Farmers eye the sky, yearning for rain as heat wave covers southern Alberta

As Albertans head into a week of heat, farmers say they'll be keeping a close eye on their crops.

In some areas, the mercury is expected to rise above 30 C for several days in a row.

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Cochrane-area farmer Greg Hawkwood grows barley, canola and peas and also raises cattle.

He says the cows will hold up thanks to shade and water, but this season's crop yield could take a hit from the heat.

"The key to this thing is we can survive this hot spell as long as we get a shot of rain when it's over," he said.

Lynn Jacobson, president of the Alberta Federation of Agriculture, farms near Enchant, northeast of Lethbridge.

He says farmers in his area have been going through a bit of a dry spell over the past two weeks — and this latest heat wave won't help.

"Any interruption in moisture and that does affect yield and probably grade," he said.

Farmers in parts of southern Alberta have been irrigating their crops over the past month and will keep pouring it on this week, Jacobson said.

Overall, Hawkwood says it has been a good growing season, so far.

But there are no guarantees, he said.

"We just sit there and stare at the sky and just kind of hope for the best," he said.

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