Harvest nearly complete in West-Central Sask

EAGLE STAFF

Farmers in west-central Saskatchewan had all but four per cent of their fields combined, according to the latest provincial crop report.

This area had the highest-quality hard red spring wheat in the province, with 77 per cent of it grading No. 1, 21 per cent No. 2 and two per cent No. 3, the report said.

Continued dry conditions allowed many of them to finish harvesting and move into other fall work, such as baling straw, spraying weeds and moving livestock, said the report issued on Thursday.

They still had to harvest two per cent of the barley and mustard, three per cent of the spring wheat and oats, four per cent of their canola and durum, 19 per cent of the flax, 21 per cent of their canary seed and 30 per cent of the chickpeas.

Yields “are slightly higher than the provincial average, which producers are happy to see,” said the report that covered the week ending on Oct. 6. Oats averaged 88 bushels per acre, barley averaged 76 bushels per acre, hard red spring wheat, 56 bushels; durum, 54 bushels; field peas, 48 bushels, canola 46 bushels; and flax, 26 bushels an acre.

Lentils yielded 1,979 pounds per acre; canary seed, 1,691 pounds; and mustard, 1,500 pounds per acre.

No rain fell in the area that week, dropping topsoil moisture levels to 16 per cent adequate, 54 per cent short and 30 per cent very short in fields, and around 12 per cent adequate, 51 per cent short and 37 per cent very short in hay and pasture land.

West-central farmers took the lead, at 96 per cent of their fields combined, just ahead of those in the southwest and northwest, 95 per cent; east-central and northeast, 93 per cent; and southeast, 92 per cent.

As opposed to worries around the start of June, most average provincial yields stand above historical averages but vary “due to regional rainfall levels and agronomic challenges during the growing season,” the report said.

Wind continued to blow around swaths still in the field, wildlife kept dining there and freezing temperatures affected quality.