By Alex McCuaig

Seeding

Moisture needed for area crops as farmers look to the sky for help

Apr 30, 2020 | 5:07 PM

CYPRESS COUNTY, AB – Hatters looking to break out of the indoors after being cooped up all winter – and more recently by the COVID-19 pandemic – might be enjoying the sunny skies and warm temperatures. But area dryland farmers are hoping for a bit of rain.

The 2019 growing season in the southeastern part of Alberta saw dry temperatures when wet conditions were needed and vice versa, hail which wiped out much of the Taber corn crop and snow that saw sugar beets left in the ground.

Nicole Neubauer from Neubauer Farms says what the region needs right now is a good rainfall to get the season started on the right foot.

“The conditions out there are incredibly dry right now,” said Neubauer who is currently seeding wheat, canola and lentil dryland crops. “We did have some fall precipitation and snow in the winter as well. However, the last three or four days we’ve had terrible winds and that’s sapped every bit of moisture out.”

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Hilda-area farmer Andy Kirschenman is also busy seeding this week and says unless you’ve got irrigation, “we’re going to need rain. In southern Alberta, we always need rain.”