Take the Time to Write a Plan for the 2023 Growing Season

Feb 03, 2023

Time on the land or in the barn gives an undisputed feeling of accomplishment. For someone like me that spends a lot of time at the desk, the feeling of getting stuff done in this job isn’t as sweet, as working in the garden or woodlot.

But writing a plan, project or idea on paper can accomplish more than you may think.

The proactive action of writing it down on paper (rather than passive living) reduces anxiety.

It also helps your brain encode. Encoding is the biological process in the brain’s hippocampus that analyzes perceptions. Ultimately deciding whether to keep a ‘perception’ in long-term memory or discard it. The physical action of writing on paper improves the brain’s encoding function and the chances that you will remember.

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Source : Small Farm Canada

Video: Winter Canola Trial in Mississippi | Can It Work for Double Cropping? | Pioneer Agronomy

Can winter canola open new opportunities for growers in the Mid-South? In this agronomy update from Noxubee County, Mississippi, Pioneer agronomist Gus Eifling shares an early look at a first-year winter canola trial and what farmers are learning from the field.

Planted in late October on 30-inch rows, the crop is now entering the bloom stage and progressing quickly. In this video, we walk through current field conditions, fertility management, and how timing could make this crop a valuable option for double-cropping soybeans or cotton.

If harvest timing lines up with early May, growers may be able to transition directly into another crop during ideal planting windows. Ongoing field trials will help determine whether canola could become a viable rotational option for the region.

Watch for:

How winter canola is performing in its first season in this Mississippi field

Why growers chose 30-inch rows for this trial

What the crop looks like as it moves from bolting into bloom

Fertility strategy, including nitrogen and sulfur applications

How canola harvest timing could enable double-cropping with soybeans or cotton

Upcoming trials comparing soybeans after canola vs. traditional planting

As more growers look for ways to maximize acres and diversify rotations, experiments like this help determine what new crops might fit into existing systems.