Friday crop report!

[SASKFARMER3]

Well let's see, snow on Easter weekend, Thursday Friday and wet snow Saturday. Then nice sun to wed. Not a nice storm Wednesday.
But as of tonight it's dried out the yard again.
Still snow in ditches in places, water running.
Grain being hauled as rail issues is getting better.
Chem is arriving, and told pick up your seed next week. Ha ha, not till. I need it.
Lots of land deals changing. Rent dropping or rental agreements canceled.
No field work done, drills being brought into yards to start a little TLC before seeding. Tractors washed.
Lots of seed cleaned. Still seeding plans up in the air by lots of farmers.
I would say flood zone farmers are hunkering down for another year.
Seeding probably start may one but one more snow and who knows.

[vvalk]

Isn't may 1 a relatively early date to start seeding. Tings cant be that bad then. Many places in alberta wont start till then or later

[fjlip]

Snowed, was all white Tuesday and Wednesday. Yard has lots of old snow, and fence lines. Very soft, nothing can be moved around. Roads soft. C & D drainage ditch still NOT running but high in places. Less water standing than last few years. Really hoping there is NO more heavy wet dump.
It's just TOO cold, snow in every shaded spot, plus 5 is the max temp so far.

[freewheat]

Yeah, fj. We got 4 inches of wet slimy snow on Tuesday, which made things tough in the yards. And today the high was forecast for 11, and it was only 4. Our warmest day was 6 so far. That was the day Saskatoon was NINETEEN! We are having a second runoff now, as the melt re-resumes. Probably about 20% old snow cover in the open fields, 100% in the yards and bush, so a lot to melt still. 3 miles southwest of us, there is next to no snow, that is how close we are to the promised land!

I was supposed to haul canola today, but balked because of the forecast high, thinking with a high of 11, there would be no chance to get a load on, let alone hauled out. I could have hauled till noon, dangit! It was plus 2 at noon, and the ground was still firm at that point.

Maybe tomorrow morning?

[Goodtime]

I am on the east side and it would take nothing short of a miracle to be on the field by May 1. Will have my equipment ready for May 10-14 like every other year at the earliest.

[SASKFARMER3]

Guys were probably like you with the may 10th day. I always shoot for may 1 as a guide. Earliest I ever seeded was April 22 and for the life of me I cant remember what year. It was peas then started Durum then winter came back and it was the 2 or 7th of may.
Yard is getting better but Gravel into yard is about 10 Yards a day. Between loads to Crusher.

[bigzee]

According to one analyst seeding plans are still up in the air, and being kept a secret. SK3 I think you get the same analysts commentary every morning by what you've had on here!!
I have my plans pretty much made, might cancel the remaining canola acres, only problem is i have the fert home for it. I thought there would be something positve going forward into fall. Sure a lot can happen, but as of today canola looks ugly.
Fortunately where I live I have other cropping options. If I can sell my fert there will be no canola on my farm.
Has everyone else solidified their plans?

[SASKFARMER3]

Yea your right, I get lots of reports in the morning and usually something jumps out a issue or just interesting to me and I believe real farmers. Canola acres are going to surprise the shit out of industry. That's the crop that guys don't know what to do with. In our case we could ramp up to 5000 acres if needed and I could see a big profit or hit the neutral switch and leave at 4000 or just concentrate on 3000 and add more peas and oats and barley.
Durum is easily out in our area. My favorite crop to grow up till 2004. By far it was. Nice yield and nice quality and if it had a little issue ship to Moosejaw or swift. I miss growing it. Then their is Flax which I feel in our area will be more Blue than Yellow. Industry doesn't understand this one but Seed costs that are out to lunch have created the Flax switch. We use to grow flax and with the area being blue Im going to sit back and miss out on this one.
Peas is the other crop that I still haven't nailed down. 1200 or 480. That's a big difference. In our area its like a lottery. If it gets in and you have a good start with no summer issues you can have a successful crop. But one weekend Rain event like weekend at Bernie's shit show and its all for shit, then throw in hail and the shit show continues. So you have a 50/50 chance at a crop.
Oats we have enough seed to seed 2000 acres or more not sure what I'm doing on oats.
Barley and Wheat are same lots cleaned up but acres wont be known till my drill starts.
So basically I think the article is right on farmers are not sure what to do. Costs in our area and I believe a large part of western Canada are reason for undecided acreage. If you need a 40 canola to break even or a 27 flax to make some money you go with the flax, less costs farming.
Time will tell but Ah this farmer thinks most guys are still undecided.

[SASKFARMER3]

My Canola statement should read if I see a possibility of a big profit in growing canola I could ramp up to 5000 acres. But at this time Argentina hording Soy and USA going to be wall to wall then throw in SA seeding intentions and 6.50 canola could be a possibility. Flax looks better any one got some seed.

[seabass]

Shes a mexican stand off. Companies know what has been booked for seed but doesnt mean it will be seeded. We have pretty much made up our minds but could change depending on start time. Actually will grow more feed wheat than Hrsw. Tired of fighting with grain buyers on grade. Hope it makes a difference.

[SASKFARMER3]

Yea I agree with the standoff. Canola can be Booked even taken home but if not used brought back. Ah Ill take 10000 Oh here Is 8000 back sorry. Your seed price is to high get with the program companies. Its shit varieties that are no better than Jags old one.

[bigzee]

I grow a ton of durum with big protein, quality has been a concern for a couple yrs but even so it has made me a ton of profit. All of 14 crop has gone into states at a picked up price, so not dealing with RR. I have always grown a little wheat, but none for 15.
Canola inputs are crazy, seed being the worst. Fert is fert you still have to give cereals a good dose so that doesn't really factor into the equation. Hail insurance is really high in our area so that to me is a very high cost.

[fjlip]

Hope this posts correctly, if not, not my fault...(millions of acres)

average low high Reuters StatsCan 2014

All wheat 24.2 22.8 26.7 23.9 23.835

Spring 17.9 16.8 19.8 17.3 17.409
wheat
Durum 5.3 4.9 5.6 5.2 4.75
Canola 20.2 19.6 21.3 19.9 20.325
Oats 3.1 2.8 3.3 3.0 2.798
Barley 6.7 6.1 8.3 6.3 5.880
Peas 4.0 3.8 4.2 4.0 3.795
Flax 1.7 1.5 1.8 1.6 1.555
Corn 3.1 3.0 3.2 3.0 3.078
Lentils 3.3 3.2 3.6 3.2 3.110
Soybeans 6.0 5.8 6.4 5.7 5.562

[agchat]

Unless moisture comes in sounds like guys in the Torquay area are talking middle to end of next week and they hope to be rolling. I am not to far northeast of them, the auto steer would go crazy here with the potholes we have right now. I would say May 1 like saskfarmer. This country though, plus 15-20 and a couple 30-45k wind days and things will look different.

[furrowtickler]

Shoot to be ready by May 1 , mother nature shows the way after that as always.
Maybe may 1 , maybe may 10 but will be ready regardless by end April as usual.
Funny thing here is if you start 2 days before the neighbors - your way too early ... lol