Sask. harvest ahead of 5-year average

Farmers across Saskatchewan have harvested a larger percentage of their crops at this point in the growing season compared to the same period in recent years.

The province's farmers have harvested 26 per cent of their crops, according to the Saskatchewan government's latest crop report, covering the week of Aug. 22 to 28.

That's ahead of the average of 16 per cent seen in the years 2012 to 2016.

"Relatively warm and dry weather has allowed producers to continue making good time with harvest," according to the report.

• Sask. farmers say drought conditions worst in decades

Don Gurskey, a grain farmer nearOgema, in southeast Saskatchewan, is lagging behind his region's average of 37 per cent.

He's only brought in 15 per cent of his crop, with the rest expected to be harvested within the next two weeks provided the summer's overall dry conditions persist.

The lack of moisture and high winds are expected to affect the quality of the flax he grows, he said.

"It's not going to be the crop that we grew last year," said Gurskey.

"The biggest rain we had here was just under an inch. Other thanthat, we had a couple tenths [of an inch] here and there."

The durum grain he's harvested so far has proved "nice-looking" but in terms of weight has been on the light side.

"The heavier it is, the more bushels it[translates] to," he said. "And it's got to weigh a certain weight before it will make certain grades."

The peas he's pulled so far have retained their grade, he added.