Just a thought on our current situation

[gizmom]

Gizmom

 

[GAonmymind]

:cry2: X2

 

[wacocowboy]

Not here

 

[boondocks]

:cry2: X2

x3. Heading into July without a shred of hay cut yet, and no relief in sight for the next few weeks. It's not so much that it's a deluge every day (although some days it has been), so much as it is that we have had at least some rain every day since...I dunno, 1912?

 

[Nesikep]

I'm spoiled.. I can afford to be fussy and not cut hay when there's a cloud in the forecast... it's very rare we get rained on here, at least significantly enough to really affect it.. I think I've had 2 cuts in 8 years that were kinda brown in the bale. Hope you get some decent weather soon

 

[Rafter S]

Too much is better than not enough. Maybe you can't get hay baled, but at least you have grass.

 

[Bright Raven]

I think it is global warming.
:banana:

Or maybe the wrath of he (she/it) who we shall not speak.

If it keeps up for 40 days and 40 nights, we know the end is near.
:hide:

 

[Caustic Burno]

After 2011 no such thing as to much rain. Been so wet here it's middle of June still can't put a tractor in my hay field without getting stuck.

 

[callmefence]

Too much is better than not enough. Maybe you can't get hay baled, but at least you have grass.

That's right.

 

[GAonmymind]

Just worried as to what this will do to the hay prices at the end of summer. After drought last year it went up to $70 to $75 a bale in the fall. Many sold cattle because of no hay. Worried this will cause same or less quality hay. May stock up now while it is still cheap at $25. It will store well in the barn if I don't manage to use it all.

 

[farmerjan]

We were dry early, got a bit worried that we wouldn't have grass. Then it started raining and we couldn't make hay. Then got a window, made all we could manage, waited another week, got 3 days. Cut Monday eve, raked wed and will bale today. Not great hay, but okay, a little thin. Was perfect drying yesterday with temps, and breezy. Don't get alot of that. You take the time when you get it. Do the best you can.
If I was that worried about hay prices, I would fill up my barn as insurance. It'll keep.

 

[Putangitangi]

Too much is better than not enough. Maybe you can't get hay baled, but at least you have grass.

That's right.

Depends which situation you're used to being in! We (different country, different terrain, etc.) keep being seriously flooded so that water reticulation systems get washed away, animals are endangered if we don't anticipate a storm, people can't get out to important engagements, etc.! It's not so good.

But yes, at least the grass still grows and it wouldn't if there were no rain at all. On balance, we'll put up with the wet as the better deal but it's spirit dampening as well as everything else.

 

[Rafter S]

Too much is better than not enough. Maybe you can't get hay baled, but at least you have grass.

That's right.

Depends which situation you're used to being in! We (different country, different terrain, etc.) keep being seriously flooded so that water reticulation systems get washed away, animals are endangered if we don't anticipate a storm, people can't get out to important engagements, etc.! It's not so good.

But yes, at least the grass still grows and it wouldn't if there were no rain at all. On balance, we'll put up with the wet as the better deal but it's spirit dampening as well as everything else.

I'm sure it's discouraging, but I've been in situations where it was too wet to make hay, and also where it was too dry to grow grass. I'll still take the rain.

 

[greybeard]

Gizmom

That photo and caption is not much exaggeration regarding the part of the world it's intended to portray.

South La isn't much better either, except you get a break in the mornings and at night when the air cools down.
Walk out of the house around Lafayette, La in the morning to dew so heavy it runs off your truck, sun comes out and by 1pm, all that moisture has evaporated up into the air and mixed with moisture from the gulf, here comes the rain--like clockwork.

 

[boondocks]

I do hear what folks are saying about too much rain being better than too little. And in the short term, I'd agree, because we have grass. But if the changes we have seen the past few spring/summers really are becoming permanent, it will be quite difficult (economically and practically) to raise cattle in an area like this, where we feed hay half the year or more. We are getting more and more sacrifice areas due to mud, and we just spent the evening filling in our farm road from washouts, so that if it ever gets dry enough, the equipment can actually get in. We have also had some calf issues due to the fact we had cold rain when we should have had snow, and we've had cold rain when we should have had some dry sunny days. People are still advertising last year's hay for sale. Maybe I should look into getting a few bales of good second cutting...How much nutrition do you lose (assuming it's been kept under cover)? Maybe baleage would be better if it's been kept tightly wrapped?

 

[True Grit Farms]

I do hear what folks are saying about too much rain being better than too little. And in the short term, I'd agree, because we have grass. But if the changes we have seen the past few spring/summers really are becoming permanent, it will be quite difficult (economically and practically) to raise cattle in an area like this, where we feed hay half the year or more. We are getting more and more sacrifice areas due to mud, and we just spent the evening filling in our farm road from washouts, so that if it ever gets dry enough, the equipment can actually get in. We have also had some calf issues due to the fact we had cold rain when we should have had snow, and we've had cold rain when we should have had some dry sunny days. People are still advertising last year's hay for sale. Maybe I should look into getting a few bales of good second cutting...How much nutrition do you lose (assuming it's been kept under cover)? Maybe baleage would be better if it's been kept tightly wrapped?

Good hay put in the barn equals good hay out of the barn. I've read some studies that over a 5 year period good hay, barn stored only lost 1 1/2 protein and very little TDN. And most of the loss occurred in the first year.