Theo Thirsk isn’t worried about the poor spring weather pushing back his wheat seeding schedule.
Thirsk seeded 350 acres of wheat last fall. He is getting anxious to seed his peas, though.
“That was supposed to be last week’s job,” said Thirsk of Kelsey, Alta.
A late spring blizzard delayed seeding for hundreds of farmers across Alberta, blanketing fields with snow and piling drifts beside trees and fence lines.
The cool, wet weather hasn’t convinced Thirsk to change seeding plans yet. A few good days of sunshine and warm weather will dry the sandy, loam soils quickly, he said.
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In the days before zero tillage, when farmers used to cultivate, harrow and then seed, it wasn’t unheard of to be seeding wheat and Argentine canola up to May 24.
“I’m still optimistic we’ll have it in in good time,” he said.
Even though the snow has slowed seeding, it was welcome. It’s the first significant moisture since last June in their area.
“At least we’re seeding into moisture.”
Mike Stahl of the Cleardale Colony in Cleardale, Alta., said the latest snow set seeding back a week to 10 days.
The colony’s northern Alberta fields are still snow covered and there are drifts at the sides of fields.
“On the flat field there’s still quite a bit of snow,” said Stahl, who estimated it would be the second week of May before seeding begins.
That’s not much different than last year’s seeding, which was also delayed by snow.
Last year the colony began seeding May 5 and finished May 23.
With warm sunny days and the days growing longer, the soil will warm quickly once the snow leaves, he said.
“The seed is cleaned, the drill is just about ready, the fertilizer is home, the sprayer for zero till is ready to go. Another good week and we’ll be ready for the field,” said Stahl.
John Bielesch of Mannville, Alta., said snowdrifts prevented him from beginning spring seeding as quickly as he would like.
By the time the fields are dry enough to seed, he will be about 10 days later than he would prefer.
“We need some good weather to warm it up a bit,” said Bielesch, who would like to buy a second air seeder to speed up the spring work
“We’re ready and waiting.”
Each day’s delay in seeding means hot weather could blast the crop in the summer, reducing yields or slowing harvest.
“The later we go, we run into weather problems in the fall,” he said.
Once the snow leaves, peas will be the first crop in the field. It’s still a toss-up if canola or wheat goes in next, he said.
Bill Dobson of Paradise Valley, Alta., said seeding would be at least a week to 10 days late in his area of eastern Alberta.
“I just finished plowing snow a couple days ago.”
Dobson isn’t worried yet about the late start. The crop will still get in the ground. But the delays mean some pre-seed spraying may not get done.
“We’re not too concerned about it yet. It’s good to have moisture.”
