Bolstered by recent rain, many prairie farmers are heading optimistically toward a good crop this season.
Rob Park, a Manitoba Agriculture oilseed specialist based at Carman, expects the central region to begin harvesting spring wheat, oats and barley within two weeks and to produce above average crops.
“The crops are really doing well so far,” he said, noting they have benefited from seeding in April, timely rains and above normal temperatures.
He said on July 21 that spring cereals were about a week ahead of normal.
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In addition to good crops in areas around Winnipeg, Morris, Roland, Miami, Morden and Carman, Park stressed there are pockets within drier areas that also have good crops.
He added that the Interlake, northwest and southwest have been especially dry over the last few weeks and yields there generally will be lower.
“There will be a good crop out of these areas too but they’ve more so been plagued by (lack of) moisture,” he said.
“For the most part, Manitoba is not that bad,” said Park.
“(But) it’s not in the bin yet.”
Saskatchewan’s crops are facing increased drought stress due to hot, dry weather and insects.
Terry Karwandy of Saskatchewan Agriculture said one notable exception is the northeastern region, which has received good moisture recently and is a bright spot in the province.
“It doesn’t seem to be as bad as the rest and has not been as hard hit by grasshoppers yet,” she said, citing recent positive reports suggesting an average crop after a dry start for the zone.
“It’s all coming along nicely and things are looking good,” said Karwandy.
Thundershowers arrived in Estevan, Moose Jaw and Lloydminster last week but their full benefits were muted by hot, dry weather.
The weekly Saskatchewan Crop Report said crops are generally holding on, although durum, triticale, mustard, pulse and canaryseed were deteriorating.
The heat did benefit first-cut haying operations, which are nearing completion.
Like Manitoba, Alberta also got off to a great, albeit late, start with spring snowfall providing ample moisture for seeding.
Doon Pauly, crops specialist with the Alberta Agriculture Information Centre at Stettler, said the Edmonton area is sporting the best crops in the province.
However, central Alberta has suffered from declining moisture in the last 10 days.
“We’re going backwards,” said Pauly.
And there’s no relief in the forecast, which holds out little hope for substantial rains this coming week.
Pauly said close inspection of soils in the Red Deer area last week showed no subsoil moisture.
Coronation and Provost remain in good shape but crops around Camrose, Wetaskiwin and Stettler are running low on moisture reserves.
The Peace generally is in good condition, but the northern country is hurting for moisture as well, he said.
“We’ll start to see crops look visibly like they’re suffering this week,” said Pauly, who added that crops are one to two weeks behind normal in development due to late spring seeding.
“Crops usually head out during the Stampede (in early July),” said Pauly.
Winter wheat benefited from spring moisture and is in good shape, with rye close to being swathed.
First cut hay is yielding well, but Pauly expects little regrowth apart from areas west of Highway 2.
