by John Finnie – Kenton, Manitoba

My name is John Finnie and I farm at Kenton, Manitoba, about 40 miles NW of Brandon. I've been farming since 1975 and zero-tilling since 1989. The soil type is a heavy clay with rolling erosion prone terrain. My farming operation consists of a mixed bag including wheat, barley, canola, flax, peas, lentils, as well as some forages for feed and seed. I have a 30 cow-calf operation and also background the holstein feeders that come from the dairy partnership (60 cows) that is located in another farm2.

I was asked to give my thoughts on how to use rotation to help control pests, as in weeds, disease, and insect problems. My main strategy is to not have a set strategy. I believe flexibility is the most effective weapon I have. This probably involves more risk, but I feel that the diversity of my operation helps to reduce that risk, and also keeps the game interesting. I have some simple guidelines that I use in the winter months while I'm contemplating my cropping plans.

- assemble a list of crops you have grown successfully, or are willing to try. The more the better.

- don't grow the same crop twice in a row, unless its a perennial - alfalfa etc.

- shortlist the crops to the ones that have to make at least acceptable economic returns - very hard to do, because things can change so fast.

- narrow the list on a field by field bases to the ones that will not be affected by herbicide carryover, as well as tossing out the choices that leave no options or very expensive options for controlling the weed, insect, or disease problems that you may anticipate in those fields. Making notes at harvest time of the worst problem areas really helps.

- Put off making final decisions on at least a portion of the farm to allow for taking advantage of last minute opportunity or to avoid a disaster from a price collapse. Life would be too simple for seed suppliers if it were not for last minute guys like me.

When choosing my crops, I use a priority list of potential pests:

1. weed pressure

2. disease pressure

3. Herbicide residual problems and rotation

4. insect pressure

The lists of crops I choose from looks like this:

CEREALS

wheat - winter or spring - disease, insect, and price problems

barley - very competitive - disease and price concerns

oats - very competitive - lower inputs - question of price and yield

OILSEED OR SPECIALTY CROPS

canola - very competitive, disease prone, high input - follow cereal

flax - not competitive, disease resistant, can fit anywhere

peas - quite competitive depending on variety, can follow cereal or canola

lentil - very uncompetitive, disease prone herbicide sensitive, drought tolerant

FORAGE FOR FEED OR SEED

PERRENIAL RYEGRASS - underseeded in wheat previous year in spring - turf grass used on golf courses - low growing, very thick - slow to get started in spring - needs heat and moisture - must be quack free - control wild oats - harvest end of july - bale straw - 11% protein - 3 bales/acre - 1 crop then destroy

ANNUAL RYEGRASS

Haven't grown yet - tried dormant seeding in fall - more competitive forage variety - grass taller that perennial - reasonable herbicide options - harvest late, July for seed and bale straw - possible second cut

WINTER TRITICALE

Can be seeded in spring with a spring cereal and harvested for silage, then regrowth of triticale can be used for grazing - crop will still regrow next spring and grow to maturity - quite winter hardy - seems to be very competitive with annual and perennial weeds, especially when grazed rotationally.

SPRING TRITICALE

Seeded in spring by itself for grain production or together with a cereal or peas for silage - could be used where there is a problem with herbicide resistance or heavy weed pressure.

ALFALFA

Perennial forage crop that will compete with virtually anything under all conditions - long term benefits, low inputs but high labor requirements - need access to close market.

In summary - the more crops you grow, the more diversity and flexibility you will have in dealing with pest problems, as well as income problems. Obviously having livestock or being close to a livestock operation provides more options as far as markets for diversified production. I have never been able to plan more than 2 years ahead and I don't think its necessary. There is profitable way out of most tight spots if you are flexible. There is now need to ask for trouble but don't be afraid to push the boundaries a little.

Submitted by John Finnie