churchill, I regret that my visit couldn’t take place under better circumstances. Churchill is a jewel of our planet, polar bears, belugas, and the wide-open North but this beauty was clouded over during my visit with the resident’s uncertain future. My primary concern visiting the town and meeting
with the people was ‘How do we make sure these people are going to be ok?’ The Port of Churchill was a major employer in town and its abrupt closure threw nearly 200 hardworking Manitobans across the North into uncertainty overnight. Added to this burden was the fact that the scheduled freight service was also cut. The cost of living, like that of any other remote isolated community, is quite high and these people need options. As the Manitoba Liberal Agriculture Critic, I had an immediate concern for the farmers that used the port. How will they ship what is on track to be a bountiful harvest this year? I was fortunate to have an opportunity to speak with the Minister of Agriculture, Ralph Eichler, on the feedback he had been receiving from farmers in the area. I am relieved to know that shipments of harvest will be redirected through other ports.
Sprague RCMP received a report of a theft of parts from farm equipment in the RM of Piney. The thefts occurred sometime between July 2 and July18 from a farmyard located off PR 210 between Hwy 12 and the Village of Woodridge. Stolen parts included 6 baler rims and tires, 2 3/8” hydraulic hoses and 1 PTO shaft. If you have any information in regards to the above you are asked to contact the Sprague RCMP at 204-437-2401, Steinbach RCMP Detachment at 204-326-4452 or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or manitobacrimestoppers.com or text “TIPMAN” plus your message to Crimes (274637).
Regardless, Minister Eichler and I can agree that due diligence is needed, the port closure is a bad situation and we have agreed to remain in contact with any further concerns or information that is brought to our attention. The Northern delegation, which the Mayor of Churchill Mike Spence is a part of, has met with Minister Jim Carr regarding the port closure and has shared that the group is very encouraged by the meeting. As more meetings will be needed in the days ahead it is important that all stakeholders come to the table, working together is our best chance for success as we explore a viable solution. Standing near the banks of Hudson’s Bay, you feel the power of the water. Looking to the horizon, you see endless water. It is clear to me that the Town of Churchill faces the same challenges as many small communities across Canada: the need to maintain, replace or build new infrastructure; the need to pursue economic development strategies that will provide employment opportunities for current and future generations; and the need to nurture community leadership in the private, public and voluntary sectors. Sincerely, Judy Klassen, MLA for Kewatinook
August 26, 2016
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Your Crop Depends on “Agra Stability” and Mother Nature’s Cooperation Machinery Loss of Use Coverage
Curtis Cavers says you can not change the soil on your farm but you can manage it better with more information.
Photo by Les Kletke By Les Kletke Curtis Cavers knows you cannot change the soil on your farm, but you can manage what you have and the first step is being aware of the soil’s characteristics. Cavers is an Agronomist and a Portage Site Supervisor for Agriculture and AgriFood Canada. He was a part of Canapalooza a one-day event dedicated to all things canola. His display included soil pits that showed soil profiles to a depth of 4 feet. The weather prior to the event allowed him to show how the soil reacted to excess water as well. “You cannot make a wholesale change of the soil on your farm,” said Cavers. “You have to play the hand you are dealt but the more information you have and the more you use that information will allow you to make the best of the situation you have.” He said that things like crop rotation and tillage could have an impact on the soil and bring about changes over a period. “Mother Nature still has the final say in the business of agriculture,” he said pointing to the water that had moved into his trench and required pallets for a dry footing to approach the demonstration. He points to moisture as the prime concern in crop production in this area of the world. “We have to know how the soil we are working with reacts to moisture, and how we are going to deal with it. Mother Nature gives us extreme conditions and we have to think about conserving moisture and how do
deal with excess moisture at other times.” Cavers’ demonstration showed the root zone of a crop like canola. “We have to be aware of the root zone of annual crops,” he said. “We need to consider that area when we are tilling and how much tillage we have.” Cavers uses the term Agra Stability to refer to the behaviour of the top layer of soil and how it reacts when with excess water or when moisture needs to be conserved. He said that soil is influenced
by a number of factors such as tillage, crop rotation, and how much organic matter is returned to the soil. He acknowledged that economics comes into play as well. “Producers look at land as a resource, a major resource and they need it to be productive; to show a return on their investment, so they have to consider that return as well when they are considering their crop rotations,” said Cavers. “Some producers who are working with saline soils have to consider certain
Manitoba Agriculture Crop Residue Burning Manitoba Ag reminds producers who choose to burn crop residue that authorization is required until November 15. Daily authorizations are issued by 11 am based on weather and smoke dispersion conditions. Night burning continues to be banned year-round. The daily authorization will indicate if burning is permitted or not, and the start and end times allowed for that day. These depend on weather conditions and can change. In addition, a burning permit is required at all times in the rural municipalities of Rosser, Headingley, St. François Xavier, Cartier, Macdonald, Ritchot, Taché, Springfield, East St. Paul and West St. Paul. The City of Winnipeg is responsible for issuing permits to farms located within its boundaries. Farmers must follow all other provincial and local regulations when burning crop residue. Burning permit applications and more information are available from the information line at 1-800-265-1233, online at gov.mb.ca/agriculture or from Manitoba Ag offices. Farmers must ensure they burn crop residue safely. The regulation is enforced by environment officers and the RCMP, and penalties for failing to comply can result in fines of up to $50,000. Many producers use alternative methods of dealing with crop residue, such as chopping and spreading the straw or listing straw they have for sale on the Manitoba Hay Listing Service. More information on these practices is available by calling 204-745-5646 or on the Manitoba Agriculture’s website at gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-residue-burning-program.
varieties that will do well in those conditions, it is not just a matter of the highest yield in test plots,” he added. “It is about knowing your soil and what works in your conditions.”
If have an insured loss to any of your machinery you will likely need to rent a replacement while the damaged one is being repaired or replaced. This can be very costly for you unless you decide to transfer the risk to the insurance company. The Machinery Loss of Use Coverage will pay the rental cost of the replacement machinery if the damage to your equipment is covered by the insurance policy. It will not pay if you simply experience a breakdown. You do have to explain that the work you want to do cannot wait. The coverage will not pay the full cost of custom work service but we have seen a good portion of it paid (minus fuel and labour). In all cases, the rental unit or custom work has to be approved by the adjuster. In a number of situations, we have seen the Loss of Use claims add up to be more than the machinery claim itself. The other consideration is how much coverage to buy. It used to be that $2,000 per day/$20,000 max rental coverage was enough but today some of the machinery rental rates are higher. Daily rentals can now exceed $3,000. For a very minimal difference in annual premium cost, you may want to consider the higher level of coverage. Be sure to seek advice and purchase insurance from those who understand your business! Andy Anderson is an Associate Insurance Broker specializing in General, Life and Group Benefits for Farm, Commercial/Agri-business, P 204-746-5589, F 866-765-3351, andya@rempelinsurance.com, rempelinsurance.com, and valleyfinancial.ca.
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August 26, 2016
August 26, 2016
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A Passion for Restoration
By Les Kletke Ask Steve Rosnowski why he chose M John Deeres as a restoration project and he chuckles, “My wife [Deb-
bie] would buy a tractor on the way home because it was cute, and that is how we got the M.” The Rosnowski’s lived in
northern Wisconsin before moving to Moose Lake and Debbie would have an hour drive home from the couple’s garden centre busi-
ness. She would take different routes and find tractors that needed a bit of TLC. Rosnowski estimates that he has resorted over 40 tractors but could only bring the John Deeres with them when they moved to Manitoba. “They are small and we have become somewhat attached to them,” he said. “We used to display them in the garden centre and it gave the men something to do while their wives looked at the plants. Just after I finished the M, Debbie was offered top dollar for it, but would not sell it, now it has come to a new home.” Rosnowski grew up in northern Wisconsin and worked on a vegetable farm as a youngster but the farm used mainly Massey tractors, he started with their restoration but soon
Extra Rains Hurting Manitoba Crops By Elmer Heinrichs With good growing conditions through the first half of August, Manitoba crops have been maturing rapidly, and farmers are moving combines about quickly to harvest this year’s promising crop. During the first two weeks of August, harvest operations were slowed by thunderstorms and continuing wet conditions in some areas. However, harvesting of winter wheat and rye did occur where field and weather conditions allowed. Warm temperatures allowed for continued rapid growth in Central regions. However, high humidity limited drying, increasing potential for disease infections in crops and interfered with haying operations. Some regions have struggled more than others have because of rainfall and wet fields, noting field access is an issue particularly in the central region, with ruts being made by swathers and combines. Harvest progress is slow, as grain moisture levels remain high. Swathing and pre-harvest timing is difficult due to staginess of crops. To date, reported winter wheat yields range from 50 - 100 bu/ac, while spring wheat yields are around 40 - 60 bu/acre. Swathing and pre-harvest herbicide applications also continue in spring cereal crops, field peas, and canola. Dry edible bean crops in Manitoba are advancing quickly, with a majority of
crops starting to yellowover, and a few fields even reaching maturity. Altona Farm Production Advisor Dennis Lange said, “Heavy rains in key edible bean growing areas will cut into production prospects. The first kidneys may be harvested near month end, and average yields will be down, perhaps 1,200-1,500 pounds for navies, 1,5001,700 for pintos.” Manitoba’s 1.6 million acres of soybeans are not thriving, but could still average 35 - 40 bu/ac. Swathing of canola is in progress, and combining has begun. Some fields are doing well, despite wet conditions. Lodging is evident, due to high winds and soft field conditions. Cornfields with an adequate amount of moisture generally show good growth and look promising. Soybeans continue to flower and pod, edible beans are podding as well, and the more advanced fields are changing colour. Fields are stressed due to excessive moisture. Many pea fields have dried down. Stands generally look good and yields reported are in the 25 - 40 bushel/acre range. Sunflowers are heading, and the potato harvest has begun. Sunny warm weather in eastern regions has allowed fields to dry and crop development in warm season crops has accelerated. Winter cereal harvest in the eastern areas is almost
complete with reported yields ranging from 60 - 95 bu/acre. A majority of spring cereals are also mature with the remainder of the crop coming along quickly. Harvest of spring cereals is progressing, and so has the harvest of field peas. Producers are looking for the weather to continue warm and sunny as they move into harvesting. Soybean progress ranges from the seed fill to the full
seed stages, sunflowers are mostly in the end- of-flowering to seed-fill stage, with corn maturing well. Good growth of forages continues across both regions. Second-cut continues and is surpassing that of first cut in both quantity and quality due to the more co-operative weather. The eastern region reports about 30% of hay still standing, and good yields from both first and second cut crops.
Debbie Roznowski could not resist the cuteness of the John Deere M, and her husband Steve restored it, and then added a crawler from the M series as well.
Photos by Les Kletke
branched out into other brands. He said the John Deere is the easiest to restore because of the parts network and the number of units produced. He also has a machinist background and believes that anything can be reproduced, “If you want to spend enough time and money.” The popularity of the John Deere is another reason that the tractors made the move, “We can probably get our money back on them anytime,” he said. He acknowledged that restoration is seldom a money making venture. They have two model Ms, a wide front-end tractor and a crawler. There were 40,000 of the tractors built but only 10,000 of the crawler he noted. “There was another model with a narrow front end called the tricycle,” he said. “I have a friend trying to sell me one of those so I have the
complete set, but that hasn’t happened yet.” Rosnowski said that both of the tractors were in pretty good shape when he got them and the availability of John Deere parts helps in the restoration. The model M holds a special place in John Deere history because it was the first model with a pair of horizontal cylinders. “They continued to build the vertical engines for years but this was the introduction of the horizontal cylinder,” he said. It was also the introduction of the three-point hitch system for the company and the tractor had an optional semi mount 2- bottom plow and cultivator. “Those implements are now getting popular with collectors in the US,” he said. While he misses his heated shop in Wisconsin, Rosnowski said the hobby of restoration is a tough one to quit and he already has his eye on a project tractor.
The AgriPost
August 26, 2016
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August 26, 2016
The AgriPost
Youth Beef Roundup Unbelievable Learning Educational Weekend
Forty-nine enthusiastic Manitoba and Saskatchewan Junior Cattle Producers attended the 9th annual Manitoba Youth Beef Roundup July 29, 30 and 31 in Neepawa. Excitement in the cattle industry brought out a top-notch group of interested cattle producers and 91 head of cattle. Where else can you attend an event with 49 Junior members all working together as teams and individual competitions, to learn the skills needed in the Livestock Industry. This is not just a cattle show it is an all around event to promote and educate youth to continue in the livestock industry. The Juniors ages 5 - 25 participated in this educational, fun filled weekend for all Cattle Breeds, working together, learning new skills, and meeting new people.
Grooming workshop put on by Mentors Laura Horner and Jake Rawluk.
Grand Aggregate Winners by John Deere Enns Bros Tractor.
Showmanship winners, Judges Geoff Anderson and Michael Hunter and all division winners.
FOCUS Kicks Off Manitoba CFGB Harvests By Elmer Heinrichs The first FOCUS (Feed Other Countries Undo Starvation) project harvest and fundraiser at Ken Friesen’s farm just north of Oakville on August 3 kicked off this year’s Manitoba grain harvest season of projects raising funds for the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Regional Representative Harold Penner, attending the celebration harvest, said, “Projects like these are the backbone of funding for the Foodgrains Bank. “We have about 250 projects like this across Canada with about 40 of them right here in Manitoba. The harvest has begun and it looks like a tremendous crop. And I see a great show of support here today,” concluded Penner. Project Chair Gerald Loeppky said it is a 40-acre field of winter wheat we harvested, adding, “We’re blessed with great crops and today is an indication people are willing to share with others.” Harvest continued on the Turner farm near Killarney on August 6 when a record 20 combines including a 1957 Massey Harris harvester from Mather, with 3 grain carts, and 5 semi-trailer trucks cleared another field of winter wheat with proceeds for the Foodgrains Bank. It was a real community event with some 200 taking in the noon meal in the Turtle Mountain region. Widespread support was evident with nearby Hutterite colonies supplying food for the meal. Penner said hard wheat, soybeans and canola make up the bulk of the crops this season but there is also barley, fall rye, corn, alfalfa for hay and a few acres of sunflowers. Mennonite Central Committee’s (MCC) Grow Hope project is wrapping up its first year at Artel Farms in Niverville. It is a community growing project that provides a unique effort to raise funds for the MCC account in the Canadian Foodgrains Bank. A special harvest celebration took place August 28 with a project that invites people to sponsor an acre on the farm of Grant and Colleen Dyck. Harvest of other project crops for CFGB will continue through most of September.
The AgriPost
Heat Stress Follows Dairy Cows Beyond Hot Summer Weather
This summer seemed to be hotter and definitely was more humid than previous years. I noticed that this year in particular had many August nights when the humidex barely fell below 25 °C. In talking to dairy producers, some had the same experience and also noticed their heat stressed cows’ milk production as well as reproduction performance fell hard with this rising humidex. While I am confident that milk production recovers once we approach cooler days ahead; dairy reproduction often takes a little more time to bounce back and might be a significant problem for some dairy barns well into the fall. Fortunately, dairy producers can take some post-summer steps to finally get their cows bred. That’s because failure to get a heat stressed cow pregnant with a calf creates “holes” in even the best dairy breeding programs. The literature is littered with studies that show the effect of heat stress upon dairy conception rates and upon their unborn fetuses. Here are a few cited examples: - University of Wisconsin (1999) showed conception rates among dairy cows fell steadily from 40% to 15% as the springtime of April progressed into the hot weather in July. The researchers also found that recorded conception rates steadily increased starting in August, but did not return to over 40% until November of that year. - University of Barcelona (2008) analyzed 11,000 inseminations in four dairy herds over three years. They recorded the THI (re: a temperature-humidity index of above 72 is generally considered to cause heat-stress in dairy cattle); 7 days before and 3 days after insemination. Specific results showed that high THIs recorded 3 days before insemination yielded lower conception rates. Ovulation failure was nearly fourX greater during hot weather compared to cooler periods. When temperatures fell below 20 °C, conception rates increased. - University of Florida (2011) reported that calves born to heat-stressed dairy cows had a higher death rate at birth (4.1% vs 0%), higher rate of leaving the herd as replacement heifers (20.5% vs 4.9%) and even had a higher failure rate to complete a first lactation (57.1% vs 77.8%) compared to calves born to artificially cooled mothers. Evidence in the first two citations is backed by the facts that dairy cows have two to three follicular waves during an estrus cycle and heat stress may retard growth and impair their function. It seems that the number of follicles in heat stressed
cows does not vary, but fewer follicles are ovulated due to less essential hormones being released to cause ovulation. Furthermore, there is an earlier emergence of the dominant follicle (contains the egg or ovum), which causes further negative changes in ovarian and follicular function. Other studies dictate that once the cow’s egg is fertilized, a developing embryo is still vulnerable to heat stress until it is 40 day old. That’s because a heat stressed dairy cow redistributes blood flow away from her body core, which includes her uterus carrying the embryo, in order to maintain a constant body temperature. As a result, if the uterus temperature rises to + 40 °C (normal body temperature is 38.6 °C), dairy cow conception rates fall on average 10 – 15%, because of early embryonic death. In looking back to our own summer, the ramifications of such important heat-stress evidence indicate that one should have done everything possible to cool cows during heat stress. This means provide plenty of cool drinking water, reformulate dairy diets to improve dry matter feed intakes, and improve barn conditions through better sanitation, ventilation and possibly setting up a sprinkler system. Once the days of hot weather are gone, I recommend to conduct frequent barn walks. Look for any signs of active estrus in supposedly pregnant cows. Such observations (re: scratched tail head, restlessness, etc.) are signals that cows that were bred during heat stress in the summer and could have not caught, suffered an early embryonic death or even aborted later on. Consequently, I also think that dairy producers should review seasonal breeding records from years gone past. Some producers might find some of the same cows with chronic reproductive problems after a tough summer. Kansas State University (KSU) suggests that dairy producers go one-step further and use estrous synchronization techniques on their cows during the summer and early fall for successful breeding program. KSU showed heat stressed anestrous cows (cows that did not show visible signs of estrus) assigned to a timed scheduled breeding program had a 40% improvement in pregnancy rate at 27 days after insemination. Such success is promising for dairy producers struggling to get their heat stressed cows pregnant by 90 – 100 days post-partum, so they can maintain a desired 12.5 – 13 month calving interval. Failure to get fertile cows bred for one or two more cycles due to late summer heat disrupts the predictable flow of newborn calves and early lactation milk production. Combating heat stress that impacts otherwise good dairy cow reproduction should not end once the days become cooler. The burning effects of our hot and humid weather upon dairy cow reproduction may be still be with us, so sound strategies should be put into place.
August 26, 2016
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Swan Valley Collegiate’s Unique Ag Program Promotes Results By Les Kletke Lana Sagert is not about titles or definitions, some would say she does best when writing her own rules. She would say that what really matters is the results. Sagert teaches the Vocational Agriculture Program at Swan Valley Collegiate a role she said came about because of her background in technology transfer. That transfer was applied to agriculture and she is part of an evolving program that has seen a dramatic increase in enrolment. The program has seen enrolment as low as two students but in the last couple of years it has climbed to 14. “The course is only 1 semester long and only offered once a year,” she said. “So there are some challenges with scheduling but we do accept students from different grades.” Sagert farms with her husband and Swan Valley and has a practical approach to the skills she teaches. “We try to make it a mix of showing the students possible careers in agriculture as well as something they can use on their Dad’s farm right now. They want to see the application,” she said. She acknowledged that the resource package offered is different from many schools. “Not many schools have an ATV but we do, and the students can take it home and map a field using the GPS units,” she said. “That can lead to maps used for drainage programs so it has an immediate practical application.” She allows the students to set their own objectives. “This past year we had students who then wanted to use that information and the 3-D printer to develop a 3-D map of the quarter section,” said Sagert. The result was not as dramatic as the students had hoped. “The variation in elevation is not that dramatic when reduced to the scale that allows for mapping of a quarter section, but the students learned from the exercise,” she said with a smile that indicated she saw the result coming. The collegiate has about 400 students and nearly 100 graduates a year. “University is not always an option for many of our students, it is not even on their radar,” she noted. “So our voc Ag program makes them aware of careers in the industry and we are also a part of the University College of the North.” She said programs like the one she operates are helping to make students more aware of the relevance of post-secondary education. She credits the school division’s Director of Research Technology with sourcing a lot to the equipment that is used in the course. “He does a good job of writing the grant applications that get us the money for the equipment we have, and that is what attracts the students. They love the technology,” said Sagert.
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August 26, 2016
The AgriPost
The AgriPost
August 26, 2016
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“Northern Entrepreneurs’’ Philosophy Encompasses Grown in Manitoba - Made in Manitoba By Joan Airey Arriving from all points in the world guests at Lazy Bear Lodge in Churchill are guaranteed delicious meals created from meats purchased from Manitoba livestock producers; produce from market gardeners or from the greenhouse the Daudrich’s built next to their lodge and created by excellent chefs. Maybe instead of worrying about the large chain restaurants using our products farmers should be working with family own businesses like the Daudrich’s. After returning from a week in Churchill, I found a booklet on my desk called “From Scratch” unique eateries of rural Manitoba including an article on the Lazy Bear Lodge. Turning lemons into lemonade is how Wally Daudrich operates. He saw the potential of turning two tragic forest fires into a positive experience for visitors to Churchill. Over ten years he harvested the nearby fire kill from the boreal forest. Using hand tools he fitted the logs together building the lodge. The windows are recycled from the 1800s Hudson Bay Trading Post. “We wanted to build an eco-friendly lodge using only dead trees; no live trees were cut to build the lodge. We harvested white and black spruce and tamarack. The floor is reclaimed Douglas fir from the Canadian National Railway warehouse built in the early 1920s. The Scandinavian fireplace in the dining area I built with local stone,” said Daudrich. On site, the lodge has a sixty by twenty foot green-
house to grow vegetables and fruit for the dining room. “We sourced all our own soils mixing clay mineral soil with peat based soil as well as bladder kelp from the ocean and pond sediment for the greenhouse. All our growing in the greenhouse happens in either wooden boxes or bathtubs so as the permafrost does not cool the soil. Soil heat is important for growing here in the north because of permafrost. Some of the things we grow are lettuce, cucumbers, rhubarb, potatoes, Swiss chard, carrots, red peppers, tomatoes, radishes, and sunflowers in the greenhouse. Any extra Manitoba vegetables we need we fly in on our charter flights twice a week,” said Daudrich. The Daudrich’s have a large refrigerator and freezer units in the restaurant area for storing their meats and fresh vegetables. This keeps them from being completely dependent on the train for delivery of their meat products. “We purchase our beef, elk, and bison directly from livestock producers in the Swan River area and have it processed in a government inspected plant in Benito. This way we have grown in Manitoba meats for our guests,” said Daudrich. While Wally is busy guiding guests on his Sam Hearne custom built modern 3- engine 44-foot long Canadian Coastguard certified cruiser built and designed to explore remote parts of western Hudson Bay his wife Dawn is keeping everything running smoothly back at the lodge. Their ten year old son Deacon loves to help in
Wally and Dawn Daudrich in their restaurant dining room at the Lazy Bear Lodge in Churchill. Deacon shows off the vegetables in the greenhouse at Lazy Bear Lodge.
the greenhouse and is quite knowledgeable about gardening. Their daughters help too with the daily chores of running a business. The Sam Hearne’s hull is equipped with a Teflon plastic coating allowing it to navigate the shallow waters and the jet drives on the outside of the boat contains no exposed moving parts in order to protect under water animals and fish. Wally retraces the namesake of his boat to the explorer Sam
Hearne of the 1700s in the Hudson Bay. If you’ would like to learn more about Churchill and Lazy Bear Lodge check out their website lazybearlodge. com. Twenty-five years ago, a new emphasis emerged as the quest began for food that was local fresh and natural. Why not check out which restaurants use local Manitoba or Canadian fruits, vegetables and meat and support them.
The Scandinavian style fireplace welcomes you into the dining area at Lazy Bear Lodge.
A couple of the polar bears spotted on the tour of Churchill.
Hundreds of whales were up close, while on the deck of the Sam Hearne and when out on the ocean in a rubber dingy.
Photos by Joan Airey
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August 26, 2016
The AgriPost
Ag Hall of Fame Welcomes Four Farming Contributors
Andrew Dickson, Executive Director of Manitoba Pork with one of the newly inducted members of the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame, Weldon Newton, a retired farmer at Neepawa, Manitoba.
By Harry Siemens The Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame honoured four new inductees in Portage la Prairie in July for their significant and lasting contributions to the province’s Ag industry. The induction ceremony highlighted four individuals, including Weldon Newton of Neepawa, Gordon McPhee of Dauphin, the late Selma Maendel of Portage la Prairie, and the late Jack Parker of Winnipeg. Maendel, who passed away in 2014, is the first Hutterite to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. Her family, represented by sister, Dora Maendal, was honoured to accept the award on her behalf. While all those inducted, played key roles in furthering agriculture and farming in some way, George Matheson, Chair of Manitoba Pork focused on two who contributed specifically to the pig industry in Manitoba. “On behalf of Manitoba Pork, I’d like to celebrate the induction of two valued friends of the pork industry, Selma Maendel and Weldon Newton into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame,” said Matheson. “Selma Maendel of Fairholme Hutterite Colony passed away several years ago, but her contributions to Hutterite colonies and to the provincial agricultural industry will not be forgotten. Over the years, Selma collaborated with medical professionals to better the health of colony residents. Using her exceptional computer and organization skills, she developed a software program for recording and maintaining crop records.” “Weldon Newton farmed with his brother near Neepawa for over 30 years, and is a tireless farm leader. Newton spent 19 years as a Director at Manitoba Pork, including two years as Chair from 1990 to 1992. He also worked with Keystone Agricultural Producers for many years and served as KAP’s Chair from 2002 to 2004, spent 12 years as a Director on the Canadian Pork Council and a Director at the Prairie Swine Research Centre in Saskatoon for six years, serving as Chair for three. Weldon was also a Director on the Canadian Farm Business Management Council and chaired the Farm Stewardship Association of Manitoba. His focus hasn’t been solely agriculture, however. Weldon umpired baseball for 40 years and in 2007 received the Umpire of Merit award by the Manitoba Baseball Association,” said Matheson. Newton said one of the biggest challenges facing agriculture today is keeping the public informed about what farmers are doing to ensure they continue to produce food ethically and in a way, that protects the environment. Newton said that one of the biggest changes he has seen since becoming involved in farming more than 40 years ago is the rapid evolution of technology in agriculture and one of the biggest challenges is keeping the public informed about what’s happening in agriculture. “I think there’s more awareness. People seem to want to know where their food comes from. We don’t need to be ashamed of what we’re doing and now we have to be able to tell people and show them what we’re doing, not only from the crops’ end but from the livestock end as well and that becomes a big challenge because it takes a lot of money to do that,” he said. “We all know that there’s very few farm organizations that are really well funded and the opponents out there that are picking holes, or trying to pick holes in what we’re doing, they tend to be able to raise millions of dollars of money with no problem and they create an adverse situation for us.” Newton thinks that this is one of the biggest challenges, continuing to show the consumer that farmers are raising everything properly and ethically and looking after the environment. “In fact we’re doing a better job with the environment now than we’ve ever done,” he said. “Agriculture is a very challenging industry and suggests people have to realize how much of the rest of society actually earns a living off of agriculture with the ancillary jobs that agriculture creates.”
The AgriPost
August 26, 2016
Face-to-Face Interaction Mutually Benefits the North American Market
L to R Manitoba Pork’s George Matheson with western Chairs Florian Possberg of Saskatchewan Pork, Frank Novak of Alberta Pork, and Jack DeWit of BC Pork.
By Harry Siemens George Matheson, Chair of Manitoba Pork said the World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa always offers representatives of the province’s pork industry an opportunity to discuss issues of mutual concern with their US counterparts and to learn more about the latest available technology. Manitoba Pork has been a representative at the World Pork Expo for the past 10 years and that participation allows provincial producers the chance to meet with others in the sector including the Iowa Board Members. At the most recent Expo they met to discuss the latest issues within the pork industry and to look at the latest pork production equipment. “Because we’re both exporting nations when it comes to pork, the Trans-Pacific Partnership is of great interest to us and we would like both of our respective countries
Moldy Feed is Dangerous for Beef Cattle By Peter Vitti Recently, I walked with a beef producer into a hayfield that was cut down a few days before and since had a couple of rains upon it. When I lifted up a swath in the middle of the field, it was dark brown on top and still green underneath. The producer said that he was going to bale it tough that afternoon, because the weather forecast called for rain that evening. It wouldn’t surprise me, when he cuts open these bales this winter, they’re moldy. Such a shock on a cold winter morning should remind us, molds/mycotoxins found in forage, grain and feed byproducts are a constant threat to beef cattle health and performance. As a result, people should learn the types and effects of specific molds/ mycotoxins that negatively affect beef cattle. Sample and test suspect feed, if warranted, corrective action can be taken. One of the first lessons I learned is that moldy feeds are unpalatable to cattle. They often contain substantial mold levels that also lower feed digestibility and reduce overall nutrient content. At their worst, a variety of molds/mycotoxins cause mycosis (fungal infections) or cause mycotoxicosis, which encompass abnormal metabolism, damage organs, infertility and literarily can shut down the cattle’s entire immune system that fights disease. Of the many molds that exist in nature, the three major molds that pose the greatest beef feed threat with deadly mycotoxins are Aspergillus fluavus that produce aflatoxins, Fusarium molds
that produce vomitoxin and zearalenone, and Penicillium fungi that produce related Penicillium Mycotoxins. Our prairie climate does not favour the growth of Aspergillus molds and therefore Aflatoxins are of little threat to local homegrown forages, silages, and grains. This contaminate grows under high ambient temperatures coupled with high humidity and sometimes in drought conditions. The only real threat to us is dried distillers grains brought up from the southern United States. Fusarium-derived mycotoxins are more of a threat to our livestock than aflatoxins, because fusarium molds grow in cooler conditions. The fusarium mycotoxin; deoxynivalenol (DON), commonly referred as vomitoxin became widespread in Manitoba during the early 1990s, when a few years of cool summers and damp harvest weather favored its grown in barley and wheat kernels. Since then it’s spread to all three Prairie Provinces. Field trials fed up to 66 ppm DON in dairy lactating rations did not result in significant adverse effects, aside from feeding lower grain quality and therefore feeding lower energy dairy feed. Other research has shown 1 ppm DON reduces dry matter intake and disrupts feed digestibility, which led to a 1.5 – 2.0 kg drop in milk production. Some German work showed that Fusarium interferes with protein digestion in the rumen, which leads to higher ammonia levels. In clear contrast, zearalenone, another fusarium mycotoxin mimics estrogen hormones, and directly leads
to infertility in beef cattle. Contaminated zearalenone corn has been shown to cause erratic or silent heats, reduce conception rates and cause physical anomalies such as swollen vaginas, and prolapsed vaginas, and spontaneous abortions. Furthermore, zearalenone causes liver damage and suppression of the immune system. Other fusarium mycotoxins such as T2 and Fumonium will cause reproductive and health problems in cattle but are seldom found in our feedstuffs. Unlike Aflatoxins, and Fusarium mycotoxins, Penicillium mycotoxins are a result of poorly stored feed or poor bunk management rather than produced under challenging field conditions. They are not only suspect in causing reproductive problems in cattle, but also have been shown to hamper feed digestion. One University of Minnesota experiment added graduated concentrations of patulin (a penicillium mycotoxin) to artificial fermenters containing rumen fluid collected from experimental cows. Researchers found the addition of patulin to these cultures significantly reduced organic matter, fibre and protein digestion of an added pelleted diet as well as depressed rumen microbe populations. Other studies show such mycotoxins can be partially metabolized by rumen bugs, but this ability is limited, since their breakdown is inhibited by the natural acidity of the rumen. Luckily, most people are apprehensive when feeding visible moldy feed to their beef cattle. However, they
should realize that not all mold contamination in forages, grain or protein concentrates are visible or consistent throughout individual bales or truckloads, respectively. If a single or more feed ingredient (including the final beef diet) is suspected for mold; a mold-count test is recommended to conduct any initial investigation. This lab test counts the number of mold spores for any given feed sample. Mold count tests are inexpensive, but their information is also limited. They show us the presence of mold, but fail to reveal the presence or extent of any mycotoxins. Consequently, if one suspects a mycotoxin in feed, for example; zearalenone in a load of corn, then it would be ideal to take grain samples and send them away to a lab that performs mycotoxinscreen tests. In a real-life situation, I believe spending the extra dollars would warrant the prevention of feeding Zcorn that causes irreversible damage to health and reproductive performance to any cowherd. Testing feed is a good thing to do, yet the final decision to feed moldy feed to beef cattle comes down to common sense. The golden rule for me is to avoid feeding contaminated feed to beef cattle, especially to young calves, replacement heifers and pregnant cows. It’s that dangerous. One can minimize specific situations, when moldy feed is diluted with clean feed or mixed with clay binders in a TMR, but nothing beats feeding mold-free feed to beef cattle.
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to sign on and ratify the agreement as quickly as possible to make sure that we’re all on the same level playing field when it comes to international trade,” he said. “Foreign animal disease is always an issue and how we can keep our countries biosecure. Also for us, we’re interested in constructing more feeder barns in Manitoba so looking at the latest in construction equipment and methods for putting up substantial but inexpensive barns is of great interest to us and it’s the best show in the world when it comes to pork equipment,” continued Matheson. Matheson said the veil of secrecy, has been lifted and relations among Canadian and US pork producers are very good. Attending World Pork Expo and the Pork Congresses in January in both Minnesota and Iowa have allowed the development of face-to-face relations. “And what we’ve discovered is we’re an integrated industry with similar problems and challenges and producers on the two sides of the border are working at this together,” he added.
Co-op Expands its Fertilizer Terminals with Construction Investments Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) is investing $75 million to build two new state-of-the-art, high-throughput fertilizer terminals in western Canada, including one in Brandon. Construction on the two terminals recently began at sites outside Brandon and Hanley, Saskatchewan. The facilities, which are expected to be operational in early 2017, will warehouse, blend and distribute a full suite of crop nutrition products throughout the Co-operative Retailing System (CRS). The Brandon terminal will hold 27,500 metric tonnes of fertilizer while the Hanley terminal will be able to store up to 45,000 metric tonnes. Rail access will allow both facilities to efficiently receive product from domestic and international suppliers, while each high-throughput terminal is centrally located for distribution to Co-op Agro Centres across western Canada. Each terminal will be able to load a super B trailer of blended fertilizer in 10 minutes and dispense up to 400 metric tonnes of straight fertilizer in an hour.
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The AgriPost
August 26, 2016
Detecting a Banned Substance Affects All Exporting Growers
Maxim Leagult-Maynard (right) talks with a producer about testing methods for canola being shipped to export customers.
Photo by Les Kletke By Les Kletke Not only Olympic athletes are feeling the impact of highly improved testing methods. That same trend is showing up on grain exports as well. The agriculture world is not as forgiving as the athletic world when it comes to banned substances. When Russian athletes were faced with being banned from the recent Rio Olympics because many team members had been the benefactors of rigged testing results the sporting world cried foul and said that athletes who had not engaged in the activity should not be banned from Olympic competition. That is not the way things happen in the world of canola exports. Maxim Legault-Maynard said that all farmers would suffer if an undesirable substance were found in a sample of canola intended for export. Legault-Maynard is with the Canola Council of Canada in Ottawa and was in Portage la Prairie to speak to the industry about testing levels and what detection of undesirable substance can mean. He said that testing methods have improved to where .01 parts per million are detectable. “That means 9 seeds in a B-Train, can be detected and the testing is done much more regularly.” Legault-Maynard is not concerned that producers are trying to circumvent the rules and gain an unfair advantage as happens in the sports world but he said it is rather a matter of a moving target. “Products that may be registered in Canada might not be registered for use in another country,” he said. “That may be a problem if the product is used in production and then the seed is exported to a country that does not allow the product.” There is another matter that complicates the issue. “Other countries may change their regulations and if a crop is grown a year or two before it is exported it is now being sold under different regulations and the crop is not grandfathered in. There is no way of knowing what year the crop has been produced.” Legault-Maynard said it is not a single issue with a product but does say that a product used to control cleavers can cause some problems in the export market. He does not place all responsibility on producers. “It is an industry wide issue,” he said. “We must all be diligent in this because the reputation of the Canadian industry is at stake and we rely heavily on the export market. We want to make sure that we have access to as much of the world market as possible.”
NFU Says Single Desk CWB Partial Demise of Port of Churchill According to the National Farmers Union (NFU) the previous conservative government knew that the chance of the Churchill port surviving after the termination of the Canadian Wheat Board was nil. The Wheat Board at the time directed almost 95% of the grain going through the port. “Minister Ritz camouflaged the negative impact for the Port of Churchill by providing the subsidy,” said Jan Slomp, NFU President. That subsidy
is due to end next year. According to OmniTrax when they took over control of the port and rail lines, “The location of the port is ideal for shipping products to and from Europe, Russia, Mexico, Africa, South America, and the Middle East. Using the Port of Churchill eliminates time-consuming navigation, additional handling and high-cost transportation through the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway.” OmniTrax, which is the
largest employer in Churchill, laid off dozens of workers recently and announced that the port would close ahead of schedule on August 6. The loss of jobs will no doubt have a devastating effect on the local economy and is all the more difficult to accept due to the lack of notice and consultation. The port played a vital role in bringing prairie grains to market and alleviated backups when large shipments occurred. The freight advantage to eastern Saskatchewan and western Manitoban farmers amounted to $10-25/tonne (approximately $1,000/car load) compared to going through the St. Lawrence system.
The Western Grain Elevators Association are projecting this year’s crop will be 63 million tonnes at minimum and could be as a large as 74.1 million tonnes. This would be similar in size to the 2013-14 record breaking crop when millions of tonnes were left stranded and estimated to have cost the Prairie economy $5 billion. “How can OmniTrax unilaterally decide to close a port that is of such strategic importance to Canada?” asks Slomp. “The Federal government should intervene.” A previous Liberal government privatized the railroads and allowed the sale of the Port of Churchill and Hudson Bay rail line to a Denver-based company called OmniTrax.
The AgriPost
Cattle Industry Loses a Good One By Les Kletke The Canadian cattle industry lost a good one with the passing of Bob Gordon. Bob Gordon was about good cattle and he acknowledged that they could come in different colours and from different herd books. It was during his tenure on the executive of the Manitoba Cattle Producers Association that the Douglas Bull Test Station was established in the 1960s. His knowledge of quality cattle and ability to see the desirable traits in any breed qualified him to be named Sire Selector and Manager of the Beef Program for Western Breeders/ Alta Genetics in 1985. Bob was born in Oak Lake and was a child of the Great Depression but his dream from childhood was to become a registered livestock breeder. At 14 he showed his first steer at the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair. It was a string that would last for more than 4 decades. While western Manitoba was always home Bob’s desire to breed the best cattle possible his path took him to shows in Denver, Chicago, Toronto and Regina. Bob and Brother Wayne established the Kinnaber Cattle Co. and bred short horn cattle and began in the dairy business in 1961. In 1970 he was named “Builder of the Shorthorn Breed.” From 1969 to 1971 he dominated the Denver Stock Show and
had 3 consecutive Grand Champions and 2 reserve Champions. He also had two Grand Champions at the Chicago International Show. His appearances in the ring were not restricted to that of a competitor, Bob Gordon was a respected judge recognized across North America. At the same time he was a founding partner and first president of Bar 5 Simmentals and initiated the importation of the first cattle from Europe. The Achilles Cattle Co. hired him as the manager to promote Simmental semen worldwide. In the 1970s while a member of the Canadian Hereford Association and seeing his children’s love of the cattle business he initiated the Canadian Junior Hereford
Association and hosted the inaugural event at his farm in 1979. In the 1980s the Angus breed had his attention and he developed a small herd of Angus cattle. Bob was inducted into the Canadian Agricultural Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2007, Bob and Joyce together were inducted into the Manitoba Agricultural Hall of Fame for their contribution to agriculture and the beef industry. So that his work with youth will carry on, a Bob Gordon Memorial Fund has been established with proceeds going to youth and agriculture endeavors. Donations may be made to the Fund at Box 605, Boissevain, Manitoba R0K 0E0.
Research Aims to Increase Pulse Flour Use in Bread Market The governments of Canada and Manitoba are funding $270,000 in a pilot project to increase the use of pulse flours in the commercial bread-making industry to help create new opportunities to expand markets and value-added processing. “Canada is a world leader in pulse production and the Government of Canada is proud to support the ongoing research that contributes to this success,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. “Funding research to find new and innovative uses for pulse crops contributes to economic prosperity for farmers, while meeting the needs of today’s health conscious consumers, here and around the globe.” Funding for this two-year project is provided through the Grain Innovation Hub, which was announced by the Canada and Manitoba governments in May 2014. It will be used to purchase and install specialized equipment, including a fermentation tank, at the Canadian International Grains Institute (Cigi) in Winnipeg. Warburtons, the largest bakery brand in the United Kingdom, and Cigi will use this equipment to research pulse-based bakery products including bread. “Consumers are looking for healthier, more nutritious foods that taste great, and Manitobagrown pulses can help meet this demand,” said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler. “This research project is exciting because it will help identify new markets and opportunities for pulse growers, adding value to crops grown here at home.” The baking sector represents a large market opportunity for pulse crops, which include beans, peas, chickpeas and lentils. Pulses have many nutritional benefits, making them a desirable ingredient, and the project will help identify ways to improve the baking processes and flavour of breads made with them. Other factors, including texture, colour and nutritional content, will also be evaluated. The goal of the Grain Innovation Hub is to leverage $33 million in government and industry funding to re-establish Manitoba as a leader in grain research, production and processing.
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Volunteer Board Keep Clack Brothers Museum Dream Alive By Joan Airey In 1983 three Clack Brothers Fred, Doug and Tim had the first thirty by sixty foot steel shed erected to house the antiques they had collected to start a museum. They opened it to the public that year. The three brothers have since passed away and the museum is run by a board of volunteers. Over the years Tim wrote three books recording the family’s history and the museum’s. Every August the volunteers hold an open house at the museum with entertain-
Timer Hyndman (auctioneer), Jim Brown, Secretary-Treasure of the board and Marg Burt board member presents Roy Greer a plaque for his dedication to the museum.
ment for the children, and an auction sale of donated items to raise money to help pay expenses and help with payroll for the students that work at the museum during summer holidays. Henry Lepp local car enthusiast helps keeps the vehicles on display running. Besides this, he spends time working along side the rest of the board to keep buildings in repair and things running smoothly. “Roy Greer who had served numerous years on the board decided it was time to retire from the board and was recognized with a plaque for his many hours
of work. In July we hosted a Car Show and Shine with cars taking part from around Manitoba. The numerous cars and other vehicles on display in the museum were of interest to all ages of car enthusiasts. In the future we are hoping to expand on the July car show but we haven’t had a chance to make any decisions as to when it will be held or what will be involved. The board is grateful to Brandon and Rivers Area Foundations for the donations they have made to make it possible for us to do upgrades to some of the twenty buildings that house the museum,” said
Marg Burt, board member. On display at the museum is a 1916 Ford vehicle that has steel wheels on the rear and was designed for pulling machine guns during the WWI. Sitting behind it is a 1919 Model T truck, which Tim often entered in local parades. Anyone interested in antique vehicles can spend hours studying the numerous vehicles on display or those interested in fine china can find just as many things to study. Clack Family Heritage Museum Foundation Inc. is located in Oakview Municipality between Oak River and Rivers.
Photos by Joan Airey
Biomass Program Continues to Support Renewable Energy The Canada and Manitoba governments are supporting a greener, more sustainable economy through the $1-million Biomass Energy Support Program. “The Government of Canada is committed to increasing the use of clean and sustainable technology,” said Federal Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay. “Making investments in the use of renewable biomass fuels through research and innovative practices will help the agricultural sector to be more competitive in a global economy, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.” Applications are being accepted for this continuing program, which is funded under Growing Forward 2 which includes 176 million ear marked for Manitoba. It includes $500,000 in grants to help coal users’ transition to renewable biomass fuel. Another $500,000 is available for applied research projects that support the growth of the biomass industry in Manitoba. “Biomass and other renewable fuels can create opportunities for Manitoba’s farmers and other key partners,” said Manitoba Agriculture Minister Ralph Eichler. “The two-pronged approach of this grant program encourages Manitobans making the necessary transition to biomass, while also recognizing research is essential to finding new markets and creating
both economic and environmental benefits.” Funding can be used to convert coal-heating systems to use biomass as the fuel source. Current biomass manufacturers can also apply to expand their operations and meet consumer demands. The maximum grant available is $50,000. Eligible biomass fuels include agricultural residue such as wheat and flax straw, sunflower hulls or compacted biomass-like wheat and oat pellets, forestry residues such as wood chips or salvaged timber and biomass crops such as switchgrass, willow and poplar. Projects with short turnaround times that support Manitoba’s coal reduction goal are given priority in the funding approval process. The funding for applied research projects is intended to address gaps or identify opportunities for business and technology in the biomass sector. The deadline to apply for research and capital upgrade grants from the Biomass Energy Support Program is September 30. For more information about the program and how to apply, visit manitoba.ca/ agriculture/innovation-andresearch/biomass-energysupport-program. Last year, 21 projects received funding from this program. Since 2012, it has invested approximately $3
million to help farms and businesses transition to biomass energy, leveraging additional contributions of approximately $3 million. These projects have reduced the amount of coal used by over 10,000 tonnes and greenhouse gas emissions by over 15,000 tonnes annually. A 1916 Ford on display at Clack Museum that was used in WWI to pull machine guns.
The AgriPost
August 26, 2016
Every Bit Counts When Canola Harvesting By Les Kletke Too much of a hurry at harvest time can cost a lot of money, especially in a high value crop like canola. Harvey Chorney is with PAMI in Portage la Prairie and he recommends that producers take their time at harvest and get as much of the crop as possible. His research shows that an increase of 1 mph with the combine can increase the loss out the back of the machine by two bushels per acre. “We have seen that speeding up from 3 to 4 mph will increase the loss from 1 to 3 bushels an acre,” said Chorney. “At $10 a bushel canola can cost you $2,360 in 3 hours.” He said the cost of growing the crop has already been incurred. For the best economics, producers need to get as much as possible in the bin. Chorney said that even loading of the combine is a key consideration under any conditions. “Especially in canola that begins with cutting. The machine is the most inefficient when it is starting and stopping, that is when you are blowing seed out the back. You want to load the machine evenly and keep going,” said Chorney. He does acknowledge that ‘beaver huts’ do occur in some conditions. He recommends that any and all steps be taken to avoid the lumps in the swath and if possible the piles should be fed into the machine as evenly as possible. “With a crop like canola as much as 80% of the threshing occurs on impact, it is the easiest to thresh especially compared to wheat,” he said. “But when it is fed into the machine in lumps the machine cannot do its best job and the seed goes out the back.” Chorney also recommends paying attention to any leaks on the machine and to be sure, they are sealed to avoid losses for a small seed like canola. “By the time you get to the grain loss monitor it is too late in many cases. There are several areas where seed has been lost before that beginning at cutting, feeding it into the machine and combine leakage. We find there can be considerable threshing where the canola is being fed into the machine.”
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Harvey Chorney says that slowing down at harvest time can put more grain in the tank, grain you have already paid for.
Photo by Les Kletke To avoid this loss he recommends matching ground speed to the speed of the pick up to avoid losses before the canola enters the machine. Chorney said that producers should pay attention to the shoe
capacity and keep in mind that only 15% of the material is seed and that the other 85% is plant material that goes out the back of the machine. “You want to keep a nice even load and be running the machine at 55-85% engine load.”
Cattle Producer Chooses Steady Expansion Over High Debt By Les Kletke Peter Froese has an abundance of hay this year, deciding not to rush it to market. He prefers to store it viewing the extra feed as an insurance policy. Froese remembers last spring when a predicted shortage of feed in northern Alberta drove prices sky high. The shortage did not materialize to the point some expected and prices levelled off later in summer but he would rather hedge against market uncertainty. Like many producers, he prefers to have extra feed on hand and would like to have an extra year’s supply available. “I know the scare that some producers went through last spring, and while the prices seemed attractive, we kept our feed on the yard,” he said. “I have to remember that I am a cattle producer not a hay producer and feed is one of my inputs. So why would I sell it off with the danger of shorting myself?” Froese who farms in the Marchand area said this year’s hay crop has been above average. “There have been some challenges with
the weather, but we expect that every year. It would be a bonus if we did not have some tough weather. We don’t expect things to go perfectly,” he said. He expanded his herd to 250 cows several years ago at a time when everything
looked bleak. “I was able to expand the herd without too much debt,” he said. “I kept a lot of my own heifers and built the herd from within. The price was not that good for selling heifers so I thought it was the time to expand.”
Some of his cows are reaching the age for replacement and because he is at a steady number, he can do that. “When I was expanding I could not replace cows, I kept everything I had and added heifers but now some of the old cows will go
down the road and new ones come into the herd.” He kept costs down while expanding by storing his feed in plastic wrapped bales. “I considered going to silage but there are extra costs involved with equipment, and I chose to use
what I had to keep costs down and still expand,” said Froese. His cow calf pairs have been on pasture this summer and he said feed has been more than adequate after a slow start in spring.
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Minnedosa Farmer Reports Slightly Below Average Harvest By Les Kletke Ryan Derksen has begun harvest and knows he is in for a tough one. “This is the time of year I look forward to, it is payday, but this one is not going to be fun and it is not going to be the pay day we had hoped for.” Dersken has completed his wheat harvest and rates it as slightly below average. He feels it will be typical of the area north of Minnedosa where he farms. “We planted winter wheat last fall with good expectations, and the crop came up well and looked good coming through the winter. It looked good in spring but then the rains came and did a lot of damage in the low spots,” he explained. Derksen said that marketing options in the area had him considering higher yielding lower quality wheat. “We have some options locally that work for us so we targeted the highest yields and things looked promising when the crop emerged but it just got too wet,” he said. He has made little changes to his crop rotation in the past three years staying with roughly a third of his acres in wheat and the remainder in soybeans and canola. He does recognize that the rotation relies too heavily on oilseed crops and he could face problems. “We will have to change some things next year and increase our cereals, but first we have to get this crop off,” he said. The wheat harvest came with a challenge as field conditions stayed wet and increased the fuel bill. “We were not at the point of having to pull machines out of the mud but the ground is soft and I know it added to the fuel bill, we try to reduce the traffic in the field and keep compaction to a minimum,” he said. The same excess moisture this spring that reduced his wheat yield also took its toll on his canola. “We did not have the even germination and the crop was wetter in the low spots; we did not have the stand that we hoped for,” said Derksen. “We knew early it was not going to be a bumper crop and it is not. We have harvested some and the yields are okay on the higher spots but the low spots hurt the average. You need the whole field to make a good crop.”
Adjustments to the Support Prices of Butter and Skim Milk Powder The Canadian Dairy Commission (CDC) has announced an increase in the support prices of butter and skim milk powder that will be effective September 1, 2016. The support price of butter will increase from $7.7815 to $8.0062. The support price of skim milk powder will increase from $4.4176 to $4.5302/kg. The CDC expects these adjustments in support prices to add up to an overall revenue increase of approximately 2.76% for dairy producers for milk processed into yogurt, ice cream, cheese, and butter. The impact of these adjustments at the retail level will be influenced by many factors such as manufacturing, transportation, distribution and packaging costs throughout the supply chain. The margin received by processors for butter and skim milk powder purchased by the CDC under the Do-
mestic Seasonality Programs will remain unchanged. Carrying charges collected by the CDC to pay for the storage of normal butter stocks will also remain unchanged.
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Manitoba Agricultural College Engineers Course
The Manitoba Agricultural Museum holds in its collection the photo seen here which is thought to show the students of an Engineers course at the Manitoba Agricultural College. Manitoba’s rapid growth at the turn of the Century prompted the provincial government to support agricultural research and education. The Manitoba Agricultural College (MAC) was established in 1905, with the objective of educating students in modern farming practices. MAC was the first college of its kind in Western Canada, and only the third in all of Canada. MAC offered courses in horticulture, agricultural engineering, animal husbandry, farm management, and home economics. One of the agricultural engineering courses offered was a course training students in the operation of steam engines and the new fangled gasoline tractors. Judging by the number of young men seen here the course was quite popular. Given the rapid expansion in the number of steam engines and tractors on the Prairies and general unfamiliarity of the farm population with machinery, this sort of course was much needed at this time.
While MAC was designed to give men a solid educational background in agricultural sciences, MAC also included a Division of Home Economics, which was intended to give young ladies from rural communities a scientific background in homemaking. The women were to receive an education in health, nutrition, and home management. Course were offered in such subjects such as food safety, laundry chemistry, human physiology, and home based accounting. With such training the hope was that the graduates would return to their home communities, become leaders and impart their knowledge to other ladies in the area. MAC was built at a Winnipeg site in the Tuxedo neighborhood close to Assiniboine Park with construction starting in 1905. By 1910, MAC had outgrown its Tuxedo campus and found that obtaining additional land in the immediate area of the campus was impossible. Seven years after the Tuxedo Campus was opened, MAC moved to a new site in Fort Garry which is now the location of the University of Manitoba. The Tuxedo campus became the Fort Osborne barracks used by the Canadian
military from 1914 to 1968 when Kapyong Barracks were built. The site was then acquired by the Provincial Government who moved government offices into the buildings. The site was then purchased from the Provincial Government and redeveloped into the Asper Jewish Community Campus. The tractor the students are on is a 30 horsepower Big Four.The Big Four tractor designs came from the Transit Thresher Company which set out to design a thresher which could move around a harvested grain field to the stooks of grain so eliminating the need to bring the sheaves to the thresher. For this purpose a belt pulley at the back of a gas tractor was very useful as the tractor could then drive a threshing machine which was towed behind the tractor. After design work had taken place, Transit realized the entire idea was not workable as a drive belt was not compatible with turning a tractor towing a threshing machine. But Transit realized that the tractor they had designed was a decent design so they
began to build and sell it as the 25 horsepower Big Four. The Big Four retained the rear mounted belt pulley as moving it to a more conventional location would have involved a major re-design. The Big Four tractor entered production in the US in 1906. The tractor was the first tractor with a 4 cylinder engine which explains why the tractor was known as Big Four. Transit changed its name to the Gas Traction Company in 1908 as this name better reflected what the company manufactured. The Big Four was a sales success with demand outstripping supply. In 1909, the Gas Traction Company of Winnipeg was organized and purchased the Canadian patent rights for the Big Four from the Gas Traction Company. Gas Traction of Winnipeg wasted no time erecting a factory in Elmwood, a suburb of Winnipeg with the first tractor rolling out
of the plant in March, 1910. In 1912, Emerson-Brantingham purchased the Gas Traction Companies and the Winnipeg plant was closed. Production of the Big Four continued until 1920 however Emerson-Brantingham was producing smaller and
horsepower has a curved top to the radiator whereas the 25 horse power had square radiator. As the 30 Horsepower was introduced in 1910, this photo was taken sometime after that date. It may very well be this tractor was manufactured in the
lighter tractors soon after purchasing the Gas Traction Companies. Emerson-Brantingham was sold to J.I. Case in 1928. There were two models of Big Four tractors, a 25 horsepower model and a 30 horsepower model. The tractor seen here is a 30 horsepower model. The 30
Elmwood, Winnipeg plant. The Manitoba Agricultural Museum is open year round and operates a website at ag-museum.mb.ca which can provide visitors with information on Museum including location and hours of operation.
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Alfalfa Management in Seeding Year By John McGregor, MFGA Extension Support During the year of establishment, alfalfa seedlings need a high level of energy reserves in order to persist through the winter. For spring seeding which is made without a companion crop, two harvests can generally be made the first year, provided there is adequate rainfall and optimum levels of soil nutrients. For production, consider forage quality when selecting a harvest schedule. Most harvest schedule decisions include date of cut, stage of maturity, interval between cuts, and cutting height. The interval between the stage of maturity, yield, forage quality, and persistence is frequently used to decide when to harvest alfalfa.
First Harvest Seeding Year
The first harvest in the seeding year is when alfalfa is seeded in the spring and one to two cuttings is planned in the same year. The first harvest can be made before flowers begin to appear, but waiting for the alfalfa to flower will ensure greater energy reserves in the roots. Generally, alfalfa will reach this stage of development between 60 and 70 days after emergence. Harvesting delays during this stage will cause large reductions in quality and decline in total yield over the season, because fewer harvests are possible.
Second Harvest Seeding Year
The second harvest should be before the third week of August (Figure 2) to ensure an adequate storage of energy reserves for winter, or it could possibly be delayed until after the first killing frost in the fall. Although newly established alfalfa stands are generally more winter hardy than older stands, leaving stubble of 4-6 inches after the late fall cutting is a good management practice that can help trap snow and provide good insulation. Some key aspects to harvest alfalfa include good root development and plant vigour. If the alfalfa stand looks vigorous and the roots are well developed, spring cutting can be made at bud early bloom. However, if plants are relatively small and poorly developed, it might be better to wait until midbloom stage before harvesting (Figure 1).
Province’s Soybeans Show Resilience
By Les Kletke Soybeans are emerging this year as one of the province’s most resilient crops, maturing in time for harvest, despite the challenges from excess rain. In its weekly crop report, Manitoba Agriculture lists several areas of the province that have received as much as two and a half times the normal precipitation. Most areas are not that severe however more than normal precipitation in the western regions has presented many challenges to producers. “It is a matter of when it came,” said James Friesen. “It has come late it the season when things were past the prime growing stage where they use a lot of water.” A portion of his canola was damaged enough by early precipitation that it affected stands in the lower areas of most fields. “Some of the canola was lost early, and the best we could hope for was an average crop if the remaining areas had come through with bumper stands. That did not happen,” said Friesen. Friesen farms at Dominion City and said that much of the crop in the area suffered through the excess moisture. He does hold hope for his soybeans after harvesting below average wheat and canola yields. “It was mostly a matter of not having an even stand across the field,” he said. “When you give up 20% or more of the area of the field to flooding the remainder has to be exceptional to get the whole field back to zero.” He has been growing soybeans for 5 years and has steadily increased his acreage as he became more familiar with the crop. “We started out slowly but have been pleasantly sur-
prised with how the crop has come through adverse conditions over the years,” he said. “There is not the advantage there once was in reduced costs because seed costs and inoculants have increased and the cost is similar to other crops where you have a fertilizer cost.” Friesen thinks that his crop has not only survived the excess moisture but actually recovered and looks to be setting a good number of pods. “We have a good set on and if things fill we will be alright, but it is a long way from in the bin,” said Friesen with some caution. He expects the crop to begin dropping its leaves in the next week or so and to be harvesting within a month. “It is not as early as some of the other crops and we do give that up but if the yield is there and it survives these conditions we will survive harvest.”
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