With the 2020 crop in the bin, attention has turned to moisture for next year.
“Farmers need fall moisture and snow over the winter to recharge dugouts and ensure adequate moisture for next year's crop, hay and pasture land,” says the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture's crop report for the week ended Oct. 12.
Scattered showers across the province brought little moisture with 1 mm at Moose Jaw, 2 mm at Rockglen and a trace south and west of Moose Jaw.
The moisture picture isn't looking good with only 25 per cent of crop land rated with adequate moisture and 75 per cent short or very short.
Locally, the moisture conditions for crop land are worse than provincially with a mere five per cent of the southeast, including Moose Jaw, rated adequate. Fifty-nine per cent is very short with 36 per cent short.
In the southwest, 22 per cent of crop land moisture is rated adequate with 46 per cent short and 32 per cent very short.
Hay and pasture land moisture across the provinces is rated one per cent surplus, 18 per cent adequate, 34 per cent short and 47 per cent very short.
Only four per cent of southeast hay and pasture lans is rated with adequate moisture. Thirty-one per cent is rated short and 65 per cent very short.
Eleven per cent of southwest hay and pasture land has adequate moisture with 40 per cent short and 49 per cent very short.
One per cent of oats, canola, canary seed and soybeans was left to harvest after Thanksgiving Day. The harvest completion rate of 99 per cent was well ahead of the 83 per cent five-year average.
Farmers are engaged in fall cultivation, fertilizing. fencing and hauling bales.
Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net
