The Worst Drought in Decades
It has been two months since I posted “One Storm Can Change Everything“. That was the last – and only – significant rain event we have seen this year. Making…
A Year in the Life of a Farmer
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It has been two months since I posted “One Storm Can Change Everything“. That was the last – and only – significant rain event we have seen this year. Making…
6 weeks. That’s how much time has passed since the last significant rainfall came to us. That is the longest stretch without rain (at this time of the year) I…
Every year is different. Generally, you can classify years by how their weather patterns. Last year was dry, 2014 was wet, 2013 was cool and wet, 2012 was hot and…
A lack of precipitation coupled with warm and windy conditions has caused a great deal of drying on our soils. What started out as near-perfect conditions for planting has since become concerning. Every day gets dustier and dustier.
Here’s the reality: we simply don’t know what the year will bring. Everything we do now is based on our best guesses of how the year may pan out. Today, there is moisture in the ground, the soil temperature is over 5 degrees, and the fields are plenty dry enough to run equipment over them. That’s why we’re seeding.
While 30 degree days are wonderful out on the lake, they are critically damaging to growing crops. In a dry year like this one, moderate temperatures are sorely needed.
For the first time in quite a few years, 2015 is shaping up to be a little on the drier side. Despite the drier bias, the effects of excess moisture still linger, with failing roads, full sloughs and a disturbing rise in soil salinity.
A year ago today, harvest was nearly finished. It was the tenth of October that we completed our final field, which happened to be a very late crop of durum.…