Presentation: Jan. 1993 Conservation Tillage Workshop

Terry Pearse, Tisdale, Sask.

In this short presentation, using slides, I will attempt to explain why, and how I became involved in soil conservation and ultimately a direct seeder.

Our farm is located in the grey black soil zone near Tisdale and when we received our normal amount of moisture, is very subject to water erosion. We have gone the evolutionary route from grassed runways to continuous cropping and finally to direct seeding. The direct seeding approach has had a real impact on our erosion problem. Run off has virtually been eliminated and yields on upland areas have improved. I’ve even been able to bring some of the grassed runways back into production.

On our farm we grow a variety of crops including forages such as grass seed and alfalfa. There are times, when taking these crops out of long term production, that I am forced to use tillage, so, in all honesty I cannot call myself a Zero tiller.

In our operation, as in any direct seeding or zero tillage program, the first operation is residue management. Chaff and straw must be spread as evenly as possible. I differ from many zero tillers because I like to harrow with a Victory oscillating harrow as soon as possible after harvest. This operation is inexpensive and does three things that I find desirable:

1. Spreads any straw and chaff piles left if combine is stopped for any reason.
2. Hastens germination of annual weeds and volunteer grain.
3. As this harrow is fairly aggressive, there is some black dirt left exposed to hasten soil warm up in the spring. Experience has taught me, that in our area, with the shorter growing season, early soil warm up is essential for the satisfactory establishment of canola.

If winter annuals are present, and time permits I will fall spray with a cheap broadleaf chemical. Spring weeds are controlled by Roundup prior to seeding and in-crop spraying of appropriate chemicals, if necessary. For tough perennials like Quack grass and Canada thistle, pre-harvest application of round up appears to be very effective.

Spring seeding is a one pass operation with a Concord air drill using five inch cut down shovels and all fertilizer and seed delivered in a band the full width of the shovel and packer wheel. The field is left in a fairly rough condition but I feel that the small seedlings benefit from the protection provided by the ridges, as well as the additional moisture collected during small rain showers (which is all we get any more!).

By using these direct seeding techniques I have managed to reduce my input costs significantly without any reduction in yields. What makes this concept really exciting is the fact that it is possible to farm profitably and to conserve Canada’s most valuable resource, our farmland!