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Farmers get a little time off from a stressful harvest

Oct 19, 2016 | 2:00 PM

The Harvest Breakfast, put on by CJNB, gave farmers some fun and food on Oct. 19, to hopefully take off some stress for those whose fields aren’t in great shape this time of year.

The annual event invited local farmers to breakfast at the Gold Eagle Casino with dozens of prizes handed out and a grand prize of $1,000.

Robert Blais took home the grand prize and others got goodies like a camera, fire pit, gift cards, and even a trip to Vegas.

“It’s a tough business to be in and this is just a way to say thanks,” Grant Schutte, MC for the event and CJNB announcer, said. “Everybody seemed to have enjoyed themselves and that’s what it’s all about, saying thanks and having some fun.”

Seventy-five farmers were there, some who finished their harvest, and some who hadn’t.

When attendees were asked who still had crops on the field, about a fourth of the people in the room raised their hands.

Jerry Kirilenko was one of those farmers. He attributed the early snowfall to his delays and said it’s challenging.

“I’ve got about 1,000 acres left to harvest,” Kirilenko said.

He said red spring wheat and canola were left in his fields.

Kirlenko is from the Cando area and said many farmers there aren’t completed yet.

“In our area there isn’t too many done, maybe about five per cent, that’s it,” he said. “We had a lot more snow than Battleford or anywhere else. We still have lots of snow out there. Lots.”

Kelly Baillargeon, on the other hand, completed his harvest three weeks ago.

“We were very lucky,” Baillargeon said. “We had a good harvest. We were lucky with all the early rain showers and we were finished before it started snowing.”

He said he did know other local farmers who weren’t as fortunate as him.

“This snow, every bit of moisture so late in the year, it’s not looking good. In the past, we’ve harvested in November. There’s still time, but it’s not looking good if there’s a lot left to do,” he said.

The early snowfall in early October affected farmers across the prairies.

 

Katherine.svenkeson@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @ksvenkeson