It has been all hands on deck for the past ten days, as farmers returned to the field following lengthy weather delays.
Multiple combines on the same field are a common sight, according to Shannon Friesen, a crops extension specialist with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture.
“One thing about this province is that when someone needs help, we’re always there to help out. Whether it’s because you have multiple combines or your neighbors are helping out, everyone is doing all they can to get the crop off.”
Saskatchewan Agriculture says 92 percent of the provincial crop report was combined, as of Monday. That is a 10 percent increase over the previous week.
The most impressive progress occurred in the northwest where 82 percent has been harvested, compared to only 45 percent the previous week.
“They have essentially almost doubled their progress,” says Friesen. “That is not unusual if every farmer is out in the field and putting in long hours.”
Combining is 90 percent complete in central areas, with 95 percent combined in the northeast and southeast. The southwest is most advanced at 97 percent.
The majority of crop damage this past week was due to lodging, bleaching and sprouting. Geese and other wildlife continued to feed on swathed crops, while some standing crops have shelled out.
This is the harvest progress by crop:
Lentils 99 percent
Peas 99 percent
Barley 96 percent
Durum 94 percent
Mustard 94 percent
Spring Wheat 92 percent
Canola 90 percent
Flax 80 percent
Soybeans 73 percent
Additional moisture will be needed once the harvest is complete. Even though it is relatively dry, topsoil moisture conditions are better than this time last year.
Provincial cropland topsoil moisture is rated as two percent surplus, 65 percent adequate, 28 percent short and five percent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is one percent surplus, 56 percent adequate, 35 percent short and eight percent very short.
You can check out all of the topsoil moisture maps in the detailed crop report at the following link:
