Cyclical droughts don’t derail

[malleefarmer]

md101

So it’s cyclical or just the case you due for one.

Or subsoil so dry your skittish.

You guys never get that dry you say stuff it leaving it all in the shed I’m not plant8ng?

Canola and legumes often happens here not planted , cereals reduced in acres at time but never a not plant scenario.

Disclaimer talking about my patch not Australia wide. Know plenty of guys if it hasn’t rained by such and such a date they dont plant. Other in dry scenarios seed bone dry foolish in my opinion in ultra low rainfall areas.

Not being a dickhead here but sask3 has far less chance of drought than farmaholic say sask can roll the dice better region.

Is prairie wide drought ever happened ab sask mb

[furrowtickler]

md101

So it’s cyclical or just the case you due for one.

Or subsoil so dry your skittish.

You guys never get that dry you say stuff it leaving it all in the shed I’m not plant8ng?

Canola and legumes often happens here not planted , cereals reduced in acres at time but never a not plant scenario.

Disclaimer talking about my patch not Australia wide. Know plenty of guys if it hasn’t rained by such and such a date they dont plant. Other in dry scenarios seed bone dry foolish in my opinion in ultra low rainfall areas.

Not being a dickhead here but sask3 has far less chance of drought than farmaholic say sask can roll the dice better region.

Is prairie wide drought ever happened ab sask mb

Yes 2000 to 2002 was the last prairie wide drought, except for sheepwheat
The other time was the later 1980’s
This past year there was a sizeable drought area probably on close to 40% of Sask . Those can and do signify a start as we all have seen before .

[malleefarmer]

Yes 2000 to 2002 was the last prairie wide drought, except for sheepwheat
The other time was the later 1980’s
This past year there was a sizeable drought area probably on close to 40% of Sask . Those can and do signify a start as we all have seen before .

So your dry periods or droughts often multi year?

In 17 when I was there sure was dry around rolling hills ab to brooks.

[furrowtickler]

It does vary widely, with SW Sask and SE Alberta typically seeing more extended droughts . The Rocky Mountain shadow plays a big part at times .
A lot are just local events in the parkland regions that can vary from 1/2 year to multiyear , more micro climate than widespread.
From 2016 to 2019 we were technically in a drought here in a very small area with average precipitation way below normal.
A lot then depends on average summer temps and cool nights to help plants recover. Forest fire smoke definitely saved a crop here a few years back from getting scorched . Had a prolonged dry spell through flowering with very warm temperatures but were blanketed in smoke for those critical 3 weeks .
In my little area , frost is more a concern than drought most times .
4 out of the past 5 years we have had unusually early fall frosts and or snow that have caused big economic losses .

Will agree with md , the potential for a more widespread drought this year is a real possibility. A lot of soil in Western Canada very dry going into winter. And the cycle is due .

[SASKFARMER]

First-year in a long time that Drought might be an issue. Now deep down when you dig with the hoe we still have moisture. But for us, one good rain in April or May or June and then one or two in July and were off to the races.

[Herc]

Need a viable seed in the ground at the seeding deadline in order to be able to collect crap insurance in Saskatchatoon. So no matter how dry it is, have to dust it in and wait at the post office for that $400/acre cheque....

[Guest]

Even here in the swamp it was so dry in 02 that we only combined 30% of crop
Only time for us

[bucket]

Need a viable seed in the ground at the seeding deadline in order to be able to collect crap insurance in Saskatchatoon. So no matter how dry it is, have to dust it in and wait at the post office for that $400/acre cheque....

Interesting comment...by the time you get the viable seed in the ground ...a guy has probably thrown out 150 bucks an acre...wont be any CERB for that expense...will there?

[Sheepwheat]

No prairie wide drought has never happened. There are always areas that get rain. The aforementioned dry years of 2001 2002 etc., were my best ever production years. In the dirty thirties, this area grew 150 bushel oats. 1988 and the famed drought, was a great crop as well.

Prairie wide is a dangerous term IMO.

It’s kind of like saying the wet years that were a disaster here, were prairie wide. Dry areas were pulling off tremendous crops that decade, while we couldn’t even seed because of wet.

For me, leaving the seed in bags happened several times when it was too wet. Flew canola seed on a couple times. I’ve heard about guys that wonder if they should seed because of too dry, but I haven’t heard that it actually occurred.

Two years ago, a dry stretch after seeding caused headaches, because even though you seeded into moisture, there was an unusual for here wind that dried out to the seedbed. Then it didn’t rain to germinate it until mid June, and it made a mess in some instances. But I don’t know if you can call a three week rainless period a prairie wide drought? Lol

[farming101]

I'll have to update this some day

[Guest]

Need a viable seed in the ground at the seeding deadline in order to be able to collect crap insurance in Saskatchatoon. So no matter how dry it is, have to dust it in and wait at the post office for that $400/acre cheque....

No
If crop doesnt establish
There is SFA
And crop insurance only works for a year or two
No good farmer does that

[Old Cowzilla]

Had 3 drought years in the 80's two back to back. Only thing we could grow was grasshoppers and sandbanks. I guess that's why some of us older guys get a bit gun shy about locking in grain prices in January. Joke was you hoped you combine enough crop for seed next year and round bales were measured in miles per bale not bales per acre. Pay bills with crop ins. checks and off farm jobs.

[bucket]

Pay bills with crop ins. checks and off farm jobs.

Back then you could do it...not many off farm jobs now nor is there many that would pay the bills....and the ones that could pay the bills , it might be wiser to stick with the job and forget about the dirt hobby.

crop insurance won't help much either...

[Herc]

No
If crop doesnt establish
There is SFA

Its established if its sitting in dry dirt, at the seeding deadline and its viable....

[Old Cowzilla]

Wet areas tend to be rather smaller but drought areas can get big and widespread. GRAIN COS watch that very closely. Try buying a hay bale when its dry from Winnipeg to Calgary.