While farmers are looking at the ground for signs of life, they are also looking to the sky for help.
    While there was sporadic showers throughout the area over the weekend, for most in agriculture, they are hoping for rain, and soon.
    Ag Fieldman for Starland County Al Hampton says the most affected so far appears to be beef producers as the dry weather has stunted hay growth.
    “In general, in the hay land the rain didn’t come in time, so that might not rescue it too much, unless we get something phenomenal in the next month.  But right now the hay crop looks in big trouble,” he said. “The pasture, if we catch some rain might be alright.”
    He said so far in the county he has seen a little bit of precipitation south of Highway 9, south to Drumheller and a little in the Hand Hills.
    “It has been in pockets, little bits and pieces, but nothing in general,” he said.
     Crops are also thirsty.
     I don’ think we are in a dire situation yet, there are some areas where germination wasn’t so good, and this is a bit of a concern,” he said. The rain would probably spruce everything up.”
    Russell Muenchenrath, Agricultural Fieldman for Wheatland County is also hoping for some moisture.
    “Through the weekend it had been threatening here and there and chasing dark clouds, but not a whole lot of rain,” he said.
    He adds the dry conditions, combined with cold weather has set progress back.
    “Our spring has been dry and fairly cold through the evenings through seeding and that is part of the reason pasture was so slow getting started. For annual crops, germination was a little patchier, and slower, so that impacts annual yields as well.”
    His concerns too mostly lay with animals feed.
    “Pasture and hay are the big issue right now for guys with cows,” he said. “It is becoming desperate from a couple different standpoints, not only for grazing for the cows you have over the season, but also how you will feed them over the winter and the cost.”
    This may prompt some ranchers to head to market.
    ‘I haven’t heard of anyone really selling just yet, but if we don’t get rain soon, guys will have to sell their cows.”
 He says there is no reason to panic just yet.
    “There is still time. I guess it depends on how long you have been farming on whether you panic or not, what kind of personality you have,” he chuckles.

Six members of the Drumheller Fire Department took on the toughest two minutes in sports and came home as winners from the Scott Fire Fit Challenge.
    The Department has a long tradition of competing in the challenge and even hosted an event one year. Last weekend stalwart competitors Merv Smith, Duane Bolin, Mitchell Smith and Stephen Hatt took on the course. Newcomers Darby Page and Laura Hegberg joined them.
    Hegberg said it was an eye-opener.
    “I finished,” said Hegberg. “I had higher expectation than how I ended up doing…it was quite a lot different than I expected.”
    She felt good about her performance, but the toughest part for her was the dummy drag.
    “I dragged those feet across the line and just died.”
    For her, the camaraderie was uplifting.
    “The whole place was helping me get through it. Other women who competed were giving me tips to do better, It was great to be a part of,” she said.
    It didn’t discourage her, and in fact she went on to join Mitchell Smith and won bronze in a co-ed event.
    “It was really cool to be part of it, you feel like you accomplished something,” said Hegberg.
    They weren’t the only members of the Drumheller team to medal. Merv Smith and Bolin won gold in the X3 Competition, a team event.  Bolin also won gold in the over 50 category and silver in the Chief/ Deputy Chief category. Merv Smith won bronze in the over 50 event.
     It is not over for the team this season.
    “We are going this weekend to Calgary, it is a regional competition. So the times will count for qualifying for nationals,” she said.