‘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
Conservatives, NDP should be 'celebrating' EV deals: industry minister
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne says federal opposition parties should be 'celebrating' the recently announced electric vehicle deals, despite their criticisms the Liberals refuse to make public the terms and conditions laid out in the contracts.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Banking mogul suing government after intelligence leaks leave him shut out of Canadian economy
Chinese Canadian banking mogul Shenglin Xian has launched a $300 million lawsuit against the federal government. It’s a means to find the source of intelligence leaks which Xian says has cost him his livelihood.
His SUV was stolen on Montreal's South Shore. Then he got a $156 parking ticket
A couple is frustrated after their SUV was stolen from Montreal's South Shore in March and they received a parking ticket for the same vehicle last week.
Woman with liver failure rejected for a transplant after medical review highlights alcohol use
For nearly three months, Amanda Huska has been in an Ontario hospital, part of it on life support, because of severe liver failure. Her history of alcohol use is getting in the way of her only potential treatment: a liver transplant.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs abuse allegations: A timeline of key events
In the six months since singer Cassie filed a lawsuit against Sean Combs, a wave of similar cases and public allegations against one of the most influential music moguls of the past three decades have occurred.
Member of Israel's War Cabinet says he'll quit June 8 unless there's new war plan
Benny Gantz, a centrist member of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet, threatened on Saturday to resign from the government if it doesn't adopt a new plan in three weeks' time for the war in Gaza.