MOOSOMIN — Farmers in southeast Saskatchewan have started harvesting and say this year’s crops are coming in better than anticipated.
Murray Bruce, who farms near Moosomin, said he started harvesting on Aug. 21.
“We’ve gotten 1,200 acres done. So far the yield is looking quite encouraging,” said Bruce.
“It kind of makes you wonder where it came from considering how dry this year’s summer was because we didn’t get any rain this summer.
“There must have been lots of reserve moisture in the ground to get the bushels that we’re getting. It’s quite encouraging what the yields are looking like.”
Bruce said the biggest challenge he faced during this year’s season was lack of moisture.
“We’re expecting the crops to be on average, like a good average crop,” he said.
“It will depend on Mother Nature when we finish harvest, on how long this kind of weather lasts. It would be nice to be done by the middle of September.”
Farmers in the Moosomin area say yield looks encouraging
Wendy Schatz Leeds, Agronomy Lead of Sharpe’s Crop Services in Moosomin, said farmers in the Moosomin area have begun harvest.
“We’re just starting harvest. There isn’t a ton of crop off yet, they’re not quite dried down yet,” said Schatz Leeds.
“We’re getting to the point where we’re reaching physiological maturity and some producers have created a phase for dry down. We’re now just getting to that point where they would be ready to harvest.
“Some of the malt barley has come off, I think producers are happy so far with the malt barley yields. Peas also yielded okay, considering the year. We’re just getting into wheat, and it will be a few weeks before canola is ready.”
Due to communities in the southeast area of the province receiving no rainfall throughout July, Schatz Leeds said the outcome for all crops will depend on the weather conditions in the next few weeks.
“It will be a wait-and-see to see how things look. The plants developed really well considering we had minimal rainfall,” said Schatz Leeds.
“We had really healthy plants for the most part. We’ll just have to see how everything sets seed.
“There was a point when they were setting seed for both canola and wheat, when it was warm out and they don’t like that, but I think there was also cool periods. We cooled off at night.
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