Family remains positive after tornado

Life quickly changed for the Willner family after a tornado touched down and destroyed much of their heritage-designated farm near Davidson, Sask., July 19. “We were literally standing on the front steps after a family barbecue. You could see a funnel cloud starting to form and it literally dropped down in the centre of our […] Read more

Southern Saskatchewan residents continue to tally the effects of last week’s heavy rain, which took a toll on crops and communities.
 | William DeKay photo

Farmers, communities continue to tally damage from floods

Southern Saskatchewan residents continue to tally the effects of last week’s heavy rain, which took a toll on crops and communities. The low-pressure system stalled in the grain belt from July 11-13, pounding some areas with up to 130 millimetres of rain. The Estevan area was hard hit, as was the area reaching north and […] Read more

Flooding the newest threat to prairie crops

Flooding the newest threat to prairie crops

If crop insurance data is an indicator, flooding may now be the most common plague in Saskatchewan. Statistics from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. show that excessive rain caused 49 percent of all crop losses from 2006-15. In comparison, drought was responsible for 18 percent of all losses during that decade. Lorelei Hulston, the crop […] Read more


Crops in southwestern Saskatchewan are either at normal or ahead of normal development. This canola crop is near Hodgeville.  |  Karen Briere photo

Too much rain better than the alternative

SWIFT CURRENT, Sask. — Farmers attending a field day in Swift Current last week weren’t too concerned about sitting on a flat-deck trailer in the spitting rain. The deluge of rain just days earlier wasn’t much of a problem either. It’s better than the alternative, they said. For example, this time last year only 12 […] Read more

Statistics from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. show that excessive rain caused 49 percent of all crop losses from 2006-15. In comparison, drought was responsible for 18 percent of all losses during that decade. | File photo

Flooding now causing most crop damage

If crop insurance data is an indicator, flooding may now be the most common plague in Saskatchewan. Statistics from the Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corp. show that excessive rain caused 49 percent of all crop losses from 2006-15. In comparison, drought was responsible for 18 percent of all losses during that decade. Lorelei Hulston, the crop […] Read more


Reports of hail have been coming in across the Prairies, which could lead to delays in crop damage assessments.  |  File photo

Early crop changes dynamic of this year’s hail season

Prairie hail adjusters are busy earlier than usual this year following several recent storms. “We’ve been pretty steady since June 21,” said Murray Bantle of Regina-based Co-op Hail and chair of the Canadian Crop Hail Association. “It’s kind of been hailing every couple days whether we need it or not.” He said companies have written […] Read more

While even an experienced eye can be fooled when it comes to wheat, Essex County farmer Terry Byrne said there’s a possibility of a 60 to 70 bushel per acre harvest in this field despite lower than hoped for precipitation.  |  Jeffrey Carter photo

Drought, disease take toll in Ont. corn, wheat

ESSEX County, Ont. — There’s an old adage among Ontario farmers when they talk about corn: knee high by the fourth of July. That’s the case for Terry Byrne and his brothers, a 20-minute drive from the Ambassador Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit, but their corn isn’t healthy deep green-blue hue. Instead, the bottom leaves […] Read more

Rain and wind caused lodging in many crops, such as this spring wheat, July 12.  |  William DeKay photo

Farmers evaluating rain damage to crops

Farmers are assessing crops after this week’s heavy rainfalls throughout southern Saskatchewan. It’s too soon to tell just how much damage was done, but pulse crops will be particularly at risk from sitting in water. Other crops have lodged in the heavy rain and wind. Rainfall amounts varied widely, and hit 130 millimetres in Estevan […] Read more


Sunday July 10 accumulation. Source: WeatherFarm.com

Maps show how much rain fell on Prairies

UPDATED TUESDAY 4:40 p.m. — Heavy rain fell in much of Saskatchewan on Sunday, Monday and today. Parts of Alberta and southern Manitoba also got rain in recent days. A number of communities in Saskatchewan reported flooding Sunday, Monday and today. The rain continued on Tuesday from the slow moving low. Eastern Saskatchewan could continue […] Read more

Flood waters have damaged this road near Swift Current, Sask. | Photo via Twitter, Jodi Christopher - @JodiC_SK

UPDATED: Rain not letting up in Sask.

UPDATED: Tuesday July 12, 2016 – 1535 CST – Heavy rain has resulted in some minor flooding on waterways in northeastern Saskatchewan, says the Water Security Agency. Burntout Brook near Arborfield peaked at 44 cubic metres per second last night, a one-in-50-year event. The Pasquia River at Highway 9 is flowing at 33 m3/s, which […] Read more