What rocked or flopped in ‘23?

[blackpowder]

Hmmmmm sounds like the yield estimation and training people have interesting back stories to them………

I’m never great at estimating yields or sale prices as I’d like to guess way low and be surprised in a good way instead of disappointment when the numbers get crunched.

I don’t think it’s possible to fully prepare or train someone for all the “stuff” that can and will go wrong on a farm……………

June 1 I put my head in the sand and walked away as a mental survival strategy developed in 2002.
Led to poor decisions. What to take as feed or not, lost prices on grain. Storage.
A weekly estimation based on existing yield on that day now the plan. Should take some stress out of decisions in season.
Also a training and relationship development exercise for new agronomist and myself.

My highly trained operator had to move on. New guy is the most pleasant (huge plus), mature, I've ever worked with but green. He needs instruction time my psche is ill equipped for.
Something as simple (yet not) as harrowing straw properly ahead of the drill to someone who's never drove a tractor. My people skills grossly under developed.
Also a lesson in the effects of toxicity in relationships. Recognizing PA behavior and eliminating it early.

[ajl]

All portfolios are up bigly in 2023. Trouble is that they were down by more in 2022. Two year average still in the red so no investment adviser better be braggin. GIC's were the investment winner in 22 and 23 with the top rate around 6.2%.

[crusher]

What rocked for me is my investment portfolio, up 18% yoy. Good thing I have an adviser. Takes the edge off my poor grain marketing.

[westernvicki]

Green peas:
And yes, I told you so.
Great for 2024 too.

Foreword selling and then selling selling Canola, thanks to Weber commodities for the foresight.

Growing MALT barley instead of feed: CDC Churchill yields and sells malt for export.

Now for the crystal ball of good for 2024?

[woodland]

Was very impressed with Esma barley. Stood well, produced about 12 bushels per inch of rain. Grew Paramount soft white wheat for silage, again very impressed. Out tonned our barley by about 1.5 tons per acre.

What didn’t rock was my grain marketing. I didn’t forward price any canola as it was so dry in early June but canola crop did well, my marketing plan did not.

Calves did well this year. Had to bring them home early as pastures dried out. But they look good. Hope the prices hold.

Marketing plan didn’t go good here either. Postponed selling everything till now as the tax situation pushed us to. Just got incorporated so as to help avoid this issue in the future.

Pastures were a flop for us. Ended up grazing every acre of hay that was fenced instead of baling and started running out of grass in August. Really sucked feeding through harvest but the province said we weren’t dry so no Agri recovery payment for us. Moved dirt all summer and even last month and there’s no moisture in the ground here at all. Very unusual for us………

[woodland]

Learned that I should be doing a more accurate yield estimation during growing season.
Learned we have to start treating our spray water.
Hoping we can do a better job training people.
Hoping our new harrows works out.

Hmmmmm sounds like the yield estimation and training people have interesting back stories to them………

I’m never great at estimating yields or sale prices as I’d like to guess way low and be surprised in a good way instead of disappointment when the numbers get crunched.

I don’t think it’s possible to fully prepare or train someone for all the “stuff” that can and will go wrong on a farm……………

[flea beetle]

Anybody grow any cantu barley. Seems it would fit the bill better since we swath everything. As much as I want to grow esma, I think it will be too short to swath.

[SASKFARMER]

Starbucks wheat can keep up with the others on yield if pushed and stands and doesnt go down. Also keeps its colour.

If pushed for max will have lower protein even if applying at fungicide more N.

Crop aid did something and were doing it again. I promised three years and well see.

I should of bought another 3680 acres years ago.

Never count on getting something that someone for years said they would sell only to sell to another.

When you have low interest rates lock in everything.They wont go lower to negative territory.

If you want something go for it.

But the most important be nice to your fellow neighbors. being nice vs a slimy **** is always better.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

A question I can’t answer. My neighbour has grown it for 2 years and myself only one. I am not sure I would agree we weren’t short of moisture after it started raining. Sloughs continued to dry up throughout the year. All the cows were home by the middle of October. Having said that, Thompson barley, which I used to grow really needed moisture, without it very poor yields. I do think Austenson would perform better in a drought but I have no proof.

Thanks. That is the exact reason I asked. Thompson barley has been a great variety out west most years. But the first years we grew it were 2002, and 2003. Needless to say, lodging was not our biggest concern during those years. It was a flop with no rain, whereas there were some decent crops in the area with traditional taller varieties. Still gun shy.

[Hamloc]

Do you know anyone who grew it in drought areas? Once it started raining in your area, I don't think you were ever short of moisture again.
Does it have better drought tolerance than other short barley varieties?

A question I can’t answer. My neighbour has grown it for 2 years and myself only one. I am not sure I would agree we weren’t short of moisture after it started raining. Sloughs continued to dry up throughout the year. All the cows were home by the middle of October. Having said that, Thompson barley, which I used to grow really needed moisture, without it very poor yields. I do think Austenson would perform better in a drought but I have no proof.

[helmach]

What rocked
compost extract , sugar,phos.mono silic acid. Instead of insecticide. Soil test show over twice the n and 6 times more phos available than where used grasshopper/fungicide spray. Might have to retest that just to confirm it is correct

also calcium with phos rock to help get oxygen into the soils

[TASFarms]

What rocked
compost extract , sugar,phos.mono silic acid. Instead of insecticide. Soil test show over twice the n and 6 times more phos available than where used grasshopper/fungicide spray. Might have to retest that just to confirm it is correct

[AlbertaFarmer5]

I grew Austenson side by side in one field with Esma. Esma stood right beside lodged Austenson. Austenson looked heavier, thicker. Esma outyielded it by roughly 12 bushels per acre. On lighter sandier soil I would grow Austenson. On your better dirt Esma is worth it in my opinion.

Do you know anyone who grew it in drought areas? Once it started raining in your area, I don't think you were ever short of moisture again.
Does it have better drought tolerance than other short barley varieties?

[Hamloc]

The best move in 2023 on this farm was not buying another bin. This forced me to deliver canola directly off combine. The price realized is already $2/bu better than the bushels that did get into the bin. The next best thing was $7/bu barley sale made early July some of which was also delivered off combine as barley bin was also full. Is Esma barley better than Austenson? My Austenson did well this year.

I grew Austenson side by side in one field with Esma. Esma stood right beside lodged Austenson. Austenson looked heavier, thicker. Esma outyielded it by roughly 12 bushels per acre. On lighter sandier soil I would grow Austenson. On your better dirt Esma is worth it in my opinion.

[Hamloc]

How much do you have to pay to seed your own seed next year for the VUA on esma? Neighbour friend grew some and was very happy with it as well. Just wondering how much flesh they take for you to keep your own seed?

I believe the VUA is $2 an acre.