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Over 600 Canadian wines on hand to pour in Picton
Clippers put in drill time at camp to improve skills
POLITICS MPP Todd Smith chooses his riding for next election 3
THE PICTON
Gazette
Volume 186, Week 29
THURSDAY
JULY 21, 2016
TASTES
TRIALS
Canada’s longest publishing non-daily newspaper, proudly serving Prince Edward County since 1830
Drought has county farmers bracing for loss Lower-than-average rainfall devastating to corn, soybean yields ADAM BRAMBURGER STAFF WRITER
Lloyd Crowe often jokes that his pastor is probably getting tired of his prayer requests for more rain. Surveying his fields just northwest of Picton earlier this week, that was about all the levity the local Grain Farmers of Ontario district director could muster. In a year where the county has seen less than 50-per-cent of its average rainfall over the past three months, precipitation levels are no laughing matter. It’s quickly becoming crunch time for corn and soy production. “We’re pretty discouraged. We put so much time and effort into it,” Crowe said. “One part of the recipe is rain and if you don’t get that, all your best plans get pushed aside. It’s really knocking down the yields, especially for the corn.” Crowe has surveyed the long-term weather forecast and he isn’t too optimistic for his crops at Reynolds Farms, nor is he hopeful his peers will fare much better — though some are better situated if they’re on deeper land. “If we don’t get rain in the next 10 days, it’s done. I hope everyone has crop insurance,” he concluded.
SURVIVAL MODE Lloyd Crowe, left, of Reynolds farms shows his grandson Broderick Crowe the effects a lack of moisture is having on
his corn crop. He explains the leaves curl in to protect themselves and when they don’t open in the morning, that’s usually a sign more water is needed. Crowe says this year’s crop is at a critical stage and needs rain within the next 10 days. (Adam Bramburger/Gazette staff)
Crowe indicated it’s not hard for a farmer to have $200-$300 an acre invested, so to not have insurance would be devastating. According to Crowe, the high heat and strong winds
of the past few days has acted like a giant hair dryer further drying out the plants. He noted it’s a critical time because the corn is ready to tassel and should reproduce, but it’s shrivel-
ling up. “The crops are in survival mode,” he explained. Asked if any recent scientific advancements were developed to help in similar conditions , Crowe said there are drought-resis-
tant seeds, but many are engineered to last an extra week or two, not months. Crowe indicated in the past few years, rain hasn’t been a problem, however a number of systems have just
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missed Prince Edward County. Sometimes, he said, though he loves the county dearly, he questions his United Empire Loyalist ancestors decision to farm here. “I had forgotten what this county can be like,” he said, but noted other areas like Niagara are also having difficulties. Areas to the east of Kingston, however, recently received the reprieve he’d been hoping to see here. On Monday, Crowe was harvesting his winter wheat. Thankfully, that was a bit of a saving grace. “The wheat is turning out good considering it’s super dry. It is more established and it doesn’t take as much moisture as the corn or soybeans,” he said. “It’s no bumper yield, but we’re glad to have something.” Prince Edward Federation of Agriculture president John Thompson was also taking wheat off at his Sophiasburgh farm this week. He agreed with Crowe’s statement, noting the crop has been better than expected — but that’s the lone positive. “That’s where the good news ends. There was an impaired yield for hay, soybeans are bad, and corn is quite bad,” Thompson said, adding many farmers are already facing the reality they’ll have to prepare their insurers for bad news.
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