Select Your Three Fields
The foundation of the FHCU is the three-field comparison system. You select:
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Field #1 — Your "least challenging" or highest-performing field: This is your benchmark. It represents what your land is capable of under good conditions and good management. Choose the field where yields consistently meet or exceed county averages.
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Fields #2 and #3 — Your "challenging" or underperforming fields: These are the fields where you know something isn't right. Perhaps yields are inconsistent, drainage is questionable, certain areas always seem to struggle, or you've noticed compaction symptoms but aren't sure of the extent.
For each field, you'll provide basic information including ownership status, field acreage, location (latitude/longitude for precise soil mapping), conservation authority jurisdiction, and your reasons for selecting each field. Real examples from the FHCU workbook include reasons such as "heavy clay spots, compaction issues, stream bank erosion" and "variable elevation and drainage."
Soil Information and Mapping
Using Ontario county soil survey data, your CCA advisor records the soil characteristics for each field:
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Soil Map Unit Symbol — The classified soil series (e.g., Crsil, Hosil, Emsil) that identifies the parent material, texture, and drainage characteristics of your specific field
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Surface Texture — Whether the field is loam, clay loam, silt loam, sandy loam, or another texture class, which directly influences compaction susceptibility, water-holding capacity, and workability
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Hydrological Soil Group — Classified as rapid, moderate, or slow, indicating how quickly water moves through the soil profile
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Natural Drainage Class — Ranging from well-drained to very poorly drained, a critical factor in determining planting timing, root development, and nitrogen management
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Erosion Factor — A numerical rating of the soil's susceptibility to erosion by water, based on texture, organic matter, structure, and permeability
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Potential for Soil Compaction — Rated low, moderate, or high based on texture and structure
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Tile Drainage Status — Whether the field has systematic tile drainage, random tile, or no tile
Slope and Landscape Assessment
Slope plays a critical role in erosion risk and yield variability across Ontario's rolling till plains. The FHCU records:
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Slope class — from level (<2%) to steep (>9%)
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Slope length — measured in feet, a key factor in water erosion potential
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Slope complexity — whether the field has uniform or complex slopes with converging water flow patterns
Watch for Complex Slopes
Complex slopes with converging flow are particularly prone to concentrated water erosion — creating finger-like channels on upper slopes and fan-shaped deposition areas downslope. These fields also experience the most severe tillage erosion, with topsoil systematically relocated from knolls to lower positions over years of downslope tillage operations.
Crop Rotation and Tillage History
Your five-year crop rotation and tillage history reveals critical information about soil condition trends. For each field, the FHCU records:
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Crop grown each year and actual yield versus county average
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Cover crop species, establishment method, and objective
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Tillage system — from no-till to full-disturbance moldboard
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Number of fall and spring passes
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Depth of deepest tillage pass
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Estimated soil cover going into winter and after planting
What This Means on Your Farm
This historical data is essential for understanding how current soil conditions developed. A field that has received full-disturbance tillage (moldboard plus two secondary passes) at 6-inch depth for five consecutive years will have a fundamentally different compaction profile than a field under no-till management — even if the two fields have identical soil types.
Field Evaluation and Scoring
Using Ontario county soil survey data, your CCA advisor records the soil characteristics for each field:
The core of the FHCU is the field-level diagnostic evaluation. Your CCA advisor physically examines each field, using the ten-point assessment framework to score each factor. The scoring system compares your three fields against each other and against recognized benchmarks for your soil type and region.
Assessment areas include water erosion risk, wind erosion risk, tillage erosion evidence, subsurface compaction severity, soil organic matter levels, soil structure condition, crop rotation diversity, cover crop effectiveness, drainage adequacy, and nutrient management practices. Each area is scored, documented with field observations, and linked to specific BMP recommendations from the OMAFRA Best Management Practices series.
Report and Recommendations
Following the field assessment, you receive a comprehensive diagnostic report that:
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Identifies the specific yield-limiting factors in each of your underperforming fields
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Explains why your best field outperforms the others — which conditions differ and why they matter
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Provides prioritized recommendations based on potential yield impact and cost-effectiveness
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Connects each recommendation to relevant Ontario cost-share programs and grant opportunities
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Establishes improvement targets for follow-up assessment
