Seeding progress was halted in the last week due to rain and snow in the southeast, according to the Saskatchewan Agricultures weekly crop report.
Seeding progress was halted in the last week due to rain and snow in the southeast, according to the Saskatchewan Agricultures weekly crop report. Nine per cent of the peas, five per cent of the lentils and two per cent of the spring wheat have been seeded.Approximately three per cent of the 2010 crop is in the ground in the southeast region. Jeff Gaab, a farmer south of Weyburn, said, I got (seeding) going last week on Tuesday to Thursday; I seeded barley and have 800 acres seeded. The crop report states that crop districts 1A and 3ASE have six and 12 per cent of the crop seeded, respectively.Dave Lazurko, a farmer west of Weyburn, has not started seeding yet. Lazurko said, Weve been standing still, havent turned a wheel.This weeks crop report said an average of 29 mm of rain fell on the area during the week.The moisture is good to see but it has delayed seeding operations, Gaab said. The Stoughton area received 49 mm, the Moosomin area 53 mm and the Ceylon area received 37 mm. Both rain and snow fell in the region during the week. Lazurko commented, It wasnt like we got a lot of rain, so the moisture is nice to see, but everyone is anxious to get going.According to the crop report, topsoil moisture conditions on cropland are 27 per cent surplus, 70 per cent adequate and three per cent short. Gaab stated, There are very good conditions (for topsoil moisture). (The topsoil) is fully charged and in good shape.On hay land and pasture, topsoil moisture is rated five per cent surplus, 88 per cent adequate and seven per cent short. The (recent) rain is perfect (for the pasture and hayland), the hay has not froze this year unlike other years and is now ahead. This year there will be a big hay crop, said Lazurko. CDs 1A and 3ASE have the lowest topsoil moisture levels of all the districts in the region.Approximately seven per cent of winter wheat and two per cent of the fall rye seeded last fall was winterkilled, which was stated in the crop report. The report also states that farmers appreciate the moisture, although sunny warm weather is needed to dry up the fields so they can get back to work. Pastures and hay land will definitely benefit from the moisture, once the sun comes out.Lazurko said, Middle of next week (I will begin seeding), weather permitting. I will seed lentils first, then seed canola and durum. In the southeast region as of May 4, four per cent of crops planted was spring wheat; durum, two per cent; canola, three per cent; mustard, three per cent; lentils, four per cent and peas, 14 per cent seeded.Livestock producers are starting to take cattle to the pasture. The wet weather has been a little hard on the newborn calves. According to Lazurko, calving is done and the cows have not been moved out to the pasture yet because of the wet weather.Up until the rain started to fall, farmers in the southeast were busy picking rocks, controlling weeds, applying fertilizer and seeding. Farmers and ranchers are now busy calving, preparing machinery for seeding and waiting to get back into the field.
