Great Lakes YEN celebrates high winter wheat yields in 2023

Nov 06, 2023

Farmers achieve impressive results in the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network competition

The Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) has announced the winners of the 2022-2023 competition, showcasing impressive achievements in winter wheat yields.

This collaborative effort between Grain Farmers of Ontario, Michigan State University, Michigan Wheat Program, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and the University of Guelph has proven instrumental in fostering knowledge exchange among farmers.

In its third year, the Great Lakes YEN project continues to empower farmers with innovative methods to enhance their winter wheat yields. Winners of this year's competition will have the opportunity to connect and share their successful farming practices with peers during wrap-up meetings scheduled for January.

The top performers in the Great Lakes YEN competition for the highest yield potential include Mark Davis from Ontario with an impressive 117.6%, followed by Jeffery Krohn and Wallace Loewen from Michigan, both achieving 107.2%.

Additionally, the highest yield achievers were Jeff Cook from Ontario, boasting an outstanding 173.4 bushels per acre, followed closely by Nick Suwyn from Michigan with 171.43 bushels per acre and Jeffery Krohn, also from Michigan, with 167.1 bushels per acre.

In a media release, Paul Hoekstra, Vice President of Strategic Development at Grain Farmers of Ontario, expressed appreciation for the knowledge and insights gained through the Great Lakes YEN project. He commended the achievements of the participants and looked forward to further advancements in the coming years.

Despite some challenges brought by unseasonably cool spring temperatures and a lack of rainfall in May and June, Great Lakes YEN participants increased this year's average yield by two bushels per acre, reaching an impressive 118 bushels per acre. Favorable fall planting conditions set the stage for a successful growing season.

Jody Pollok-Newsom, Executive Director of the Michigan Wheat Program, emphasized the importance of yield monitoring and data sharing among farmers. The detailed reports and networking opportunities provided by the Great Lakes YEN enable farmers to enhance their winter wheat yields and make informed decisions for the future.

The Great Lakes YEN project continues to drive innovation and excellence in winter wheat production, celebrating the resilience and dedication of farmers in the region.

Video: Learning to Wrench From Dad the Hard Way

Harvest is a week out and the farm picked this week to fall apart. The truck needs a battery, the barn curtain's got a problem, and the corn and beans are telling us we're out of time to get it all fixed.

So it's a full day of wrenching. Tork supervises while I get the truck back running, then we're out at the hog barn where one rusted up part has the whole curtain system hung up. Ladder work, cable work, and a little dad-and-son disagreement about the right way to do it. We close it out walking the fields, shelling beans and checking corn, because whether everything's fixed or not, harvest starts when harvest starts.

Chapters: 00:00 Everything breaks the week before harvest 01:00 Tork supervises while I fix the truck 12:30 Out to the barn to find the curtain problem 14:30 One rusty part hung up the whole curtain 20:00 Running the curtain cable from the ladder 24:00 Walking the beans and corn before harvest 26:30 Wrapping up

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