By Brent Bosker

The first signs of harvest in the northeast

Aug 12, 2011 | 12:13 PM

The combines have hit the fields in Saskatchewan as the harvest gets underway.

According to Saskatchewan Agriculture’s weekly crop report, less than one per cent of the crop has been combined and two percent has been swathed or is ready to be straight cut.

Those numbers are slightly behind the five year average, said Grant McLean, crop analyst with the ministry of agriculture.

“We need some sunny, dry weather to really pick up the haying operations and allowing these crops to mature.”

While the combines remain parked in the northeastern region, some farms have started harvesting operations, said McLean.

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“Twenty-seven per cent of the winter wheat is swathed or ready to straight cut and five per cent of the rye has been swathed so harvest has started,” McLean said, explaining it would be at least another week before harvesting is in full swing.

Farmers in the northeast continued to make progress on the hay crop with 91 per cent now cut. However McLean said they were hampered by bad weather.

“Hail particularly in Tisdale (and) Humboldt and some reporters are indicating there is some hay spoilage … particularly in the areas north and east of Prince Albert where they got some heavy rain fall,” he said.

bbosker@panow.com