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Animal 02-16-2013 17:34:40 71.51.222.31 Report to Moderator	On the other forum their was a thread about the drought, how many of you are still dangerous dry? We still are here around K.C., but with all the city folks and inner city issues local news does not focus on it much. All the ponds for watering livestock are just about bone dry and sub soil moisture is nil. We are supposed to get a big storm mid week and everyone is giddy in this area to get it. If it is dry what plans if any have changed next years stratagies? [Reply]   [No Email]
TomA 02-18-2013 09:35:44 76.9.80.199 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   We had a real wet fall oct- dec out here in CA. Nearly 16". Supposed to be the 3rd dryest Jan in history, way less than. An inch. What is worrysome is no rain yet in Feb. Feb is normally our wettest month, 7-8". I have seen it start raining Feb 1 and rain all month. We are supposed to get some tomorrow. I started working down plowed ground. [Reply]  [No Email]
GordoSD 02-18-2013 06:53:34 216.106.243.55 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Combined rain and snow moisture since 1 July 12, on my place is 2.5 inches. There izero soil moisteru. I won't plant any corn this spring. Going to grain sorgham and sunflowers. Will take my first cut of alfalfa at EARLY bud stage and hope for one more. [Reply]  [No Email]
bg/mo 02-17-2013 17:01:47 166.216.128.154 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Here in troy ,mo we are still dry the pond is low ,need some more rain hopefully in march and april other wise hay is gona be short again. If it starts out dry might send the rest of cows to the auction. Will just have to wait and see. [Reply]  [No Email]
ihman73 02-17-2013 08:59:31 38.104.162.142 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   It doesn't look dry here at first glance but dig down 8" and you find dry dirt. Ponds have a little water in them but once it warms up it won't last. I wish I could run more cows, I put up a 100' bag of corn silage and I don't think I will get near all of it fed up. I took a pickup load of hay to the auction yesterday good 4th cut alfalfa and got $4.10/bale. They had 3500+ bales there, and I thought we had a drought last year. [Reply]  [No Email]
MFPoor 02-17-2013 02:55:39 72.4.0.230 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Here in north-central Kentucky, we've had a good bit of rain scattered out in several "rain events" since last fall. Ground moisture is back to near normal, and we've even been categorized as being excessively wet. Funny thing....We were at that exact same point this time LAST year. Then we had a dry, early spring, hot dry summer, and were considered by some to be the epicenter of the drought in early summer. Just west of us was burnt to a crisp by July. So...Even with plenty of moisture NOW, I'll wait until next growing season is far enough along to call it good before I uncross my fingers and relax. Somehow, seeing your crops jump out of the ground and looking like you've got a bin buster in the works, just to watch 'em dry up and fail, it doesn't seem any better than just failing from the get go once everything is said and done. [Reply]  [No Email]
John A. 02-16-2013 22:12:32 64.128.16.238 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Animal, Guys, TEXAS!!! We are IN one major league Drought! A single 1 in, 2 in, 3 in, rain event will not even put a dent in how far behind we are in rain. Useing an average of 30 to 36 +++ inches in a given yr we are at least 1 full yr of rain behind the Curve here. That is why area Lakes are Critically Low! the Aquifer is dropping , no real rain over the recharge zone. Area Sale barns are running record low #s. or every other week or so. Excell Beef Packers closed their Plainview, Tx Plant 2 weeks ago! Cattle numbers are way down. If this continues we have yet to see the full impact of the lower Cattle #s out there! Livestock are still going to town! In Texas you can rest your land for 3 yrs before you need to put something back on! It a good time to rest your pastures, fix fence and things and wait and be glad you are sleeping at nights! Most area Lakes are at about 1/3 full , or 2/3 empty, not a great place to be going into spring and No real Winter rain to speak of! Here in Texas we are still in a world of hurt and NO Relief in sight! Later, John A. [Reply]  [No Email]
Paul 02-16-2013 21:27:17 66.44.133.112 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Super dry here in southern mn. Doesn't matter with a couple feet of frost in the ground, but its dry. Frankly if we get enough rain to get over the drought, we won't get a crop planted. Our clay soil doesn't let the water perk down, so we are pretty much destined to suffer from drought or flood this summer, there just isn't time to get enough water into the subsoil to make things right. Paul [Reply]  [No Email]
JMS./MN 02-18-2013 17:19:14 209.237.125.241 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Paul, 02-16-2013 21:27:17   Check the weatherguesser, Paul Douglas, in today's Strib.....says the winter snows might end the MN drouth! (?) 100 inches of snow makes about 10 inches water......how much will soak in through our frozen ground, and how much run off? We need more than 10 inches to recharge subsoil and topsoil. MPLS averages about 55 inches snow per winter. Either way, it's nothing we can influence, so we'll have to worry about stuff that we can impact. [Reply]  [No Email]
Paul 02-19-2013 14:42:42 66.60.223.232 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to JMS./MN, 02-18-2013 17:19:14   I happened to see the Trib in a Subway this week and saw that comment of his. Sure doesn't relate to my location! Yea, a rainy Late March or April and it won't matter, and nothing to do about it. As dry as its been the 2012 crop sure was good here, and the 2011 crop was ok. Don't know what they lived on both falls, but turned out good, so see what this year brings. Paul [Reply]  [No Email]
haley 02-16-2013 18:45:59 69.160.178.250 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Guys, I feel for the ones of you that still aren't getting any rain. Here in central Ga we got over 8 inches in the last week!I left my truck and lowboy on the backside of a customers field where I was doing some trackhoe work for him before it started raining and now I can't even drive a pickup to it much less get the truck and lowboy back to higher ground.My father has always said that a lot can change with the weather in 7 days and he was right.Ten days ago we were in the same shape a lot of you are in and now all the creeks are running and both major rivers in central Ga are over flood stage.Most everybody here is gearing up for big irrigated corn acerage but until the rain came the wells going dry that runs a lot of the pivots was the main thing on most everybodys mind.Just keep saying an extra prayer and hope the rains come. [Reply]  [No Email]
Jim SC 02-17-2013 05:59:10 70.35.64.21 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to haley, 02-16-2013 18:45:59   Good rain in past 45 days here in SC but my 1/3 full pond hasnt changed. 4 years of well below normal rainfall in midlands will require a lot of excess to catch up. Some parts of the state have not seen this and are in much better shape. Our corn and beans had plenty of water in north part of the state last year. [Reply]  [No Email]
caseyc 02-16-2013 18:43:53 75.102.189.131 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   We are between moderate and severe here in east central SD. I only got half the hay last season that I normally put up. Not looking much better this year. We had enough subsoil moisture to carry the crops last year but this year is looking dismal. On the bright side we have plenty of snow. The creeks and ponds should fill up come spring but the fields are bare so not much will soak in. Gonna be an interesting year ahead too say the least... Casey in SD [Reply]  [No Email]
Erik Ks farmer 02-16-2013 18:00:44 199.241.240.16 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   We are in much the same boat, I noticed today that it looks like the ponds that still have water have taken a big hit around here the last couple of weeks. One of these I saw from the road the other is in a pasture I have rented for 10 years, the pond is about 4 acres and is down to about 2 I walked out to it this afternoon. I have 6 pastures and of the 6 there are 2 that will have water this summer if we don't see some moisture. I have not hit panic mode but if we don't have some rain this spring and summer I may be forced to sell my cow herd. I am planning on putting about half of my ground to wheat behind beans this fall and if this happens I will only plant about 30 acres of corn next year. [Reply]  [No Email]
1206SWMO 02-16-2013 18:25:16 184.63.136.104 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Erik Ks farmer, 02-16-2013 18:00:44   Erik,I have been thru your area twice recently on the way to Topeka and have noticed how dry you are..All you have to do is get south and east of Ottawa and things are lots better..Hopefully your turn will come..We got 3.2" on Jan 29th that ran water, [Reply]  [No Email]
rrlund 02-16-2013 17:41:49 207.241.137.116 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   In the drought map we're in a watch,on the crop moisture map we're in surplus. Go figure. Seems to be plenty of moisture,just depends on normal rains,just like always. [Reply]  [No Email]
old 02-16-2013 17:38:00 209.86.226.32 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Animal, 02-16-2013 17:34:40   Still way behind down here at the lake of the Ozarks also but at least my 2 small lakes are sort of filling up but not full by any means. I am down to 7 big round bales of hay and 3 small squares but that will last me till spring unless we do not get enough rain the have hay and if that happens we are all in trouble [Reply]  [No Email]
Larry NEIL 02-16-2013 21:28:42 76.202.219.140 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to old, 02-16-2013 17:38:00   Same way here. Ponds filled up in the last 3 weeks, but the ground is still bone dry. Last year made 1/3 the amount of hay we normally make for the first cut. There basically wasn't a second or third cutting to speak of. [Reply]  [No Email]
old 02-17-2013 08:30:51 209.86.226.32 Report to Moderator	Re: Drought in reply to Larry NEIL, 02-16-2013 21:28:42   Ya most years I stop baling before the hay barn is full but last year barn never did get full due to lack of hay to bale due to being to dry. When I bale hay I do so till the barn is full and then if some one wants the stuff still in the field I will bale it but other wise it stays in the field for the horses and deer etc [Reply]  [No Email]