Farmer prepping for lengthy storm in southeast Saskatchewan

Farmers in the southeastern part of Saskatchewan are doing all they can to prepare for the storm Environment Canada says will last for several days.

Steven Donald, who farms near Moosomin, was busy all day Tuesday making sure his livestock will be kept in a safe spot to survive the next few days.

“We’ve got calves on the ground so we’re putting up some bales for some shelter,” Donald said. “We’re bringing cows into another penned area that we typically haven’t kept them in if they haven’t calved yet.”

Donald worries about the possibility of the storm extending until the end of the week.

“As far as the rest of the land is concerned, the moisture is going to be great,” he said. “But it’s the livestock side of things. Three days is a big deal.”

Even though it’s the middle of April, Donald says the weather doesn’t surprise him one bit since a similar storm hit his farm in April of 2011.

“My wife was looking at pictures last night on her phone and on the 29th of April, we had exactly the same thing,” Donald said.

“Our yearly moisture comes in March (and) April, so I guess for me, I expect it. This is a traditional thing.”

Although the previous storm took place nearly 11 years ago, Donald says he remembers many farmers in the area suffered great losses in livestock and hopes everyone is prepared for this storm.

“We didn’t lose very many calves, but there were producers around us that lost a pile of calves, just because the calves were looking for shelter and they suffocated basically in the snow,” Donald said.

“I would rather be overprepared than go the other way.”

If the storm lasts into the weekend, Donald says he understands that might mean certain families won’t get the chance to see each other over the Easter holidays.

He says to keep in mind it’s not worth taking any chances on the roads if it’s not safe to do so.

“I guess because of the last couple of years (and COVID-19), we’re used to having Easter alone and I guess we’ll have to have another Easter alone,” he said.

“It’s better off to be home and safe than on the road and causing emergency personnel issues that they don’t have to be picking up and finding people that didn’t have to be on the road.”