So, is the drought over yet?

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Looks like many places on the prairies got some rain in recent days. Is this widespread, or localized? Is it too late in some places?

We received a desperately needed .8" total this week, and .25" last week, with more in the forecast. But very localized, much more to our north, not much in places south. This is a huge help, looks like the last of the Canola sitting in dry dirt is germinating, but surprisingly it is still dusty an inch below the surface. I suspect that early seeded crops may have already committed themselves to their potential, late seeded should respond well. In my experience, by now, it is already too late for hay to respond, pastures will improve.

So how substantial is the area that received rain, and was it the areas that needed it?

Most posters here report local conditions, but I rarely know where they are from so it is meaningless to me. My area is extreme West Central Alberta, straight West of Red Deer.

[agstar77]

30 day outlook for drier than normal for Northern plains wetter for Mid-West.

[LEP]

We have two showers since mid april. Each of about 1 tenth. We are very desperate, not sure if we are not too far gone.

I have canola that isn't fully germinated that was seeded on April 28. We finished seeding on the 18th of May and have not sprayed any in crop yet.

Durum seeded on April 28 will be sprayed tomorrow but even that isn't fully germinated.

The bottom line is going to look awful red this year.

[bucket]

With what you posted for your area, what are you thinking yields could be off by?

At this point do you have to worry about an early frost with crop just germinating now?

[furrowtickler]

Good point bucket - an early Sept frost will be a killer now
Most crops here are 10 days behind "normal" now . Just looking at seeding dates from last year - we were the same time period seeding but are now 10 days behind last year spray dates . And we are the "lucky" ones in this area
A lot of mid to late maturing canola got reseeded - it will need to hurry hard now

[bucket]

I only ask because last year on the 13 of June was the last day I seeded. It was cold and wet took 10 days to come up and I knew it was going to end up getting a harvest frost. Even the earlier stuff last year was graded on frost.

This year is a moisture issue and cool but the seeds have been in the ground longer.

At what point do the late germinating seeds just become a weed?

[farmaholic]

Canola: 24 bu/ac
Flax: 22 bu/ac
Wht (spring): 32 bu/ac
Peas: 28 bu/ac
Barley: 55 bu/ac

Who knows? Some less some more. Overall below "average". I should go somewhere worse off than me and maybe I will feel better about the state of my crop. We have reserve, but light land doesn't hold as much a clay based. At least everything came up, how long will it hang on until major potential is reduced, I don't know. We WILL need rain. We will have sprayed everything as we "normally" ;-) would. There is at least that much potential now. Can't see.a need for fungicide if no meaningful rain comes. There is little dew mornings, what a difference a year can make.

Good luck fellows. Signed: Hanging On.

[sumdumguy]

Guess we are going to see what kind of crop we can grow with no rain. They are looking pretty good at Qu'Appelle and lentils at home will be kinda short.

[jake550]

2/10's of an inch here where we live and nothing on at least half the farm a few miles away.
Unreal how fast things can change. We were very wet the last 7 years and now haven't seen an inch of rain since the snow melted.
She's next year country around here already.

[tweety]

On the plus side guys with the new million dollar seeding outfits won't have residue issues.

[farmaholic]

Don't need much flax stubble or pea vines to cause grief on a Bourgault MRB. There tweety, just what you wanted to hear. Schadenfreude.

[farmaholic]

Don't need much flax stubble or pea vines to cause grief on a Bourgault MRB. There tweety, just what you wanted to hear. Schadenfreude.

[furrowtickler]

Farma - I think you will be very close at the end of the day.

OMG someone beat S/F to the first yield estimates - just kiddin there S/F.....

[HFL]

Drought isn't over at our place. If you look at the fourteen day forecast it indicates that the drought is strengthening.

[tweety]

farma, are they that bad? no experience, but i thought they were better.