Harvest operations were brought to a standstill in the southeast area by snow over the weekend, ending a few weeks of warm, dry weather and good harvest progress.

Up until the snow started falling on Saturday evening, farmers managed to get up to 79 per cent of the crop combined in the southeast area, with a further 14 per cent lying in swath or ready to be straight-combined, according to Sask. Ag and Food's weekly crop report.

This was an improvement from 67 per cent combined the week before, but is behind the provincial average, with approximately 88 per cent of the crops combined. The southeast area is the least advanced in the province. The five-year average for the province is for 99 per cent of the harvest to be completed by this time in October.

The crops in this district which are at least 90 per cent harvested include fall rye, winter wheat, barley, peas, lentils and triticale. Crops like flax and sunflowers are less than half complete.

Other crops which are on the way to being done include spring wheat, 81 per cent complete; canola, 83 per cent; mustard, 89 per cent; chickpeas, 80 per cent; and canaryseed, 61 per cent done. Durum crops are 79 per cent done, and oats are 71 per cent in the bin.

With high moisture levels, many producers in the area are stockpiling the grain on the ground until they can be dried.

Prior to the snow, topsoil moisture conditions were deteriorating, but the snow should bring those percentages back on crop land and on hay and pasture land.

Besides the damages caused by snow in crop districts 2 and 3ASE, migrating waterfowl were also reported to be causing damage. Many farmers are busy baling straw, hauling bales, harrowing and applying fertilizer as weather permits, and cattle are being brought home from the community pastures.