BROCK, Sask. – Small eddies of wind whip blackened dirt into spirals atop freshly planted fields in west-central Saskatchewan.
Air seeders dragged over the land add to the swirl of earth this spring day, as farmers take advantage of warm weather and clear skies.
Also in the air this spring is a feeling of optimism about agriculture after a winter of good snow cover and a healthy economy promising better crop prices.
“Everything pencils black this year,” said Brock producer Greg Kelly, who started seeding May 1 and expected to finish May 25.
Read Also
Traders forecast record lentil yields for Canada
lentil yields could be phenomenal and that is dragging down prices for both reds and greens.
“It’s been a long time since going into spring knowing we can make money if we grow an average crop,” he said, noting it’s been seven to eight years since prices looked so good.
While a farmer might have fared well on the price of one harvested crop in past years, today the numbers look good on all but wheat, he said.
“But we need (wheat) in the rotation, not because it’s a big money maker,” he added.
Greg and his wife Laurie seed 3,500 acres with their son Randy. The family, whose former livestock corrals now contain equipment, recently left the cattle business to devote more time to growing canola, lentils, peas, durum, wheat and barley.
This windy spring day, Greg is dribble banding nitrogen and sulfur into canola within sight of Brock.
Despite increased input and fuel costs, the Kellys have not cut back and continue to plant inoculated pulses and fertilize their cereals.
Snow was plentiful throughout the winter and spring rain has since added to good spring moisture for planting, he said.
Kelly said seeding was on schedule in the area at mid month, with lots of canola, peas and barley going in and a sharp decline in wheat plantings.
“There’s a lot more profit to grow other crops; $5 wheat just doesn’t pay,” said the agrologist, who splits his time between farming and working for G-Mac’s Ag Team.
Green lentils are also down, as is the amount of acreage devoted to summer fallow, said Kelly, who noted canaryseed and red lentils are up.
He said wireworms are expected to challenge farmers again this year in the Kindersley area.
To the east near Watrous, seeding was also well underway.
For Grant Michelson of Blair’s Fertilizers, that translated into a 24-7 schedule.
“I’m working on zero sleep.”
Michelson said conditions are excellent although drier than last spring.
He said many farmers are planting peas and canola, with increases in oat and barley acres and decreases in wheat.
Weeds are also starting to pop up, although insects were not yet presenting problems. When they do arrive, he added, wheat midge, bertha armyworms and flea beetles will be among the most pressing challenges this season for the area.
Saskatchewan Agriculture’s mid-May crop report listed the west-central region as windy with frost and three millimetre showers.
Frost damaged fruit trees and alfalfa and hail hit the communities of Hanley, Strongfield and Grandora, causing crop and building damage.
Windy weather slowed spraying and dried the topsoil, although most areas had adequate topsoil moisture and sloughs and puddles can still be found.
Ninety-three percent of hay and pasture land was rated as having adequate moisture, with tractors getting stuck in the Arelee and Unity areas.
Shortages of chemicals and heavy weed growth were reported.
