HALDIMAND—Except for the holiday weekend when temperatures soared, the weather this spring has been less than ideal. Cool, wet conditions have been the norm this season, testing the patience and nerves of farmers who are anxious to get on their fields to put seeds in the ground.
While this weather pattern has been felt through much of southern Ontario, spring planting has begun in nearby counties, while Haldimand’s much maligned clay soil is forcing farmers to wait for conditions to improve.
—Haldimand Press photo by Jillian Taylor.
At Turnbull Farms, located near Canfield, wheat, oats, food grade soybeans, commercial soybeans, corn, and red clover (for seed) are among the crops grown. Kim Turnbull explained, “Ideally, we would prefer to plant corn the first week of May, followed by soybeans, hopefully finishing by the 20th. Oats should be planted on the frost in March or in early April at the latest.”
According to Turnbull, “Our clay soils have been impacted by the cool, wet weather, not drying out or warming up enough to plant and get the plants off to a good start in proper soil conditions. In Haldimand clay, you need to wait until the ground is fit before attempting to plant.
He added, “If the ground is not dry enough, you risk compacting the soils, which will affect the root structure. If the soil is cold or there’s a cold rain immediately after planting, it seriously affects the seed vigor and health.”
Speaking with 50 years of planting experience, Turnbull said, “It is not unusual to have delayed planting. We may have to switch to shorter corn heat unit varieties if it continues to be wet. The ground is starting to warm up a bit, which will help with quicker germination.”
Haldimand Federation of Agriculture (HFA) President Wayne Downie of Empire Corners agreed with Turnbull’s assessment of the current conditions.
“In heavy clay with cool, wet weather you have no choice but to wait,” he said. “Nothing gets over a bad start. If we have wet weather and conditions are not right … that can affect yield. You’ll have uneven growth.”
Downie noted that there may be concern later in the summer if the weather turns hot and dry, which would also affect the crops.
“It’s a guessing game,” he said. “You can’t do much about it. You have to roll with the punches.”
Compounding the situation are the added costs of fuel and fertilizer, on top of the price of land, machinery, and other expenses. Downie said these challenges make it harder to stay in the business of farming.
“These are things we talk about at the HFA. It’s always good to stay connected and talk to people,” he added.
For Jason Richardson of Dunnville, this year is reminiscent of 1992. Recalling that spring, he said, “It rained and rained!”
At that time, he and his younger brother Aaron had joined the family farm operation full-time.
Jason said, “The difference now is the dollars are so much bigger.”
Looking back, he remembers hearing agriculture advisors promoting diversification and encouraging farmers to have more than one stream of income.
“I’m glad I have the beef cattle,” he said. The farm also has a dairy herd, and his brother sells Pioneer Seed, just like their dad did.
Considering the current rainfall, Jason said, “It’s probably better that we’re not planted with this rain.”
While driving through the county during the most recent all-day rain, he added, “There is a pile of water lying around right now. Things need to change a lot to get going now.… The next three weeks are going to tell the tale on what happens with the crops.”
Haldimand’s fruit and vegetable growers are also feeling the impact of the weather.
“It’s definitely affecting us,” said James Richardson, who owns and operates Richardson’s Farm and Market in Dunnville with his wife, Kirsten.
“We’re delayed in a lot of things,” James said. “The strawberries are delayed a bit, mostly due to the cold…. The crop plan we had laid out through the winter has been changed due to weather. We’re constantly shuffling based on what piece of ground we can get on.”
James recently told Kirsten, “It’s the mental part of this that is harder than anything.”
He knows he is not alone in feeling the stress: “We’ve been through wet springs before and will have them again. We have to be flexible…. Whatever type of crops you grow, we’re all affected (by this). We’re an agriculture community.”
With the delays in planting and production in mind, James has a saying: “The hardest crop to grow is patience.”
Yet patience is a must in farming, and with it comes perseverance and adaptability, which farmers routinely exhibit, especially during challenging times. In the meantime, James suggested, “To anyone who lives beside a farmer, check in on them; take them a coffee and ask them how’s it going.”
As the forecast shows brighter, warmer days ahead, kind words can plant seeds of encouragement to support our farmers as they get their seeds in the ground.
