While farmers are looking at the ground for signs of life, they are also looking to the sky for help.
While there was sporadic showers throughout the area over the weekend, for most in agriculture, they are hoping for rain, and soon.
Ag Fieldman for Starland County Al Hampton says the most affected so far appears to be beef producers as the dry weather has stunted hay growth.
“In general, in the hay land the rain didn’t come in time, so that might not rescue it too much, unless we get something phenomenal in the next month. But right now the hay crop looks in big trouble,” he said. “The pasture, if we catch some rain might be alright.”
He said so far in the county he has seen a little bit of precipitation south of Highway 9, south to Drumheller and a little in the Hand Hills.
“It has been in pockets, little bits and pieces, but nothing in general,” he said.
Crops are also thirsty.
I don’ think we are in a dire situation yet, there are some areas where germination wasn’t so good, and this is a bit of a concern,” he said. The rain would probably spruce everything up.”
Russell Muenchenrath, Agricultural Fieldman for Wheatland County is also hoping for some moisture.
“Through the weekend it had been threatening here and there and chasing dark clouds, but not a whole lot of rain,” he said.
He adds the dry conditions, combined with cold weather has set progress back.
“Our spring has been dry and fairly cold through the evenings through seeding and that is part of the reason pasture was so slow getting started. For annual crops, germination was a little patchier, and slower, so that impacts annual yields as well.”
His concerns too mostly lay with animals feed.
“Pasture and hay are the big issue right now for guys with cows,” he said. “It is becoming desperate from a couple different standpoints, not only for grazing for the cows you have over the season, but also how you will feed them over the winter and the cost.”
This may prompt some ranchers to head to market.
‘I haven’t heard of anyone really selling just yet, but if we don’t get rain soon, guys will have to sell their cows.”
He says there is no reason to panic just yet.
“There is still time. I guess it depends on how long you have been farming on whether you panic or not, what kind of personality you have,” he chuckles.
