The second annual Preharvest Residue Management Day hosted by the Saskatchewan Conservation Learning Centre late last summer was a success with over 200 farmers in attendance.
Featured was Monsanto's new Fast Forward. This product continues to give excellent perennial weed control with better dry down capabilities than Roundup Original. An excellent demo of dry down comparisons between the Original, Transorb, and Fast Forward was set up by Russ Popoff Monsanto's territory manager for the region. He also demonstrated the importance of staging for application of Fast Forward. Five days too early can certainly give more shriveled kernels in the sample. Rob Neyedley, one of Monsanto's product development personnel, was on hand to present the technical side of Fast Forward and answer questions. Gary Thiel, a farmer in the Shellbrook area explained how he makes good use of preharvest on his direct seeded acres.
The Conservation Learning Centre seeded Fleet barley May 8 to have a field ready to run some combine demonstrations before fall harvesting got into full swing in the area. Laurie Hayes the farm manager was very happy with the interest in the farm the field day generated. She welcomes all back for a crop tour next summer and to take in the preharvest demo next season.
The barley crop being harvested only ran about 45 bu/ac due to a lot of net blotch and a very dry spring. There certainly were a lot of green patches in the field at harvesting but the sample was dry. Last growing season the Centre direct seeded most of its acres with an Edwards Hoe Drill. They side inject liquid fertilizer with this drill. This particular field was preseed sprayed with 0.5 liters of Transorb. The barley was seeded into standing canola stubble with 60 lb/ac of 12-51-0 seed placed and an additional 40 lb/ac of N applied as liquid with this side dribbler or injector. Laurie says that this particular field was heavily infested with thistle so next season will be a good time to rate Fast Forward's perennial weed control.
The field was preharvested by Ag Depot. High clearance sprayers on display were: Willmar, Rogator, Spraycoupe, Patriot, John Deere, and Walker.
Residue management and harvesting was demonstrated by four different combines with straight cut headers. A John Deere combine was also in the line up but was not able to run in the field. The Case IH combine featured a stripper header so attenders could evaluate the residue management techniques associate with this type of harvesting system. Gleaner and Massey were busy filling Bourgault's 1100 bu grain cart. Caterpillar had their new combine in action as well. They were doing a good job of demonstrating one of the residue management cautions Garry Mayerle the regional soil conservationist had emphasized in his residue management presentation. The Cat combine was running a 36 ft. MacDon draper header. Their machine was creating quite a storm of residue behind with good spreading capabilities but it wasn't quite getting the residue out over the whole 36 ft. width of cut. The point Mayerle was making was in a direct seeding system harvest cutting width may have to be restricted to the width that residue can be spread!
Both Bourgault and Flexicoil had their heavy harrows on display. In areas of the province where large quantities of residue are often grown aggressive harrowing does have a fit for many direct seeders.
On this, our second annual, the weather was hot and hotter - great for harvesting. At our first annual event the combines ran between rain clouds. Come on out this next season to see what the day will bring and how you might beef up your harvesting system.