3 minute read
Agricultural Community Check In
Agricultural Community Check In
Tammy Hewitt - News Advertiser
Here is what local farmers and contacts have reported about this growing season. Most crops are doing well. The dry, windy weather at the start of the season did affect some crops like hay but as the rain has come, things have been growing well. The canola crops germinated well this season and the beautiful yellow blossoms can be seen around the area. This year has been noted to be an average year with not much remarkable to report at this time.
In a brief conversation with a local farmer, the first cut of haying is underway. This is the most important cut because it gives the highest volume. For livestock, this cut is the best for feeding due to having more fibrous, coarse stalks for better digestion. We are fortunate in this area as there some farmers such as those in Grand Cache who have been looking to sell livestock to recoup costs form grain fields impacted by continued drought and grasshopper infestations this year.
A report from a local greenhouse did note an increased issue with bugs called Leafhoppers this year. These little green bugs have been especially bad for their cucumber plants. When the leafhopper insects fed on the leaf’s sap, the leaves themselves turn yellow and may cause the stems to turn a golden colour. Unfortunately, if this happens, the stem may whether and die. For now, the problem is under control. The greenhouse staff, avoiding the use of chemicals, removed the lower leaves of the plants that might have eggs laid on them. Another noted challenge was the warmer weather causing “gummy stem”. The plants are more vulnerable to this fungus when the weather is hot for extended periods of time such as it was at the beginning of the season. The fungus causes lesions that exude a gummy amber coloured sap that weakens the plant. There was some of this year during the transplanting season but further along the cucumber plants are doing well now.
