Seeding progress in Saskatchewan is not much different than last year but for some growers the situation feels far more ominous. In its second crop report of 2011, Saskatchewan Agriculture said seeding was one percent complete as of May 2, compared to two percent a year ago. The numbers are similar but the circumstances are […] Read more
Weather — page 100
Seeding progress worrying farmers
Military called to fight rising flood waters
The federal government is sending Canadian soldiers to build up dikes along the Assiniboine River in Manitoba. Prime minister Stephen Harper authorized members of the Canadian Armed Forces to assist with the flood fight in Manitoba following a May 8 conversation with premier Greg Selinger. “The City of Brandon, Man., declared a state of emergency […] Read more
Some pastures hit with drought, others in water
This spring is turning into a cruel, cold season: too much moisture in some regions and heartbreaking drought in others. Grazing land has turned to dust in northern and interior regions of British Columbia and marshland in the Interlake region of Manitoba. Much of Alberta has received excessive moisture, but the Peace River district has […] Read more
Weather may burst big seeding expectations
No one is fazed by farmers’ intentions to expand total acreage to the maximum this spring because no one believes they have any real chance of doing so. “This is an assumption that three and a half million acres more than tend to get seeded over the past five years will get seeded this year,” […] Read more
Manitoba farmers optimistic after years of flooded fields
Hope, fear and frustration are mingling in Manitoba farmers’ minds as they look out across their fields and wonder when they’ll get seeding. Rain and a snowstorm that hit the province April 30 and May 1 has thrown seeding hopes back a few days, but weeks of dry weather through the spring have left most […] Read more
Spring blizzard paints gloomy picture in western Manitoba
A spring storm that hit western Manitoba April 30 and May 1 will likely delay seeding by two weeks or more in the parkland region, says the provincial government. The storm, which dumped 10 to 50 centimetres of snow and up to 50 millimetres of rain on parts of the province, isn’t a calamity because […] Read more
Sask. flood waters receding; cleanup begins
The worst of Saskatchewan’s flooding appeared to be over May 2; most river flows were dropping and lakes had crested. A wild winter-like storm April 30 and May 1 dumped snow on southeastern Saskatchewan in an area bordered by Weyburn, Indian Head, Yorkton and Swan River, Man., stranding travellers and knocking out power and telephone […] Read more
Red River farmers get started
Extensive flooding this spring in Manitoba’s Red River Valley didn’t stop some farmers in the region from starting to seed last week. Lorne Hamblin, who usually grows more than 3,000 acres of canola, soybeans and cereals, said producers east of the Red River near Morris began seeding April 29. “The guys were seeding on Friday. […] Read more
Some farms seeding, others shovelling snow
Contrary to what many other farmers are going through this spring, seeding is progressing just fine for Mike Foley. He started April 25 and three days later had planted 1,000 of the 4,600 acres he planned to seed. Foley farms about 27 kilometres southeast of Assiniboia, Sask. “We’re in a small pocket that’s been warm,” […] Read more
Manitoba flooding delays seeding
It might be the long winter, or the waiting for the Red River to crest, but farmers south of Winnipeg aren’t in a congenial mood this spring, says Ian Forrester of Letellier, Man. “Everybody is just bored and getting on each other’s nerves. We’re just fed up with it. We’ve had so much (flooding) in […] Read more
