Progress is rapidly advancing in the southeast region as farmers are working hard to get their crops in the ground for the 2018 growing season.
In the southeast region, the seeding is about 49 per cent completed, according to Sask. Ag and Food’s crop report, which is ahead of the five-year average of 39 per cent by this time of year. The progress is particularly strong in the Weyburn area (crop district 2A), where 71 per cent of seeding is done, followed by the Radville-Lake Alma area (district 3ASE) which is about 65 per cent completed.
Of the crops which have been seeded so far in the southeast, 52 per cent of the wheat, 58 per cent of the durum, 39 per cent of the canola, 41 per cent of the soybeans and 76 per cent of lentils have been planted.
Provincially, about 35 per cent of the crop is now in the ground, just ahead of the five-year (2013-2017) seeding average of 32 per cent for this time of year.
Some areas received small amounts of rain, such as the Ceylon area which received 8 mm of rain, and the Weyburn region received rain overnight on Thursday into Friday before the weather cleared off for the weekend.
Prior to those showers, strong and warm winds had been drying out the topsoil moisture in the area. Just before those rains, the cropland topsoil moisture level was rated as 29 per cent adequate, 51 per cent short and 20 per cent very short.
Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture was rated as 13 per cent adequate, 57 per cent short and 30 per cent very short.
Hay and pasture have been slow to grow, and moisture is needed to help establish a good hay crop. Some of the early-seeded crops are starting to emerge, and germination is uneven in some areas.
SaskPower reported that there were 25 cases of farm machinery coming into contact with electrical equipment over the past week, bringing the total for the month to 27.
The Crown reminds farmers that most farm-related incidents happen during seeding and spraying, and urge farmers to check for overhead lines before beginning their work.
