Farmers hoping for rainy days

April showers have not brought May flowers — at least not for Saskatchewan’s crops, according to this week’s provincial crop report.

“It’s just weird because we’ve been so wet since pretty much 2010.

“We’ve been used to getting like half an inch every time we’ve seen a cloud go over,” Sarah Leguee said in an interview Thursday.

“And this year any time we see clouds, they either are nothing clouds or they just go around us,” added the Fillmore-area farmer.

Leguee’s farm hasn’t received rain in more than 40 days. Leading up to seeding there was a good amount of moisture in the ground, which helped the crops seeded earlier.

However, those seeded later are struggling.

“We’re not crying crop failure yet or anything, but it’s getting a little bit dire,” she said.

According to the province’s crop report, topsoil moisture conditions are deteriorating in many southern parts of the province. Strong winds and lack of moisture have dried fields out and delayed crop maturity.

“Producers are quite concerned in some of those (dry) areas that if they do not get moisture within the next week or two, things may start to go downhill,” said Shannon Friesen, acting crop management specialist with the Ministry of Agriculture in Moose Jaw.

Scattered rain showers throughout the week brought varying amounts of rain across the province.

Provincially, cropland topsoil moisture is rated at five per cent surplus, 65 per cent adequate, 26 per cent short and four per cent very short.

Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated at five per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 32 per cent short and 10 per cent very short.