Finally some rain...

[300 H and H]

In my part of the state we have only had less than .5" since the first of May. Lawns are browning off, and the crops had quit growing, for the most part. About a week or two away from disaster, as with out any rain, most of us think another week would have done some very serious damage to the crops...I don't know how much we had last night yet, but it was all very welcome.

The herbicides we use need rain to activate them, and we didn't get that. SO the weeds are comming along just fine and will continue to be an expence and lots of work too.

We need about an inch of rain a week at this point. I don't think we'll be getting any where near that in the advanced forcasts. I think one can plan on a short crop and high prices for grains in the comming year, as the market is rallying. But you cann't sell it if you didn't grow it.

It's going to be another "interesting" year. Thankfull they are all different...

Regards, Kirk

 

[muleman]

I hear you on the rain deficit! We have gotten a bunch of little spritzers but not enough to make up for the drying winds. Go 10-15 miles west of us and they have had plenty. Just missing us for the most part. Tilled some more yesterday and it is very dry. I need to get the sprinklers going today for the garden.

 

[squerly]

Come on down to Pensacola boys, we got 18' over the weekend. More on the way!

 

[EastTexFrank]

It's not a whole better down here now. We did pretty good early on. All the lakes and ponds were full after winter and last years drought. We got a good first cutting of hay, fertilized and hardly a drop since. We keep getting a few sprinkles just to tease us but it looks as if the second cutting is going to suck and if the temperature stays at 95 and above with no real rain, there will be no third cutting.

We're talking of turning the new water well on in to the lake and pumping from the lake to the hay pasture to see if we can at least get enough feed to get through the winter without having to truck it in from all over the place. As usual, my S-I-L and I have different ideas on how to go about it. Should be an interesting summer.

 

[thcri]

we got a quarter of an inch last night. Thank full for that but we need more. Everything is pretty dry.

 

[loboloco]

300, I wish I could send you some. We have received about 15 in in 10 days. As I said in another thread, we are now at the point of losing hay and other crops because we can't get in to them. Had to pull a 630 out this morning, and my brother is going to pull our 3020 out this pm. both of them sank to their bellies.

 

[muleman]

Wish some of it made it up here. I have started running sprinklers as once again the temps are in the 80's and the wind is blowing.

 

[300 H and H]

Last nights total was .25"...But there is a cool down and another chance of rain on Thursday. You can bet I will be praying nightly for that...

Regards, Kirk

 

[EastTexFrank]

It's hotter than hell again here again today. It's supposed to hit 97 and the wind is blowing pretty steadily. The forecast is for a 40% chance of rain tonight and tomorrow with a slight chance on Wednesday. If it comes, we'll take it.

Now I better go finish mowing the yard because if it does rain, it won't get done tomorrow.

 

[EastTexFrank]

We keep getting a few sprinkles just to tease us but it looks as if the second cutting is going to suck and if the temperature stays at 95 and above with no real rain, there will be no third cutting.

Well, I lied.

The last time I looked at the hay pasture it looked pretty sad. I went over to the farm today and my S-I-L and I rode out to have a look at it. IT WAS BEAUTIFUL. Those little sprinkles that we've been getting at the house have been heavier little sprinkles at the farm 6 miles away. The grass is standing tall and blowing in the wind. My S-I-L is going to make arrangements to have it cut in about 2 weeks. That'll give us more than enough to get the cows through the winter. Thank the Lord that it's not going to be another winter like last one.

The only problem now is, do we even try for a third cutting or do we open up the pasture and let the cows graze it? After last year it's a nice dilemma.

 

[300 H and H]

It was 90 here today with a south wind at 25-35 mph....and it sucked...But...there is a line of storms on radar heading our way. After seeing the corn rolled up like straws for the last several days and what little green in the lawn fading away, I humbley pray we get some this evening.

Regards, Kirk

 

[Cowboy]

It was 90 here today with a south wind at 25-35 mph....and it sucked...But...there is a line of storms on radar heading our way. After seeing the corn rolled up like straws for the last several days and what little green in the lawn fading away, I humbley pray we get some this evening.

Regards, Kirk

You aint alone Kirk, its still 94 degrees here and its been 30 to 45 MPH winds for the last several days, aint had no rain since the end of last month.

But other then that its just peachy here, really piss poor day for me to be crawling around 20 feet in the trees getting the "widow makers" out from the last storm.

 

[thcri]

Raining here pretty good along with some small hail. While some of it comes pretty fast most all day has been a good soaker. The farmers should be happy. Of course I am 50 miles north of home right now.

 

[EastTexFrank]

It didn't rain here today. Dallas got some interesting storms but they didn't make it a 100 miles to the east.

It was in the mid 90's again and I spent most of the afternoon underneath the deck replacing the motor on the pool pump. It was miserable under there, hot and humid with no air at all. It was kind of dark and what should have been a fairly simple job turned in to a nightmare. I screwed up 2 new mechanical seals on the motor shaft and I couldn't understand why. I carried the whole motor back up to the shop where, in good light, I could see that I hadn't removed all of the old seal from the housing. There was still a part stuck in there. SHIT!!!.

Now I've got to drive 30 miles to Tyler to get a new seal. I've also got to take the dog to the vet. The plastering crew is supposed to show up to start work on the pool. I've got to put the flag back up again after it blew down in the storm 2 days ago. To hell with retirement. I swear that I was never this busy when I was working for a living.

 

[Cowboy]

You aint alone Kirk, its still 94 degrees here and its been 30 to 45 MPH winds for the last several days, aint had no rain since the end of last month.

But other then that its just peachy here, really piss poor day for me to be crawling around 20 feet in the trees getting the "widow makers" out from the last storm.

Hell i guess it does work to bitch about the weather. We've got about an inch and 1/4 of rain in the last 45 minutes.

 

[300 H and H]

Well it's like there is an invisible wall keeping rain from here...

Last night it was just to the west of us, but didn't get quite to our area. This morning the same damn thing, those just to our west are getting rain again, and it isn't comming our way, it is just going straight North...not East.

It's really frustrating to be needing rain this bad, and a county to the west or two, has all they need and then some. If this pattern doesn't change, we will have as severe of losses as I will have ever seen in 50+ years of livin....It has happened at least 4 times now..

Regards, Kirk

 

[muleman]

We got about an inch of rain the other day but could stand more. Extended forecast just said drier than normal for the next month.

 

[EastTexFrank]

Hell i guess it does work to bitch about the weather. We've got about an inch and 1/4 of rain in the last 45 minutes.

Well, I'm bitchin'. It doesn't look as if it's going to do any good though. Stop ... Wait .... there are a few dark clouds in the sky. Doesn't look as if it'll come to much. Maybe I'm not bitchin' enough.




There, that ought to get me a sprinkle.

 

[squerly]

We got lots!

 

[EastTexFrank]

Damn!!! This bitchin' thing really works!!!

It got all dark and thunder was rolling around. My wife came in from town and said it was absolutely bucketing down about a mile from home. We didn't get a drop at the house.

Excuse me, I think that I need to go bitch some more ... only louder and longer this time.

 

[Cowboy]

Looks like were in for more needed rain in a few minutes. Have to take the bad with the good though, winds have been 65MPH for the last 15 minutes.

 

[muleman]

As sporadic as it has been lately you take any moisture that comes your way. We got a good one this week that helped a lot. Now in for a week of sunny hot days.

 

[pirate_girl]

There have been storms in the forecast all day here, but once they get to the Indiana/Ohio border, they fizzle out.

 

[muleman]

Looks on radar like the storms are in a due north travel for the better part of the day. Nothing showing east of Ohio so far.

 

[pirate_girl]

A couple of hours ago, there was hail and possible damaging winds coming in, with one reported possible tornado just into central Illinois.
That's all quieting down now.

 

[EastTexFrank]

I tell you that Cowboy's theory works.

Go bitch at the weather. I did.

We got 3-1/2" yesterday.

I had coffee with a buddy in town yesterday and told him of Cowboy's theory and how I was going home to try it. He called me at about 10 o'clock and I told him how well it had worked, we got a nice, gentle 1/2" of rain. He told me that they had just got 1-1/2" in about 15 minutes so would I please quit bitching, STFU and go to bed before he got flooded out. Can't keep everybody happy.

That storm came rolling over the house about 30 minutes later and bands of showers kept coming through all night. The lightening was worth watching too.

 

[Cowboy]

I tell you that Cowboy's theory works.

Go bitch at the weather. I did.

We got 3-1/2" yesterday.

I had coffee with a buddy in town yesterday and told him of Cowboy's theory and how I was going home to try it. He called me at about 10 o'clock and I told him how well it had worked, we got a nice, gentle 1/2" of rain. He told me that they had just got 1-1/2" in about 15 minutes so would I please quit bitching, STFU and go to bed before he got flooded out. Can't keep everybody happy.

That storm came rolling over the house about 30 minutes later and bands of showers kept coming through all night. The lightening was worth watching too.

Yup thats the tricky part Frank, you have to bitch just right so mother nature dont forget to shut the spicket OFF.

Glad to here you finally got some rain Frank, 3 1/2 inches is about what we totalled for the last week, nicely spread out and not a gully washer like most times its dry for so long.

The long term forcast for us is not looking good for any more rain well into July though.

 

[300 H and H]

I had 1.75" as I left for SD last week. it's hot here and windy for the second day. If we don't get more rains soon, we'll be back in the same condition we were a week ago. It was a very nice relief from the dry though.
It is beginning to look like a very long summer. Long range forecasts are not clear, but there is likely going to be a shortage of rain for a large part of the midwest, and lots of above average heat as well. Corn uses the most water in July and early August. Nearly 2" of water per week, we don't have now.

Regards, Kirk

 

[Cowboy]

I had 1.75" as I left for SD last week. it's hot here and windy for the second day. If we don't get more rains soon, we'll be back in the same condition we were a week ago. It was a very nice relief from the dry though.
It is beginning to look like a very long summer. Long range forecasts are not clear, but there is likely going to be a shortage of rain for a large part of the midwest, and lots of above average heat as well. Corn uses the most water in July and early August. Nearly 2" of water per week, we don't have now.

Regards, Kirk

Same here Kirk, even with the nice rains we had last week its dry as a bone here after the last two days in the high 90's and 30MPH winds, today is supposed to be worse and not much releif in sight.

My neighbor had a great wheat harvest this year , just did the second cutting of hay and has a nice stand of corn at this time but most of his fields are irrigated. Just curious if you folks use any kind of irrigation in your parts.

 

[muleman]

We got some rain off and on for the past 2 days. It will help the hay fields come back but the corn will need more as it grows. We are still very dry this year. There are a few farms in the flat valley going up to Rochester that irrigate but most ground around here is too hilly for it.