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OYF winners’ success strategies
p. 5 Assess 2011 results as you plan 2012
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11/11-BCS11093
FarmFORUM volume 25 | issue 4 | Fall 2011
contents >> PRINT TECHNOLOGY
BUSINESS
PRODUCTION
FARM LIFE
FarmFORUM www.farmforum.ca Publisher Bayer CropScience Editor Sherry Butt Associate Editor Dave Wreford
18
Teach yourself to be a better welder It starts with the right equipment
COVER STORY
10
Ag retailer’s guiding principles generate growth
Helping farmers be profitable
6
Disease management becomes critical in crop protection
16
A fine balance
Two farm kids juggle farm life with the demands of playing high-level sports
Look to other farmers for guidance
4 Editor’s note: stories that inspire people and companies to be their best 5 Assess 2011 results as you plan 2012:
tips for “big-picture” planning
20 Cut your ag teeth as Bayer summer student: jobs now available 22 Constant improvement cornerstone to OYF winners’ success: meet the Sawyers
look for crop talk starting on page 24
contents >> WEB
CropTalk
FarmFORUM.ca
Contributors Clare Stanfield, Jeff Melchior, Jennifer Barber, Lindsye Dunbar, Gerald Pilger, Marianne Stamm and Genesis Studio. Graphic Design Aaron Mumby Design Farm Forum is published seasonally by Bayer CropScience. Contact Farm Forum at: Bayer CropScience Suite 200 160 Quarry Park Blvd SE Calgary, AB, T2C 3G3 T. 1 888-283-6847 F. 1 888-570-9378 E. farmforum@bayercropscience.com www.bayercropscience.ca Contents of this publication are copyrighted and may be reproduced only with written permission of the publisher, Bayer CropScience. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. Publications Mail Agreement Number 40743517 Registered in Canada Copyright 2011 Website www.farmforum.ca Return undeliverable copies to: Bayer CropScience Suite 200 160 Quarry Park Blvd SE Calgary, AB, T2C 3G3
More than you think is riding on your seed tests
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Tips for going into tax season
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On the cover Martin Detillieux, owner of Cavalier Agrow, a farm inputs retailer in Meota, SK, recently added a two million-gallon storage tank to meet the increase in demand for its liquid fertilizer.
Farm Forum.ca | 3
s h o r t ta k e s
More at farmforum.ca Each month we send you an email from Farm Forum that contains three short articles you may find interesting, a couple of blog headlines and a link to our Twitter page. Our goal is to provide you with information that is quick and easy to read. You can sort through the headlines quickly, read what interests you and move on. We put a lot of different items on the page so you can see what else might interest you after reading an article or blog. There’s also depth if you want it. If technology is of interest just click on the “Technology” tab and you’ll find a wide variety of articles to choose from, all on one page. To stay connected please follow us on twitter: @farmforum. FF
4 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
Editor’s note Now that all the heavy lifting is done, it’s time to take a breath and shift into planning mode. This is the time to really look at what happened last season, figure out what worked and what didn’t, and make plans to tackle the coming year. Our “Consultant’s Corner” feature on page 5 can help. Swift Current, SK, agrologist Kevin Zerr gives some suggestions on planning for the 2012 season. Part of that plan should include a disease management strategy. Keith Fournier, a grain, oilseed and pulse producer at Lloydminster, AB, no longer treats disease as a afterthought but employs strategies such as scouting prior to seeding and harvest to get a jump on disease and better protect his crops. Find more disease management tips on page 6. In a time of growing farmer reliance on external suppliers of key inputs, “customer service” is a concept many companies tout as their strength but few can really demonstrate. In our cover story, Saskatchewan-based ag retailer, Cavalier Agrow, goes well beyond simple customer service, becoming a partner in its customers’ success by providing agronomic products and services geared to improve their bottom line. The company also throws in a hot meal for good measure. If Cavalier Agrow’s success story is not inspiring enough to get the creative planning juices flowing, how about our story about two kids who manage to balance their responsibilities as part of a farming family with a commitment to their chosen sport. That’s planning! Meet 15-year-old Andie Hadway, who plays Tier I soccer, the highest level you can play as a youth in Alberta, and 18-year-old Austin Connor, a right-winger for the Western Hockey League Prince Albert Raiders, in our story on page 16. Farmers wear many hats to run a successful operation and one hat that comes in very handy, is a welding helmet. Teach yourself to be a better welder and link to several schools offering a variety of welding courses in our story on page 18. Enjoy our Fall 2011 issue and happy holidays! FF
business
Assess 2011 results as you plan 2012
Co n s u l t a n t ’ s Co r n e r With kevin zerr
PHOTO ©istockphoto.COM/Chris Hepburn Photography
By Clare Stanfield
Whew! What a year! It started wet and stayed that way across much of the prairies, leaving an unprecedented number of acres unseeded. Disease was a big issue in some areas, while others recovered well from the slow spring and produced spectacular crops. But so much for 2011. With the combines put away and crop in the bin, it’s time to start thinking about plans for 2012. Kevin Zerr, agrologist and owner of Agri-Care International in Swift Current, SK, says the first step is to take a good look at the past season and figure out what worked and what didn’t on your farm. That will help build a big-picture sense of where you should be going next year. Here are some of Zerr’s thoughts. “So, what did we learn from 2011? Well, I’m sitting down with guys and evaluating what we did right and what we would have done differently.” He says the specific answers to those questions vary since different areas experienced different cropping challenges. And he sees value in looking at what others did, too. “I like to tell guys that it’s always good to learn from our mistakes,” he says. “But sometimes it’s less costly to simply learn from the mistakes of others.” Still, through no fault of their own, many growers this year didn’t have
much to look at. “A lot of acres went have growers looking seriously at their unseeded because of flooding,” he says. cereal options. “And while production costs may be “If that’s what you’re facing as a grower, then a soil test becomes vital to making higher for cereals, canola or other oilseeds are a good option, but only if a soil cropping plans. “Some strange things can happen to test was done in the fall,” he says. “If you both micro and macronutrients if water know there are lots of available nutrients, has been sitting on that land for the ma- then the decision to grow a high value oiljority of the summer, and a good soil test seed will be hard to resist.” Zerr reminds growers that there was will tell you what you’re dealing with and also a lot of unseeded land in the northwhat crop options are open to you.” ern U.S. in 2011, and He points out that this may be a considflooded areas might I like to tell guys that eration as they make now have some diffitheir 2012 cropping cult-to-control weed it’s always good to learn plans. “Many farms problems because from our mistakes, but in North Dakota and these areas were too Montana are now wet over most of the sometimes it’s less costly growing the same summer. “Many of to simply learn from the crops as we do here these weeds were almistakes of others in western Canada,” lowed to go to seed, he says. “It means which may make for interesting weed control challenges in the there could be a swell of acres in one crop coming year,” he says. “Growers should or another, which could have an influence on prices for the next growing season. factor that into their cropping plans.” “It will be interesting to see just how But not all unseeded acreage was the result of flooding. “Millions of acres in many acres of durum, for example, there 2011 were fallowed, which should have will be if the northern U.S. and the southpreserved extra moisture and nutrients,” ern prairies lean in this direction for acres says Zerr. “Most of this land could be left unseeded in 2011,” says Zerr. “As available for cereals and oilseeds. Good with any fallow fields, yield prospects prices for wheat and durum in 2011 will will be good on these acres.” FF Farm Forum.ca | 5
production
Leighton Blashko, market development specialist for Bayer CropScience, talks with farmers at its research facility just north of St. Albert, AB.
Disease management becomes critical in crop protection
By Jeff Melchior
Many farmers still see the need for crop disease management as an infrequent, pain-in-the-butt event that is more about defence than offence. But with two consecutive cold, wet and late growing seasons on the prairies that provided ideal conditions for many crop diseases to take hold, that thinking may need to change, says a plant disease specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. “As agronomists, we would like to see farmers making a mental shift to the point where they still view disease as a sporadic event, but one they are prepared for as a regular component of their crop management and may or may not need to use when the time comes,” says Faye Dokken-Bouchard. Keith Fournier, from Lloydminster, AB, is one producer who has made that change. Like many farmers, Fournier reached the turning point when he lost some canola yield to sclerotinia a few years ago. Since then, the grain, oilseed and pulse producer has started to employ practices such as a pre-seed burnoff as 6 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
well as scouting prior to seeding and har- says Dokken-Bouchard, is to get as much vesting. But perhaps his most influential value out of that one scout as possible. decision was to simply look at what suc“If you have time to scout only once cessful farmers were doing. then you should be focusing on catching “You just have to look at the farmers the early signs of disease and identifying that do a really good job of producing a the best timing for fungicide applicacrop, then do what tion,” she says. they’re doing,” he “With pulses, says. “They’re the that means lookones who are out You just have to look at the ing for early signs scouting. They’re of disease prior to farmers that do a really good the ones going to flowering or canjob of producing a crop, then farm tours and talkopy closure. Spray ing to agronomists cereals when the do what they’re doing at farm meetings.” flag leaf emerges Dokken-Bouchabecause the top two rd and Fournier ofleaves of a cereal fer some tips for producers ready to get crop have the greatest influence on yield. more value from their disease manage- For canola, it means looking for sclerotia ment dollar. germination before flowering, and spraying at the 20 to 50 per cent bloom stage.” Make your scout count In a perfect world, field scouting would Watch the weather take place several times throughout the Many crop diseases thrive in wet condigrowing season. The reality is, sometimes tions, so it’s crucial to keep an eye on the it’s only possible to scout once. The key, weather when deciding when to spray,
says Dokken-Bouchard. It’s particularly important for canola crops because by the time you see the symptoms of sclerotinia, it’s already too late to spray. “It’s not so much about symptoms as signs of disease, but about when the crop is going to be flowering and whether there are rainy conditions during that period or not.” Get a good sample “Look at different spots throughout the field, not just the headlands and approach,” says Dokken-Bouchard. “Walk a ‘w’ shaped, zigzag pattern so you can get a good assessment of different spots throughout the field. Get down in the canopy, pull plants and look at the roots — you might even want to use a magnifying glass to see if you can see any lesions or fungal structures.”
PHOTOs genesis Studio; (sidebar) couresty bayer cropscience
Look at history A producer’s own experience with crop diseases can be a key tool in helping to strike down disease threats early. “You need to look at the past history of diseases, when the crop is going to be flowering and whether there have been rainy conditions during those periods,” says Dokken-Bouchard.
Stay in the loop One key way Fournier improved his crop management practices was by listening to what the experts had to say. “Reading articles in newspapers and magazines helped, as well as staying in contact with grain company agronomists. Going on field tours really helped because the agronomists pointed out what to look for and when to look for it.” Fournier and some other producers in his area have also set up a grain marketing club that meets once a month during the winter to discuss what worked and what didn’t on their farms during the growing season. “I really think I gain a lot of knowledge just networking with other producers,” he says. FF
Crop diseases to watch for in 2012 It’s still too early to tell, but there’s a good chance prairie producers will be facing increased crop disease pressure next year due to this year’s cold and wet conditions, says a plant disease specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. Faye Dokken-Bouchard provides an overview of this year’s problem diseases and what producers might expect next year:
Sclerotinia
Stripe Rust
There was above-average presence of sclerotinia this year, she says, and early indicators point to a similar situation next year. “We’re just starting our crop disease survey now (October 2011). We’re starting to see some sclerotinia but won’t be sure about the extent until the survey is complete.”
Although stripe rust has been on its radar for a few years, Dokken-Bouchard says the department found a lot more of it in wheat and durum crops this past growing season. A late infection of winter wheat last year (2010) is the likely culprit, she says, but a build-up of disease inoculant spreading from different parts of the province could offer another explanation. It means farmers are spraying more as a result. “With the value of cereal crops being a bit higher this year it doesn’t take much to warrant a spray, because it’s more likely to pay off.”
Fusarium Head Blight The rise in the presence of fusarium head blight this year may increase the risk of inoculum in fields next growing season, says Dokken-Bouchard. “Because fusarium appears during flowering, it would all come down to how much rain falls on a fieldby-field basis during that time,” she says. “If you had wetter conditions after the crop had already started to dry down, you might get growth of fusarium on the head. That won’t cause damage to the kernels but could cause seedling blight the following year.”
Farm Forum.ca | 7
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8 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
Farm Forum.cA | 9 11/11 - BCS11093
Martin Detillieux (left), owner of Cavalier Agrow with company agronomist, Greg Frey, at the Meota, SK location.
10 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
Ag retailer’s guiding principles
generate growth It’s easy for a company to say what it stands for. It’s another thing to live by those words. For Martin Detillieux, owner of Cavalier Agrow in Meota, SK, sticking to his principles is what differentiates his farm inputs business from others, and keeps customers coming back.
>>
Cover Story by Jennifer Barber Photography by Genesis Studio
Farm Forum.cA | 11
I
“
nitially our retail shop wasn’t really much different from anyone else’s,” Detillieux says. “We sold fertilizer and had a small chemical shed. But it was our core beliefs and our agronomic guidance that kept us alive. Eventually we developed a following of growers who wanted someone trustworthy to bounce ideas off, and who was willing to help them try out their new ideas.” Cavalier’s guiding principles are simple and very effective. The company sells agronomic products and services geared to help growers improve their bottom line, and these products must be economical. If this philosophy is followed then Cavalier will be successful too, says Detillieux, adding that the company has never once deviated from its principles. “If a farmer is profitable then we will be,” says Detillieux. “If we build up credibility and loyalty, then we don’t have to worry about our own economics; they will just fall into place.” Cavalier Agrow was formed when the railways and elevators were closing across Saskatchewan. As many services were being cut to rural areas, Detillieux saw a need to bring those services back to growers. He opened the initial location in 1999 and has opened three more — in Medstead, Meadow Lake and Spiritwood, SK — over the past decade.
Cavalier agronomist, Greg Frey, loads product at the Meota warehouse. A fluid shift One aspect of the business Detillieux attributes to its success was the move to liquid fertilizer. But before the shift could be made, customers had to be sold on the idea. The company’s pitch for liquid worked, and as demand increased so too did Cavalier’s storage tank capacity, recently increased by the addition of a two million-gallon tank at its Meota location. “We truly believe that applying liquid fertilizer gives customers a more uniform blend of nutrients for a better performing crop,” says Greg Frey, agronomist with Cavalier. “In the beginning it was relatively easy to switch our customers over to liquid as they needed to make only minor changes as they adapted to minimum tillage or zero tillage equipment. At first
we believed it was just an economical solution — now we believe it is better.” Cavalier offers year-round agronomy services that start with soil testing. Through the winter, staff help clients complete crop plans that include economics, agronomics and crop rotation advice. The company offers scouting services and runs an extensive trial program. It uses its own local trial data to offer solid support for its agronomic recommendations. Try and try again One of the unique services offered by Cavalier is an extensive field-scale trial program. The independent trials are run on its customers’ fields, and results measured using its own weigh wagons. “We’ve developed a protocol between
Soup’s on
There’s one thing Rhoda Taylor learned as the cook at Cavalier Agrow’s Meota cookhouse — never scrimp on quantity. “You don’t want to run out of food,” says Taylor. “I’m a meat and potatoes cook and that’s what everyone expects. They want it to taste good, but the worst thing that could happen is that we run out.” What started as a way to help staff become more productive, has turned into a great way to meet face-to-face with customers and develop
12 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
Local farmer, Richard Pelchat, made the switch to liquid fertilizer, a decision he says gives him great results. ourselves and our growers to make sure the results are dependable,” says Frey. “Product trials are tailored to the issues our local growers have, and scaled large enough that we can say the results are repeatable. This way we get focused data that is more useful to our customers.” Each year Cavalier averages around 150 trials that look at everything from herbicides, fungicides and seed performance, to different agronomic techniques. But the focus varies from year to year. Last year, for example, 70 fields were dedicated to seed treatment trials. Cavalier controlled the equipment used so all products were applied and harvested the same way. “Every year people want to see something different,” says Detillieux. “Last
year one of the biggest requests was for trials to help our customers boost protein in their wheat. This year it was looking at the use of micro and macronutrients, especially following a wet and delayed spring.” Cavalier doesn’t widely publish its results, but shares them with clients. “Our customers and staff commit significant time and effort to run trials to make sure we supply products that work in our area,” says Detillieux. “A lot goes into the trials to prove that they work, so we’re a little selfish with our results.” Over the winter months, customers come to Cavalier and talk about issues they had the previous year, or about ideas they have for the next year. The company develops its trial program over the winter so it’s ready to go by spring.
lasting relationships. “We started the cookhouse to feed our staff,” says Cavalier’s owner, Martin Detillieux. “We’re kind of in the middle of nowhere and if you want to go out to eat it takes up a big chunk of your day. By serving lunch we get more done, and we get to know our customers and our reps a bit better.” Detillieux noticed that many of his customers visited the store over the lunch hour. Opening the cookhouse gave Cavalier’s staff the opportunity to meet with customers over lunch and talk in a more relaxed atmosphere. And lunch is on Cavalier — Detillieux considers it part of the cost of doing business. And there can be a lot of mouths to feed in the spring. Each year during the month of May, Cavalier serves breakfast daily to all customers who visit the shop, and that can mean more than 50 mouths to feed a day.
Team players Cavalier Agrow is an independent retailer, serviced by InterAg, the retail distribution arm of Bayer CropScience. Kent Burnett, territory sales manager with InterAg, says Cavalier has a passion for business and an upbeat attitude that is easily recognizable to its customers. And its trials offer a level of service that nobody else in its trading area has. “Cavalier helps its customers grow,” says Burnett. “It showcases products under real life conditions and has people who can answer questions on anything from products, to agronomics to marketing. (Sales reps) give all of their customers one-on-one attention, and for busy guys that’s not always easy to do.” Burnett says that while some can be
“Rhoda feeds us well; she’s been a very fattening addition to our staff,” jokes Detillieux. “And she’s a bit of a mother hen. She gives everyone a hard time if they’re not eating and she cooks food that sticks. During really busy times we serve three square meals and put her and her crockpot onto supper duty.” For the rest of the year, Taylor estimates that, between staff and customers, the cookhouse has a dozen or so people at the table every day for lunch. She’s gotten to know everyone well, and she says eating together helps them feel more comfortable with each other. “Cavalier has a real family atmosphere,” says Taylor. “When we sit down to eat we treat (all our guests) like they are sitting around their table at home. And it doesn’t matter if it’s our employees, customers or their reps: everyone is welcome to come join us for a meal.” FF
Farm Forum.cA | 13
Liquid fertilizer storage tanks at Cavalier Agrow’s Meota, SK, location. To meet an increased demand for liquid fertilizer, Cavalier added a two million-gallon storage tank at this location.
Make mine liquid Richard Pelchat has tried it all. An experienced grain grower with 2,000 acres of farmland, he knows that to get the best from his fertilizer he has to match the blend to the nutrient needs of his crop. After switching to liquid, he found that the form of the fertilizer also makes a big difference. “I tried everything to get the best nutrition and while I had good results, I didn’t have great results,” he says. “But after switching to liquid fertilizer I would say that’s the best way to fertilize a crop. Liquids don’t have to be broken down and plants get the nutrition right from the start.” Pelchat was initially hesitant about switching to liquid fertilizer. But after seeing the results his neighbours were getting, he approached his local retailer, Cavalier Agrow, about how to get more bushels out of his crop nutrition program. 14 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
“The best place for fertilizer is as close to the seed as possible without damaging that seed. With minimum or no-till seeders, liquid fertilizer achieves that goal,” says Greg Frey, an agronomist with Cavalier, a large liquid fertilizer retailer in Saskatchewan. “With dry fertilizer the blend is not as uniform and it’s more difficult to get it close to the seed safely.” Granular fertilizer remains the most common form of fertilizer on the prairies. Nitrogen is also often delivered as gaseous anhydrous ammonia, but liquid application is gaining ground. While all formats have their advantages and markets, Cavalier is banking on liquid fertilizer, recently adding a two million-gallon tank at its main location in Meota, SK. “Liquid fertilizer provides all the nutrient support your crop needs in one pass,” says Frey. “It is good for conserving mois-
After switching to liquid fertilizer I would say it is the best way to fertilize a crop. It doesn’t have to be broken down and the plants get the nutrition right from the start
Blair St. Amant, a grain grower from North Battleford, SK, talks with Greg Frey about spraying.
skeptical about the latest products on the market, the team at Cavalier is always enthusiastic about trying new technologies and showcasing what those products can or cannot do. “I appreciate that these guys don’t just try whatever we suggest,” he says. “They often have ideas for how to use products better, and they don’t hesitate to see if they are correct in their assumptions. There’s never a lack of ideas; never a lack of innovative thought.” Cavalier also partners with its clients to round out the services it’s able to provide such as working with custom sprayers, floaters and carriers to help get the job done. Blair St. Amant and his dad grow 4,800 acres of grain just north of North Battleford, SK. He started farming at the same time Cavalier opened its doors, and now partners with the company as a custom sprayer.
We’ve increased our fertilizer rates by as much as 40 per cent and we’ve seen how it doesn’t pay to scrimp on nutrition
ture because it allows for minimal-disturbance, one-pass seeding. Our customers keep asking for it, so we know it is a good solution for this area of the country.” Micronutrients are also becoming an important part of very targeted nutrition programs that depend heavily on soil test results. Adding micronutrients to liquid fertilizer is simple, and growers get an even blend that they can apply where it is needed most. Pelchat uses Cavalier’s soil testing services to determine his mix each year, and the company brings a truck to his farm, delivering the product directly into storage tanks in his yard. He had to make slight modifications to his seeder, but using liquid fertilizer is simple and he has reaped the benefits come harvest. FF
“Cavalier has really helped improve my operation as a farmer,” says St. Amant. “We’ve increased our fertilizer rates by as much as 40 per cent and we’ve seen how it doesn’t pay to scrimp on nutrition.” St. Amant ran 12 trials on his own farm this year, and thinks he’s able to stay competitive because he knows where to make adjustments that work best on his farm. And people trust him as a sprayer because he is affiliated with Cavalier and its good reputation. “Cavalier is always there when needed,” says St. Amant. “And I mean always — I’m not quite sure how the company does it. Even as a custom sprayer, Cavalier helps me with my part of the business because in the end it helps its business.” With its most recent location opening in 2010, Cavalier has grown from two employees in 1999, to 15 full-time and 15 seasonal workers. But Detillieux says that any future growth will only be considered if its founding principles remain intact. “We’ve had a strong growth curve and we don’t want to grow too fast and jeopardize what our company was built on,” says Detillieux. “But we keep our minds open to new opportunities. We tend to think that although the market is mature in this area, there is still room to get bigger. But we’re not in a hurry to get there.” FF Farm Forum.ca | 15
fa r m l i f e
A fine balance By Lindsye Dunbar
Eighteen-year-old Austin Connor with the rest of the Connor clan from L to R: older sister Tatum, twin sister Nikki and parents, Carla and Dennis, on their farm near Beechy, SK.
Lucky are those who find their passion in life. It helps to have determination and drive. For two young farm kids, helping out with the family business and finding time to pursue their passion for sports is a juggling act that’s not always easy to achieve. Fifteen-year-old Andie Hadway was raised on Westway Farms, a 4,500-acre pedigreed seed and 350-head commercial and purebred Simmental operation near Didsbury, AB. Hadway is an enthusiastic participant in farm life, with a particular interest in working with cattle. She helps with all aspects of the operation including the summer cattle shows and annual bull sale. Her dedication hasn’t gone unrecognized. Last summer Hadway was named Junior National Young Cattleman of the Year; she teamed with Ty Dietrich of Forestburg, AB, to win the Western Canadian Junior Team Livestock Judging Competi16 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
tion; and was one of the recipients of this and soccer, she says, is that meeting the year’s Calgary Stampede International demands of one sometimes comes at a cost to the other. Playing on a Tier I team Youth Livestock Show scholarship. Her other passion is soccer. She plays means a commitment of four to five days for the Girls U16 Chinook Sevilla, which a week practicing with the team, playing a game or particifinished the outpating in technical door season as the training. “Most top-ranked Tier II The WHL schedule is busy days I hurry to get team in Calgary. but there is more down time the important stuff After taking home done on the farm the gold medal at than I’m used to. I would and then head off to Provincials in Aulove to find a farmer around soccer,” says Hadgust, the team seway. “But it’s not cured a spot in the Prince Albert that could use always possible.” Tier I division — some part-time help, just to She says that setthe highest level of ting priorities keeps soccer youth can get my farming fix her life in balance. play in the city — “There are days I to start the indoor season in October. “I love soccer so when can’t make it to soccer practice because I’m not working on the farm, I’m in the the farm takes priority,” says Hadway. “On the other hand, I couldn’t make it to city playing the game,” says Hadway. The hardest part of balancing farming a livestock competition this summer be-
cause I was at soccer provincials. Sometimes you can’t do it all.” Tom Klinger, Hadway’s coach for the past year and a half, appreciates the choices she has to make to play soccer. “Her commitment to the farm is far more demanding than piano lessons, for example, and it is definitely a challenge to do both. So I will sometimes cut her a little slack,” says Klinger. A high level of self-motivation helps. If Hadway does miss soccer, it’s usually due to winter road conditions. “She is so self-motivated, she will make it up by doing something on her own,” says Klinger. Austin Connor, 18, has similar challenges balancing farming and sport. He was raised on High Level Farms, a 7,000acre grain operation outside of Beechy, SK. Connor started at a young age operating all manner of farm machinery, helping with seeding, spraying, harvesting and everything in between. He’s also a talented hockey player,
a right-winger for the Western Hockey League (WHL) Prince Albert Raiders. Connor started playing elite hockey at an early age, which involved spending the hockey season away from the farm and living with another family in Prince Albert. One of the biggest challenges, Connor says, is managing the time needed to do both. Because the start of hockey training and harvest overlap, he rarely gets to take part in harvest. This year he was able to farm until late August, finishing the desiccating before moving on to hockey. “Working on the farm, school and hockey is a juggling act but we make it work. At the WHL level, even in the offseason when I’m back on the farm, there’s lots of training. So I’ll farm for four to five hours, go workout for a couple of hours and get back to the farm to work another four or five hours.” Since there’s no gym close to the farm, Connor has found unique ways to com-
Fifteen-year-old Andie Hadway loves life on the family farm near Didsbury, AB and makes time for her other love, soccer. She plays for the Calgary-based Girls U16 Chinook Sevilla Tier I team. bine the two activities — he’s been known to run the stairs at the grain elevator as part of his workout. Connor and Hadway both credit their farm background as the foundation that helps keep them committed to both farm life and sport. “The work ethic I learned on the farm has made me a better soccer player,” says Hadway. “It also makes me appreciate the opportunity I have to play soccer.” On one thing, especially, both these farm kids agree: pursuing their passion for sport and living a farm lifestyle wouldn’t be possible without the support of their family. Living east of Didsbury,
the commute to soccer for Hadway is at least an hour, requiring taxi duty from her parents and help with chores from her sister. Connor said his dad’s love of hockey encouraged him to go for his dreams, as long as he continues to work hard in other areas of his life. “As a farm kid, I know the value of hard work,” he says. “Now that I’m out of school and away from the farm, I just have to worry about hockey. The WHL schedule is busy but there is more down time than I’m used to. I would love to find a farmer around Prince Albert that could use some parttime help, just to get my farming fix.” FF Farm Forum.cA | 17
Technology
Teach yourself to be a better welder By Gerald Pilger
There is a perception among farmers that anyone who farms can weld. That’s like claiming anyone who can pick up a pencil can draw. Technically, it may be true, but there’s a huge difference between drawing a stick man and painting a masterpiece. The same is true of masterful welding — the quality, durability and reliability of the end product is determined by the skill of the welder. Two people who know that first-hand are Wayne Domes and Reg Baumle. Domes is a partner in Custom Welding in Ohaton, AB, a business his dad started in the early 1960s as a one-man welding repair shop catering to the needs of area farmers. Since then, it’s grown to
serve the welding and structural fabrication needs of many businesses throughout central Alberta. Domes is still called upon by area farmers, often to make repairs to equipment they have already tried to weld. “What should have been a minor repair became a major one because of welding mistakes the farmer made,” he says, listing off some of the reasons welds don’t last. Among the culprits: using incorrect rods, using small welders that can’t supply the amperage needed for the repair, lack of preparation of the area to be welded and failure to properly line things up before welding. Baumle couldn’t agree more. He farms in Kelsey, AB, and is also a licensed journeyman welder with a B pressure ticket who spends winters working as an independent
welder in Northern Alberta’s oil patch. He says there’s a lot more to welding than simply getting two pieces of metal to stick together. To Baumle, welding is not only a learned and practiced skill — it’s an art. “A welder not only needs to know how to repair a cracked or broken piece of equipment, but also determine why it broke in the first place, and then design and fabricate a repair that will not only get the equipment working again, but prevent the problem from recurring,” he says. “Design is as important as weld strength!” Baumle says skillful welding begins with three steps: equipment selection, materials selection and preparation. If you can get these right, the welding task itself will be easier and more successful. Here’s his advice: Start with the right equipment “Most farmers rely on stick welding, which means electricity is used to generate heat to bond two pieces of metal together,” he says. “So they need a welding machine to generate the electricity as well as the rods, electrode holders, cables, clamps, chipping
Learn to weld well The first place to look is where you live. Many communities have continuing education programs that offer short courses in welding. If none are currently offered, approach the coordinator of the local continuing education program and ask if such a program could be offered in the future. Most technical schools offer journeyman welding programs, and some offer short evening courses for beginning and hobby welding. There are also private welding schools. Gerald Bellehumeur operates GRB College of Welding in Edmonton, AB, and has provided welding instruction to many farmers over the years. Besides standardized welding courses, Bellehumeur offers individualized, hourly instruction. Paying a flat hourly rate gets you access to a fullyequipped welding booth at the school, all welding supplies needed to learn the skill and the oversight of a qualified instructor. Plus, you can book instructional times that are most convenient for you. “A growing number of farmers who already know stick welding are signing up for hourly instruction in MIG welding,” says Bellehumeur. “This welding process is becoming more popular in farm applications.” Finally, consider the Interwww.farmforum.ca/weldingschools net as a resource. The webFor links to various schools offering site www.wikihow.com/Weld welding courses provides a good description of the welding process. There are also online videos that show proper welding techniques and which farmers could benefit from by watching. FF 18 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
PHOTO genesis Studio
Fortunately, there is no lack of training opportunities for farmers looking to gain or improve welding skills.
hammer and a grinder. As well, they need safety gear including helmet, safety glasses, gloves, and fire extinguishers.” If you’re looking to buy a welder, Baumle recommends the Lincoln Ranger, which he says is very dependable, even on cold winter days. It’s also fully portable, and generates 10,000 watts of standby power. The cost is about $3,500 at UFA stores. Baumle also stresses the importance of having the correct rods and that the only rod a farmer should use is the 7018. He explains that this rod is designed for the high-strength structural applications required to repair farm equipment. “People will get killed if 6010 rods are used for structural repairs,” he warns. Rods must be kept dry, Baumle says, so investing in a rod oven is something farmers may want to consider. They start at about $300. Know your materials The second step is to know your materials. Before welding, do a grind test to determine if the material is steel or cast, which can be welded, or aluminum, which can-
not. If the material doesn’t spark, it’s aluminum and should not be stick welded. Proper site prep. Third, and the step that Baumle says many farmers fail to do well, is to completely clean and prep the area to be welded. “You have to completely clean and grind a bevel in the area to be welded to ensure full penetration of the molten weld pool,” he says. Next, attach your ground clamp close to the area to be welded, and make sure that area is dry and that cables are properly connected to prevent electrocution. Electricity always follows the path of least resistance, so if the ground cables are improperly attached or frayed, or in wet conditions, that path could be through you. Only when these three steps are complete are you ready to weld. “Strike an arc like you’re striking a match,” says Baumle. “The arc should sound like frying eggs, and use that arc to manipulate the puddle of molten metal that’s created.” Baumle then rattles off a number of points farmers should B:8.375”be aware of to maintain a proper weld pool. “If the puddle is T:8.125” flat, it is too cold; if you burn through, it
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is too hot. Weld stringers: that is, make parallel passes rather than zigzagging,” he says. “The maximum width of a pass is four times the width of the rod. Use a constant electrode travel speed. The area to be welded should be pre-heated, especially in winter. Protect the area from wind or weld porosity will be a problem.” Finally, Baumle says, inspect the weld. “If it looks good, it probably is. And complete the job by painting the welded area to prevent rust.” If more farmers welded like that, Wayne Domes would be happy. He says he’s seen welds that range from humorous to downright dangerous. “Farmers sometimes put welds where they should not be, which causes new stress points,” he says. “They often fail to reinforce the area that broke, so they have not corrected the reason why it broke in the first place. And if they do reinforce, too often they use the wrong material — like old combine rub bars.” His best advice? “Take a welding course. Learn about equipment and rods, and practice the skills you learned before tackling major repair work.” FF
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business
Cut your ag teeth as a Bayer summer student
Laura Nanne began agriculture studies at the University of Guelph this fall. Before her summer job at Bayer she had never seen canola.
Next May seems a long way off, but now’s the time for university students to start thinking about that coveted summer job. Bayer CropScience, rated one of Canada’s top 100 employers, is already recruiting next summer’s employees from colleges and universities throughout the country. Laura Nanne had never even seen canola before her summer job with Bayer’s Certified Seed Production Department in Lethbridge, AB. It just wasn’t grown in Lanark County, ON, where the 23-year-old grew up on a mixed dairy farm. Six months working with the newest InVigor canola varieties gave her a much better appreciation of what it takes to develop quality seed. This experience will be an asset for Laura, as she begins agriculture studies at the University of Guelph this fall. This was Jocelyn Kratchmer’s third summer working for Bayer, in Saskatoon, SK. She began in Environmental Affairs then moved to the Scientific Affairs Department, testing the effects of new chemicals on plants and soils. Kratchmer, 22, lives in town, but often helps out on 20 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
her father’s family farm. “I love the farming aspect of it,” she says of her job with Bayer. “I love it most that I’m learning something new every day.” Kratchmer, who just graduated with a Liberal Arts degree in Environmental Studies, will start agriculture studies at the University of Saskatchewan in January 2012. Shaylynn Coates, 23, comes from a mixed grain farm in Fielding, SK. She spent three summers in Bayer CropScience’s Saskatoon office. “Working for Bayer requires good people skills,” she says of her job as territorial sales assistant. “No matter how good you think your people Shaylynn Coates skills are, you’re continually challenged and it forces you to grow as an individual.” A recent graduate of the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, she is looking at a future in agricultural sales or agronomy.
Every summer, Bayer CropScience hires about 120 students in western Canada, says Vik Kail, implement manager for Bayer. A farm background or training isn’t a requirement but applicants should have some knowledge of agriculture. “What we look for is technical knowledge from an agronomy or farm background; (self-motivation) since they’ll work quite independently; and interpersonal skills.” Nanne, who started out in Lethbridge’s seed treatment plant, later teamed up with an agronomist. “I was working solely with InVigor hybrid production,” she says. “Each agronomist ends up working with multiple varieties, so it is interesting through the summer to see how differently they grow, mature and respond to our manipulation.” She was assigned to a group of seed growers, with responsibility to monitor their fields throughout the season. “You do quality controls, check fields, and scout for club root, weeds, staging; that sort of thing,” Nanne says. “I can now appreciate the value of quality seed, and the labour intensiveness of the whole process.” Kratchmer’s job consisted of environmental testing and research, studying the effects of non-registered chemicals on various crops and soils. “We’d seed the crops, spray them, and take a lot of samples,” she says. The soil and foliage samples were then tested. It was all very different from what Kratchmer was used to. “You go from farming with big machinery to using small research equipment,” she says. “It was all a learning curve — what chemicals work for which crop — especially because I went to school in the east coast where everything is different.”
photos courtesy Laura Nanne & Shaylynn Coates
By Marianne Stamm
Coates’ duties included calling on I had,” Coates says. “It is a very warm specific ag retailers, working to culti- and friendly environment.” “They have great products; a great vate or manage existing relationships and enhancing product awareness. She team,” Nanne adds. dealt with product complaints, orga“I don’t think I could get a better nized and executed tours of canola and paying job than with Bayer,” Kratchfungicide demo sites and did some field mer says. “Every year you come back scouting. “Every week is slightly dif- with more experience and more educaferent and throughout the season there tion, you get paid more. That’s one of the major factors are different prithat keeps me orities,” Coates coming back.” says. “It’s fun, inBayer CropScience, rated one A job with teresting and nevof Canada’s top 100 employers, Bayer also has er gets boring!” future benefits. Bayer treats its is already recruiting next “Working for summer students summer’s employees from Bayer presented well. “They have me with numercompetitive wagcolleges and universities ous opportues and additional throughout the country nities to meet perks,” Nanne people within the says. “They really take care of you — and I got to take my agriculture industry and develop conforklift training.” All three agree that the tacts with other potential employers,” company offers a great team environ- Coates says. ment. “Bayer has exceptional full-time Some summerB:8.375” jobs turn into full-time staff and no matter what, there was al- employment. “AT:8.125” lot of the full-time staff ways someone to answer any question at Lethbridge started as summer stu-
www.farmforum.ca/Bayerjobs
Now taking applications. Visit Bayer CropScience’s job postings, offers are usually made in November.
dents,” Nanne says. “It’s definitely a foot in the door for students, long term.” Nanne and Kratchmer expect the experience they’ve received on the job to profit them at university. “When I go back to school in agriculture, I’ll be more ready for it, because I’ve learned so much over these years,” Kratchmer says. “Understanding the challenges that producers face helps me,” says Nanne, who sees her future in agriculture communication and management. “Working with Bayer has increased my awareness of farm management practices.” “All three summers with Bayer were absolutely amazing and I have never enjoyed a job as much as this one,” says Coates. “I most definitely plan to stay in the ag industry. I thoroughly enjoy working with farmers and most likely will choose a sales or agronomy type position.” FF
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OYF Alberta/NWT regional winners Matt and Tara Sawyer with their children (L to R) Cassidy, Quin and Emmett.
Constant improvement cornerstone to OYF winners’ success When asked back in August what makes his farm unique, Matt Sawyer said frankly that he wasn’t sure. As Alberta/NWT regional winners of the 2011 Outstanding Young Farmers’ award, Matt and Tara Sawyer were recognized for their balanced approach to production, stewardship, industry involvement and community participation. But the Sawyers say they don’t see their farm as fundamentally different from their neighbours’ — that they, like others, are simply business people. And as savvy farmers, the Sawyers understand the importance of having both an environmental and emergency plan in place to protect their livelihood. When their combine caught fire in August, they could easily have been facing a catastrophe but because the Sawyers’ farm is set up to handle emergencies, it was nothing more than an inconvenience. “We know what to do to get help here quickly and (in this case) to make sure the fire didn’t spread to destroy the crop or hurt anyone,” says Matt. “We
22 | Farm Forum | fall 2011
also have an environmental farm plan in equipment. We’re always trying new place, so we make sure our chemicals are things to make the farm better for now stored and our fertilizer bins are on con- and for our kids.” crete pads. Even the combine in question Matt grew up on an adjacent farm, was new and could be quickly serviced.” still run by his parents. In 2003, he and Planning for their operation to run Tara bought his grandparents’ home smoothly, even with a smoldering com- quarter. The Sawyers work together bine, is only one thing that makes the Saw- with his parents, sharing equipment and other resources. yer farm an example for others to follow. Their three When Matt talks children, Emmett We are completely zero about his chosen (11), Cassidy (9) tillage and we have GPS on profession and the and Quin (7) all work his family does play a role on the all of our equipment. We’re to make it a success, farm. The chilalways trying new things to his passion for agridren are active in make the farm better for culture shows. 4-H and Tara and Matt are involved “We are always now and for our kids in their local Elks looking at ways to and Royal Purple make our farm better,” says the Acme, AB, producer who, lodges. Matt is chairman of the Alberta together with his wife, farms 2,500 acres Barley Commission and a director of the of owned and rented cropland and runs Western Canadian Wheat Growers Asa 50-head cow/calf commercial black sociation. Tara, who grew up in Calgary, Angus herd. “We are completely zero is the farm’s business manager. “My biggest challenge when starting tillage and we have GPS on all of our
PHOTOs courtesy the sawyer family
By Jennifer Barber
To supplement the farm income, Tara runs a catering business. In addition to providing meals for their seasonal workers during harvest, she creates homecooked meals for weddings, dinner parties and business meetings. “Even that was a learning curve,” she says. “I didn’t know how to cook — at all — before I married Matt. But as I became more interested in food and where it came from, I wanted to show people the difference it makes to get food prepared from quality ingredients.” To be eligible for the OYF award, farmers must be between 19 and 39 years of age and earn at least two thirds of their annual income from the farm. They also need to demonstrate progress throughout their careers. Judges look at conservation practices, management practices, production history, financial issues and contributions to the community. Regional
competitions are held across the country, with a national winner chosen from that group in November. Going forward, the Sawyers will continue looking for ways to improve their yield, and at producing value-added products based on premium grade crops. Matt says the potential to direct market their harvest up and down the value chain brings the possibility of taking their farm to places they’d never considered in the past. “I think farming is a noble profession,” he says. “We are providing food for the world. I wake up every morning with an adrenaline rush, wondering what the day will bring, especially at harvest when we get to see the results of all our work through the past year. It’s an exciting business to be in.” FF
PHOTOS COURTESY Klippers Organic Acres
on the farm as a city girl was not knowing anything,” she says. “When I first met Matt I didn’t know one crop from the next, or if you could walk through the swath, or even what a swather was. But if you want to learn, you can.” As part of their continued growth, the Sawyers look at different options for their farm. They are careful about compaction on their land and have been learning more about keeping heavy equipment to certain areas of a field throughout the season. Matt says that whenever they try something new, they know some things will work better than others, but figure the way to learn is through trial and error. “We’re conscious of the environment, like most farmers today,” says Matt. “I like to consider myself a soil manager. We’ve experimented with different fertilizer rates, and with adding organic compost to our crop nutrition program. We have started using a grain cart to keep the heaviest trucks out of the field.”
Farm Forum.cA | 23