Episodes
Reading the feed…
Reading the feed…
Can you believe it? Paisley Johnson, big brother to Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson took top honours in the 2026 International Plowing Match farmstead beautification contest. Hats off to Paisley! Meanwhile, torrential downpours and severe hail have hit parts of Ontario and the U.S. On this episode of Wheat Pete's Word, host Peter Johnson covers rapid... Read More
Right on schedule, tar spot is back in Ontario corn crops, making disease management and leaf wetness a key focus this week. Host Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson breaks down highly variable crop conditions across North America, from severe drought to drowned-out acres, and shares critical agronomic management advice for late-season disease control and cover crop... Read More
From extreme weather swings to agronomy decisions late in the season, Peter Johnson (aka Wheat Pete) is back to tackle a backlog of agronomy questions! After starting off with a heart-warming story about a proud future farmer, Pete dives straight into managing crops under severe drought and record-breaking rainfall, why ag media ranks as the... Read More
Welcome to this (early-recorded) edition of Wheat Pete's Word for Wednesday, August 5th! Host Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson jumps right into the fun—which, in this case, means brand new insect alerts and emerging crop diseases. From budding agronomists taking out thistles with weed whackers to the absolute non-negotiable legalities of loading grain on the road,... Read More
Welcome to this edition of Wheat Pete’s Word! Some wheat yields in Ontario are turning out poorer than expected. Could it be dry weather or is a new pest entering the picture? On this episode, host Peter Johnson dives into wheat woes, a $10,000 fix for soil compaction, real-time tire load technology, managing severe drought... Read More
Corn yields across Ontario are showing huge potential, but managing leaf disease and timing fungicide applications will be critical to capitalizing on it. On this episode of Wheat Pete's Word, host Peter Johnson breaks down crop stress, market shifts, disease watch-outs, and cover crop management. Plus, get the latest insights on dry-down struggles in wheat,... Read More
Holy wheat, what a crop! At least in some fields, says Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson in this week’s edition of Wheat Pete’s Word. This week, we're catching up on the huge variability showing up in winter wheat yields, a flood of fungicide questions driven by wildly different moisture conditions, and practical agronomy insights on everything... Read More
Wheat harvest is underway in Ontario, with excellent wheat quality, but winter barley is putting up disappointing yields. What's the issue? Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson tackles that, plus plenty of questions about nitrogen, soybeans, and fungicide decisions in this week's Wheat Pete's Word episode! Have a question you'd like Wheat Pete to address or some... Read More
Happy Canada Day! This week, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson celebrates Canada while tackling a wide range of timely crop production topics, from correcting last week's dogbane recommendation, to assessing hail damage, managing herbicides in extreme heat, and evaluating nitrogen losses after heavy rainfall. He also shares a firsthand lesson from Phytophthora root rot in... Read More
What a season so far! From hail, flooding, and saturated soils to herbicide injury and drone application debates, there’s no shortage of agronomy topics to tackle this week on Wheat Pete's Word. Your host Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson covers everything from edible bean herbicide damage and fungicide application by drone to yellow soybeans, volunteer crops,... Read More
Warm June temperatures pushed crops ahead in a hurry, but cooler conditions have many cereal growers hoping for a strong grain-fill finish. This week, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson covers everything from the value of wheat in the rotation and booming forage yields to armyworm alerts, soybean insects, sulphur deficiency, weed control timing, and nitrogen management.... Read More
It's early June, and the west, as well as the east, are a tale of extremes: dry soils and surprisingly strong nitrogen levels in Ontario, flooding in parts of Manitoba and Saskatchewan, drought concerns in the U.S., and plenty of crop management questions in between. From late-season phosphorus responses in wheat to stripe rust explosions,... Read More
Get in on the fun, baby! This week, resident agronomist Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson covers everything from winter canola opportunities and wheat pollination weather to stripe rust concerns, crusted crops, volunteer corn control, and why chasing perfection is still a worthwhile goal. Along the way, Pete reminds listeners to stay open to new ideas, question... Read More
Between nitrogen misses, stripe rust confirmations, aphid thresholds, and some eye-popping phosphorus response in wheat, there’s no shortage of agronomy lessons this week. Host of Wheat Pete's Word, Peter Johnson, covers everything from late nitrogen rescue strategies to cereal leaf beetle scouting, while also diving into corn planting dates, strip-till timing, and why Ontario growers... Read More
Cold soils, uneven planting progress, and plenty of agronomy questions are front and centre in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. Host Peter “Wheat Pete” Johnson digs into the risks of pushing wet soils, why early soybeans continue to surprise, and how weather extremes are hammering crops across North America. From changing corn maturities and fleabane... Read More
Cool nights, hot wheat markets, and plenty of agronomy curveballs — Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson is back with another packed episode of the Wheat Pete’s Word podcast! From drought-stricken U.S. wheat crops driving market rallies, to nitrogen application headaches in Ontario wheat, Pete covers a wide range of timely crop management issues. There’s also discussion... Read More
Cold soils, slow burndowns, split nitrogen timing, and wheat disease pressure are all on the table in this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. Host of the weekly podcast, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson, digs into the ongoing planting debate around cool conditions, shares observations from across Ontario and beyond, and answers a long list of listener agronomy... Read More
Spring may be pushing wheat and weeds ahead, but cooler nights are keeping planting decisions complicated this week. In this episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson covers everything from cold-weather spraying risks to nitrogen timing, plus an early-season insect alert and strong reminders on cover crop value. There’s plenty of ground covered, literally... Read More
It’s go-time across Ontario, but the window isn’t exactly wide open. Between wet fields in Ontario, drought in parts of the U.S., and even a hard freeze out west, this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word covers just how variable spring conditions can be. From nitrogen timing decisions to weed pressure already baked into yield potential, Peter... Read More
It’s mid-April and, as always, the weather is keeping everyone guessing—too wet in Ontario, too dry in the U.S., and snow still piling up out west. In this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word, there’s no shortage of agronomy updates, market concerns, and practical ideas to help manage tight margins. From fertilizer supply challenges to nitrogen economics... Read More
It’s a classic early April juggling act—frosty mornings, slow-to-arrive spring warmth, and just enough field opportunity to keep everyone guessing. This week, Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson digs into frost applications, lingering corn harvests, and the big agronomy questions rolling in as the season tries to get going. From nitrogen timing to sulphur strategy and soil... Read More
It’s April 1st—and while there’s no shortage of surprises in this episode, none of them are jokes. From global fertilizer disruptions to frost-damaged wheat and standout western crops, host of Wheat Pete's Word Peter Johnson covers a wide range of timely agronomy observations and listener questions. There’s a mix of “yowzers” moments and practical takeaways... Read More
Cold mornings, wide weather swings, and plenty of field activity set the tone for this week’s Wheat Pete’s Word. From early spring opportunities in southwestern Ontario to stark regional contrasts and agronomy insights, Peter Johnson covers a lot of ground—along with a few practical tips growers can put to use right away. This episode leans... Read More
It’s another week of wild weather swings across Ontario, and Peter "Wheat Pete" Johnson is leaning into what that means for both risk and opportunity heading into Plant 2026. From frost seeding oats and early sulphur applications to concerns about winter injury and fertilizer handling, there’s plenty to unpack. This episode also covers practical watch-outs... Read More
On this week’s episode of Wheat Pete’s Word, host Peter Johnson checks in from Ontario as spring conditions start to shift. From teaching the next generation of agronomists at Ridgetown Campus to assessing winter crop conditions across the province, Pete covers a wide range of agronomy questions. He also digs into management considerations for extremely... Read More
