The warm, dry weather has sped up harvest in the area significantly and the weather is expected to give farmers exactly what they need.
“Right in the Moose Jaw area, (harvest) is essentially complete,” said Grant McLean, Saskatchewan Agriculture crop specialist. “In many cases, yields have been average."
He said in the Moose Jaw area, more than 88 per cent of crops are harvested, which is ahead of the 74 per cent provincial harvest rate. McLean estimated in the south and southeastern parts of the province, 90 per cent of crops harvested.
Provincially, 67 per cent of spring wheat, 85 per cent of durum, 71 per cent of barley, 74 per cent of canola, 85 per cent of mustard, 27 per cent of flax, 92 per cent of lentils and 98 per cent of field peas have been combined.
He said flaxseed, canola and late-planted oats are the main crops that have yet to be harvested. In rural areas further south toward Assiniboia, there are still some crops such as durum out.
The five-year provincial average for this time of year is 55 per cent combined and 28 per cent ready to combine or swathed. One year ago, 76 per cent of the 2011 crops were combined with frost affecting most crops by Sept. 13.
For more information, see an upcoming edition of the Times-Herald.
