I just don't get it this year. We went from getting all our rain at once before Spring, then nothing to the point everyone was worried it was going to be a drought year. Then all of a sudden it started raining about the end of April and didn't stop until July.
Everything was flooded including the East side of the barn to the point we couldn't even use the stalls on that side.
Then it stopped once again and we basically got no rain for almost three months. Everything dried out to the point I couldn't even dig out a few post holes a week or so ago. I was stirring up dust six inches into the ground.
Now here we go again. I can't even tell you how much rain we have gotten since yesterday as my gauge is completely over flowed. The barn is once again starting to flood and it was raining so hard this evening I couldn't even give the rams and ewes grain.I just doubled up on their hay I fed them from inside.
Getting all this rain at once is really messing things up. Nothing here is designed for deluges of this amount. I dug out a new trench in front of the barn after the last down pour which was still working this morning but by this evening the flow had once again gotten so bad it was coming in like a creek. This time of year it's going to take months to dry the stalls back out.
It's like the weather went from variable to simply an off and on switch this year around here and not just for the rain either it's the same with temperatures. The grass is so green right now people are still out mowing even with the months of drought we are coming out of.
Oh well at least maybe I will be able to get out and finish those post holes now. Maybe.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!!!!
Its the same here, we are being hit tonight with the third storm in just over a week, The turkey run ha been smashed down in the wind and the windows of the turkey shed have blown in, I was rounding up turkeys by torch light this evening, I dread to see the damage in the morning
ReplyDeleteDawn - Ack!!! Turkey rounding at night in the rain doesn't sound fun at all!!!
DeleteThe biggest issue I have are the roof panels on the barn.Seems like I am constantly needing to climb up there and make repairs.
I saw on TV where you guys were getting it again, it is supposed to be here late tomorrow. We don't need any more rain as it hasn't ever dried from the last hard one. Probably has to do with global cooling, which is actually what is going on despite the government propaganda. If this keeps up then we will get some big snows this winter.
ReplyDeleteSf - Well we need the rain. Just not so much coming down so fast IMO. I could do with some cooler Summer temps but of course I would prefer the Winters stay warmer and wetter :)
DeleteHere in SW France we have had a similar weather pattern this year. We have a river running along side us which never goes down to a dribble but this year it nearly did, and our grazing was nil which meant having to give hay to the animals. Last year we had patches of rain all the way through the summer so everything remained green.
ReplyDeleteVera - Well all the early rain we got carried us through the dry spell but it played merry hell on getting in the first two hay crops. With the last rain we got the other day and then the one today the [pastures are greening up again nicely. Of course this weekend is suppose to be our first real cold snap so it will all go brown again after this.
Deleteif you follow the barn flood to the main source can you dig a diversion? prevent it happening again,esp. if there comes another wet spring it will be bad for the lambs.
ReplyDeletethere has to be a way.
maybe build a pond and divert to it. you can water garden during dust bowls. lot of work but in the long run easier as you age.
also was reading about constructing small swales in permaculture. may be good for your situation?
ReplyDeletedeborah - Well no a pond or any diversion is out of the question because the water is coming down the drive. What has happened is over the years of adding in more gravel etc. has raised the drive level above the barn entrance. What it needs is to be scooped out and redone but that is going to require me to hire someone with a bobcat at the very least. Need to get the drive level down below the barn entrance level once again.
DeleteIt's frustrating when it does that. A little more balanced would be nice. It is raining here today too. I guess the good thing is the ground has been soft so it was easier to weed the garden and pull out all the summer plant remains when I went in this weekend.
ReplyDeleteLisa - My gardens are in terrible shape. The wife's illness and my fence project combined with the rains meant I let em go to weeds. Gonna take me forever to get em whipped into shape again.
DeleteIt was insanly dry this summer and we were having unseasonly warm weather for november but two days ago the winds came at all day today I was working outside in temps that were -8C before wind chill and a sustained winds of 60-70km per hour and a gust speed over 100km/hr..... thats about 60mph
ReplyDeleteExile1981