Of the many things northwestern Ontario’s weather has been lately, steady is not among them, with patterns of warm, cold, damp and dry over the past month alone.
From diversifying crops to preparing for conditional pests, such weather uncertainty intensifies the need for farmers to adapt quickly, according to Dave Schraa, president of the Rainy River Soil and Crop Improvement Association.
The association is the Rainy River District branch of the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association (OSCIA), a non-profit founded in 1939, comprised of more than 50 smaller branches. Guided by its motto “farmers working with farmers,” its goal is to support and inform farmers around innovative practices surrounding soil, water, air and crop management.
When there’s an unpredictable patch, farmers adjust the diversity of their crops because “you don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” Schraa told The Times. “It’s one way you can manage the risks a little bit. As far as what the weather throws at us, that’s unknown, nor do we have any control over it. It’s one way you can balance that risk.”
“The wheat is nice and green, and digging the cooler weather,” he said. “It’s liking the cooler conditions, whereas typically the soybeans and corn favour the warmer conditions. But they’ll return as the weather changes. That’s why most farms around here would grow a variety of crops. You may have a really good year for wheat, but not so good for the soybeans.”
Around this time of year, unpredictable weather cycles are not the only thing for farmers to keep in mind. Just as important as cultivating a wider range of produce is controlling weeds and pests.
“Most farms across the district, they’re growing annual crops, and weed control and controlling pests is a big thing right now,” Schraa said.
To hydrate a huge field, heavy diesel vehicles called sprayers are equipped with a large tank capable of holding thousands of litres of water and are driven through the crop. Small amounts of weed-killing solutions—and pesticides if necessary—along with nutrients for the crop are mixed in and sprayed onto the plants in a mist.
Large booms that can span from 12 metres (40 feet) on smaller units to nearly 50 metres (164 feet) on huge industrial-sized units, make spraying multiple rows at a time make the task easier and more efficient, which helps to eliminate the chance of missing a section.
“A high density of weeds compared to crops, and they’re going to be taking up moisture and nutrients that the crop could be using,” Schraa said. “If we don’t control them, depending on how many weeds there are, it can have a severe impact on the final yield, which can obviously have an economic impact; it’s not going to produce as much product, and then you don’t have as much to sell.”
When spraying the mix, including a pesticide is not generally desirable, but sometimes ultimately necessary.
“Unfortunately, a lot of insecticides in the marketplace are what are referred to as non-selective,” Schraa said. “Yes, they can have action against your target pest but may also affect beneficial insects that are in the environment.”
During last year’s growing season, for example, farmers in the Rainy River District had to deal with large numbers of armyworms, which can be devastating to crops as they feed in massive numbers and grow rapidly, consuming entire crops in just a few days.
In that case, the introduction of pesticides was a necessary evil—while it might impact other creatures that help the soil, without it, the risk of heavy crop damage or loss was too high.
Pest control products also pose an additional expense for farmers that would be better avoided if possible. Given the rising costs for the industry for fuel, fertilizer, and many other inputs that keep a farm functioning, such unnecessary expenses can quickly add up and affect profits.
