Farmers get much needed rain Thursday morning

"Today's rain is just gold."

That is how Reg Friesen of Prairie Sky Crop Solutions near Niverville is describing today's rain in southern Manitoba.

According to Manitoba Agriculture, as of Thursday at noon, 35.7 millimetres has fallen in Rosa, 31.7 millimetres in Marchand and 18 millimetres in Steinbach.

"It was most, most needed already," says Friesen. "I think this is going to really help everything along."

Friesen says rain in the southeast this year has been very sporadic. For example, he notes they have had several inches of rain so far this year at their shop near Niverville. However, places like Ile des Chenes, St. Pierre and St. Malo have had very little rain this growing season. 

Similarly, Friesen says crop conditions vary greatly. He notes around Niverville they are looking really good.

"You don't have to go very far away and some fields were looking horrible," he adds.

Friesen notes crops around Carman, Roland and Sperling are not doing well, but when he visited the Ridgeville area on Wednesday, things look really nice there.

According to Friesen, a two-inch soaking rain today would not be too much for the southeast.

"A good chunk of our trading area could handle two inches easily," he suggests. "If it would come relatively easy, relatively slow, you'd be shocked at how much our land could actually absorb right now, it would be a lot."

Meanwhile, with the hot, dry weather we have been experiencing in recent weeks, Friesen says both corn and soybeans love heat, however, nothing does great when it stays so hot and windy. 

"In the end, everything loves rain too," he says. "So we need them both."

Friesen notes without a doubt, some crops in the southeast, including the Steinbach area have been damaged by the hot and dry weather.

"Hopefully this (rain) will help fix a good chunk of it," says Friesen. "Hopefully it will be coming a little bit more regular."

As for insect issues, Friesen says we came through a flea beetle problem in canola fields again this year, though not as bad as in the past. He adds they are also seeing grasshopper activity, which is not unusual in a dry summer. 

"They are not out of control, they are just there, enough that we can see them," he adds.