Saskatchewan canola farmers competing in Battle of the Bushels

Farmers taking on the challenge were given one of two strains of canola seed to plant their plot, along two herbicides to treat the canola plots. Aside from using those products, the competition let’s them grow their crop how they want.

“It’s a fairly wide open competition. You need to submit your location, so you can’t move it around. The rep comes out and confirms and feeds with you, and after that, it’s just the most bushels win. So you hope you picked a good spot. I know a few of the contestants had some drowning out issues and of course it’s going to be all kinds of weather related issues. But as far as rules go, it’s pick 40 acres, submit it, and grow the most bushels.”

While tending to the rest of their farm like they usually would, Nathan said that the Kuhn family is putting everything they have into the small plot for the competition. That means working with agronomists out of Saskatoon to put together a fertilizer program that’s included multiple applications, and some extra care when it comes to spraying.

“We definitely put a little more into it. I mean, if you’re not first, you’re last.” Kuhn added, “We did some spreading and we applied probably what I would call more fertilizer than normal, and then when the rains came, we figured it could handle some more. So then we spread on some more, then the rains kept coming and our plant stand was good, so we started doing foliar applications. I’ve made my brother Brian go over that thing three or four times more than we typically would with the sprayer than any other crop.”

Nathan joked that his brother Brian might be upset with him after the amount of times he’s been sent out in the sprayer.

“You know what? Most times he’s hating me for it, but if we win, it’ll be worth it.”

Beyer has said there will be a prize of some kind at the end, and Kuhn isn’t sure what that prize will be, but more than anything he’s excited to learn. With the crop he has right now, Kuhn hopes the hail stays away because he believes he has a good chance to come out on top.

“I’m really excited about what ours looks like right now. We’re in a really hail prone zone, so I’m just hoping that we actually get to combine it because I feel like I got a good shot.”

You can check in on the progress of Kuhn and the other 14 farmers on the Battle of the Bushels website. The other farms participating are:

Bernie McClean, BCM Enterprises Ltd. – Glaslyn
Jay Bindig, Lakeside Agro – Kuroki
Lucas Saunders, Limitless Roots – Borden
Derek Kentel, Kentel Farms – Langenburg
Gary Thorsteinson, Thorsteinson Land & Livestock LTD. – Foam Lake
Matthew Enns, Double E Grain – Rosthern
Craig Crone, K&C Farms LTD. – Englefeld
Chris Bauer, Bauer Farms Ltd. – Lake Lenore
David Hamilton, DavCor Farms – Sturgis
Clint Nagy, CARNAGY Farms Ltd. – Meath Park
Bryan Gillies, Gillies Farm – Debden
William Brown, Cutback Creek Farms – Tisdale
Ed Schafer, A&E Schafer Farms – Makwa
Garth George, Aviator Farms LTD. – Marwayne, Alta.

—

nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com

by Nick Nielsen

Saskatchewan canola farmers competing in Battle of the Bushels

What's Trending