Saskatchewan farmers thrilled with snow from winter storm

People living in cities might not be happy with the amount of snow that fell throughout Saskatchewan over the weekend, but farmers couldn’t be more pleased.

“It feels really nice to see white out there,” farmer Jesse Ridgway, who lives just outside of Lang, said on Monday’s Greg Morgan Morning Show.

Conditions for farmers in Saskatchewan up until this weekend were pretty dry as most places hadn’t got the snowfall they typically see throughout a winter. Those dry conditions could’ve led to problems in the summer and drought-like conditions.

“We were pretty dry, so we’re really excited that it snowed,” Ridgway said. “We weren’t in desperate straits, but this certainly makes it easier. It’s really nice to go into spring with some moisture.

“We’re really happy.”

The spring runoff will help the crops get the moisture they need to ensure a good start to the season. It will also be good for places that might be susceptible to forest fires.

Ridgway is hoping that come April, farmers will be able to get a little bit more snow so they can have even better conditions once the summer arrives.

“Right now, we’re probably OK, but we’re still going to need timely rain throughout the season,” she said. “If we had a wish list, that would be great.”

In order to get ready for the season, Ridgway said her operation is doing a lot of work indoors getting the equipment prepared for another busy season.

Ridgway added the conversation with other farmers in her community is now a lot more positive now that the snow has fallen.

“We’re a little happier now with this snowfall, so (we’re) excited about that,” she said. “We’re just getting ready to go again.”