talin
Yearling
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Storms
May 25, 2015 17:36:38 GMT -6
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Post by talin on May 25, 2015 17:36:38 GMT -6
To all of those who are battling storms and flooding my thoughts are with you please be safe!! We are storming again tonight fortunately the cattle all have good sense are high up the hills in the woods.
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Storms
May 25, 2015 21:26:05 GMT -6
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Post by whiteface on May 25, 2015 21:26:05 GMT -6
This has got to be the wettest month of May i've ever seen. I know 1993 was worse but the rains came later in June and July. One more 3-5inch rain and we'll have serious flooding problems here. We can't get anything done farming wise. All of the corn is in but only about 5% of the soybeans are planted. Usually we're nearing 95% done here by June 1. Everyone is stressed out and frustrated. Even getting cattle to pasture was a chore. Seemed like it rained every Saturday when we could do it. I think we got stuck 3 times. AI was also interesting. Tornadoes screwed up the first round so had to short cycle them the next week. Muddiest lots I've ever had in the spring, tromping through knee high mud sorting cattle to put in cidrs, take them out and give a shot of lute and then get them back in for 3 days straight morning and night to AI. Again, every time it rained.
Did I mention I'm from Kansas. We were begging for a rain in April. Now we're cussing it. Yep that does sound like Kansas actually.
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Deleted
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Storms
May 26, 2015 8:40:45 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 8:40:45 GMT -6
I feel for anyone affected by the weather right now. A lot of people here probably know first hand how hard a flood or drought is to deal with and for some their means of making a living can drastically be affected by it. Prayers for those impacted right now
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Storms
May 26, 2015 9:44:43 GMT -6
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Post by George on May 26, 2015 9:44:43 GMT -6
I feel for anyone affected by the weather right now. A lot of people here probably know first hand how hard a flood or drought is to deal with and for some their means of making a living can drastically be affected by it. Prayers for those impacted right now Local reports of 18 to 20 inches of rain so far in May, with a chance of rain in the forecast every day for the next 10 days. After periods of prolonged drought over the last 10 years and a 2014 where one place got less than 10 inches of rainfall for the year, this REALLY wet spell has been very welcome, as far as I'm concerned! It has kept me from working and moving cows, but grass is lush as I have ever seen it and even if it is watery, most of the cows are doing OK. The ones with calves on them are still a little thin. I've seen a number of folks wishing for the rain to stop. I fight that tendency myself, but I only have to remember the words of my late uncle, who suffered through the drought of the 1950s as a farmer/rancher. When my Dad asked him, after the drought buster finally came and it had rained like crazy for several days, including a 9 inch record for one day, if my uncle was ready for the rain to stop, my uncle simply replied, "Let 'er slosh!" So, after having my playhouse completely torn up by drought over the last ten years, I'm much like my uncle! "Let 'er slosh!" But I am on high ground with no real threat of flooding - or watching my house or cars being washed down the creek. We have sustained significant damage from hail to the buildings and the vehicles - with more severe thunderstorms in the forecast today. But the cows have managed to dodge the golfball to baseball size hail, so far.
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Deleted
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Storms
May 26, 2015 10:15:41 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 10:15:41 GMT -6
Weather all around the country right now is kind of messed up. My brother is trying to find a way back to the town he lives in Wyoming after being in Colorado over the weekend. The only road into town from the south is closed due to a mud slide: www.kcwy13.com/home/headlines/Mudslides-Block-Highway-20-through-the-Wind-River-Canyon-304948371.html Sounds like they are going to have to take a lengthy detour around and up to the north and hope there aren't any other passes closed that way too because 1 way or another they have to go through a mountain valley to get home.
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talin
Yearling
Posts: 201
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Storms
May 26, 2015 18:35:00 GMT -6
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Post by talin on May 26, 2015 18:35:00 GMT -6
Agree probably over 35 souls lost in the past weekend. My heart goes out I still remember my Grandfather preaching if you can't see the pavement you can't drive on it I think the long drought has a whole generation that is unaware of the dangers. My 10 yo didn't have rain boots hadn't needed them since a 2yo. SPH hope your family can make it back safely. Hear in Houston nothing is moving you are stuck at work or home. Glenn happy for you a big change from last year
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Storms
May 26, 2015 20:48:54 GMT -6
Post by George on May 26, 2015 20:48:54 GMT -6
I can testify that it is certainly "sloshing" right now in Stephenville, TX! Wow!
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Storms
May 26, 2015 20:57:06 GMT -6
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Post by Deleted on May 26, 2015 20:57:06 GMT -6
Brother made it home after a 3 hour detour. One of his friends had to leave tonight for a work trip that normally is a 1 hour drive but with the mud slide now is a 4 hour drive. The things we take for granted humbles you when you walk on someone else's shoes
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Storms
May 26, 2015 21:26:12 GMT -6
Post by George on May 26, 2015 21:26:12 GMT -6
Brother made it home after a 3 hour detour. One of his friends had to leave tonight for a work trip that normally is a 1 hour drive but with the mud slide now is a 4 hour drive. The things we take for granted humbles you when you walk on someone else's shoes Does your brother live in Thermopolis?
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Deleted
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Storms
May 27, 2015 9:56:21 GMT -6
mehf likes this
Post by Deleted on May 27, 2015 9:56:21 GMT -6
Brother made it home after a 3 hour detour. One of his friends had to leave tonight for a work trip that normally is a 1 hour drive but with the mud slide now is a 4 hour drive. The things we take for granted humbles you when you walk on someone else's shoes Does your brother live in Thermopolis? Yup, home of the world's largest hot springs. Beautiful place out there but about as boring of a drive as it gets once you get west of Lincoln, NE
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Storms
May 27, 2015 11:30:41 GMT -6
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Post by George on May 27, 2015 11:30:41 GMT -6
Does your brother live in Thermopolis? Yup, home of the world's largest hot springs. Beautiful place out there but about as boring of a drive as it gets once you get west of Lincoln, NE LOL! That is not a boring drive! When you think of the folks that traveled that route along the Oregon and Mormon Trail, there is so much history there! And the Wind River Canyon ain't too shabby for scenery...but I would take any opportunity to drive through the Bighorn Mountains(any one of the three major routes), even if it caused me to drive 200 miles out of the way. You just need to take an extra day and make a mini-vacation out of it! So much neat stuff to see - if you haven't stopped!
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Post by hoekland on May 27, 2015 12:57:24 GMT -6
Sorry for all thad had losses, but would give my front teeth for a good storm, had 0.02" since 5 November no grazing left whatsoever, no hay, no straw, no grain, nothing and it will be winter in a few days
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Storms
May 27, 2015 14:07:15 GMT -6
Post by Deleted on May 27, 2015 14:07:15 GMT -6
Yup, home of the world's largest hot springs. Beautiful place out there but about as boring of a drive as it gets once you get west of Lincoln, NE LOL! That is not a boring drive! When you think of the folks that traveled that route along the Oregon and Mormon Trail, there is so much history there! And the Wind River Canyon ain't too shabby for scenery...but I would take any opportunity to drive through the Bighorn Mountains(any one of the three major routes), even if it caused me to drive 200 miles out of the way. You just need to take an extra day and make a mini-vacation out of it! So much neat stuff to see - if you haven't stopped! It's a 14 hour trip 1 way for me to drive there and that isn't really counting if you make any extended stops along the way. Usually break it up into a 2 day trip when I do go. The first time or 2 isn't so bad because you'll make stops and see things but there literally is nothing but empty flat land for some long stretches in NE and WY and you might pass through a "town" that says pop. 10 or 20 from time to time in WY that is nothing more than a few buildings. We've done a day trip to Yellowstone 1 time while there too. The mountain valley there is a pretty awesome sight though. First trip I made out there we spent an afternoon floating down river on tubes. Very peaceful and relaxing and get to take in some beautiful scenery. Probably people here that have the same thing to deal with but the nearest retailer like Wal-Mart or Target is over an hour away from where he lives so if you need any major purchases either have to make a special trip or order it online. Something I probably take for granted as I don't have to drive more than a few minutes to get to one.
He went out there right after college as an elementary teacher, got tired of the small town school politics making his job unenjoyably and quit teaching after 5 years, married a local girl there and is probably in line to take over the business he works for in town when their head guy eventually so doubt he moves back this way any time soon. Funny thing is he gets annoyed when dad has some fun job for him to do on the farm when he comes home, I just tell him to suck it up because the rest of year I'm the one that gets stuck with all the other crappy jobs so feel fortunate the most work he gets asked to help out with is maybe a day's worth. Then again I own some of the cattle and he doesn't own any so he may have a point there but as dad tells him he still has the same last name and that's enough to get some work out of him!
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Storms
May 31, 2015 12:33:32 GMT -6
Post by tartancowgirl on May 31, 2015 12:33:32 GMT -6
Although our storms are maybe not as dramatic as in other parts of the world, Scottish farmers, especially in the west, are really struggling just now. It may be the end of May but it's no warmer than it was in February and we are still coping with very wet and windy conditions. There is currently a severe weather warning for Scotland tomorrow night for very high winds and heavy rain, and maximum temperatures are still around 10 degrees C, so there has been very little grass growth. Many people have cattle still in buildings and even sheep are still being fed even if outside. We are also looking at the possibility of very light or non existent hay crops. Fortunately we made a lot of forage last year and still have some left but it is not very good quality - and we are lucky that our Herefords can survive on very little. It seems that weather patterns are changing in most parts of he world!
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talin
Yearling
Posts: 201
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Post by talin on May 31, 2015 19:10:13 GMT -6
TartanGirl I am sorry it's one thing to know it will stop raining another to worry about no forage for a year prayers are with you that it will warm up quickly and the weather forecasters are pessimistic
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Storms
May 31, 2015 20:09:31 GMT -6
Post by guffeygal on May 31, 2015 20:09:31 GMT -6
Sorry for all thad had losses, but would give my front teeth for a good storm, had 0.02" since 5 November no grazing left whatsoever, no hay, no straw, no grain, nothing and it will be winter in a few days Harley, We are so sorry that you are experiencing such a sever drought. We really hope that you can save the majority of your herd. There is just no feeling more hopeless than being in something like that. Something that you just have zero control over. Keep us posted on how is is going. Meanwhile, we will keep our fingers crossed for you.
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Storms
Jun 1, 2015 7:47:23 GMT -6
Post by tartancowgirl on Jun 1, 2015 7:47:23 GMT -6
Sorry for all thad had losses, but would give my front teeth for a good storm, had 0.02" since 5 November no grazing left whatsoever, no hay, no straw, no grain, nothing and it will be winter in a few days Really hope it will improve for you. Drought must be worse than too much rain...
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Post by Glenn on Jun 1, 2015 8:35:00 GMT -6
I agree drought is worse. We are "officially" out of ours thanks to these rains but know the heartache and frustration of wanting more than anything for a rain and not being able to get it. It is devastating emotionally.
I hate giving advice because everyone's situation is unique, but having just been through a horrible 5 year period. I would say if I had it to do over, I would have feed a little more hay to help the cows (even though it was ridiculously priced) and to maybe have been able to keep a few more head. The year after year culling leaves you with such a small herd and even though you think you are choosing the right ones to cull, each time you do you lose a little genetic base.
It's just a terrible deal and my heart goes out to anyone going through it.
Hang in there Harley!
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Storms
Jun 1, 2015 9:45:26 GMT -6
Post by tartancowgirl on Jun 1, 2015 9:45:26 GMT -6
Storm is hitting us now - every bit as bad if not worse than the many we get in winter. Trees are now in leaf so there will be some brought down I think. Our cattle are out but should be OK I hope, except for two heifers inside one newly calved, one still to calve. Is it just me or do Herefords like to calve in stormy weather? Most of our calves have been born in bad weather and one only has to look at the numbers of Herefords called "Storm"!
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Post by postoak1 on Jun 1, 2015 11:17:51 GMT -6
I live in South Carolina and we average 48 inches of rain per year, but it seems like 90% of that rain comes between November and early March when very little grows.
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Jun 1, 2015 13:02:02 GMT -6
Post by hoekland on Jun 1, 2015 13:02:02 GMT -6
We've been having a proper winter storm since Friday night, but so far only 5mm (0.2") of rain.
Glenn, that is good advice, but there is absolutely no more hay or even straw available anywhere close. Been getting chaff once a week, but not enough to last for a week from the local silos, but there is a waiting list as long as the Nile just to get on the waiting list.
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Storms
Jun 1, 2015 18:06:28 GMT -6
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Post by George on Jun 1, 2015 18:06:28 GMT -6
Sorry to hear you are in drought, Harley. Hope you get relief soon. The rains in May here finally broke our drought here, but the effect on my pasture will last for several more years, especially in the warm full season native grasses. I'm probably going to reseed some pastures.
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Jun 2, 2015 0:01:17 GMT -6
Post by hoekland on Jun 2, 2015 0:01:17 GMT -6
It's raining at the moment with more in the forcast, but after a drought like this it doesn't simply rain grass so we'll be struggling for some time yet.
I've planted as much winter grazing as I could, some of it has been waiting to germinate since late March, carefully optimistic that we'll still get decent germination, but it is cold already.
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Post by hoekland on Jun 3, 2015 11:56:46 GMT -6
Very relieved to report we had 31mm yesterday and its raining softly at the moment. Hopefully we have a slight warm up with a timely follow up rain!
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Storms
Jun 3, 2015 17:51:29 GMT -6
Post by mehf on Jun 3, 2015 17:51:29 GMT -6
Hoekland, Good to hear that you are finally receiving some good ol H20! By the way, where are you located? And, best wishes for more rain out your way.
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