Category Archives: Luseland

Harvest progress most advanced in West Central Sask.

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SASK. AG CROP REPORT FOR THE PERIOD SEPTEMBER 17 TO 23, 2013

Harvest is progressing well despite recent rains in many areas of the province.  Saskatchewan farmers now have 71 per cent of the 2013 crop combined, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s Weekly Crop Report.  Twenty-one per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut.  The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 60 per cent combined and 23 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Harvest progress is most advanced in the west-central region, with 86 per cent of the crop combined.  Sixty-two per cent is combined in the southeast; 79 per cent in the southwest; 60 per cent in the east-central region; 68 per cent in the northeast and 73 per cent in the northwest.

Of the crop that has been harvested, average to above-average yields are being reported in most areas; however, they vary from region to region.  Spring wheat average yields are reported as 46 bushels per acre, durum 44 bushels per acre, barley 68 bushels per acre, canola 38 bushels per acre, and peas 43 bushels per acre.

harvest

If you look carefully, you can see a double rainbow in the sky above this harvested field. Taken September 23, 2013 in West Central Saskatchewan

West-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas; Crop District 7 – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major, Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas)

The west-central region is the most advanced area of the province with 86 per cent of the crop combined and 10 per cent swathed or ready to straight cut.  The five year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 56 per cent combined.  Crop district 7A has 91 per cent combined, 6B 83 per cent combined and 7B has 84 per cent of the crop combined.  Little to no rain was received last week, helping farmers stay in the field.

Estimated yield ranges for the region are reported as follows: winter wheat 30 to 50 bu/ac, spring wheat 30 to 60 bu/ac, durum 37 to 60 bu/ac, oats 65 to 100 bu/ac, barley 50 to 80 bu/ac, fall rye 30 to 40 bu/ac, flax 25 to 35 bu/ac, canola 30 to 48 bu/ac, mustard 1000 to 2000 lb./ac, lentils 1200 to 2400 lb./ac, peas 30 to 60 bu/ac and canary seed 750 to 1500 lb./ac.  Overall, quality is good and many farmers are expecting to wrap up harvest in the next week or two.

Topsoil moisture conditions continue to deteriorate and are rated as 13 per cent adequate, 49 per cent short and 38 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 14 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 42 per cent very short.  The region has not received significant rainfall in over a month and all crop districts are reporting that almost half of acres are short of topsoil moisture.

Crop and combine fires have been reported in many areas.

Producers are busy finishing harvest operations, working fields and starting fall weed control.

Next week’s paper

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Your weekly sneak peek into the upcoming Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald:

  • perhaps you heard about the $1,000 random act of kindness in Luseland a couple of weeks ago? Now you can read all the details in Monday’s paper; along with
  • results and photos from the Candace Heitt Memorial Run;
  • a description of what goes on when court is held in Unity; and
  • a fun page of photos from Unity’s Fun Day of Golf.

Unity Fun Day of Golf

Unity Fun Day of Golf

Work rules for students

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14- and 15-year-olds can only work 16 hours during a school week

Saskatchewan youth aged 14 and 15 must complete Saskatchewan’s Young Worker Readiness Certificate Course (YWRCC) and abide by Saskatchewan’s Minimum Age Employment laws if they want to work during the school year.

Employers are responsible for ensuring each young worker provides them with a YWRCC certificate, which must be kept on file. Employers must also follow the labour standards, occupational health and safety and minimum age employment laws.

“As school is a priority, it is important that youth with part-time jobs are aware of the minimum age laws,” Labour Relations and Workplace Safety Minister Don Morgan said. “There are limits on the hours per week they can work and the start and end times of their shifts.”

Young workers under the age of 16 must have the consent of their parent or guardian to work, are not allowed to work after 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, cannot work before school starts in the morning and cannot work more than 16 hours during a school week.

The YWRCC is a mandatory ready-for-work course that teaches youth about occupational health and safety, labour standards laws and their rights and duties as employees. Since 2010, more than 27,000 certificates have been printed.

The course can be taken online at www.lrws.gov.sk.ca/ywrcc. You can also learn more about YWRCC at 1-800-667-1783.

Significant harvest progress

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combine and grain truck

The combine rounds a grain truck on its way back to the field to pick up and process more golden swaths of canola.

The latest Saskatchewan Crop Report released by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture September 12, covering the week of September 3 to 9, reports great harvest progress and bounteous crops.

Province-wide, the report said:

Significant harvest progress was made this week, allowing Saskatchewan farmers to move ahead of the five-year harvest average. Thirty per cent of the 2013 provincial crop is combined and 36 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut, according to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly Crop Report. The five-year average (2008-2012) for this time of year is 28 per cent combined and 31 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

Harvest is most advanced in the southwestern region, where 46 per cent of the crop is combined. Twenty-eight per cent is combined in the southeast; 23 per cent in the east-central region; 38 per cent in the west-central region; 15 per cent in the northeast and 16 per cent in the northwest. Warm weather over the past few weeks has helped speed crop development.

Of the crop that has been harvested, above-average yields are being reported in most areas. Spring wheat average yields are reported as 43 bu/ac, barley 66 bu/ac, canola 35 bu/ac, lentils 1600 lb./ac and peas 42 bu/ac. Average yields vary from region to region, depending on seeding conditions and growing season moisture.

Thunderstorms later in the week dropped over 60 mm of rain in some parts of the south. Province-wide, the week’s rainfall ranged from nil to 86 mm. Grasshoppers, wind and heavy rains caused the majority of the reported crop damage.

Across the province, topsoil moisture on cropland is rated as three per cent surplus, 59 per cent adequate, 30 per cent short and eight per cent very short. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture is rated as one per cent surplus, 54 per cent adequate, 35 per cent short and 10 per cent very short. Some areas in the western and central regions are very dry, affecting pasture productivity.

Farmers are busy desiccating, swathing and combining.

And in West-Central Saskatchewan:

Thirty-eight per cent of the 2013 crop is combined and 38 per cent is swathed or ready to straight-cut. Most areas recorded no rain during the week, allowing combines to keep moving in the field. Rainfall in the region ranged from nil to 8 mm (Craik area). Crop districts 6B and 7A have 41 per cent combined and Crop District 7B has 32 per cent combined. Crop reporters are indicating yields are well above average in most areas of the region.

Topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 31 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and 23 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 21 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 34 per cent very short. All crop districts in the region are reporting over half of the cropland and hay land is short of topsoil moisture. Crop District 6B is reporting 44 and 50 per cent of cropland and hay land and pasture, respectively, are very short of topsoil moisture. Soil conditions are very dry in the region, as most areas have not had a significant amount of rain for a month or more. Dry conditions have resulted in a few grass, stubble or combine fires.

Grasshopper populations are high, but very little damage was reported as most crops are into the maturity stages. Dry conditions are causing the majority of crop stress.  High winds in crop districts 7A and 7B caused some canola swaths to blow around. Producers are busy harvesting and hauling hay.

 

Harvest underway everywhere

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swathed canola

Drive anywhere near Unity and you are sure to see swathed canola in the field, waiting for the combine.

According to the latest Saskatchewan Crop Report, released by the Ministry of Agriculture August 29, harvest is underway everywhere in the province. Five per cent of crops had been combined and 14 per cent were swathed or ready to straight-cut. Although harvest operations are behind the five-year average for this time of year, yields are above average. The five-year average (2008-2012) is 15 per cent combined and 22 per cent swathed or ready to straight-cut.

For our area specifically, the crop report says:

West-Central Saskatchewan (Crop Districts 6B – Hanley, Outlook, Loreburn, Saskatoon and Arelee areas; Crop District 7 – Rosetown, Kindersley, Eston, Major, Kerrobert, Macklin, Wilkie and Biggar areas)

Two per cent of the crop has been combined, and 19 per cent has been swathed or is ready to straight cut. Thirty-nine per cent of winter wheat, 21 per cent of peas and 19 per cent of lentils have been combined. Forty-two per cent of canola has been swathed. Very little rain was recorded for the week, allowing producers to get a good start on harvest. Of the crop that has been harvested, crop reporters are indicating yields are above average for most areas of the region. Rain recorded ranged from nil to 10 mm (Biggar area). Soil conditions are very dry in the region as most areas have not had a significant amount of rain for a month or more.

Topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 46 per cent adequate, 44 per cent short and 10 per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as 35 per cent adequate, 46 per cent short and 19 per cent very short. All crop districts in the region are reporting more than one third of the crop and hay land is short of topsoil moisture.

Very little crop damage was reported in the region. Dry conditions are causing the majority of crop stress. Producers are busy with harvest operations.

 

Saskatchewan Agriculture Crop Report

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swathing canola

Saskatchewan Agriculture’s crop report for August 13 to 19, says “warm weather with very little rain interruptions over the past week has helped speed crop development.  Harvest operations have begun in many areas of the province.” The many areas include Unity as swaths were down in some of the canola fields nearby. The photo above was taken north-east of Unity, near Cloan, Aug. 20.

With reference to crop districts 6B and 7, West-Central Saskatchewan, the report reads as follows:

Warm weather has helped with crop maturity over the past several days. One per cent of peas have been combined in the region. Seven percent of canola, three per cent of mustard, 12 per cent of peas and nine per cent of lentils have been swathed or are ready to straight cut. Very little rain was recorded for the week ranging from nil to 7 mm (Perdue area). Most of the region has been missing the moisture that other areas have received over the past few weeks and soil conditions were very dry in some areas. Most crop reporters are indicating harvest operations are 10 days to two weeks behind normal compared to the last couple of years.

Topsoil moisture conditions are rated as one per cent surplus, 53 per cent adequate, 39 per cent short and seven per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as one per cent surplus, 44 per cent adequate, 42 per cent short and 13 per cent very short. All crop districts in the region are reporting at least one third of the crop and hay land is short of topsoil moisture.

Very little crop damage was reported in the region. Dry conditions and bertha armyworms are causing the majority of crop stress. Producers are busy getting ready for harvest.

Crop Report update

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The latest edition of Sask Ag’s Crop Report was released yesterday, August 8. For our area, Crop Districts 6B and 7 in the west-central part of the province, this is what was reported:

Most areas of the region recorded some rainfall for the week which will help crops on dry soil fill as harvest operations near. Most of the region has been missing the moisture that other areas have received over the past few weeks. Crops are slowly advancing in the cool weather; however, there are some reports of pulses being desiccated in the Perdue, Major and Marengo areas. Most other areas are indicating harvest operations are 10 days to two weeks behind normal compared to the last couple of years. Rainfall reported in the past week ranged from nil to 37 mm (Landis area).

The west-central region is furthest ahead in haying and operations are nearing completion. Livestock producers have 96 per cent of the hay crop cut and 82 per cent baled or put into silage. Hay quality is rated as eight per cent excellent, 88 per cent good and four per cent fair. Pasture conditions are rated as nine per cent excellent, 56 per cent good, 33 per cent fair and two per cent poor. Ninety-seven per cent of producers have adequate water supplies for their livestock.

Topsoil moisture conditions are rated as one per cent surplus, 62 per cent adequate, 33 per cent short and four per cent very short on cropland. Hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated as one per cent surplus, 51 per cent adequate, 41 per cent short and seven per cent very short.  Crop District 7B is reporting 46 and 48 per cent short of topsoil moisture on cropland and hay, respectively.

Very little crop damage was reported in the region. Dry conditions and insects are causing the majority of crop stress.

Producers are busy haying and getting ready for harvest.

Saskatchewan Crop Report

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hay bales, grain and canola

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture in its Crop Report August 1 said, province-wide, “Saskatchewan livestock producers … (have) 82 per cent of the 2013 hay crop cut and 60 per cent baled or put into silage” while 84 “per cent of spring wheat, 82 per cent of canola, 81 per cent of lentils and 88 per cent of peas are in good to excellent condition.”

Specific to west-central Saskatchewan, including Unity and Luseland, “Livestock producers have 90 per cent of the hay crop cut and 77 per cent baled or put into silage. Hay quality is rated as 15 per cent excellent, 80 per cent good and five per cent fair….Very little crop damage was reported in the region. Dry conditions and disease (smut, sclerotinia and ascochyta) are causing the majority of crop stress.”

To read the whole Crop Report, click here: http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/crprpt130801

Luseland School – 2013 Graduation

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Small Town, Big Dreams

Luseland Homecoming Hall was packed with friends, relatives and proud parents
June 29, attending to celebrate with and applaud the 15 graduates of Luseland School’s class of 2013.

Grade 12 diplomas and academic awards were handed out to each student, as well as a number of scholarships. For a complete list of scholarship winners, please see the July 8th issue of the Unity-Wilkie Press-Herald.

Luseland Grad - Colton Upton

Top student Colton Upton receives his diploma from retiring principal Murray Wankel.

The two scholarships awarded to the student with the highest average went to Colton Upton.

Senior shop teacher, Michael Hagel was the guest speaker. Having known all the students since Grade 8, he compared each to a food in a humorous talk about “the Grade 12 student buffet.”

Luseland School valedictorian

Jeremy Campbell, 2013 valedictorian for Luseland School’s graduating class.

As well as winning a large number of scholarships, graduate Jeremy Campbell was chosen by the class to be the 2013 valedictorian. Jeremy spoke about each classmate and remembered former classmates who were no longer with them.