Saskatchewan a sea of yellow and green: crop report

The Saskatchewan government released the crop report for June 28 to July 4, saying the fields are flooding with yellow and green.

“Crops are quickly progressing in the province with the warm temperatures and widespread rain received this past week,” the report read. “The sight of yellow canola and green wheat fields is now prominent on the landscape across Saskatchewan.”

The most rain in the province was recorded in the north this past week, with the Odessa area recording 42 millimetres.

In many areas, the rains were followed by quick blasts of heat, giving the moisture less time to soak into the ground. The report said topsoil moisture levels were lower in the southwest and west central areas of the province.

According to the report, 60 per cent of canola is in the flowering stage and 56 per cent of flax crops are in the stem extension stage.

“Crop damage this week comes from scattered hailstorms, heat stress and wind damage. Plow winds were a concern in the north,” the report read.

Grasshoppers and other bugs are also an issue and crop diseases have begun to flourish after some wet and humid conditions.

Farmers are putting in long hours in hay fields at this time of year. Almost half of Saskatchewan’s hay crops have been cut for the first time this year.

“Many producers are hoping for a good quality second cut for the year,” the report stated. “Producers are closely monitoring pasture conditions with 36 per cent rated as good, 32 per cent fair and 20 per cent poor.”