Harvest is underway in earnest in Saskatchewan, as four percent of the crop has been combined.

It’s ahead of the 5-year and 10-year averages of 2 percent for this time of year.

Crops Extension Specialist MacKenzie Hladun says the southwest is leading the way at 11 percent complete and the northeast is just starting at less at one percent.

She says winter cereals and pulse crops are coming off first.

Among crops being harvested: fall rye is 43 percent combined; winter wheat 15 percent; field peas 22 percent; lentils 17 percent; and the harvesting of oilseeds (canola, flax, mustard, and soybeans) is beginning.

Hladun says farmers who aren’t in the field yet are preparing bins and machinery. Producers are also busy selling cattle, hauling water, and preparing for fall operations.

It was another week of scattered rain showers throughout the province. Hladun says the southwest region got the most rain with 36 mm in the Eyebrow area, followed by the Pelly area with 31 mm, and others with trace amounts.

Provincially, 12 percent of cropland has adequate moisture, 45 percent short and 43 percent very short; 10 percent of hay and pasture land has adequate topsoil moisture, 43 percent short, and 48 percent very short.

Crop damage was due to heat stress, flea beetles and grasshoppers.

As harvest starts, many haying and silage operations are finishing their last fields.

The crop report says dryland alfalfa yields are estimated to be 1.2 tons per acre, while greenfeed is estimated to be 1.4 tons per acre; irrigated alfalfa is estimated to yield 2.9 tons per acre, while greenfeed is estimated to yield 1.2 tons per acre; silage yields are estimated to be 4.4 tons per acre.

She says water quality is a concern this year given the dry conditions and encourages livestock producers send water samples to their regional office for water quality testing.

Hladun reminds everyone to be safe this harvest season.

A region-by-region breakdown is below.

Southeast

Producers in the southeast are moving along with harvest. The region currently has four per cent of harvest complete for the year, in line with provincial progress. Producers that have not started yet are watching their crop staging closely.

Producers have been making progress harvesting fall rye, with 48 per cent of the crop harvested for the year. Harvest of pulse crops (field peas and lentils) is also advancing in the region, with 25 per cent of field peas and 19 per cent of lentils harvested for the year. Other crops, such as flax, chickpeas and canary seed have not been harvested yet.

Producers are finishing their haying operations in the southeast. Alfalfa is estimated to yield 1.4 tons per acre and greenfeed is estimated to yield 2.0 tons per acre. Wild hay is estimated to yield 0.9 tons per acre. Silage yields are estimated at 4.8 tons per acre. Producers are evaluating their feed supplies for winter and are considering using grain crops as feed.

Rain showers moved through the region this past week, with significant moisture received in some locations. Twenty-six mm was received in the Frobisher area, while other areas received only trace amounts. Soil moisture in the southeast continues to be limited. Seven per cent of cropland has adequate topsoil moisture, 50 per cent is short and 43 per cent is very short. Five per cent of hay and pasture land has adequate topsoil moisture, 31 per cent is short and 64 per cent is very short. Producers are hoping for significant moisture after harvest to replenish soil moisture levels.

Crop damage this past week is due to drought and heat stress, grasshoppers, gophers and flea beetles. Producers are busy checking crop maturity, moisture levels, preparing for harvest, and marketing cattle.

Southwest 

The southwest is leading the province in harvest with 11 per cent complete. Pulse crops and fall cereals coming off quickly. Producers are also keeping an eye on maturity of other crops, evaluating which crop to harvest next.

Fall rye is almost completely harvested in the southwest, with 48 per cent of the crop combined and 40 per cent used for feed. Nineteen per cent of Oats and 28 per cent of barley have also been taken off for feed. Pulses are also being harvested in the southwest, with 43 per cent of field peas and 21 per cent of lentils in the bin.

Hay yields were estimated for the southwest this week. Alfalfa and alfalfa/brome were estimated to yield 0.9 tons per acre, while greenfeed was estimated at 1.4 tons per acre. Silage was estimated at 2.0 tons per acre.

Irrigated fields of alfalfa are estimated to yield 3.4 tons per acre this year. Many producers are evaluating feed sources for this winter and are using grain crops as feed.

Some parts of the southwest received rain this past week. The Eyebrow region recorded the most with 36 mm. Other areas of the southwest received only trace amounts of rain and there were some reports of hail. Soil moisture in the southwest continues to be limited, with five per cent of cropland having adequate topsoil moisture, 42 per cent of cropland is short and 54 per cent is very short. Hay and pasture land follows a similar pattern, five per cent has adequate moisture, 48 per cent is short, and 47 per cent is very short. Producers are hoping for lots of moisture once the crops are off for the year.

Crop damage this past week is due to drought stress, gophers and grasshoppers. Producers are busy harvesting, hauling water for cattle and moving cattle to whatever pasture has grass.

East-Central

Currently, just under two per cent of the region has been harvested. Producers are making their way into the fields as their crops ripen and dry down to the right moisture levels.

Field peas lead the harvesting efforts with 18 per cent of the crop harvested or used for other feed sources. Lentils are also being taken off, with 10 per cent harvested so far. Fall cereals are also maturing, with 16 per cent of fall rye taken off for the year and four per cent of the winter wheat acres harvested. Oilseed crops are still standing, with only two per cent of mustard harvested so far.

Alfalfa, brome/alfalfa and greenfeed are all estimated to yield 1.4 tons per acre. Producers are evaluating their feed sources and supply for this coming winter. Producers are also evaluating their winter water supply and have begun to haul water.

Scattered rain moved through the east-central region this past week. The Pelly area recorded the most rain this week with 31 mm of rain being received. Other areas received only trace amounts of rain. Soil moisture levels in the region are relatively unchanged this week, if not slightly improved. Cropland topsoil moisture is rated as 18 per cent adequate, 40 per cent short and 42 per cent very short. Hay and pasture land is rated as 14 per cent adequate, 37 per cent short and 49 per cent very short.

Crop damage this past week is mostly due to drought stress and some reports of hail. Producers are busy working cattle, evaluating crop moisture levels and maturity and combining.

West-Central

Producers in the west-central have started harvest this week and now have three per cent of this year’s crop off. Those that haven’t started combining are evaluating how soon they can start. While the dry conditions make harvest quick, many producers hope that rain will come as soon as harvest is done.

Producers have had their attention focused on getting the fall cereals off and now have 28 per cent of the fall rye and 64 per cent of winter wheat harvested. Pulses are ripening and progress is being made harvesting field peas and lentils, both with eight per cent harvested. Oilseeds are still maturing and little crop has been harvested.

Producers are closely evaluating their hay and winter feed supply. Hay yields for the region are estimated at 0.7 tons per acre for alfalfa and brome/alfalfa. Other tame hay and wild hay are estimated to yield 0.5 tons per acre, while greenfeed is estimated at 0.9 tons per acre. Under irrigation, hay yields are improved for alfalfa (2.2 tons per acre), brome/alfalfa (2.0 tons per acre), tame hay (2.0 tons per acre) and green feed (1.2 tons per acre). Sileage is estimated to yield 2.5 tons per acre.

Very little moisture was received in the west-central region this past week. The most rain received was two mm in the Outlook area. Other areas received trace amounts. Coupled with the hot temperatures, the absence of rain led to another decrease in topsoil moisture. Currently, six per cent of cropland has adequate topsoil moisture, 37 per cent is short and 56 per cent is very short. Hay and pasture land is also further diminished, three per cent has adequate topsoil moisture, 31 per cent is short and 67 per cent is very short.

Crop damage this past week is mostly due to drought stress and grasshoppers. Many producers are hoping for a wet fall once crops are off and a wet spring before the next crop to help with both grasshopper populations and soil moisture levels. Producers are busy harvesting and checking fields for maturity levels.

Northeast

Producers in the northeast are just starting to get their combines into spring fields and are less than one per cent completed harvest. Producers are eyeing crop maturity levels closely so that they will be able to start combining as soon as possible.

Producers are starting to make progress with harvesting fall cereals. Winter wheat is 99 per cent harvested and fall rye at 33 per cent complete. Crops such as durum (42 per cent), chickpeas (18 per cent) and mustard (26 per cent) have been taken off for livestock feed uses other than harvesting the grain (livestock feed, etc.). Field peas are also being harvested, with two per cent of the crop in the bin.

Hay yields in the northeast are estimated to be 1.8 tons per acre for alfalfa and brome/alfalfa. Other tame hay is estimated at 0.8 tons per acre, while wild hay is estimated to yield 1.0 tons per acre. Greenfeed is estimated at 1.2 tons per acre and sileage is estimated at 4.5 tons per acre.

Some producers received moisture this week, with the most being recorded in the Humboldt area with 29 mm. Other areas received little to trace amounts. Soil moisture in the northeast is the least limited in the province. Thirty-four per cent of cropland has adequate topsoil moisture, 55 per cent is short and 11 per cent is short. Hay and pasture land moisture is more limited, with 15 per cent being adequate, 55 per cent being short and 30 per cent very short.

Crop damage this past week is due to drought stress and grasshoppers. Producers are busy combining, desiccating crops and working with cattle.

Northwest

Producers in the northwest are starting their harvest operations with less than one per cent of this year’s crop harvested. Producers are watching the maturity and moisture levels of their crops closely to determine when they can start combining.

Producers are focusing on their lentil and field pea crops to begin harvest. Lentils are now eight per cent harvested for the year and four per cent of field peas are harvested. Other crops are between zero and one per cent harvested for the year and are still maturing.

Producers are wrapping up their haying operations this week. Hay yields in the northwest are estimated at 1.0 tons per acre for brome/alfalfa and other tame hay, while alfalfa and wild hay are estimated at 1.1 tons per acre. Greenfeed is estimated at 1.8 tons per acre, and sileage is estimated to yield 6.3 tons per acre.

Some rain showers moved through the northwest this past week and producers that did receive rain are grateful. The North Battleford area received the most with 22 mm being recorded. Some producers also reported hail storms, while others only reported trace amounts of rain this past week. The scattered rain did not help soil moisture and moisture levels decreased this past week. Currently, 16 per cent of cropland has adequate moisture, 45 per cent is short and 43 per cent is very short. Fifteen per cent of hay and pastureland has adequate topsoil moisture, 55 per cent is short and 30 per cent is very short.

Crop damage this past week is due to heat and drought stress and minor reports of hail. Producers are busy preparing for harvest and getting their combines into the fields. They are also working cattle and preparing for their fall operations.