EAST CENTRAL — Many producers were able to return to the field last week and 55 per cent of the crop is now in the bin.
The Oct. 1 to 7 crop report said the five-year (2014-18) average for this year of year is 82 per cent.
Northeastern Saskatchewan
Another week of good harvest progress has the northeastern region in relatively good shape, with sixty-one per cent of the crop now combined. This is up from 50 per cent last week but behind the five-year average of 78 per cent for this time of year. An additional 32 per cent of the crop is now swathed or ready to straight-cut. Producers are harvesting most of the grain damp or tough and are using grain dryers to condition the grain for storage. The region will need several weeks of weather that is warm, dry and windy to continue with harvest progress and get the rest of the crop off.
Very little precipitation was received in the region last week. The Tisdale area received six millimetres and the Bruno and Vonda areas two millimetres. The Garrick area has received the most precipitation since April 1 (371 millimetres).
Cropland topsoil moisture conditions are rated as six per cent surplus and 52 per cent adequate, 38 per cent short and four per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as five per cent surplus, 94 per cent adequate and one per cent short. Crop District 8A is reporting that 14 per cent of the crop land and 10 per cent of the hay land and pasture has surplus topsoil moisture at this time.
Much of the crop damage this past week was due to strong winds and frost. Reports continue of downgrading at the elevator due to sprouting, bleaching and staining. Geese and other wildlife have also been feeding on swathed crops.
Producers are busy drying grain and waiting for the weather to improve so they can continue with harvest operations and fall work.
East Central Saskatchewan
Another week of unfavorable weather conditions kept the harvest window to a few days last week. Despite the weather, producers in the region were able to get some crop harvested. Thirty-nine per cent of the crop is now combined, up from 33 per cent last week but remaining well behind the five-year average of 73 per cent for this time of year. An additional 41 per cent of the crop is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Most of the grain that has come off is tough or damp and being placed into dryers. A long stretch of warm, dry and windy weather is needed to get the rest of the crop off.
In the region, precipitation ranged from small amounts to 16 millimetres in the Bethune and Elfros areas. The Rocanville area received 10 millimetres of rain, the Goodeve area nine millimetres, the Foam Lake and Pelly areas eight millimetres, the Earl Grey area seven millimetres, the Craven and Yorkton areas four millimetres and the area south of Humboldt three millimetres. The Lipton area has received the most precipitation since April 1 (605 millimetres) for both the region and the province.
Topsoil moisture conditions have improved, though there are still reports of saturated fields. Cropland topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 19 per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 27 per cent short and one per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as 14 per cent surplus, 82 per cent adequate, three per cent short and one per cent very short. Crop District 6A is reporting that 37 per cent of the cropland and seven per cent of the hay land and pasture currently has surplus topsoil moisture at this time.
Much of the crop damage this past week was due to strong winds and frost. There continues to be reports of downgrading at the elevator due to sprouting and bleaching. Geese and other wildlife have also been feeding on swathed crops.
Producers are busy drying grain and hoping for the weather to improve so that harvest can continue.
The crop report is provided by the Government of Saskatchewan every week.
