By Brian Konrad

Conditions less than optimal heading into spring seeding in Cypress County

Mar 17, 2021 | 1:51 PM

DUNMORE, AB. — Other than the major snow storm in the first week of November, it’s been a fairly open winter across Cypress County, and as spring seeding gets closer, the lack of surface moisture is a concern for farmers.

There wasn’t much run-off this spring because of the lack of snow across the county.

Cypress County Agriculture Service Board chair Dustin Vossler says crops need surface moisture to get them off to a good start in the spring, and grasses also need moisture to get growing.

“Being an open March like it is, and it doesn’t look like we’re going to get any rain or snow through March, it gives a little bit of worry into us for starting crops” says Vossler who also notes the wind has been drying out the topsoil substantially.

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However, Vossler says moisture from that big November snowfall is starting to make it’s way up to the surface now that the frost is coming out of the ground.

He notes there is still a good snow cover in the area around Hilda and Schuler and it may yet provide some runoff for farmers in that area.

But he says an inch of rain or a good wet snowfall in early April would ensure a good start to the growing season.