Alberta farmers ahead of schedule on harvest, but remain on knife's edge of drought

Farmers across Alberta are ahead of schedule on their harvest this year after seeing warmer than average temperatures over the past month, but that doesn't mean yields are necessarily higher. 

According to the latest Alberta Crop Report, harvesting is progressing at a pace quicker than the last five-year average, especially for crops like dry peas, barley, and spring wheat. 

But while many farmers found relief this season after multiple years of drought, some say yields are still down, and that water stores have not been replenished to a level that makes them comfortable heading into next year. 

The report also notes that recent rainfall has led to only minor delays in harvesting times.

Larry Woolliams, who farms just west of Airdrie, is welcoming whatever moisture comes his way. 

"Any of the rain that we've had has gone right into the soil, but there's nothing left in the tank," said Woolliams, whose crops this year included malt barley, wheat and canola. 

"So we have to rebuild the water table to even think about getting a crop next year." 

With 25 per cent of his crop harvested, Woolliams said so far, yields aren't what he expected them to be after heavy rainfall in May got the growing season off to a good start. 

He attributed some of those losses to hailstorms that hit central and south Alberta in August, but says the major underlying cause are ongoing drought-like conditions.

"We started off strong and then the tap shut off and we got real hot weather and we're still in a drought around the area," said Woolliams.

"So it doesn't matter where you go around here, you've got yield loss due to lack of moisture, heat and the drought."

Only a third of the province was rated by the Alberta Crop Report as having "good to excellent" surface soil moisture. 

The Peace region and the South region of the province were rated as having the highest amount of surface soil moisture, at 54 per cent and 39 per cent, respectively.

The report notes that while surface soil moisture ratings have improved slightly after the past weeks, sub-surface soil moisture ratings across the province have declined by four per cent, suggesting that whatever rain the province did receive was not enough to recharge deeper water reserves. 

The Central, North East and North West regions of the province were rated as having the lowest percentages of soil moisture. 

Woolliams said he hopes forecasted rains will give his crops that are still in the ground a welcome last push to the finish line, to help offset what he's already lost. 

"Hopefully [the rain] and the heat to follow will finish ripening these crops off."

"It's a good thing for us."