Harvest has come to a standstill for a farm near Montmartre, Sask. because of the heavy rain which hit the area last week. While out for a drive, Janet and Peter Kotylak from Kotylak Rooted Acres discovered their canola crop might be in trouble due to its unique look. Much of the crop is now flattened and misshapen due to the rain. “It’s like a bunch of waves in the sea instead of standing straight sticks. You can see where it’s flat and still standing. It’s really just a mess,” Janet Kotylak said. More than five inches of rain fell in the area in the past week. The soil is still wet, making it tough for machinery to move in the fields. There is also a chance of vehicles getting stuck in the mud or possibly damaged. Usually, the farm is half done harvest by this time of the year. However, because of the delay, work on the crop won’t begin again closer to a week from now. “This is our 37th year and we only have 55 acres combined. That’s not normal for our farm,” Peter Kotylak said. Throughout the growing season, regular rainfall is always welcome as it improves crop yield. Late season dumps of rain can create many issues, including delaying harvest. “Having this much rain this late in the season isn’t helping the yield at all,” said Bill Prybylski, the President of Agricultural Producers Association of Saskatchewan. “The crops already matured for the most part. Any rain now is helping yield or the quality.” The Kotylaks intend to complete what harvest they can. Peter said they will lower the blade of the combine blade and scoop up the canola closer to the ground. “We’re going to spend a third more time in these fields. We are going to burn a third more diesel than we are used to,” he said. “It’s just another added expense to a year that might be marginal returns for the crops we have.”
