Paul O’Carroll sees potholes, sloughs and acres of unseeded fields when he flies over the Prairies.
It’s those wet fields that have farmers turning to O’Carroll and other aerial applicators this year.
O’Carroll said the season began with seeding canola by air because farmers couldn’t get into their fields and has continued steady with herbicides and fungicides.
The Nokomis, Sask., aerial applicator with Fly On Ag Service doesn’t expect it to end until September with pre harvest desiccant of crops.
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“There are a lot of south winds for the past six weeks and that is a good indication there will be something blow up from the States. It’s bad for the farmer, but good for the aerial applicator,” said O’Carroll, who is now spraying fungicide because of the moist, warm conditions.
Jan Mitchell of Mitchell Aerial Applicators in Moosomin, Sask., said she is getting calls from people in towns she has never heard of. They’re all looking for someone who may be able to help them avoid making more ruts by driving through soggy fields.
“We’ve always done fungicide and insecticides by plane, but there is more demand to do herbicide,” said Mitchell.
Ben Loree, a pilot for Air Support Alberta in Vulcan, Alta., said the wet and windy conditions that stop ground sprayers are also tough on aerial spray planes.
“It’s tough between the rain and the wind. You have a real small window. Today we took six loads out. You just can’t do much about it with the wind.”
Jeff Farr of Farr Air in Weyburn, Sask., said the wind, and now hot weather, has dictated how much spraying they can get done during the day.
“It seems like you can only do two or three hours a day and then you can’t do anything because of the wind. If it’s blowing at five in the morning, you’re done that day too,” said Farr.
