Recent drought conditions in the Ottawa area are making fall harvests easier to manage for some farmers, following a summer filled with persistent rain.

“It’s almost like a dual personality,” said David Phillips, a climatologist with Environment Canada. “We had the big wet of summer, and now we have the big dry of fall.”

Much of Ontario and Quebec, including the Ottawa-Gatineau region, is experiencing moderate drought conditions.

Rob Parks said this year’s drought has been a sharp contrast to past harvest seasons, where excess moisture meant hours of cleanup. (Francis Ferland)

According to Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s October drought assessment, dry conditions have worsened across the country, with 67 percent of Canada’s agricultural land affected.

While drought is often associated with farmer struggles, Phillips said some Ottawa-area farmers have welcomed the current dry fall.

Many spent the summer managing constant rainfall, which created muddy fields and made it difficult to operate machinery without getting stuck.

“Non-stop harvesting”

“I know pretty much all the farmers in the area,” said Rob Parks, who owns a farm in the city’s west end. “We were beginning to wonder how we were going to harvest this year with the rain every second or third day.”

Since the start of the dry spell, he added, “it’s been pretty much non-stop harvesting.”

Parks said this year’s fall drought has been a sharp contrast to past harvest seasons, where excess moisture meant hours of cleanup on caked mud-covered tractors often in freezing temperatures.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s October drought assessment shows dry conditions have worsened across most parts of Canada, with over half the country classified as abnormally dry or in moderate to extreme drought. (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada)

This year, Parks said he was able to harvest and wash everything down in 20-degree weather.

“I would say this year has been a pretty lucky year for the farmers for getting the harvest off,” Parks said.

Water levels steady

Brian Stratton, engineering manager with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and a part-time farmer, said water levels in the Rideau River remain steady and within navigable ranges.

He said with the growing season over, crops don’t currently need much water. The focus now shifts to ensuring there’s enough moisture in the ground for next spring’s planting.

“Moving forward, the ground will hopefully be replenished during the winter months and the spring melt,” said Stratton. “So, things are in relatively good shape from the agricultural perspective right now.”