Glacier FarmMedia — Thanks to a stretch of good weather, Alberta farmers advanced their harvest 12 points during the week ended Sept. 29 to 89 per cent complete. The Alberta agriculture department said that’s seven points above the five-year average.
By region, the Peace led the province at 93 per cent done, followed by the south at 91 per cent, the northwest at 90 per cent, the northeast at 89 per cent, and the central at 84 per cent. The regions were either near or ahead of their five-year averages.
Harvesting by crop
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The dry pea harvest has wrapped up, with only a very minute amount to be combined in the central region. Alberta’s barley and spring wheat were tied at 96 per cent finished, with the oats at 91 per cent and the canola further back at 77 per cent.
Although the dry weather has been helpful for combining, the report noted some areas of the province haven’t received rain since August. Overall, the province’s surface soil moisture levels rated 15 per cent good to excellent, 25 points below the five-year average. The good to excellent ratings among the regions were: Peace 27 cent, northwest 23 per cent, south 22 per cent, central seven per cent and the northeast six per cent.
Dry conditions
The dryness has also taken a toll on the province’s pasture conditions, with them at 15 per cent good to excellent provincewide. Breaking that down, the south led at 32 per cent, the Peace 27 per cent, the northwest 14 per cent, central two per cent and northeast one per cent.
Those conditions have producers hoping there will be rain prior to freeze-up to encourage some late season pasture regrowth and set things up for spring.
