Mother nature and you!

[ray h.]

    How do much of you realy feel that your area will be in the norms this production year.We have had some weather happennings that have been positive for our prediciment,but at the same time they are some what abnormal<or was it last year that things were just so opposite that this year seems normal.

[sw363535]

A little too early to tell on the high plains.  

South we had enough moisture in Feb. to tempt us into topdressing wheat in some areas and it does seem like the "pattern" of weather events has changed some.  Nothing that fixes anything.

Down hill in the Hays to Greensburg line things look a little better than that.

The early April snow/rain events will tell us a lot.

[Hobbyfarmer]

Union, co Ia Things would be totally saturated if not for the frost. Way too early to do anything but plan on a normal year. As soon as the frost is out many tiles will run some. Much of my farmland has ponds standing under today's snow waiting for the frost to relinquish it's hold.

In NW Kansas my farms out there were probed two days ago and about 16 to 25inch moisture profile. Supposed to be warm and dry starting Tuesday so some will go away, going to take a 36 to 40 inch profile to make me want to plant out there. May wait and do wheat next fall? I have enough wasted moisture here in my Iowa farms to "fix" the moisture deficits on my Ks acreage to 6 ft.

[noreaster]

We are in the best shape ever.  I bit wet and I am unsure how the winter wheat will fair.  But overall, looking from the kitchen window into the great white unknown it's looking like the best is yet to come.

[ECIN]

Can I answer this question in Oct. ?   

[farm-n-hawk]

This weekend was first significant moisture event since last spring. Sad thing is I don't think it helped much.

Ground still froze and most if not all ran off or ponded. Good thing is glad to see we can at least get some moisture.

[Nebrfarmr]

We will probably be in the realm of 'normal', at least for most of the corn ground.

The thing of it is, too many people are expecting us to yield to their projected trendline.

That, I doubt we can make.

[Hobbyfarmer]

Nefarmer: You bring up a good point. Here in my immediate small area we are always below trendline yield even in a good year. Too many marginal acres farmed in this area to get anywhere near trendline average yields even in a good year.

[Shaggy98]

Just finished up a nice meeting with my agronomist. He finished moisture probing all my fields on Friday afternoon and reported that I had just over 3' of profile moisture. Looks like things are better than even I expected. Not sure if it added to the moisture,but all these fields are entering into their 2nd & 3rd years of 100% no-till. I will also add, on my sorghum stubble I still had over 130# N remaining in the top 10". Looks like I'm running out of excuses, might just be able to raise a crop this summer. REMAINING OPTIMISTIC

[kraft-t]

Not all of the winter precipitation is wasted. If the water is located where it doesn't surface drain it will stay there until it thaws.  I know my ponds will not drain with out the tile and if the ground is frozen the water does not have access to the tile.

That is the difference between being optimistic and negative. We will get what we get and if your nervous about the dry buy insurance and go into the planting season somewhat prepared.

Now I'm not praying for rain, cause the "big guy " knows that millions of people need that harvest. If He/she isn't compelled by that information there isn't much I can do to persuade him.

If we have an extended drought, it's his fault not mine!