Seeding

[SASKFARMER3]

Water running every where but we had 2 inches of wet snow on wed night and then rain Thursday night. Sloughs full dugouts full.
Seeding in March in Alberta. Go for it. Funny in our part of the world the Best and Highest yielding crops are the ones that are seeded between May 16th and Queens birthday. You get it in and your off to the races.
Go for it Alberta make the Seed Companies Happy. Its fricking Mid March.
But if it doesn't rain all year then its a awesome thing you will have 20 and the rest none.

[Klause]

Grr where are you? Plus 1 here in Muenster now.


We lost a lot of snow cover... at colonsay had my loader tractor out there and a few bales to load. Holy crap tractor sank right to the yellow clay snot... Frost is almost out out there.

[vvalk]

Trying to figure the risk reward. Pretty sure these guys are dryland. Why open up the ground to wind which we have had a tonne of while your seed just sits there. Then there is wireworm. Great only last 3 weeks maybe 4. If your crop isn't growing then your treat disappears. I guess it's free to reseed with crop insurance but you would lose 2" of moisture. I get seeding the last week of March to push the envelope in SE Alberta but the second week? I also get colonies seeding early since all those poor people have in their life is being able to brag to the other colonies so it turns into a big kissing match. I remember last year lots went early like the 25th and if I remember correctly many reseeded

[vvalk]

What's to gain by seeding now vs March 25 except taking on a ton of risk? Even the 25th is crazy early. But April 1 is common in SE Alberta

[hobbyfrmr]

I am wondering what the economics of Faba beans would do. They are frost tolerant, fixate N for a month or 6 weeks, terminate them with glyphosate and then plant the spring crop. They would get a cover crop, nitrogen and weed control all before planting, ....in theory.

[farmaholic]

She, Mother Nature, will slap them back to reality.

[farmaholic]

vvalk, what are moisture conditions like in S. Alta?

[grrrr]

My nephew gave me this link to env. Canada station at Pilger.

http://weather.gc.ca/past_conditions/index_e.html?station=pun

[LEP]

It probably takes 3 to 4 weeks after emergence to start nodulation. Moisture is usually an issue in southern alberta so doubt they want to use their one crack at good germ to put in a cover crop.

[hobbyfrmr]

Thanks LEP, that sounds logical.

[vvalk]

No moisture in s ab since before Christmas. Ground moist isn't too bad as long as the trend changes

[LEP]

Wasn't being a smart ass. I would love to have the ability do just that if season or moisture would allow.

I would try anything to replace added inputs or use less chemical as long as it didn't drop my bottom line.

However, I don't think organic would do that. Part way probably could.