rain, complain

Been very warm & dry in SE PA all week. And I was at my pay-the-big-bills job all week too. Mowed 2nd hay Thursday night cause the alfalfa is blooming. 2 nights in a row now, the thunderstorms have rolled thru. We did not get more than 1/4" either night, which is lucky of course, as the heavy rain missed us to the north. But I can't sleep with the thunder and hay down. Being a weekend hay farmer has not been easy, weather wise.

Years ago I told Dad (mid 80"s) I had to go get a job in town to make ends meet.Dad said it will never work to work in town and farm like I was. I had 80 sows,farrow to finish, 60 cows a few sheep and corn and beans to tend to.

I got lucky and found a job in a shop where I could come and go as I please. So spring and falls I took time off for a couple of weeks for planting and harvest. I worked my butt off for the shop when I could. Working 40 hours plus a week and getting the chores done left little time for fun things.All day Saturday and Sunday afternoons I was grinding feed and hauling manure.

I did this for 14 years till dad died in 99 suddenly and I took over his farm as well.

I quit the shopback in 99 and only farmed but told the boss if he gets in a bind to give me a call. I just worked the last 2 weeks in the weld shop for the old boss to show my graditude for him getting me thru the 80"s. I worked there 6 weeks last winter.

I guess the reason I say all of this is never complain about the rain as a farmer. With no rain you will have nothing. I learned you can"t control mother nature you just have to get the job done when she will let you.

If this drought gets worse here I may be in the weld shop full time again.

Be happy for your rain.

Gary

We finally got some rain in the middle of the night in northern Indiana. Don't know how much though. Lasted a good half hour though at least. Not hard, but good and steady. First one of those in a long while. This morning aff that is bright yellow or brown is good and soaked. Time to get showered and dressed and go take a look.

I don't get the whole thing. Cool fronts come through, supposed to give us rain, and nothing. Then I hear that folks in Minnesota or Kankakee, IL get five or so inches dumped on them that alleviates some of the drought, and then causes problems because of the amount all at once. If it could just be shared somehow. But, the weather guy last night is showing rain here through Tuesday. But then again, he has been showing rain off and on for... We are down to 1.5" for the month, although I don't know who got 1.5", down something like 3.5" average for the month.

My brother-in-law, Dane, is convinced that China is controlling it with satellites. I thought he was joking at first, but he aint. So when I know he's listening but doesn't know that I know that he's listening, I feed it, muttering stuff under my breath. Makes my sister call me and ask me why I get him all cranked up like that. Of course I ask, "Me? Huh? What? Did what? Cranked up again, you say? He is? Noooo". Grin

Mark

Gary if he wants to complain about the rain he should come to this part of Kansas where the corn is turning brown and pastures are gone, beans not far behind. 30 MPH winds and 108 degrees and no rain for over a month will cook anything. Including your spirit.

Jim

Mark,same here! the windmills at fowler are diverting the rains to the north and south of us ! maybe china owns the windmills ? ha ha .

same in southeast ill good start just no rain to make a crop

In NE IN we finally got a little rain last night and this morning. First in more than a month. 95+ and even 106 one day isn't helping. Our beans are done and out. Corn is rolled up tight and turning brown and yellow. Yards are catching on fire everywhere. Fourth of July just around the corner and no fireworks any where around us.

Know what you mean, own my own truck, ran over the road 27 yrs. and farm. Always got time off to put crop in and take off. Always made money with the truck, not always farming!

The farm 15 miles southeast of Muncie got 3/4 inch yesterday afternoon from that derecho storm system. On Indy's westside we got 1/10th. at 4 AM this morning.

It is so dry here in Missouri one field I drive by going to town which was hayed just a week or so ago looks more like dessert sand then hay. Bet if that field so much as sees a flame it will burn up about 100 plus acres

Well, your wisdom is sound of course. And I know if I actually farmed for a living, the stress would be much higher. I tedded and raked and tedded again today. It finally got hot and sunny but at 2:30pm a cloud bank rolled over and a few drops fell. I ran 4 bales thru the baler but they were about 26% moisture. No way dry enough. Sun is out now at 5:30, but its pretty much too late. I guess try again tomorrow and hope Ohio's rain doesn't get here.