Steady Rain and Cooler Temperatures Help the Michigan Canola Crop Along

Jun 10, 2025

By Madelyn Celovsky and Christine Charles

Though canola acres in Michigan are limited, this time of year they attract quite a bit of attention because of the flashy yellow flowers. Crop scouts from across Michigan’s winter canola growing region reported how the canola crop is progressing.

Crop progress

Moving through flowering, the canola is now in seed development stage as pods reach their final size. At this point, plants are using energy reserves stored in the stem. Canola tends to be quite resilient through flowering stages. Though canola growing areas experienced one instance of light frost conditions earlier this month, scouts in Michigan did not report frost damage. Agriculture and Agrifood Canada reports at flowering, temperatures need to be above 85 degrees Fahrenheit to reduce yield.

Once the crop gets to seed development, canola becomes more sensitive to stressful conditions. Environmental or biotic stressors like extreme heat or extensive pest feeding can cause the crop to abort pods. Canola water use reaches its peak at seed development.

Source : msu.edu

Video: We’ll NEVER Use These Grain Bins Again!

A huge change is happening on the farm — our new grain bin has officially arrived, and that means we’ll never use some of our old grain bins again. In today's video, we take delivery of the new grain bin, look back at the old bins that have been part of our farm for years, and talk about why this upgrade is such a big deal for harvest, grain storage, and the future of our family farm.

This is more than just a grain bin delivery. It’s the end of an era and the start of a major farm upgrade that will completely change how we handle corn during harvest. From old grain storage to a brand-new bin setup, this project is one of the biggest improvements we’ve made at the farm.

Join me as the new grain bin shows up, the bin project continues, and we prepare for a new chapter in harvest efficiency on our Minnesota family farm.