I ended up working a 12 hour shift yesterday and by the time I got home last night was beat so I didn't get to post as I had planned or catch up on comments.
Apparently the wild fires in Western Canada have been adding at least to the hazy conditions down this way from the smoke plume. It's made for some really pretty moon views though at least on the few nights the clouds actually go away and the moon can be seen.
Supposedly this Spring has been the 5th wettest on record for Missouri. That's the state average though and only tells part of the story.
The top graph shows us as having had Springs in the same rainfall amounts back in 95 and 81. So it has been at least 20 years since Missouri has been hit this bad with rain, It would also explain why it has been the worse so far by my observations because back in 95 I wouldn't have even noticed it more than likely.
However those are state averages. A closer look at the actual amounts puts the epicenter of this event only about 60 miles or so (to one edge of it anyway) North and East of the Small-Hold.
At least we are not right in the middle of it, only within the Blue bands here but it looks like Northeast Missouri and Western Illinois were getting really clobbered in June. I haven't seen any overall figures for July yet of course. What this tells me is that while this is the fifth wettest year on record for the state, this event is in fact more than likely the wettest year for North Central and Northeast Missouri ever on record. More than likely Western Illinois and parts of Southeast central Missouri as well.
Radar estimates for May and June for Missouri do show several hotspots though.
Believe it or not we actually got more rain yesterday again with sprinkles in the morning and some showers last night. Thankfully this latest front actually began dying out as it came East and spared us from a real downpour last night.
I talked to a couple of my neighbor farmers last night and they have already returned their Soybean seed for the credit as it is now too late to plant it. Although South of us along the rive bottoms there is a lot of corn that has been flooded out very few managed to even get their corn in around here. Up into those light blue and white areas though is Big Corn and Milo country and judging by the size of the blue areas both in Missouri and Illinois I am betting it is a wide enough area to have some effect on overall prices through into next year and beyond.
One advantage to having all the old farmers lounging around chatting among themselves and unable to plant has been that a few are taking a mild interest in my quest for old implements. They helped me find the rake I recently purchased and now they are giving me several lines on an old baler to go with it.
I might actually have a baler in time to attempt the next cutting of the Alfalfa which should be cut about now as it is blooming once again. I am going to give it another week or so and see but the forecast now is for at least five days of dry weather. Perhaps this wet rainy hell is coming to an end?
Yes I am knocking on my wooden desk right now.
Oh and the good news? The ewe with the bloated ballooned up jowls? Her swelling was way down last night and she was up and running around like normal. I think we finally found a treatment that helped her and she will survive now. I just hope the worst of this is over.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!
The crops here are doing good but that won't help anyone as they aren't sold for the most part as they are used by the grower for their own animals. Not sure if anyone is getting hay of much quality as it rains so much.
ReplyDeleteSf - Rain is hell on hay crops that's for sure. Many of my neighbors got their wheat in this year during the last dry spell but the lack of a soybean crop from Missouri could actually effect prices. As agriculture goes Missouri isn't the leader in much but it does hit above it's weight class in Soybean production I am told.
DeletePP We had smoke here the other day after a storm moved through it was rough visibility was down to a couple miles, next day it was gone. It was reported here that our crops are ahead this year due to early spring and the prices are up so the farmers in MN and Western Wis should make good money this year. The wheat around here is almost ready to harvest, I think a month early.
ReplyDeleteRob - Ya I would bet the farmers up that way will make a killing this year.
DeleteSounds like your having a year like we had in 2012 where it seemed to rain all spring and summer. I didn't get hay made until september that year. What do you think- which is better too dry or too wet?
ReplyDeleteKev - Well ya know droughts are more frequent I think. I have never lived through rain this bad and although droughts seem much harder on the bees am thinking in general a one year drought maybe easier to live through than this much rain. Int he long run a drought would maybe be worse but for a season I think this much rain would more than likely be more devastating overall.
DeleteI believe we had the wettest May ever on record around these parts.
ReplyDeleteTB - It has been terrible everywhere hasn't it?
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