Bone Dry

[jinman]

I've got cracks up to an inch wide everywhere and I'm just south of Dallas.

I haven't had more than a trace in over a month.

We are just NW of Dallas and we got .4 in on Sunday morning. I have a neighbor who has about 100 acres of bottom land and does haying. It seems he just gets his hay baled and out of the field before it's time to do it all again. I think he's on the 4th cutting this year. I'd bet he'll be on the 5th cutting before the end of this month. I think he is getting a cutting per month, but I wouldn't swear to it.

 

[jimg]

Its a good thing you all are making hay in TX b/c the rest of the S is going to need it this winter/spring.

 

[N80]

N80...its raining cats/dog and blowing to beat the band in NC right now. Holy smoke...the pines look ready to snap off. LOL...its been a while since Ive seen sideways rain (or rain for that matter). Now, if we could shift that W a few hundred miles....looks like the WBIR w/e forecast is calling for a fairly good chance of rain. Hope that pans out!

Well, it broke up just south of Charlotte and we did not get a drop. They're calling for afternoon showers later today. Fingers crossed.

 

[dbdartman]

I really wish I could send of you arid guys some of ours. We've only had 3" since Sunday! And it's still drizzling here! Been chilly too, not getting out of the mid 60's since Sunday (yesterday's high was 61° ).

 

[jimg]

N80...that storm last night was mostly wind and only a few minutes of gully washer rain. Well...at least it was something. Looks like we could have nightly boomers the remainder of the week.

dbdartman...Me too as we could use some extended period of gentle rain. Id just as soon you all keep the chilly weather though. I dont miss NE winters that much since Ive been south.

 

[dieselalles]

Check out US Drought Monitor and
NCDC: Drought Termination and Amelioration

And this caught my eye from a NWS weather report...

WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT RAINFALL RELIEF IN THE NEXT WEEK OR TWO...THE
AREA WILL LIKELY BE UPGRADED TO AN EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT OR D4 WHICH
IS A ONCE-IN-FIFTY YEAR DROUGHT.

FWIW, it seems that every rain cloud that rolls through and around Wilson County misses us here in the LaGuardo community. One of my neighbors must not be living that clean, wholesome life....

Hay production is a third, or worse, of what it should have been. Some have held on with the hayfields located in bottom land where there is the most moisture. Ponds are for the most part all dried up. Large cracks in the pastures like I've never seen before.

This reminds me of dry years while living in North Texas.

 

[QRTRHRS]

Here in north eastern PA, it does not look good for hay availability and prices going through the winter. Except for this year, the last few have been too wet going into the first hay crop so it was hard to get it in on time. Then it was dry afterwards.

This year has been just plain dry. While our quality is great, quanity is pitiful.

I squeaked by last winter on 3x3x8 bales though my wife hates them due to the handling. My supplier should be able to keep me going but it is going to be costly.

The rain we have had this week is a godsend for our pastures. I have been starting to cut back on grazing for the more expensive dry paddocks due to having to use yet more hay.

I can usually buy hay from New York or Canada, albeit at a price. What do you have to do then in Tennessee?

 

[jimg]

The rain predicted for last w/e never much materialized down my way. Right now it looks like late day hit/miss showers is all we can count on for moisture. Unless we get some steady rains soon the beef and dairy farmers are going to have it tough this winter w/ feed costs. Theyve been cutting hay that looks more like straw that can be baled almost immediately.

Right now my fields are mostly dormant and dryed up. I thoight about clipping them but decided to wait another month to see if it might rain enough to refresh them. Perhaps a 2nd cut could be gotten right before first frost (if that comes around the normal time). The only green on may place is around the pond.

At least its not as hot as it was. LOL....its pretty sad when low 90s/upper 80s starts to feel cool.

 

[N80]

We've had big thunderstorms rambling around all over the state, but not more than a drop or two at my house. Going on four weeks now without measurable rain (at my house).

I'm going to get a cactus.

 

[JRobyn]

2" in the gauge just south of Gainesboro last Saturday!! Woohoo!

 

[jimg]

The forecast for this w/e is looking better...50-60% chance of rain Thurs & Fri. + temps will be relaxing a good bit.

Knox Co & TNFB are putting up $20k to import Canadian hay so somebody is going to get a little break.

 

[dieselalles]

We've received a good bit of rain off and on since mid-afternoon. This evening it has rained for the last hour. A good steady soaking rain. It won't fix anything but it should put a small dent in our deficit. I've been worried lately that someone might drive by the woods by our place and flick a cigarette butt out the window.

This afternoon when it started to rain, I walked out to the pasture, enjoying the cool rain for the first time since early June. And I was loving it. But what did the silly cows do? They were running for trees to take cover.

 

[Erik_in_Hoyt]

Depends on what side of the road you're on in NE Ks.
had 2" of rain last week in half the pasture, none in the other half, and 4 miles away where we're building the house, the pond is down 4'.

On the plus side - we got rain the week before cutting hay, so even though it was a late cutting, I got decent brome out of it. Then my main customer changed her mind about buying so I've got 275 sm sq bales left sitting in the barn.
Would have had more, but some local 2 legged locusts helped themselves to the field before I could get it all hauled out.

 

[radman1]

Here in eastern Nebraska, we have had a wetter than usual spring and late summer. We did have little to no rain for about 3-4 weeks, but otherwise above normal for the entire year. The pastures are the greenest I have ever seen for this time of year. We had about 4" in the past month. Farm crops look very good to excellent this year, even the non-irrigated crops with probably near record production. Crops prices are very good due to increased ethanol demand.

 

[jimg]

Its rained much of the day now...from fire hose intensity to gentle soaking. I hope it continues and perhaps there will be a very late cut of hay. I know that would help out a good bit.

 

[tallyho8]

We've had severe thunderstorms 9 out of the last 10 days. An hour ago lightning hit the tree in front of my sons house and blew out his 2 tvs and his computer monitor and no telling what else. He had his monitor plugged into a battery back-up and it was supposed to be lightning proof. And just when he was starting to get his life back in order from Katrina.