‘We needed this rain’: Farmers welcome wet weather as seeding season gets underway
Greener pastures may be on the horizon for Manitoba farmers who say the recent rainfall has put them in good shape for this year’s growing season.
“Doesn’t matter what kind of farm you are. We needed this rain,” said Direct Farm Manitoba president Phil Veldhuis.
Farmers are looking to start this year’s seeding season with a splash.
“What’s going to push us into the seeding timeframe here in the next couple of weeks is if we can get some warmer weather and see some sun out there,” said Jill Verwey, the president of Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP).
Both Veldhuis and Verwey said the recent drop of wet spring weather is helping make up for a dry winter.
“Takes more than one rain to grow a crop or to keep your pasture green,” Veldhuis said. “But this is a good start.”
According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, as of March 31, drought conditions are still a concern in southern parts of the province, with some regions flagged as severe and extreme. While Manitoba is still vulnerable to drought this summer, the organization said it has an optimistic outlook.
“We’re seeing some really good improvement in terms of the moisture levels that we’re seeing in the province’s soil, so that’s all really good news,” said agriclimate specialist Trevor Hadwen.
That positivity is easing the concerns of some farmers.
“If now we went into a dry spell, it wouldn’t be a disaster because we do have this re-accumulation of moisture,” Veldhuis said.
But others said they aren’t expecting a favourable forecast for the rest of the season just yet.
“We’re looking at moving into an era of unpredictability with climate change,” said Aurora Farm co-owner Louise May.
May has been at Aurora Farm for 20 years and said she’s gotten used to the unpredictable weather. But the conditions have forced her to come up with creative ways to maintain the farm’s flow.
“Building more drainage pathways, but also collecting more rainwater,” she said. “Looking at how we can contain water here, keep it and also move it out when we need to.”
May also said it’s not just crops that rely on consistent conditions.
“Water is life, right? We know that for everything. And for a farm with animals and crops, nothing would live without it,” she said.
As seeding season gets underway, KAP is reminding drivers to share the road with farmers and their equipment. It’s also important to monitor farm roads before heading out, since the rain may create soft and muddy conditions.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
BREAKING Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
Widespread theft costing Canada's retail industry dearly: experts
The Retail Council of Canada wants to put a stop to widespread theft within the retail industry, and industry leaders are meeting this week to find solutions.
Former South Dakota mayor charged with triple homicide
Three people were shot to death in a small South Dakota town, and a former law officer who once served as the town's mayor is charged in the killings.
Debunking the 'anti-sunscreen' movement: Doctors say TikTok trend is dangerous
Dermatologists are sounding the alarm about misinformation from the anti-sunscreen movement, saying not wearing sunscreen can cause cancer and other problems.