6 - 30 Weather Update

[jennys_mn]

It's considering apple and oranges Shag.  For you guys farther South, drought is a bigger deal because the ground will eventually dry out, and allow you to work.  You have warmer temps that help to dry up the soil.  But in WI where my farm was, and farther North, when it gets this wet, it's not as simple as one or two days of drying and your back in the fields, and especially in the Spring when the ground is cold.  And the ground that you have plays a part too.  Here in Cannon Falls, on our sands, if we had a nice day tomorrow, I could probably go out and get on most areas.   Where my farm was, you take a skid steer off of the driveway right now, and your stuck.  And over there, it'll be that way for days.

As I've said before on here, my worst years on the farm were the wet ones.   It's a constant fight that doesn't end.  I remember one year with the JD 7700 combine, the only way I could steer it most of the fall was with braking.  I cried that fall when I got done.  It was so hard and so frustrating.  But, it's one of the things that farmers live with and through.

I can see where you are Shag, why the drought would be so much worse.  You get less rainfall to begin with, and you're overall warmer.  When we have a drought up North, there is usually something, and a drought for us over at the farm was usually a June, July, and August event, and then it would usually rain and make another mess for fall.   I've never had to experience a situation where it doesn't rain from before - sometimes a long time -you plant, and through out the growing season, and end up with nothing.   And if worse comes to worse these days, if it's too wet, we can put tracks on equipment to get the crop off.

So, it really is two, and in reality, many different worlds that we all farm in.  And our experiences dictate what we see as worse.  And in reality, they can both be right.

Jen

[Reno31]

I agree, heat makes all the difference. The forcast for the 1st of July here in WCMN is for 67 degrees.

Try dry out a water logged field at 67, doesn't work quite as good as 90.

[CleanerGleaner]

I agree Shaggy that it is all percentages. Where I live  a drought is no rain July and August. This year on our farm it was not that we  had  too much rain in June overall but most of it came in 2 big rains causing ponding. Even our rolling tiled ground made it hard to come out undamaged as the crops were just becoming established.

[jennys_mn]

HEY - It's GREAT having some of you that haven't posting on here joining in!!!!!  That's what this site needs more of - input from where ever and adding to the conversation.  It's great....

Jen

[CleanerGleaner]

Thanks Jenny, On here often and should take more time to post. my part of the world is eastern Ontario

[Danno067]

Jen, we also had an inch last night. Kinda put the halt to side dressing my corn. But you are100% correct about the soil in Wi. with sun and heat that inch we got put me back about four days.

Took a ride yesterday. Made about a 100 mile circle. Saw a couple farmers planting corn. I know of a few that are in desperate need of feed. In that 100 mile radius there was about 200-250 acres not planted. Even last year wasn't this bad.

[jennys_mn]

Hi Danno - I've heard from several farmers over there in WI that they also thought this year now is worse than last year for a lot of folks. What a tough couple of years for you guys over there.

The guys that sprayed pre emerge are probably pretty happy right now. I saw lots and lots of ruts in the fields going up to Detroit Lakes this weekend. Guys are getting desperate to get the herbicide on. I had a little IH 244 4 wheel drive that I sold on the auction. When things got real bad over there, I rigged up a 30 foot boom on there with a 30 gallon tank, and used my regular spray tractor a my nurse tank. It took longer, but that tractor went through anything - literally, and didn't leave a bunch of ruts in the field. I had to do it twice that I remember. It wasn't fancy, and it wasn't perfect, but it worked. I didn't like doing it, but the beans were about to flower, and you gotta do what you gotta do.....

Jen

[425Cat]

Is there anything you haven't done Jen??? I thought I had been in a lot of rodeos.

[jennys_mn]

Oh - there's lots of things I haven't done.  I've always wanted to go skin diving, but the closest I will probably get to that is in the hot tub ;), given my heart issues.  I used to fly skydivers, can't say that jumping out of an airplane is on my bucket list though.  I haven't climbed a mountain - & don't care if I do.  I haven't driven a race car, that could be fun once, I guess.  Hawaii and some overseas travel is on my bucket list, but i'm in no hurry with those.  It'll be Hawaii, and Alaska before I venture out of the country.

And who knows - there's probably something that I will really love, but haven't found out what it is yet.  Life has a strange way of opening up what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it.  At least, that's how it's worked for me.  If it's meant to happen, it will basically fall in your lap, and you will have to do very little to make it happen.  If it's not, you can work your tail off to make it work, but it's doubtful in the end that it will.  

That's not to say that you can do nothing and things will be laid in your lap.  I've worked very hard during my life.  I've worked at a canning factory when I was in High School ( I used to change clothes in the car on the way there because I had no time to do it when I got there), I've fried chicken at KFC in Roundrock Texas for 4 months before getting hired by the FAA, I've driven truck,  I washed and fueled airplanes for Midstate Airlines (defunct) for a year while working on my pilots license, the farm of course, I've taught a LOT of people to fly and used to have my own weekend ground schools that I developed for Private and Instrument Pilots.  I've taught a LOT of controllers how to survive at controlling airplanes.  I've been in three small airplane crashes - all involving landing gear - and never got hurt.

And on and on.  It's been an interesting life.  And I've loved most of it.  I've learned a lot along the way, some things I'd sure still like to forget (seems my head injury didn't take some of them away) like the recurring dream I used to have when I was working at Hector and saw myself drive two aircraft together as a controller, saw bodies falling out of the aircraft and both aircraft crashing, and waking up screaming in a cold sweat.  And I wish I could have lost the memories of 9-11 when I saw the buildings crumble.

And so here I am.  And wondering what next my life has to reveal to me, and when it will all end....

Jen

[Whitesand_Farms]

I'm sorry to hear that you are always battling a drought Shaggy. Since 2010 I have been battling excess moisture. This year again I was unable to seed an acre, it's beyond frustrating wrecking equipment pulling through the mud. Getting track hoes to dig out tractors, sprayers and combines leaving deep ruts everywhere. Watching more productive dirt turn alkaline with each rain. I have washouts that are 15-20' deep that will never get filled in. Multiple flushes of weeds that can't get sprayed because it's too wet. Wiring on new equipment that is corroding because we have the humidity of a rain forest. The after effects of excess moisture are long lasting and it's a cycle I hope nobody has to deal with