MEDICINE HAT, Alta. – While the soil may look dry on top, a few inches lower tells a different story.
Nichole Neubauer of Neubauer Farms says we’ve been getting the spring precipitation that farmers desperately rely on.
The moist soil has produced some early results.
“A good portion of the seeding is done here on our farm anyways and the result is that we already have crop that is germinating and beginning to show itself through the soil,” Neubauer said.
Sara Hoffman, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada says we are on track to be close to normal levels for the month of May.
“Over the past week or so, we’ve seen up to about 10 milliletres of precipitation off and on,” Hoffman said. “Looking at the numbers for May so far, we’ve seen 25 milliletres so far for the area.”
A variety of crops, including peas, lentils, durum and wheat are growing this year on Neubauer Farms.
The last few years have been challenging when it comes to that much needed spring rain.
“We are in a state of huge drought, we had great rains in 2016, but then every year ever since our springs have been very dry,” Neubauer said.
Droughts can cause crops to grow unevenly and for ranchers a lack of rain means there might not be enough prairie grass to sustain herds.
Droughts also create challenges with an increase in the gopher population. Neubauer says they can be very destructive and cost farmers thousands of dollars.
“In drought conditions, they thrive and we’ve seen them move in from the grasslands and actually devour acres and acres of crop land,” Neubauer said.
Farmers used to control gophers by using strychnine, but Health Canada has banned the substance.
Neubauer says it was revoked without another control mechanism in place. Rodent problem aside, she is optimistic about this year’s harvest.
“If we can continue to see more of what we’ve been seeing, rain once a week would be perfect,” Neubauer said.
