Crop tour interest high in canola strategies
Crop tour interest high in canola strategies
By ALLAN TINKER
Interest in the vagaries of canola production opened the NDSU and McClusky Co-op Elevator Tour on Monday, August 15. The site of the tour was three of four corners of the intersection of Highways 200 and 14 near Denhoff. Approximately 40 farmers were on hand for various crops of interest lectures and information.
Offering information on canola, wheat, corn, barley, lentils and peas were Mark Halvorson, Greg Endres, Jeremy Pederson, Shana Pederson, and Dan Melaas.
Discussion on canola included whether it was best to combine straight or swath. The farmers were told that if they used a desiccation product, it would all be dry in 10 days but if they chose not to go this route, then the safest was to swath. “If the crop heats up, the oil is destroyed,” said Dan.
A question arose as to whether there would be winter canola. The answer was in the southern states, such as Oklahoma, perhaps yes. But it was subject to harsh springs locally, which attributes to nothing coming up. Another question to why this doesn’t happen with ‘volunteer’ plants brought laughter but no answer.
Rolling the seed between fingers is a good way to test the readiness of the plant for swathing or harvest. If the seed dips upon pressure, it s not dry enough. One should check about halfway up the stem in the flowers that were first to emerge. “If it is in milk stage, let it go a while longer.”
