Farmers usually don’t like to count their chickens before they hatch, but Starbuck area producer Brad Rasmussen is pleased with the way his family’s wheat harvest is looking.

Rasmussen said last week harvesting efforts are about 10 days ahead of where they normally are at this stage of the season.

"We have a rare combination of good crops, good weather and good prices," he said.

About 20% of Rasmussen’s wheat had been combined by last week. He estimated the entire crop could be combined within a week if weather permits.

With this summer’s extreme drought across the U.S. Midwest, North American grain prices are on the rise and western Canadian farmers are hoping to cash in as they start to get their crops into the bin.

A spokesperson for the Starlite Colony near Starbuck said crews have been busy combining oats and all of its cereal crops are looking healthy.

He added that canola yields will be lowered because of last month’s dry weather and the appearance of aster yellows in the fields.

The rain that fell in southern Manitoba during the August long weekend may have boosted soybean crops that were affected by the recent hot, dry weather.

Rasmussen said his soybeans are still green and likely won’t be ready to harvest until late September.

andrea.geary@canstarnews.com