Early signs of abundant harvest
Signs point to abundant crops, but weather could still hinder harvest
Rumours of bumper crops around Saskatchewan are encouraging, but Saskatoon-area farmer Steven Tschetter is reserving his opinion until he sees what the weather does over the next five weeks.
“I want sunshine. It’s every farmer’s dream at this time of year. It can rain in October,” Tschetter said Monday.
Crews on Tschetter’s 10,000acre Riverview Hutterite Colony have harvested 1,000 acres of high value malt barley, peas and lentils. They look pretty good to him, but he’ll wait a few days to see what the grain merchant, who visited Monday, says about the quality, he said.
The crop looked great until last week’s rain, which slowed the harvest and which he now fears is degrading the crop.
“This year, with the rain delaying us, everything is ready at once and we don’t have enough combine power,” he said.
Half of the crop was ready Monday, but grey skies and a forecast of rain were muting Tschetter’s expectations.
“Lentils are looking all right, it’s an average crop. It’s the grade that kind of worries me. Can’t help but worry about the grade,” he said.
Norm Hall, president of the Agricultural Producers of Saskatchewan (APAS), farms north of Wynyard. He said he and his neighbours are pleased with what they’re seeing.
Neighbours who have taken off part of their hybrid rye crop got 117 bushels per acre, “which is fantastic for rye,” Hall said.
The oats from another neighbour’s field are coming off so abundantly, the grain cart can’t keep up with the combine, he said.
Throughout the rest of the province, wheat and barley look good.
“I’m not sure of the exact definition of ‘bumper,’ but I wouldn’t be scared of using that word,” Hall said.
Last year was the second largest crop on record; Hall thinks this year’s will be nearly as good.
“April and May were unusually warm, so that got the crop off to a quick start. We got some rains early on as well, so not only a quick start, but a good start and it did dry out and allow most of us to finish in good time, and with the heat continuing, the crop just jumped. Overall you can say the weather has been quite favourable right through the season,” Hall said.
Reports so far say the crop may rival last year’s, he said.
Yellow peas are doing well. They’re pulses like lentils, but they seem to have thrived despite the rain, he said.
Around Kindersley, where many farmers plant lentils because the area is usually quite dry, have been dismayed by August rain.
“Lentils just don’t like wet feet,” Hall said.
Tschetter wonders if it isn’t a little too soon to say how well the harvest will turn out.
“The thing that worries me about the yield is the numbers we are hearing, are they really out there? Are farmers getting a little ahead of themselves?
“You’ll have certain fields that do exceptionally well, but overall what is the average?” Tschetter said.