These pictures were taken late this afternoon within a few miles of Tisdale. Though the freshly planted stubble fields are also showing signs of the new crop emerging they do not show up all that well photographically. But, the fact remains, it is getting green around Tisdale.

Planting conditions were ideal this year, though cool to cold, the soil had just the right amount of moisture to be worked well and the pot holes and depressions did not have water in them. Most farmers left a trail of dust in the air as they put in this year's crop. For this reason it was fortunate that we have had a little bit of moisture yesterday and last night. The fresh rain was not a downpour but a gentle rain that provided the new crop with the moisture to get going.

The other factor that we can all be thankful for is that the temperature has been close to room temperature for the past three days.

I was talking to a farmer in the Maple Creek area on Sunday who said he got his crop in the very light soil on his farm and finished up Saturday. He said that though they had had more snow than usual for their part of the province, things are very dry and the weekend's rain is just what was need. He said the sloughs and dug outs are all pretty dry and the pastures need more rain to sustain the cattle in the area.