Dry weather leads to quicker harvest times

While the lack of rain didn’t make it easy on Saskatchewan farmers during the growing season, it is helping them get their harvest done quickly.

According to the latest crop report, 26 per cent of crop is in the bin so far — well above the five-year average of 16 per cent for this time of the year. Twenty-four per cent of the crop is swathed or ready to be straight-cut.

The southwest is most-advanced when it comes to harvest, with 49 per cent combined. The southeastern region has 37 per cent combined, west-central is at 23 per cent and the east-central is at 14 per cent.

The northern parts of the province are furthest behind, with the northeast at four per cent combined and five per cent in the northwest.

Todd Lewis farms in Gray, Sask., and said he’s about three weeks ahead of schedule this year.

“Our lentils and durum are in the bin and finished up for the year so we’re waiting for the canola to ripen and a little bit of canary seed and soy beans to come off yet,” he said.

Lewis noted the lack of rain meant there was a lower quantity of crops this year but the quality was “pretty good.”

He said canola was going to be the most affected by the poor growing conditions.

“Certainly not a bumper crop by any measure.”

Lewis said the dry weather meant that farmers are able to combine later into the night.

“Combining in August is certainly a lot nicer than combining in November like we did some last year,” he said.

“It’ll just be nice to get another two or three weeks of this warm, sunny weather we’ve been experiencing and then the taps can turn on for the last part of September and October.”

When it comes to rain, a majority of the province didn’t receive any this past week, with the highest being 10 millimetres in the Rama area.

The Pierceland area holds the record for most rain in the province since April 1, with 543 mm.

The majority of crop damage this past week is attributed to a lack of moisture, insects and strong wind.

SaskPower said there were seven reports of farm equipment coming in contact with power equipment last week, bringing the August total to 19.