PREECEVILLE - Harvest progress was limited across the region last week as frequent showers and cool, damp weather prevented many producers from getting out into their fields. Harvest progress now sits at 52 per cent, up from 46 per cent last week but still behind the five-year average of 60 per cent. The weather must improve quickly to allow producers to continue their harvesting activities. Much of the grain coming off is very tough and damp and must be dried down before it can be safely stored. Many producers in Crop District 6A have completed their harvest and have moved onto other field activities.
There were several showers that passed through the region over the last week, some areas only got one to five mm, while others received quite a bit more. The Pelly area received 44 mm, the Foam Lake area 24 mm, the Elfros and Semans area 18 mm and the Lipton area 13 mm.
Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and nine per cent very short. Hay and pasture land topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 43 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and 11 per cent very short.
Pasture conditions are rated as seven per cent excellent, 29 per cent good, 41 per cent fair, 20 per cent poor and four per cent very poor. Pastures greatly benefited from early season rains which allowed them to carry cattle all season long with minimal grass and water availability concerns.
The majority of crop damage this past week was due to wind, light frost and waterfowl. The rainfall received this past week will hopefully not have a large effect on grain quality as it could lead to leaching of standing or swathed cereal crops.
Producers are busy combining, swathing, drying grain and moving cattle.
