I took this picture of the stormy skies to the south of me last evening. These thunderstorms make for some impressive sky photos.
Summer 2010 is starting out even wetter than spring. Its been a losing battle. Ground that I could work in April is now either under water or too muddy to drive through. Things usually work the opposite in a normal year. I've managed to get mostly caught up with crop spraying by working in far less than ideal conditions. Some days were too windy but I tried to avoid working beside any of the neighbour's susceptible crops. Makes for poor relations.
The ground was always too muddy but I pressed on with 4wd and managed to drag the sprayer through without incident. The ruts I made last week now have water in them from recent rains.
I finally realized that the destruction in the yard while I was away Friday was caused by a hail storm. Broken tree leaves, satellite dish cable and multiple dents in the metal roof of my porch finally clued me in. Strangely enough I can't see any crop damage. Still one more field to check though. To show just how local these storms can be, I was only 8 miles away spraying a crop when this thunder/hail storm hit my yard and there was nothing fell where I was working.
Between crop spraying and thunderstorms we were able to get all last year's spring wheat hauled to Viterra. Six semi loads that would have taken me a week with my old IH but only a long afternoon with today's semis and grain vac. Expensive but time is money too.
All the unseeded acreage in the country is starting to affect grain prices as the market begins to realize there may not be enough grain out there to satisfy the demand. Thats good news for anyone with a good crop growing or old grain in the bins.
Grass is growing like crazy and theres a tremdous crop of hay and pasture out there but I hardly dare start cutting until this wet weather eases up a bit. Those heavy swaths of grass will take forever to dry and will likely rot before they can be baled.
Mosquitos are becoming a real problem for any outdoor activities.
You know, Ralph, I doubt if most city people have any idea the monkey-wrench that weather can throw in a farmer's work (and his livelihood). I remember the summer that we were in a horrible drought, despite it SPRINKLING every weekend. The kids that do the weather down at the local station were complaining about how it was the rainiest summer they could remember!
ReplyDeleteI like your photo! Changes in weather make beautiful photos. The ground is really drying out fast here. We have a bit of a west wind and the hay is curing quickly. I noticed when I was talking to one of the silage truck driver there was a cloud of Mosquitos hovering around him!
ReplyDeleteHi, Clouds are amazing and certainly have a meaning.
ReplyDeleteAs a farm child I lay on my back for hours looking at the clouds, it brings peace to the mind.
Yet a farmer doesn't have the privilege of dreaming when work MUST be done...
Through all the problems the joy of seeing your own efforts reap a harvest are worth it.
Like a mother in labour, once its over... all you see is the blessing.