Farmers, who are currently busy seeding and controlling weeds, are keeping a wary eye on the skies. '"It's all about the next seven days," said Marcel Van Staveren on Friday.
Farmers, who are currently busy seeding and controlling weeds, are keeping a wary eye on the skies.
'"It's all about the next seven days," said Marcel Van Staveren on Friday.
Most farmers have the majority of their crop in the ground and were able to resume seeding over the weekend due to the dry weather following Thursday's downpour. Some areas received more than four inches of rain on already damp fields Thursday.
Russ Leguee farms near Fillmore and his fields have been hard hit by rain.
"The field conditions suck. It's wet. We're really struggling right now," said Leguee on Monday morning and he was completely shut down.
High winds have also kept Leguee from being able to spray for weeds, which are bad in his area.
The wet and windy weather also has Leguee, who has farmed for 35 years, concerned for the rest of the summer.
"When we get a lot of moisture, it tends to stop," he said. "The later it gets, the more I get concerned about frost in early September. We don't like to seed in June if we can help it."
Another five or six good, dry days would enable Leguee to get the rest of his fields seeded. As of Monday morning, he was about 70 per cent done and had put durum, canola, peas, soybeans and hard red spring wheat in the ground.
"Other farmers in the area are seeding pretty much the same crops. There's some lentils, but what I have in is mostly the mix in this area," said Leguee. He said some in the area were also seeding flax. For now, Leguee is "hoping for an average crop".
Dean Nikolejsin, who farms north of Weyburn and west of Cedoux, said he has about 85 per cent of his fields seeded as of Monday and moisture conditions in his area are very good. He seeded wheat, canola, canary seed, flax and soybeans and said the farmers in his area are mostly seeding the same crops.
"I just hope the tap doesn't turn off right when we need it," Nikolejsin said. He is hoping for more rain once all his fields are seeded.
"I don't think we started any later than we have the last two or three years," said Nikolejsin, who isn't concerned about beginning seeding in May.
Brad Eggum, who farms near Halbrite and Midale, is working with very different conditions though.
"I'm seeding in pretty wet conditions," said Eggum, who hasn't been able to do much of anything for the entire week leading up to Monday.
"We're not doing as nice a job seeding as we'd like," he said but added that he wasn't complaining. "Generally, moisture is a good problem to have."
Despite the soggy fields, Eggum has about 70 to 75 per cent of his fields seeded. He seeded canola, spring wheat and soybeans, explaining that soybeans do very well in wet conditions.
Eggum said he could get his fields seeded if there were another five to six days without much rain, but said on Monday that they would likely get a little rain.
Van Staveren, who farms in the Creelman and Griffin area, said he had about 65 per cent of his fields seeded as of Friday and most of the farmers in his area are in the same position. He has already planted wheat and durum and said he will soon switch to canola. He was concerned about losing some of his crop to flooded soil but added that there is "excellent yield potential where is doesn't flood out".
If heavy precipitation continues, Van Staveren may seed soy beans in some fields.
"They say it has a snorkel on it. It lives well in saturated conditions," said Van Staveren of soybeans, with a chuckle.
Soybeans are a relatively new crop to this part of the prairies.
Van Staveren doesn't know of any farmers who have changed their seeding plans just yet though.
"If July and August are hot, everything could be back to normal," he said and explained that the fields had a dry buffer going into winter last year and have, so far, absorbed the precipitation fairly well.
"We're off to the races," said Dale Paslawski with a chuckle. Paslawski, who farms near Cedoux, had about two-thirds of his fields seeded as of Friday, and said there is "potential for a very good crop this year for what's in the ground". He knows some farmers in the Yellow Grass area already have all their fields seeded, but others are only half seeded.
He is concerned about the amount and timing of the moisture. The past few years had more moisture than farmers are accustomed to as the Palliser Triangle cycles out of its 30-year drought rotation into one with heavier precipitation.
"This moisture - the timing is wrong. If it came in a little later it would be perfect," said Paslawski and said he hopes things dry out. If they don't, he is worried about potential fungus diseases ruining pulse crops. On the plus side, Paslawski is anticipating a bumper hay crop.
"The crop seems to be a little behind," said Paslawski of when farmers in the area could start seeding. "Every day is critical in the spring." He said he has some concerns about the crop freezing if it matures slowly or fall comes early.
The Ministry of Agriculture reports seeding progress has tripled in the southeast region over the week leading up to Friday and producers had 67 per cent of the crop in as of Thursday, up significantly from 22 per cent the previous week. The five-year (2008-2012) average for that time of year is 64 per cent of acres seeded. As of Friday, it is estimated that seven per cent of acres will remain unseeded due to excess moisture.
Much of the region received substantial rainfall which slowed the seeding progress. Topsoil moisture conditions on cropland were rated as 19 per cent surplus, 78 per cent adequate and three per cent short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture was rated as 10 per cent surplus, 81 per cent adequate and nine per cent short.
Pasture conditions across the region were rated as 14 per cent excellent, 54 per cent good, 28 per cent fair and four per cent poor. Ninety-nine per cent of livestock producers have indicated that they have adequate livestock water supplies.
High winds and localized flooding damaged emerged crops in some areas in late May. There are reports that some winter cereal fields are being reseeded to other crops due to high levels of winterkill. Many producers indicated that at least a week of warm and dry weather will be needed for seeding to be completed and spraying operations to advance. However, some areas are also in need of rain to help germinate later-seeded crops. The majority of emerged crops are looking healthy and will soon be ready for in-crop herbicide applications. There are also reports of fertilizer shortages and delayed delivery.
