With the wet start to the growing season, crops at one farm near St-Eugène are looking strong so far, although the continued moisture is raising some concerns about crop maturity and disease.
For Terry Heinzle of Terryland Farms, the rain has so far been more of a benefit than a setback.
Heinzle said his hay crops have yielded very well so far, largely because of the ample moisture in the ground. He primarily produces haylage, or hay silage, rather than dry hay, which requires a longer window of good weather to harvest.
“The advantage of making haylage is the shorter window needed. I need about two and a half days of nice weather from the start of cutting to the end of harvest, versus three or four days for dry hay,” Heinzle said.
That shorter harvesting window can be one advantage when working around periods of rain. Heinzle said he has not personally had problems getting farm equipment into his fields, although he noted that wet conditions could present greater challenges in low-lying fields or areas with drainage issues.
“Despite a cold and wet start, the corn looks great,” Heinzle said. He added that the slow start could mean the crop reaches maturity somewhat later than usual.
The damp conditions could also raise concerns about disease in soybeans.
“There might be some white mould in the soybean crop because of the damp conditions,” Heinzle said, although he added that it does not appear to be a major problem at this point.
The abundant moisture has not necessarily been bad news for cereal crops, either.
Heinzle said he has spoken with farmers growing wheat and other cereals who reported good yields, adding that the cooler conditions and plentiful moisture appear to have benefited those crops.
One concern after major storms is lodging, when crops are knocked over and lie flat in the field. Lodged crops can be more difficult and time-consuming to harvest.
In the fields Heinzle has observed, however, lodging has not appeared to be a significant issue.
Overall, Heinzle continues to be optimistic about the 2026 growing season. Despite the wet start, he said the moisture has helped produce strong hay crops, while corn appears to be growing well.
“Hay crops have yielded very well this far, with ample moisture in the ground being the reason for that. Corn looks healthy, and ears seem to be of decent size for this time of year,” Heinzle said.
