Despite deluge, farmer's crops still good

Saskatchewan farmers have been asking for rain all summer, and mother nature answered the call earlier this week.

“Between Monday and Tuesday, we had two-and-a-half inches of rain,” said Dan Howell who farms near Lumsden.

That is a much better situation than nearby Craven. Howell said he’s heard that area received around five inches.

The amount of rain Howell got is no problem for his crops.

“They’re definitely going to benefit from this. We’re not overloaded. We’re in good shape … We have some oats that are starting to turn and barley that’s filling so we’re probably, you know, in pretty good shape right through now until the end I’m thinking.”

It was just a couple weekends ago that Howell received two-and-a-half inches of rain. At that point, he was hoping for a few more downpours before the end of August. Even with the combined five inches of rain in July, he wouldn’t mind a little more.

“I don’t think anybody is going to look for another five inches but a little bit isn’t going to hurt anything as long as we’re not trying to harvest when it comes ’cause rain during a harvest will downgrade the quality.”

The latest crop numbers have been released.

According to the ministry of agriculture’s weekly crop report released Thursday, 67 per cent of the hay crop has been baled or put into silage. Another 14% is cut and ready for baling. Two per cent of the hay crop is excellent, while 46 per cent is good, 44 per cent is fair, and eight per cent is poor.

Harvest is just getting started in some parts of the province with pulses being desiccated and some winter cereal and pulse crops being combined.

Wind, hail, flooding, and lack of rain have caused some crop damage this week.

Topsoil moisture has greatly improved thanks to the recent downpour. Most cropland has adequate moisture, while only a bit has too much or too little. About half of hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as adequate.