Friday Crop Report on a Thursday!

[woodland]

Today was a great day.

The before picture. There’s four barb wires weaving through the trees and shrubs that was hand pulled and rolled a month ago. Three people could get 3/8 mile cleaned out in a day.


Todays after picture from the same spot. Three people got 3/4 mile of posts sunk and wire strung. Using the loader we could push 150 posts an hour. Kinda impressed the young guy helping us how quick it went especially after he did most of the removal. He did great for never running a fence stretcher before today.

Fun in the hills. Definitely the best thing anyone with cows can plant is good posts and wire.


Got some hay made too. Ran 0.8 bale an acre as silage bales. Decided to do that as the rakes and baler pick up light swathes better when wet compared to dry. Even with 2x19’s raked together you could still see ground through the swathes. Kinda disappointing but at least it went quick like ripping off a bandaid. An all too common story in the neighbourhood.

Tweaked my back today somehow but still feel great after getting some improvements done that should last hopefully beyond when these cows are no longer a concern of mine.

Great times with a great crew🍀

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Today was a great day.

The before picture. There’s four barb wires weaving through the trees and shrubs that was hand pulled and rolled a month ago. Three people could get 3/8 mile cleaned out in a day.


Todays after picture from the same spot. Three people got 3/4 mile of posts sunk and wire strung. Using the loader we could push 150 posts an hour. Kinda impressed the young guy helping us how quick it went especially after he did most of the removal. He did great for never running a fence stretcher before today.

Fun in the hills. Definitely the best thing anyone with cows can plant is good posts and wire.


Got some hay made too. Ran 0.8 bale an acre as silage bales. Decided to do that as the rakes and baler pick up light swathes better when wet compared to dry. Even with 2x19’s raked together you could still see ground through the swathes. Kinda disappointing but at least it went quick like ripping off a bandaid. An all too common story in the neighbourhood.

Tweaked my back today somehow but still feel great after getting some improvements done that should last hopefully beyond when these cows are no longer a concern of mine.

Great times with a great crew🍀

As usual, thanks for the enlightening perspective.

What kind of rake is that?
It looks like the one I planned to build. Bought a pair of NH Left and Right with a tow behind hitch, intending to mount them to a frame side by side that I could hydraulically extend, swing, lift etc. Then got mostly out of hay, and it fell off the priority list.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Furrow posted this in the previous crop report.

Just a rough guess but I would think
1/3 of Sask is toast
1/3 hanging on by a thread and drought damage showing, without significant rain yields will tank
1/3 in good shape for now

I would imagine Alberta be much the same
Manitoba not in great shape overall either by comments on here .

Drought taking its toll and expanding in most western Canada unfortunately

I didn't realize it was that serious already. So the boys and I took a road trip, Friday, Sat and Sun.
I would say the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 is quite accurate. At least in the areas we travelled.
Route was approximately, east to Red Deer, north to Edmonton, then straight east past Lloyd, zigzagging across north of Saskatoon, south along the east side, then into Manitoba along 22, south along 83 on the west side of Manitoba, and back into southern sask on 13, past Regina, around the east side of last mountain lake, to Watrous, then SE, zigzagging along the west side, as far South as Leader, then back home through Oyen Drumheller Olds. Lots of time on back roads, or what passes for backroads in Sask...)

The northern and eastern legs of the trip were better than I was expecting, the really poor was the exception, not the rule. The central and western were even worse than I expected. Very few bright spots at all.
Looking at the drought and rainfall maps, we missed some of the worst areas too.

[SASKFARMER]

Well, boys I always said my crop report is watched and I guess I was right. 10000 last week.

Because its real farmers that actually farm not a guy with a rain gauge and a quarter and sprinklers in his garden.

She is full of shit The province has problems; anyone with a grade two education can see a dry field vs a healthy crop.

1/3 1/3 1/3

Saturday the boys and I will look at some tractors, find my grandfather's original homestead, and pay a visit. This is my last tour since we are heading to Ontario for a week. Yes, I'm going to visit the Easterners.

[Old Cowzilla]

Looks like some are betting farmers are Lowballing but it won't be long now . Combines pulled up to shops
around the countrywith the sides flipped up. Why is it always the belt behind the other belts that need replaced? I predict it will be as soon as Oct. 1 when markets adjust to crop conditions .

[Hamloc]

I had to laugh, looks like someone at the producer doesn't agree with what you guys are saying!

Interesting that the title of the article is “Prairie crops in trouble”. Half of the article talks about the large areas in Alberta and Saskatchewan that are in rough shape. Then they get comments from Mackenzie Hladun, crop extension specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. She said “crops are doing pretty darn good” in her province, despite less-than-ideal conditions. The article paints two different pictures.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

Interesting that the title of the article is “Prairie crops in trouble”. Half of the article talks about the large areas in Alberta and Saskatchewan that are in rough shape. Then they get comments from Mackenzie Hladun, crop extension specialist with Saskatchewan Agriculture. She said “crops are doing pretty darn good” in her province, despite less-than-ideal conditions. The article paints two different pictures.

She's not wrong. I got the same impression on our trip. Talk to one farmer who's only had an inch and a half of rain. And considering that, their crops looked pretty darn good. Which isn't the same as saying the crops look good, just good considering the adverse conditions.
Sounds like your area got another big rain. Have crops recovered to their full potential, or was too much damage done? What about pastures?

[rumrocks]

It really makes you wonder about crop specialists regarding drinking and driving.
I feel most have lost their drivers licence.

[bucket]

I have never seen a wheat head expand because of rain after heading. The potential is set. Then near perfect conditions are required to finish it.

But if the head is only an inch and a half long and already shedded a row or two, that is no where near a good crop. And with the current forecast of 30 plus heat, it will quickly fall into the bad crop.

[BTO780]

I will be re-tweeking my hail dance at the lake over a couple stiff spiced rums. Stay tuned!!