An unpredictable June and July in Alberta?

I suppose that’s not new to any of us, but it feels new to me every year because, while the daily forecasts seem to be pretty accurate, the changeups in the weather still keep me double checking.

In Calgary we’ve had a lot of rain, more in July than earlier, and two hailstorms, with another one predicted for this evening (July 17). The other day, as the heavy clouds were coming over us, I saw my first cloud seeders, two of them, and that may have kept the hailstones smaller this time.

A week ago, I would have said that generally Alberta growing projects are doing pretty well, and I still say that.

But it’s been dry in the Bonnyville, Manning, Medicine Hat, Foremost, Grand Prairie, and La Crete areas. The La Crete field did have a good start with lots of snow earlier in the spring and some rain recently, so I’m hoping, as we all are, for a decent maturing period.

I got my first heads-up for a harvest event last week. It won’t happen for a while, but still, summer goes quickly.

Volunteers with the Neerlandia Foodgrains Growing Project pose with their canola crop.
Volunteers with the Neerlandia Foodgrains Growing Project canola.

A large group of people at an indoor event at the Calgary Stampede. Many people are in western attire.
A noisy event hosted by the Wellington Foundation at the Calgary Stampede.

The Vegreville & District Canadian Foodgrains Growing Project sign and an AFSC sign in front of a green field.
A new sign at the Vegreville growing project. Good advertising for ‘ending hunger’

Harvest for Hunger Foodgrains Growing Project volunteers in front of the developing crop.
Harvest for Hunger Foodgrains Growing Project volunteers with the developing crop.

– Abe, Alberta regional representative