Summary of crop conditions, week of August 8 to August 14.
Alberta
Peace
Fescue harvest is under way, but yields vary from 50-900 pounds per acre. Most is in the 200-400 pound range. Some canola swathing has started. Haying is a problem because of rain. Alfalfa crops are poor in some areas and timothy yields are substantially down. Cereals are ripening. Some canola and peas near Grande Prairie hurt by sclerotinia. Hail near Fort Vermilion hit more than 1,400 acres.
North/Central
Rain, cold and clouds have increased disease and caused lodging in many areas. Two weeks required before any major harvesting. The wet weather has deteriorated the field pea crop. Harvesting of some pea fields will begin by the end of next week. Majority of haying complete and the rainfall will improve second cut and pastures.
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South
Recent rains and cool weather have slowed crop development. Swathing of early barley, Polish canola and winter crops continues. Most spring seeded crops at least one week away from swathing. Wind and hail have damaged some crops near Brooks, High River and Vulcan. Yield potential for most cereals and canola is good to excellent. Dampness has slowed haying, but silage cutting is progressing well. Bertha army worms have appeared near Medicine Hat and Vulcan.
Saskatchewan
North
Heavy rain in the northwest is too late to help most crops, but will help pastures and summer fallow. Many pea crops have been harvested. Canola is being swathed. Barley is about to be swathed and other cereals are two weeks from harvest.
Northeast crops about one week behind. Hot weather is needed. Late-seeded crops will not be ready for harvesting until mid-September. Frost will be a worry.
Central
Most crops in west-central are one week to 10 days from harvest. Lentils have been dessicated. Rain on swathed lentils, fall rye and winter wheat is hurting quality. Cereals are filling but heavy stands were hit by hard rain. Spraying for diamond-back moths and Bertha army worms continues. Much winter wheat has already been harvested and Polish canola is being swathed. Most crops in the Yorkton area are about two weeks from swathing.
South
Southwestern crops should be 10 to 15 percent above average. Hodgeville area is an exception, where rains were too late. Most canola and peas have been swathed and some is being combined. Harvest is about one week behind normal.
Crops in the southeast ripened fast but are not filling well. Early-seeded canola has been swathed.
Manitoba
Northwest/Interlake
Heavy thunderstorms hit the northwest region last week. Some areas received up to 175 mm of rain. High winds have caused some shattering and lodging. Farmers around Dauphin and Ste. Rose have started swathing canola. In the Interlake, swathing of cereals and canola and harvest of peas is general. Rain has helped pastures, but there is still a shortage of growth and hay.
West
Between 6-35 mm of rain fell last weekend. Some crops were damaged by high winds. Harvesting of winter cereals nearing completion with yields in the 25-30 bu/acre range. Swathing of early barley and canola has begun. Farmers are still working on controlling wheat midge, Bertha army worm and diamond-back moths. Some second-cut hay, greenfeed and silage is being harvested.
Red River Valley
High winds have caused some damage. Swathing and combining of canola, wheat and barley will be general. Yields are expected to be average to below-average. Early-seeded fields appear to have suffered the most heat and drought stress. Timothy seed harvest is almost done with yields of 250 to 300 pounds per acre. Vegetable harvesting is under way. Bears have damaged some leafcutter bee huts around Beausejour and Lac du Bonnet.
Highlights:
“This rain is like money in the bank for next year.”
– Eric Johnson, North Battleford, Sask., agrologist
Source: Provincial agriculture departments, Alberta Wheat Pool, Saskatchewan Wheat Pool
