The weather here has continued to be a challenge. Yesterday at about 2:30 in the afternoon it started.
At 5:00 it was still going on…If you look at the map, we live between Decorah and Waterloo. The red tornado warning box near Waterloo had my son in a cooler in the UNI college cafeteria with about 20 other students. Thankful there was no damage near him..but areas to the north and west of there sustained damage.
Then we got hail… We didn’t get lots but it was enough to make us wonder if it would get worse or do damage. We had torrential rain too.
We had on and off breaks in and out of thunder storm warnings. At 8:00 it was back to torrential rain. This time with lots of lightening and high winds. That’s when Hubby said there went the alfalfa crop it’s now all flat. They have had alfalfa that needs to be cut to make hay but they can’t get in the fields to do it.
Farm crops are still not in. At this point they have about half of the crops in. They have had a day and half in the last three weeks to work in the field. It’s the worst it’s ever been that Hubby can remember.
A week or so ago they had meetings with farmers and insurance companies. Many farmer around here may be forced to leave some ground not planted and take the insurance money. Every day that goes by without fields being planted means we are closer and closer to land going unplanted. At this point, we are to where there are not enough growing days to get the crop mature. The guys here are progressive farmers. They operate on good tiled ground. The weather is just not cooperating.
It’s hard to go places where lots of our farming friends are. There is just a cloud of gloom over everyone. How can it not be when day after day they look at forecasts like this.
You may say that we have hope..there is only a 30% chance. Honestly, we have gotten rain on NUMEROUS days when there was only a 10% chance…and lately for us, as those 30% days get closer the rain chances are upped to 80%.
When we traveled to Minnesota over the weekend, Hubby and I spent the time looking out at fields. In places where farmers did get the planting done the corn is coming up but it is so spotty. In some places the corn didn’t even come up. We saw field after field with only half of the corn up. The rest, because of the rain, has rotten in the ground. It’s not a good year to be a farmer.
As I type this it is almost 9 pm. Our tornado watch was suppose to be over…but no, it was extended until 11 pm. Last year I prayed for rain…I guess I prayed a little too hard. I am learning though. I am not praying for the rain to end. I am praying for favorable weather.
I’m sorry. :( I know the stress of farming and I hope everyone there manages this year with the smaller crop and having to get insurance money instead. It’s never as much as a good crop will make. We managed to get all of our crops out but now a big portion are dead from being drowned out.
i admire the way you deal with all this! i will help pray for good weather, even though i live on the other side of the world!
X Winda
We had tornadoes in our area last week. Of course we do not have the amount of farmers as you do in your area, but it sure does make for a few scary days. But we do really need the rain, at least here.
Growing up a farmers daughter and having 2 sons who now farm I totally understand your frustration with the weather. Farming is one of the biggest gambles depending on the weather which you have no control over. We got those storms you talked about here in Michigan late last night and certainly didn’t need more rain either. I hope the rain stops soon for you and that you will be able to get your crops planted.
It’s hard to believe that two years can be so completely opposite. Wonder what’s in store for us next year??? I’m almost afraid to find out.
Glad my husband is retired. We farmed rice. We loved it when it rain. But not the hail. People just don’t know how much a farmer plays in feeding them. If you don’t support a farmer the world will starve.
Crazy weather all over this year…..
Stay safe.
So sorry to read this. M
I hear you! Scary weather in your part of the country! On the eastern side of Washington, we have the opposite problem, drought. Of course, all it takes is for us to cut the hay to get some rain – not enough to do anything but insure the hay will yucky. Prayers for you.
Well that’s pretty bad! and bad for all of us who depend on the food the farmers are producing.
And here I am always fussing about how dry it is for us! Funny, we can have 80% chance of rain and never get a drop. I know that your wet weather is as much of a problem as our drought. So many ranchers here have had to sell and stop ranching all together. Never could figure out why there were programs for farmers and not for ranchers. Hope y’all dry out, but even then, I know your window of opportunity to grow crops will be closed. Would just make me want to cry to see those crops rotting in the fields. Wish we could just channel your water this way. Y’all stay safe.