Newfoundland farmer says he’s never seen anything like this year’s drought, ‘not even close’

Steve McBridge collects water as drought conditions hang over Newfoundland and Labrador.

MOBILE, N.L. – An unseasonably warm and dry stretch across much of Newfoundland and Labrador has left crops and animals parched — and farmers hoping for a steady dose of rain.

Eastern parts of the island have received less than half of normal precipitation, while St. John’s has seen temperatures between 2 to 4 degrees warmer than usual, according to an analysis by Agriculture Canada.

Its Canadian Drought Monitor measurement system found much of the province classifies as abnormally dry, while a northeastern stretch including St. John’s, Bonavista and Gander is in a moderate drought.

“We’ve been here, on the homestead pretty much off the grid for 12 years now, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said Steve McBride. “Not even close.”

Steve and his partner Lisa McBride are homesteaders. They try to produce as much of their own crops, eggs, milk and other food as possible.

Between his turkeys, goats, ducks and bees, it all adds up to a lot of work for the couple.

“I’ve got a million mouths to feed and water over the course of the day,” Steve said.

Since early June, McBride’s well has been dry, and he’s seeing the colour leave his grass and other plants too.

His animals are also showing signs that they’re struggling with weather conditions, drinking about twice as much water as usual, and his goats are avoiding the sunshine by hiding in the shade and staying in their shelters

“A dry duck is not a happy duck,” he added.

To compensate, Steve and Lisa McBride have begun once-or-twice daily trips to a local freshwater pond to fill up 5-gallon buckets of water and bring them home to their animals.

“This is going to be the reality until September,” Steve McBride said. “Barring getting a water truck to come in and fill up a 1000-litre tote for us, or something like that, which is an added expense. That’s it.”

At Lester’s Farm Chalet in St. John’s, owner Jim Lester is also scratching his head.

This summer, he’s been working Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Living Labs program to track moisture content in his soil.

Ideally, he said, you’d get a measurement of about 10 per cent. As of the end of July, his soil is reading just three per cent.

“Once upon a time, irrigation was kind of not needed here in Newfoundland,” Lester said. “Then, you know, about 15 years ago it became a luxury to have irrigation. But now it’s truly a necessity.”

The yellowed, short grazing fields on his farm are testament to how difficult the year has become. Lester said he’ll likely have to consider either selling some of his animals or buying more hay later this year.

Either approach could mean extra costs.

He’s had to supplement summer feeding with hay before — but only because it’s been too wet in the past, never because it’s been too dry.

“You’ll see lots of fellows having to bring their cattle and their sheep home from the community pastures, whereas normally we can leave them out until the 1st of December or at least the end of October.”