Ongoing Rain Impacts Saskatchewan Crop Quality

Sep 09, 2016

By Bruce Cochrane.

Saskatchewan Agriculture reports continued rainfall since mid-June is taking a toll on the quality of crops being harvested across much of the province.

Saskatchewan Agriculture released its weekly Crop Report yesterday.

Daphne Cruise, a Cropping Management Specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture, reports the harvest got underway a week to ten days earlier than normal and things were looking good until mid-June when the rains started and they haven't let up.

Daphne Cruise-Saskatchewan Agriculture:

We haven't got any hard percentages and numbers on what it means for the crop grades but, from comments that we're getting and even indications from industry, is higher Fusarium incidents in the durum crop especially and in the hard red spring wheat crop.

What that means, it sounds like quite a few number-2 grades coming down through the pipeline with some high incidents of fusarium percentages in those crops so that's the one thing right now.
It sounds like, for the most part, protein is on average and in some cases quite good so that's a nice surprise to many producers.

When it comes to the lentil and pea crop, there again because of the higher incidents of disease on the sample, number-2 and sometime in some cases even lower.

Also earth tag attached to those pulse crops because a lot of our lentil and pea crops have been lodged for some time and so getting the combine header to pick up a majority of the crop you really have to get close to the ground to get the majority of those kernels into the combine.

In some of those cases, you are starting to pick up a little dirt with it.

When it comes to that, that's kind of the things we're dealing with right now when it comes to crop quality but hopefully next week we'll have a better indication of what that means as far as the crop grades.

Cruise notes, the forecast for the next week is calling for rain so things aren't overly promising.

She says right now its a matter of getting the combines into the fields and hopefully we get some better harvest weather in the coming weeks.

Source: Farmscape

Video: Shearing Delay Leads To Kingston 4H Sheep Show!

What started as a disappointment turned into a day full of surprises, fun, and celebration as we leave Ewetopia Farms behind and head out to the Kingston Fair to watch the 4H sheep show

Today’s vlog was supposed to be another sheep shearing day here at Ewetopia Farms, but when our shearer had to cancel, we suddenly found ourselves with an unexpected free day. Lucky for us, the Kingston Fair was happening — and some of our own sheep (and friends) were competing!

We brought along our shearing helper and headed to the fairgrounds to cheer on the 4H kids and see how our sheep did in the show. From last-minute preparations and sheep showmanship to market lamb competitions and ewe classes, we take you behind the scenes of what it’s really like at a country fair.

We couldn’t be prouder — our girls walked away with wins in both showmanship and breeding ewe classes! Afterwards, we toured the fair, met a beekeeper with fascinating insights, admired other livestock shows, and wrapped up the evening with motocross stunts and a demolition derby!

Sometimes farm life throws curveballs — but today, it gave us the chance to celebrate community, our sheep, and the next generation of shepherds.