For you PNW folks and others, the weather

[Alan]

While you folks in the east and south east have taken a pounding with this years winter weather, here in the Pacific Northwest I can't remember a more gentle winter. Record warm weather in February, moderate rains, only one storm so far, no snow, (now I'm refering to western Oregon and Washington) and best of all no real mud problems ..... The knee deep kind. My cows have been off of hay for a couple of weeks, their choice, the earliest I can remember winter feeding being done. Tee shirt weather, nice for a change.

I'm not trying to rub it in for you folks that have been through a bad winter, we have our share of them. It just seems that things have flipped flopped this winter in many areas ........ Speaking of flip flops........ :hide:

 

[M-5]

ALAN you can --- -- ---. said with love and affection. :hide:

 

[Dave]

I was thinking how March has come in like a lamb. A very peaceful lamb at that.

On the down side there is no snow in the mountains. I would hate to be a farmer on the east side with junior irrigation rights because it will be a dry summer for them.

 

[Alan]

I wasn't going to mention the snow pack, We may some of the same problems this summer. We, I haven't had an August were the grass is all dried out and scorched brown in a couple of years. This may be that year, but as you know you never know out here it may also be record rainfall in June and July.

Are you in the same boat with no real mud to speak of?

 

[cow pollinater]

Here we're finally starting to get some rain. Not enough to break the drought but we're felling pretty blessed with what we're getting.
I took today and tomorrow of from the breeding route to head up and brand a handful of late calves. I had the truck all hooked/loaded up and the horses stalled up for a pre-dawn saddling. I took my wife into town for dinner since I didn't have to get up as early this morning. It was warm and sunny when we left and an hour later when we got home there was three quarters of an inch in the rain gauge and it was warm and sunny again and there was a black curtain right where I usually see the top of my ranch... Looks like I have two days all freed up. :nod:

 

[Dave]

I wasn't going to mention the snow pack, We may some of the same problems this summer. We, I haven't had an August were the grass is all dried out and scorched brown in a couple of years. This may be that year, but as you know you never know out here it may also be record rainfall in June and July.

Are you in the same boat with no real mud to speak of?

Once you get 10 feet from the edge of the slab there is no mud. And this is March. I have had daffodils blooming for over a week. That just doesn't happen. I went up to the Okanogan to the area of the Carlton Complex fire on Saturday. There was no snow on top of Snoqualmie Pass. The ski area had more bare ground and grass showing than snow. They haven't skied a single day this year. Lots of years they will have 6 - 8 feet of snow up there this time of year. Blewett Pass which is over 4,100 feet had a couple of inches of snow off to the side of the road. Easton Lake was empty. Back up in the hills in the fire area there was a couple inches of rotten snow but nowhere near what there normally is this time of the year.

 

[Alan]

Dave, same thing here, I have a couple replacement heifers in a small pasture, mud is 6 to 8 inches deep a few feet off the pad but nothing like years past. I haven't paid much attention to the snow pack this year, but after reading your response and knowing your connection to the east side I agree. The folks east of our hill are going to have a tough time with water. For now things look great on our side, but we'll see. Dandelions have also bloomed and on the down hill side here, lots of grass and cows are fat, we'll see what late July and August brings. Earliest calving date is 3/29, I'm getting ready.

Alan

 

[Dave]

I looked it up for the Oregon Cascades they have 43 sites where they measure the water in the snow pack. Only 5 are in the 25-50% of normal range. There are 13 with 0 to 25% and 25 sites that report no snow.

On the bright side the sun is shining here today. A few scattered clouds and it is about 50 degrees. A beautiful day.

 

[PLTannery]

Dry, Warm, Beautiful Calving weather but one of the neighbors set a grass fire last week by accident. NOT a good sign at all. We got a little more snow than last winter, but not enough. Not even enough to knock the dead grass down. We should be crispy and Black by the end of May.

 

[RoppFamilyFarm]

We are here in the Willamette Valley, and have been enjoying this weather as well. Getting lots cleaned up outside. Best calving weather ever! But i am starting to wonder how soon i am going to have to start irrigating my pasture and hayfield to get a good crop this year. The cows are on it much earlier then ever before, so i wonder if i am going to have enough. Also wondering how this is going to effect all the grass seed farmers? Its either going to stay dry till august and they are going to be cutting in may, or the rain will roll in starting june and it will be like 4 years ago when they didn't start harvesting till late august!

Lets just enjoy it while we can, at least we are not covered in 2 feet of snow like last year