‘Hot and dry weather is a good thing’, farmers comment on ‘drought-like’ May
It's likely not the optimistic tone many people might expect to hear, after days of high temperatures and constant sunshine.
"We've actually had almost a drought in May. A drought in May, in Ontario, you could not ask for anything better," said Peter Johnson.
Johnson is an agronomist who hosts a weekly podcast called Wheat Pete’s Word, "So far, it's just going gangbusters and hopefully we keep doing that."
Springfield-area farmer Greg Fentie said moisture from the winter and some good rains early in the spring were key, "As long as the seed was planted in moisture, a little bit of hot weather and dry weather is a good thing."
Johnson and Fentie said many crops, including soybeans and corn, are like people; for them, a little bit of stress is actually a good thing.
"This dry weather will allow those roots to penetrate further down into the ground,” said Fentie. “Scavenge more moisture, scavenge more nutrients, and actually set the crop up better later on in the season."
There are variables though. High spots will loose moisture faster, soil that has more sand or clay needs more rain, and grain crops need more water.
Agronomist and podcaster Peter Johnson inspected a field near Lucan, Ont. on June 1, 2023. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)
"They need rain quite badly, if they can get it,” said Johnson. “They're surviving on subsoil moisture."
Fentie said the rain also helps with the fertilizing process.
With fertilizer prices still high, farmers want to get the best bang for their buck.
"That fertilizer pellet doesn't just hop over into the plant. It needs a little bit of moisture to carry it there. We need some moisture to fill that grain head out," said Fentie.
Johnson said farmers have long relied on each other for ideas on how to deal with issues like drought stress, disease, and pests. He said doing the podcast and interacting on social media has only amplified that experience.
Springfield-area farmer Greg Fentie checked the moisture depth on June 1, 2023, to see how far down corn seeds need to go. (Gerry Dewan/CTV News London)
"It's like a coffee shop on steroids,” he said. The sharing of ideas and solutions now operates on a global scale, "I get questions from Texas, from South Africa, from Australia. It's a global reach and it shows you how big that coffee shop has become."
Johnson and Fentie said strides have been made to develop more drought tolerant corn.
Johnson said work is now being done on more drought tolerant wheat as well.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
'State or state-sponsored actor' believed to be behind B.C. government hacks
The head of British Columbia’s civil service has revealed that a “state or state-sponsored actor” is behind multiple cyber-security incidents against provincial government networks.
Swarm of 20,000 bees gather around woman’s car west of Toronto
A swarm of roughly 20,000 bees gathered around a woman’s car in the parking lot of Burlington Centre.
Mother assaulted by stranger while breastfeeding baby in her car: Vancouver police
A person was arrested in East Vancouver Thursday after allegedly entering a car while a mother was breastfeeding her four-month-old boy.
More than half the Canadians once detained in Syrian camps for suspected ISIS family members have returned home
A total of 29 Canadians have been freed from detention camps in northeast Syria and brought back to Canada since human rights advocates began lobbying for their release years ago.
Rare severe solar storm Friday could bring spectacular aurora light show across Canada
A rare and severe solar storm is expected to bring spectacular displays of the northern lights, also known as aurora borealis, across much of Canada and parts of the United States on Friday night.
Canada abstains from Palestinian UN membership vote but supports two-state solution
Canada was one of 25 countries that abstained from a United Nations vote on Palestinian membership that passed with overwhelming support on Friday.
Amish youth experience a rite of passage called Rumspringa. It’s not what you might think
The idea of “Rumspringa” has a specific spot in the American imagination. A rite of passage for young people in some Amish communities, Rumspringa is seen by most outsiders as a wild time away from strict Amish rules, when teenagers can experiment with the modern vices of the world.
Djokovic needs medical attention after getting knocked on the head by a water bottle at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic needed medical attention after apparently getting knocked on the head by a water bottle after a win at the Italian Open on Friday.