Alberta’s seeding season is in full swing, and soon we’ll be seeing fields full of crops swaying in the breeze – here’s a quick look at what will be growing in Alberta this summer!
WHEAT
Wheat grown in Alberta is both spring and winter wheat, the latter of which is grown over the winter months and harvested in late summer or early fall. Across the province, Albertans will see just over 7 million acres of wheat in the field, making wheat by far the most common crop in Alberta. When it comes to yields, spring wheat sees about 56 bushels per acre, while winter wheat reaches about 65 bushels per acre.
CANOLA
The second top-grown crop in Alberta, with just under 6 million acres across the province, is canola. It's the easiest to spot – the bright yellow fields can be seen from a mile away. When it comes time to harvest, canola averages 40 bushels per acre.
BARLEY
Grown for animal feed and use in beer, barley acres have grown in Alberta to 3.3 million and can be seen across the province, mainly in the south and central areas with pockets in the north. High yields are important in barley production, and the 2020 average reached 74 bushels per acre.
DRY PEAS
Grown all across Alberta, the notoriously hardy pea plant inhabits about 1.6 million acres of land and yields 41 bushels per acre – find them by looking for the white flower in bloom during the month of July.
OATS
Unlike many crops, oats prefer cold weather and can be found across Alberta, although it is best suited for the soil and climate in central and northern areas of the province. Found on approximately 605,000 acres, oats average a yield of 86 bushels per acre.
LENTILS
Mostly found in southern, central, and the Peace Region of Alberta, lentils are grown on just under 420,000 acres in the province and average a yield of nearly 33 bushels per acre or 160,000 metric tonnes of the pulse.
DRY BEANS
Another member of the pulse family, dry beans only occupy 54,000 acres in the province, primarily in the southern regions of the province, as they require warmth and a long growing season. At harvest, dry beans have a yield around 50 bushels/acre or 3.3 tonnes per acre.
SUGAR BEETS
Due to their water needs, sugar beets are only found in irrigated land in southern Alberta – specifically near the town of Taber. One of the smaller, but mighty, crops grown in the province, sugar beets grow on 29,000 acres and produce an average of 31 tons per acre – that’s a lot of beets!
