With weather systems continuing into the week dropping heavy rainfall amounts across the western half of the province, harvest is being pushed back even further.
Applied Research Specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, Scott Chalmers, believes we're about halfway when looking at the province as a whole.
"I think on the southwest side here we're a little further, maybe 55%. We still got those long season crops to go and they're going to be out here for quite a while," says Chalmers. "So, I suspect corn to be, the earliest Halloween, but I think that's going to be more a November harvest. We have sunflowers kind of in that same category. They'll be around Halloween."
At their Westman Agricultural Diversification Organization (WADO) test plots near Melita they're seeing quite a bit of green soybean varieties in their trials.
"Some of them maybe are thinking of turning yellow, but you know, basically once they turn brown, it's about a 10 day wait after that point just to start harvest and we're not nowhere near that. So, I'm thinking soybean to be earliest at the end of the month. It would be great if we could get that, but I think it's going to be more October 15th if frost doesn't catch up to them in the meantime," he continues.
He adds if soybean crops got a light frost things look fairly good to get through it, however a -5 night would be hard on soybeans, as well as late canola that's still changing color.
"So not too bad, but certainly a late harvest," he adds.
Yesterday's rainfall continued into this morning dropping close to another inch in some areas.
Significant rainfall amounts for Monday, September 15th over 10.0 mm:
- Ashville 39.2 mm + 13.9 mm this morning as of 4 am
- Drifting River 32.0 mm + 16.7 mm this morning as of 4 am
- Ethelbert 85.9 + 21.1 mm
- Grandview 43.2 + 3.4 mm
- Keld 77.0 + 6.7 mm
- Pipelake 62.3 mm
- Ruthenia 20.3 mm
- San Clara 35.2 mm
- Swan Valley 26.8 mm
- Findlay 20.8 mm
- Miniota 21.0
- Pierson 28.9 mm
"We're going to be hopefully not having to fight snow," adds Chalmers. "From my understanding, it's not in the weather pattern to get snow, but we certainly will be getting cooler temperatures, so something to kind of be vigilant about."
Special Crops Tour Coming to WADO Melita this Thursday
Manitoba Agriculture is hosting a special crops, disease training, and variety evaluation trial tour at the WADO site near Melita. The event will take place on Thursday, September 18, from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and will focus on corn, flax, and sunflower.
The tour, sponsored by the Manitoba Crop Alliance, will begin approximately half a mile northeast of Melita in a corn field. Specialists will be on hand to discuss crop diseases and varieties, with participants moving between different plot locations throughout the morning.
"The tour begins just northeast of Melitta, about 1/2 mile inside a corn crop," shares Chalmers. "Any farmer or agronomist is welcome to join and check it out. We'll be talking about diseases and varieties, and we're going to be moving around from plot location to plot location. So, bring your truck, bring a buddy. And there'll be some hot coffee and snacks available."
To register or for more information, contact Scott Chalmers at 204-522-5415.