ALLAN -- A September snowfall is putting a damper on Saskatchewan farmers' harvest plans.
Crops near Allan, Sask. have fallen flat, covered in snow.
"This canola, it was chest height three days ago," Jeff Hoiness, a farmer of 30 years, tells CTV News in his field.
Hoiness said he’s experienced snow amidst a harvest — but never so early in the game.
"It sucks. The last time we had this much snow, at this time of year, we were 90 per cent done. This year, we’re 20 per cent done," he said.
"It’s really foreign territory for us to have this much left, this late."
According to the most recent provincial crop report, soybeans and flax are the least combined crops in Saskatchewan.
Only about 40 per cent of the crop is in the bin, which is well behind the five-year average of 62 per cent for this time of year.
Shannon Friesen, crop extension specialist with the agriculture ministry, said the situation is "not ideal.
"We never like to see snow, or even rain, this time of year. Of course we've already had harvest delayed already for a couple of weeks, and this will likely delay us even further."
Hoiness said he is hoping for a "window" of sunshine to get the crop harvested.
"If not, I guess it’s spring time harvesting — which could potentially put us behind the eight ball for 2020," he said.
Still, Hoiness said he and many other farmers are remaining optimistic.
"We’re resilient, maybe a little stubborn. Farmers are cut from a different cloth, they have to be."
