‘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
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
McDavid scores in 2OT to lift Oilers over Stars in West Final opener
Connor McDavid tipped Evan Bouchard's shot from the boards past Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger 32 seconds into the second overtime to give the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 win in Game 1 of the Western Conference Final..
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
Calgary Philharmonic takes action following investigation into 'deeply troubling' comments by 2 musicians
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.