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Intensive Canola With Chemfallow/Tillage

8K views 52 replies 20 participants last post by  Snapper22 
#1 · (Edited)
Back in the 80s, our rotation was wheat-wheat-summerfallow.

We couldnt grow pulses because of the rocky ground and canola/mustard wasn't an option because of the hot summers.

We did fairly well with this rotation. We got a pretty good wheat crop the first year, usually high protein and then the second year, although yields/quality were a bit lower, it was an ok crop. Then we rested the land for a year and quite a bit of organic material to work back in for the next crop, weeds controlled etc.

I am wondering if a similar rotation could work for canola; i.e. canola-canola-chemfallow/fall tillage

Since there are 3 chemistries and dozens of different genetics in canola to rotate along with breaking the disease cycle with tillage every 3 yrs, I am wondering if this could be an option.

(dont bash me please, but on a small farm, economics and weather are my masters and agronomy sometimes has to be pushed)
 
#2 ·
I wouldn't count on just a year of chemfallow with fall tillage to break a continuous disease pressure cycle. The worst quarter of diseased canola we had last year hasnt seen canola since 2010. We have had canola/canola on the farm before and the second year we made more on oats across the road then the year 2 canola.


Im a small guy too, with rocky land that's been plagued with excess h20 since 2010. My beliefs are that a diverse rotaion will take care of me better then hammering the whole farm into canola or lentils every year to try and chase the almighty dollar. We have been doing good with HRSW and oats in the rotation, trying to get back into the groove of malt, and plan to try flax this year. Might look into fall rye, also.

I dont have as much experience as a lot of guys here do, but I hear grandpa and the other oldtimers talking about having beef cows, milk cows, pigs, chickens and grain; diversity isnt bad and I would be extremely concerned about putting all my eggs in one basket. If it works for you, great, but I wouldnt want to be known as the guy that got the clubroot in the area though.

Just my thoughts, Ive been wrong once before, and I might be again! haha
 
#3 ·
Just my thoughts, Ive been wrong once before, and I might be again! haha
Well around here, its becoming pick your disease because we cant avoid them all. Root rot, fusarium, pasmo, Sclerotinia, yellow asters, ascotyta, anthranose have all shown here in the past few years.

Genetics is the only option I see to get ahead of them and canola has the quickest genetic cycle of all crops that I have seen.
 
#5 · (Edited)
Some guys in my area don't care. They spend themselves stupid and are now continuous canola because they can't pay the bills. And it is everybody else fault, so if disease comes not there fault. besides they want to seed in spring, harvest in fall, get their cheque sit on there ass all winter. I want to try Flax, they are to lazy to grow that, (straw management).
A lot of farmers are very self centered and that is where the problems are, you may have to force crop rotation because of this. growing plants on top of there dead rotting ancestors never has a positive (sic), unless they evolved there since the beginning of time like a forest.
 
#7 ·
I

I would try some rr1 beans. Maybe 50-60 acres and see how they do if they do well t hen you have seed for the following years. And your risk level is real low
 
#13 ·
I don't think there is an easy way out in farming. I believe you need to grow a handful of different crops and some of them might include late harvest. As much as that sucks sometimes, I don't think there is much choice. If you set on this, maybe start it out on half the farm and the other half try some new crops. Than you won't a bunch of late harvest.
 
#15 ·
A cereal like wheat might be more of a viable option for net profit per acre than you think. I priced some last week for delivery March of 18, at $7 for #2, 13 protein. #1 is a bonus. Elevator 60 KM (38 miles) away so fairly low trucking costs.

Last few years we've got to 60-70 BPA across the farm dry land, so if God and Mother Nature keep giving us rain that pencils out at $420-490/acre gross which isn't too far off what canola brings. Factoring in seed cost, more fert, higher crop insurance, other inputs and the disease factors for canola, cereals still pencil out in my area at least and can maintain a rotation.
 
#20 ·
Drives me nuts when farmers say they can't grow crops. Do a proper job of farming following good agronomics and stop spending a fortune on all the problems you're creating for yourself. A good rotation reduces seed, fertilizer, herbicide, and fungicide costs. Work with nature, not bulldoze over her. Killing all the beneficials allows all the pests to thrive. This is not rocket science, just stop screwing up nature. Read up on the Rothamsted rotation work, it's in the UK, but applies.

Its not can't grow crops, its won't grow crops.
 
#28 ·
you only chemfallow in a dry area. My area has been a 50/50 chemfallow due to lack of rain. Last few years guys a doing the 2/3-1/3. This year lots seeding every acre. Combination great moisture in the fall and land price tripling guys are looking to maximize there own land
 
#29 ·
Jazz. 15-20 years ago there was lots of durum grown in our area fusarium gradually moved from the east i can't grow durum here some guys try. Spring wheat is a bit more forgiving when it comes to fusarium. If you plan a fungicide then most years you will be all right It's a tool use it.

I've grown beans four years now don't say you can't until you try. Last year I finished all my harvest late sept.
 
#30 ·
Soybeans are a far better option with wet conditions than summerfallow. They remove some water, fix nitrogen for next years crop, clean up the weed problems, and should be able to provide a good net profit rather than just expense. In wet land I would always be growing some type of crop. Even seeding green feed late in wet spots often dries them up for next year.
 
#32 ·
hehe nope

Sorry should have described better. Ment more guys looking to stubble in, tired of chemfallowing 4 times to keep the stubbles black.

Be a month plus till anybody in my area going, I'm a hour West of Kindersley. Hehe sorry I call my location SE Alberta, but might be closer to Central.
 
#33 · (Edited)
If you have to seed your land to hay for a time to stop disease, it would be in your best interest. A neighbor of mine makes as much or more money selling hay as I do raising cattle. What I gain is a benefit to my land. It doesn't matter what the gross income is, it's what is left. Your location is a determining factor on whether you have a market for hay.
 
#35 ·
I've actually been giving growing some hay or alfalfa some thought. Is there much money in that market? I've also been pondering the idea of swapping some land with some cattle guys for some of theirs to spread out our rotations yet but can't decide what a fair trade would be.
 
#37 ·
Wickedly good quality premium pure alfalfa for the dairy market can regularly break $200/ton, closer to $300 in a dry year. Poor quality tough beef hay is lucky to break $100/ ton, can regularly be had for $70-80 when there's lots around. 3-5 tons a year? Depending on lots of factors, numbers of cuttings, fertility program.....
 
#39 ·
your high money dairy hay is coming from second or third cut Alfalfa. IE under a pivot. Can have a great hay crop then gets hit with a week of rain when its swathed and boom its ****. Hay is kinda one of those things were its worth more then gold or everbody has it....

That being said theres an outfit right beside be that's been buying up a ton of land. They put it back to Alfalfa, spend a fortune doing it. Guess there shipping it to China for there dairy barns.
 
#45 ·
Not to mention it'll soak up a bunch of water from the soil profile if you let it go on past the bud stage and then work it in. There was a thread here a few years back about seeding clear field canola and ysc cause it's tolerant to odyssey. Grow canola, a green manure next season, and a high protein hrs the next year. Or red clover works too.
 
#44 ·
You will deplete your soil. Canola is hard on the soil fungi that give soil structure. Do this for a couple of years and on that fallow year you will see your soil blow away if it is dry at all. Two years of canola, winter wheat, cover crop, HRSW, back to canola would be better. Canola, soybean and then wheat, wheat would be another option.
 
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