2023 harvest stalls amidst wet, cold weather
Your eyes aren’t deceiving you, there is a lot more corn still standing in farmers’ fields than usual for this time of year.
“We would expect by the middle of October to have at least 20-25 pre cent of the crop mature, and 10-15 per cent harvested. We might have 1 per cent of the grain corn crop harvested,” said Peter Johnson, a senior agronomist with Real Agriculture.
Ontario’s corn crop is well behind schedule thanks to a lack of sustained heat this summer, said Johnson. And the sudden and constant supply of wet weather over the past two weeks hasn’t helped that, and has all but halted wheat planting, which could have ripple effects two years from now.Combining soybeans near Clinton, Ont., on Oct. 4, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
“Wheat is an incredibly important rotation crop in Ontario. It really does incredible things for soil health. When we put wheat in the crop rotation, we get 5 per cent more corn the next year, and we get 11 per cent more beans the year after that. But, dang it, if it gets too late and it stays wet and we don’t get wheat in the ground, it’s not going to help our rotation very much,” said Johnson, who was the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture’s Provincial Cereal Specialist for 30 years.
Ontario’s other major crop beans looked great, and mostly came off the fields dry thanks to a late September heat wave. But, it was all too good to be true, said Johnson.
“In the London area particularly, soybean yields have been disappointing. They looked amazing, but we had too much rain in July, and that hurt the soybean crop. Wheat yields actually turned out great. Provincially, we’ve had the second highest wheat yield ever,” he said.Soybeans ripening in the fields of Huron County, Ont., on Oct. 19,2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
That’s what can be so deceiving driving around the countryside, the fields of tall corn flowing in the breeze look great, as did the beans, but the fact it’s still in the fields, bodes well for a late, late harvest for Ontario corn producers.
“There’s a lot of corn that did go in early. Maybe by the end of the month, but I’d bet you won’t see combines rolling again until November this year,” said Huron County corn producer Mike Colclough.
“I had one farmer joke with me that we might still be combining corn when we’re listening to Christmas carols. Not the way we’d like it to be,” said Johnson.Corn slowly maturing in the fields of Huron County, Ont., on Oct. 19, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
But, if you’re going to farm, you’ve got to find silver linings, which is what Colclough is trying to do as he watches the skies.
“Not perfect. It’s never perfect, but, it’s good enough, let’s put it that way. Timely rains came just in time, in our area at least,” said the Holmesville area farmer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Poilievre says Canadians 'fleeing' to Nicaragua, Liberals say it shows he 'doesn't have a clue'
Liberal parliamentarians are criticizing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre over a new video in which he promotes the idea that some Canadians are 'fleeing' Canada to live in Nicaragua because they can't afford a house in this country.
Canadians are eyeing moves to these cities for more affordable housing
Faced with elevated housing prices, half of Canadians in the country's largest cities are considering moving to places with more affordable housing.
Trudeau must more publicly support ICC decisions amid Israel-Hamas war: ex-ministers
A group of prominent former politicians and current academics is asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to change his tone on the possibility of arrest warrants for senior Israeli leaders.
'Do not drive': Nissan warns Canadian drivers of explosion risk impacting 48,000 vehicles
Car manufacturer Nissan has issued a do-not-drive warning for some older vehicles equipped with Takata airbag inflators, due to the risk of explosion during a crash.
Infant dies in ATV crash, N.S. RCMP says alcohol may be a factor
An infant has died and three others, including another child, were taken to hospital following an ATV crash in Forties, N.S., on Monday.
Police clear intersection of pro-Palestinian protesters on UBC campus
Police have moved on pro-Palestinian protesters at the University of British Columbia campus in Vancouver, with video on social media showing lines of officers advancing on demonstrators rallying at a main intersection.
Tessa Virtue reveals she's expecting her first child. Here's what Canadians had to say
Canadian figure-skating icon Tessa Virtue is expecting her first child, she revealed via social media Tuesday.
'Scandals and secrets': On board the world's most exclusive private residential ship
It’s a floating city exclusively home to the 1 per cent, a playground for multimillionaires and billionaires that circumnavigates the world's oceans.
New Orleans mystery: Human skull padlocked to a dumbbell is pulled out of water by a fisherman
New Orleans mystery: Human skull padlocked to a dumbbell is pulled out of water by a fisherman