Hows your snow today?

[ASRG]

Probably got about another 5 inches yesterday that hung around (Red Deer Alberta). Cold north winds and a lot of drifting.
No wind this morning (so far) and about minus 8 C. Weather forcast doesn't look all that great until next Saturday.
Finished seeding last year on May 19th....going to need some really nice weather fairly soon to match that date.

[cottonpicken]

I think we may be in major trouble,near record snow
pack,middle of april and no melting,another week of
cold coming....

[ColevilleH2S]

#$%&* #&@%$$ $ @$#&$% $%#

[redbaron]

This is the way the Red River Valley looked this past
week. Were predicting more snow this week. Like of
all of the rest of western Canada. Late spring.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/multimedia/fp-
slideshow/Red-River-View-from-the-air-April-10-
2013-202549641.html

[mbratrud]

Looking at our forecast it might be that before we get started in SE Sask. They seem to keeep moving the warm forecast out 7 - 10 days. We still have 75% of our snowpack and it Does not get warm for another week. Bare land (no trees and little stubble might be clear by the end of the month, with another 7 - 10 days for the soil to warm up.

Really looking like the middle of the month at best. We always have found most of the time our best crop is seeded before the 20th of May. and our worst are after the 6th of June. The window is going to be tight.

2 weeks ago Drills were going cheap at Ritchie Auction in Regina. Friday a 15 year old 34 foot Morris Drill sold for $38000. Pretty clear indicator to me guys are really starting to get concerned.

Also some discussion around getting out of Contracts, seems premature to some but to everyone here 2011 is a vivid memory and if we were to have even 2 or 3 inches of rain at different times towards the Last Half of May things will not be good.

Greg Kostal recently had this to say. Can recall most of the Red River flood crests occurring in the April 25 to May 5 range. Can recall planting flooded land about one month afterward. Don’t know when the 2013 crest will come, but sure looks to be after May 5. Other river tributaries have issues too.

If I was a betting man (which I guess I am after all I farm). It won't be long before we are taking some serious acres out of production. To me crops at most risk are Lentils, Peas, Soybeans, Corn, Barley, Durum, Flax. Canola might see a small increase, but as we have seen in the past those acres don't mean more production, as much of it can be under stress and have fewer inputs applied to them. Or potentially just 10 - 15% of everything on about the Eastern 2/3 of the Prairies, With low spots being left and the odd field being left.

This week should be an interesting trading week with, the currency war, Gold, Earnings reports and less than ideal crop conditions in many places. Seen some pictures of Frozen Winter Wheat, very sad looked like what I can imagine ours would look like if it froze July 15th. I have a hard time thinking there is downside risk in many commodities especially, Grains, Pulses and consequently Oilseeds should hold their own.

Sure feels like our Crop cycle is being pushed back over the past several years. I hope and pray we have as forgiving fall as we have the last few because it looks like we may need it.

I hope farmers took the time to assess their risk management strategies with the changes in Agristabilty, Farms could have there muscle tested this year. Guys with $90 - $120 rent must be sleeping well these days.

Well time to look at version 3.7 of the seeding plan....and maybe some snow burning... Oh ya all you report geeks, I wouldn't bother turning your computer on for the Statscan seeding intentions report, because it will be worth as much as a Double Bubble Cartoon.

Best of luck out there everyone! Stay safe. When Spring comes which it will, days will be long and risks high so be careful.. (and yes I am talking to myself too) LOL

[LEP]

It's not the one foot on the level that I am worried
about. It's the 100' wide and 10' deep snowbanks
around the tree rows in some of the the fields that I
rent.

I may have to go back and seed those areas separate.
The fields were to be seeded to lentils and canola. The
tree rows may get seeded to barley.

Who knows.

[sumdumguy]

What's happening around Kindersley today?

[bluefargo]

East of Saskatoon: looks like Jan 15. Snow has
settled about a foot but still no bare patches in the
fields. Still winter here although some melt has
occurred.

[bucket]

With a late spring, would it be wise to hold on to good quality wheat?

[Burbert]

Didn't snow at all, wither forecast was
totally bogus, snowfall blizzard warning
withdrawn. What a disappointment, cousin
we needs the moisture, eh!! fhprenriz

[fjlip]

Bucket, same here, missed Nov wheat highs, perhaps dumb luck might kick in if this spring from hell threatens the 2013 crop in so many places around the world. Did I miss a volcanic event or are the lack of sunspots making this ice age?

[mbratrud]

fjlip It might be a little premature to get overly bullish at this point, still lots going against us, but hopefully the market will allow you to defer that decision for a couple weeks. Can always look at put options or at least if you make a sale look at futures first in a defered position. But I don't think I would look at it from the perspective dumb luck I missed the Nov Highs... But you never know.

[tstep]

Having the same thoughts of holding onto the rest of the wheat and have some canola to price yet

[furrowtickler]

Snow drifts dropped about 1/2 foot last two days -
from 14 ft to about 13 1/2 ft across the back the
yard . Should be gone by June 15 th.....

[sumdumguy]

14 ft. Makes how much water, well hay crop will
love it. It looks like April 23 is spring by 14 day
weather. Gonna be a show by income tax day.