Farming Smarter Conservation Agronomist, Ashley Wagenaar, offers southern Alberta producers a new opportunity for digestible content to learn new practices.
Wagenaar has begun a new, monthly release for the Farming Smarter newsletter. She presents curated information in a quick and easy way to give you new ideas to consider for your farm.
“Every farm is different, this is my way of trying to help everyone,” says Wagenaar.
“I want to help farmers either cultivate a mindset to do what’s best instead of what’s easiest, or support those with that mindset already. This is a great way for them to learn of new practices or keep one top of mind.”
Wagenaar’s Conservation Corner series is hosted on Farming Smarter’s website and distributed through its monthly newsletter. She invites you to reach out to her with problems, questions, or successes related to the content shared in her articles!
If you have an idea but aren’t sure how to take the first step – Ashley Wagenaar can help!
Without further ado,
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Ashley Wagenaar (right) helps Mike Gretzinger take gas samples for the Nutrient Response Curve project aiming to reduce input costs and optimize application rates for multiple irrigation crops in southern Alberta. |
Welcome to the Conservation Corner!
At heart, we’ve always been about smarter land stewardship – starting with no-till adoption and evolving into strip-tilling and minimal tillage on our research plots to keep soils healthy. As we expand into irrigated and specialty crop projects, we’re bringing these conservation principles with us.
It’s not just about soil health or cover crops (though those are key!), it’s also about tailoring agronomics to each piece of land to ensure every decision fits its unique needs.
Here are some projects we are working on:
- Saving Soils: Year 4 of this project digs deep into how cover crops—planted before, after, or during a crop—affect nutrient availability and yields. We’re also testing termination techniques to optimize results.
- Kochia Salinity: A brand-new project tackling kochia patches in saline problem areas. Let’s find better control options for these stubborn spots!
- On-Farm Research Support: Back for a 2nd year! Farmers can get help testing practices under OFCAF (on farm climate action fund) categories like advanced nitrogen management, cover cropping, and grazing. New this year: Financial support for farm-scale projects—stay tuned!
- Dryland Corner Assessment: Launching this summer, we’ll explore the challenges and potential of dryland corners attached to irrigated fields. These small, often weedy parcels can be tricky—let’s figure them out together.
Noteworthy News
Kochia is a growing weed of concern here in Western Canada. This pesky plant can spread prolifically and has rapid adapting resistances to herbicides. An article from https://canadianagronomist.ca/ discusses a study that has confirmed two Group 14 PPO inhibitor- resistant kochia around Newcombe, Sask. and Forty Mile County, Alberta.
This, along with select Group 9, Group 2, and Group 4 resistances, makes kochia an important area of focus. We need to continue to dedicate time and effort into controlling our kochia populations with non-chemical practices such as competitive crops, varying harvest dates, physical seed destructive controls, mowing, and targeted tillage. Check out their article for more info!
Resources
The OFCAF program offers reimbursements for bringing new ideas to your field such as advanced nitrogen management practices, cover cropping, or new grazing management: https://rdar.ca/funding-opportunities/applying-for-ofcaf
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Farming Smarter's 2025 Field School connects producers and agronomists with opportunities to sharpen their agronomic knowledge on June 25 & 26. This event is one of Alberta's most valuable crop learning experiences with hands-on demos, research updates, and practical takeaways over two great days.
Conservation Agronomist Ashley Wagenaar helps you find what's best for your farm on & off the field. Follow her monthly release, Conservation Corner, for fresh ideas, new practices, and how to tailor them for your operation.
Farming Smarter's Field School is southern Alberta's premier event to cultivate knowledge and network with industry leaders. The June 25 & 26 event connects growers and agronomists with the latest research in effective crop and soil management to help them maximize the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of their operation.