Happy Fall Everyone.  It is late October, the leaves are falling, the sun is shining and the combines are rolling. It’s hard to believe looking at the 14 day forecast and seeing double digits that are positive and not negative.
Corn harvest in Dufferin is well on its way, with reports of average to above average yield, and moisture in the low 20’s. Bins are busting, and shipping continues with what hopes of little to no backlog in the system.
Wheat acres planted in the area from my observation would be average to above average as we had phenomenal planting conditions. Looking around the county I’d say it is all going into winter strong which only means big spring potential! “Plant into dust the bins will bust”.
As a producer I reached out to a local agronomist for some industry insight beyond my farm gates.  When chatting I was pleasantly surprised to hear that flax seed is making a comeback and is being grown in the Dufferin area, which is neat to see. It was also stated that cover crop seed has continually increased in sales, as producers in the area acknowledge the importance of soil health. This is from both early adopters and new producers who acknowledge the benefits and improvements for their soils. Another topic we as producers hear a lot of is weed pressure and the dreaded resistance word. It is important to remember this and be aware of resistance and the persistence of weeds throughout all climates and growing conditions. As producers we are adaptive and aware, meaning we can make the best management practices to improve and eliminate those resistance weeds.
I hope everyone has a healthy, happy, safe harvest! Keep your ears open for our February date for the Annual Feed and Seed Show.
Brandi McCabe, Dufferin SCIA Secretary & Local Producer. Cell: 519-940-6679