LETHBRIDGE – In most cases, farmers in southern Alberta were able to avoid serious frost damage, although there is a substantial percentage of low quality for some crops, according to a survey of agricultural fieldmen.
The specialists, attending the recent south region Agricultural Service Board conference in Taber, said conditions and weather varied across southern Alberta. In some cases, excellent crops with great yields were reported, especially in the dryland regions. In much of the irrigated areas, especially further east and south, many crops suffered from saturated soils.
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Dave Matz, fieldman for the County of Forty Mile in Foremost, said the heaviest rains during the spring and growing season hit on the northern reaches of his region, especially on irrigated land.
Actual rainfall in much of the dryland area was about 300 millimetres. One of the storms dumped much more rain than usual. Fertilizer leaching out of the plant root zone was a problem for some farmers.
Jon Hood, agricultural fieldman for the Municipal District of Taber, said dryland farmers harvested good crops and irrigated crops were rated average.
He said sugar beet crop yields are down, averaging only 16 to 20 tonnes an acre.
Potatoes tended to the smaller side and the dry bean crop did not come off well.
Kelly Malmberg, fieldman for the County of Vulcan, said wheat yields were very good, but quality suffered, partly because frost hit at the wrong time. The high yields will offset to some degree the reduced quality.
Malmberg doesn’t expect major changes in planting intentions, although some extra canola is likely because of high prices.
Don Bodnar, fieldman for the County of Lethbridge, said much of the corn silage harvest is just starting, and there are reports of frost damage on some wheat crops.
The mustard crop benefitted from the moist summer and fall with less seed cracking reported.
Still, there are many large “lakes” caused by the huge rains during 2010, and in some cases, islands were created that farmers couldn’t reach to seed, he said.
Jamie Meeks, fieldman for the County of Warner, said most yields in the county are good, and grades have come off better than expected.
Meeks expects most dryland cereal crops will produce a profit this year, partly because the normal frost was later than usual.
He expects wheat and canola acres to increase for 2011, while peas and lentils will decline.
