Well well well some times your the bug and some times you're the window. Skunked for rain the last week. We're now at 1/2 inch since the end of Farm Progress show. Yes, the total for the year is over 6 in but it makes you wonder if the current pattern holds what the crop will look like after the next week of plus 30 weather. The above photo is a typical shot for our farm. Last weekend storms went to the north of our farm dumped up to a 1.5 in then the sat storm followed the same path and the Sunday storm stayed south. Splitting at its finest. God isn't farming fun. Ag more than ever.
Ok, the crop report. We're going to do something different this year. I really don't care what your crop looks like since I posted since the flood years pictures of flooded out shit that yielded nothing but ruts and mud balls. Most farms in the area could use a little drink to keep it going or still help with the recovery. Spraying herbicides, for the most part, is done and now fungicides are going on. But lots are saying at the prices were getting and the look of the crop and the dry conditions most days why throw more money on a bad crop. You cant make shit look good.
But this year I want your crop results based on what you had last year. So our 70 wheat last year is a 9 Kamsack at higher is a 10, just for example. Now look at your crop and decide is it better than last year or poorer.
HRS is coming into the head stage and maybe only about 5 days behind. An old rule for me was I missed Craven more times than I liked because I was spraying for midge at the flower. Well, that would be true probably for Monday next week so maybe 5 days behind. It actually got better since the first three-inch rain back the week before farm progress show. So our wheat compared to last year would grade an 8. Fewer heads but bigger now will they fill. Roots are deep so who knows. We will be spraying for fungicide on last 10 quarters of HRS as they look a lot better than our early wheat. Timing this year was everything and the guy sleeping at the switch has some nicer crops than the first out of the gate and finished. Every year is different this year is also.
Barley is approaching the heading stage and filling in nice and becoming more even. Malt I still think will be interesting. We always put a fungicide on our barley and this year we will start tomorrow or Sunday. Right now its rating compared to last year a 7. Won't top last years yield.
Flax is the disaster crop in our area. Thin and thick spots and some fields just plain WTF happened. Going to be interesting as it is starting to flower. Will guys spray fungicide I'm thinking most fields probably not. One has a good catch in the area. One.
Rating compared to last year a 3.
Peas and lentils finally seem to be growing out of the shit show and starting to green up and fill in and even out. Full flower for most fields now and most guys did apply a fungicide so far. Rating compared to last years Best since the Viper shit show took two of my four last year. So rating compared is a 7. Lentils are filling in and are really short so far.
Oats are moving fast along and some fields are starting to push out the seed. Spraying is happening. The yield looks like it will be lower than last year for our area. 8 Compared to last year.
Canola the shit show expensive seed crop that I'm saying is damaged from useless seed treatments because the volunteers around the yard growing in the gravel under the bins are still better than the ones in the field. Canola is a money maker for the seed companies. So produce a useless product and stupid farmers will argue about how wonderful some fields turned out and others failed. It's still overpriced shit for what we get.
Canola crop is starting to flower and some fields are filling in some are a total shit show. Weeds I feel will be a problem in fall as low plant density will allow for nice growth later in the year. Uneven will have issues with green and swathing timing and for those direct cutters go buy a swather as you'll be wondering why is it just not drying down and green going down because I sprayed 4 weeks ago. To the market, this is a sub-par crop coming to get the F#$K out of your offices and explain how shit can become a rose overnight. Rating compared to last year overall a 5 or half the crop right now. Canola is 7 to 14 days later than last year. Spraying fungicides will be a no show for our being. Oh, how big is the shit area. Saskatoon to the border over to Melville and back. Just a little area. Also, why is the perfect field by Regina not looking perfect anymore?
Pastures are starting to wake up but some overgrazed are in trouble. The hay crop is poor. Few new seeded last year fields are thin but better than the older fields. Haying has started.
Some RMS are mowing the ditch. Why is my question let the Cowboys have? for at least two weeks.
So to recap the crop is behind last year and not as thick or healthy or good as last year. Lower production will happen and quality could be an issue with the late stage of the crop. Remember we have had it freeze the first few days of August before. That's not that far away. Peas maybe could make something but that would be all.
Have a safe time this week as it's Craven Weekend plus the summer hauling huge campers with half ton trucks by city folks on the road is full bore. These professionals will make your day stressful. But its summer so gear back and when safe blow past them.
Also keep a eye on friends and neighbours as farming is a very stressful ocupation and this year the stress level is ramping up.
Ok, the crop report. We're going to do something different this year. I really don't care what your crop looks like since I posted since the flood years pictures of flooded out shit that yielded nothing but ruts and mud balls. Most farms in the area could use a little drink to keep it going or still help with the recovery. Spraying herbicides, for the most part, is done and now fungicides are going on. But lots are saying at the prices were getting and the look of the crop and the dry conditions most days why throw more money on a bad crop. You cant make shit look good.
But this year I want your crop results based on what you had last year. So our 70 wheat last year is a 9 Kamsack at higher is a 10, just for example. Now look at your crop and decide is it better than last year or poorer.
HRS is coming into the head stage and maybe only about 5 days behind. An old rule for me was I missed Craven more times than I liked because I was spraying for midge at the flower. Well, that would be true probably for Monday next week so maybe 5 days behind. It actually got better since the first three-inch rain back the week before farm progress show. So our wheat compared to last year would grade an 8. Fewer heads but bigger now will they fill. Roots are deep so who knows. We will be spraying for fungicide on last 10 quarters of HRS as they look a lot better than our early wheat. Timing this year was everything and the guy sleeping at the switch has some nicer crops than the first out of the gate and finished. Every year is different this year is also.
Barley is approaching the heading stage and filling in nice and becoming more even. Malt I still think will be interesting. We always put a fungicide on our barley and this year we will start tomorrow or Sunday. Right now its rating compared to last year a 7. Won't top last years yield.
Flax is the disaster crop in our area. Thin and thick spots and some fields just plain WTF happened. Going to be interesting as it is starting to flower. Will guys spray fungicide I'm thinking most fields probably not. One has a good catch in the area. One.
Rating compared to last year a 3.
Peas and lentils finally seem to be growing out of the shit show and starting to green up and fill in and even out. Full flower for most fields now and most guys did apply a fungicide so far. Rating compared to last years Best since the Viper shit show took two of my four last year. So rating compared is a 7. Lentils are filling in and are really short so far.
Oats are moving fast along and some fields are starting to push out the seed. Spraying is happening. The yield looks like it will be lower than last year for our area. 8 Compared to last year.
Canola the shit show expensive seed crop that I'm saying is damaged from useless seed treatments because the volunteers around the yard growing in the gravel under the bins are still better than the ones in the field. Canola is a money maker for the seed companies. So produce a useless product and stupid farmers will argue about how wonderful some fields turned out and others failed. It's still overpriced shit for what we get.
Canola crop is starting to flower and some fields are filling in some are a total shit show. Weeds I feel will be a problem in fall as low plant density will allow for nice growth later in the year. Uneven will have issues with green and swathing timing and for those direct cutters go buy a swather as you'll be wondering why is it just not drying down and green going down because I sprayed 4 weeks ago. To the market, this is a sub-par crop coming to get the F#$K out of your offices and explain how shit can become a rose overnight. Rating compared to last year overall a 5 or half the crop right now. Canola is 7 to 14 days later than last year. Spraying fungicides will be a no show for our being. Oh, how big is the shit area. Saskatoon to the border over to Melville and back. Just a little area. Also, why is the perfect field by Regina not looking perfect anymore?
Pastures are starting to wake up but some overgrazed are in trouble. The hay crop is poor. Few new seeded last year fields are thin but better than the older fields. Haying has started.
Some RMS are mowing the ditch. Why is my question let the Cowboys have? for at least two weeks.
So to recap the crop is behind last year and not as thick or healthy or good as last year. Lower production will happen and quality could be an issue with the late stage of the crop. Remember we have had it freeze the first few days of August before. That's not that far away. Peas maybe could make something but that would be all.
Have a safe time this week as it's Craven Weekend plus the summer hauling huge campers with half ton trucks by city folks on the road is full bore. These professionals will make your day stressful. But its summer so gear back and when safe blow past them.
Also keep a eye on friends and neighbours as farming is a very stressful ocupation and this year the stress level is ramping up.
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