September deluge hits Alberta farmers hard during harvest time

Above-average rainfall over the past week has stopped farmers in their tracks from harvesting, and threatens to damage already reduced yields. 

Beginning on Sept. 12 and stretching into the next day, the Calgary region received between 30 and 50 mm of precipitation. 

That's an amount that Justin Shelley, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, says already exceeds the monthly average. 

"We normally see about 35 mm of precipitation in [total] in September and it looks like we're up to about 52 mm with this recent event," said Shelley. 

WATCH | Why this week's rain is throwing a wrench in farmer's plans:

He said that after seeing a general pattern of below-average precipitation throughout this year (and the last couple), August marked a flip in that trend, bringing about 50 per cent more than the average rainfall. 

"So whether or not this is the start of a trend as we head into the fall or winter — or a blip — that's still to be seen." 

And while farmers typically don't complain about the rain, the timing — and sheer amount — of this recent torrent has some wishing for drier days. 

"[The rain] is kind of a double-edged sword. You know, it's one of those things that has its good and its bad benefits," says farmer Cam MacFarquhar. 

"But we are in the middle of harvest so it has sort of put things on hold."

MacFarquhar, who farms 2,000 acres of grain near Cremona, Alta., northwest of Calgary, said it's already been a tricky year with yields being much lower for many due to ongoing drought and heat waves over the summer. 

Now, he says he worries the rains could damage what little crop they have, and prolong cash flow constraints before they can pay off loans from the beginning of the year. 

"Rain slows down our time frame to be able to harvest and put money back into our bank accounts," said MacFarquhar.

"It can also have effects on quality, especially if it's a lot of rain, and [crops] sit out for a large period of time. Before you know it, it's lost 30 per cent of its value just by sitting out in the rain."