Farmers in southern Manitoba are preparing for what could be one of the biggest harvests in years, with strong yields already being reported and crops looking promising across the region.
Anticipation at its peak
Evan Erlandson, owner and grain merchandiser at Red River Grain Company in Altona, serves as a delivery point for oats, soybeans, and wet or dry corn, said there is a lot of anticipation in the farming community right now.
“I would say that we’ve been standing on the start line here for two weeks with a little bit of a start, and then we got rained out and everybody’s ready to go and anxious to do that. So, the early yields have been, I would say, as expected, which they were expected to be very good.”
Potential for a bumper crop
Erlandson confirmed it’s accurate to say it’s a bumper crop. “We have done some yield counts here locally, and the numbers are very big. There's still probably four or six weeks to go, so the story's not over just yet, but the indications that are there are, each day, becoming more and more of a reality. This will probably be a record crop by a long way for some farms and some folks.”
Favourable corn conditions so far
Corn is a standout this year. “We are seeing quite a bit of corn plants with two cobs. That’s not always ideal because the energy of the plant is kind of split two ways, but it looks like we’ve had all the ingredients to make that work this year in favour of the yield.”
He said conditions through the season lined up almost perfectly. “We had a great start. We had a bunch of heat early on, and that’s a big deal for plants. And then it really never got stressed out. In early July, we were getting dry, but the plants were not showing signs of stress. And then, we got one to two inches of rain, really across the whole dry area here. And since then, we’ve had adequate moisture and adequate heat. and really nothing for that plant to worry about.”
What conditions are needed for the next month?
Looking ahead to further success, one factor stands out. “No frost. That’s the big one. We’re going to need as many frost-free days as we can get to for the crop to finish properly. Really, if we could have a day like today (25 to 30 degrees) for another month, that’d be perfect.”
While farmers face challenges with storage and logistics in a year like this, Erlandson said the mood is one of excitement. “There’s just a there’s a higher level of excitement and anticipation, no matter what the size of the crop is. This year, it’s just ratcheted up a little bit when you see the size of the crop that potentially is there.”
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A reminder for those on the road
He also reminded the public to stay mindful on the roads. “Just give them their space, be content to get home from work a couple of minutes later… because they have a big job to do and they’re doing it as fast as they can. So, if we’re all kind of watching out for each other, that goes a long way for everybody getting home safe.”
Are we feeding the world?
For Erlandson, this season is a reminder of Manitoba’s global role. “Manitoba produces a tremendous amount of food, whether it’s grain or meat. And that grain and that meat make their way all over the world. And so yeah, we are feeding people all over the world.”
Gratitude goes a long way
And locally, it’s a reason to pause and appreciate. “You know, we’re very fortunate to live where we do in southern Manitoba and to have the production capacity and ability that we do. And I think the crop that we’re going to take off is just highlighting that and just to take a minute and be thankful for how that happens and for being a part of that.”