How are you dealing with the drought?

[japody]

We have not had any appreciable rain for the last two months. Fields are brown with little grass. We usually don't start feeding hay until late November. I'm afraid we will have to start much sooner this year. How are you dealing with this?

 

[bigtiller]

I ran a 5" field tile 4' deep every 90' through my corn field. The corn is much healthier now when a dry spell comes around.

 

[stuckmotor]

The drought is just recently affecting me. I have enough hay for two or three months and plan to have some cattle on the market shortly.

 

[CADplans]

We drove through Daleville VA today, about 7PM,,,
there was the fire department putting out a grass fire in the median that splits RT220,,, :cool2:,, no, not feet, they were using water,,, :laughing:
Thank you for the fire,, Mr. Cigarette Butt,,, :thumbdown:

I haven't seen a roadside grass fire in over 3 years,, but, it is dry now,,,

 

[kenmac]

haven't had any rain in a couple months. Mid 90 deg temps. Moving the cows to another pasture tomorrow. It is if we don't get any rain before they eat this one down. They will go to sale.
Problem is. beef is down to the packing /slughter house fire in Kansas. Hearing beef prices may not come back until it's rebuilt ...around the first of the yr

 

[Diggin It]

It's weird how things work out. We had a full consecutive 12 months of above normal rainfall. With a break or two before that, it was something like 16 out of 20 months. Some months were double normal or more. End of August the faucets got shut off. No rain at all for close to 30 days breaking or tying all sorts of records for dry periods. Ground was so wet so deep that we haven't suffered too badly yet, but it's getting to the point of being too dry. Leaves are dropping and plants are going dormant early. I'm trying to water some of the younger ones that didn't get established, but not sure I can save them.

 

[Wagtail]

Crikey... I had to click on this thread to see which Aussie was posting.

This is the third year of drought down here. Bad drought for NSW and QLD... it's even here in Eastern Tasmania.

However, as we all know, the rains will return.

And then it'll flood.

 

[oosik]

It IS strange how things work. We have had our normal dry summer here. But this year the wet, usually late fall season, has started early. It's rained almost every day for the last month. And no gully washers this fall. The "just right" kind that soaks in nicely.

And, again, as usual, we will probably have the kind of winter that has never been seen here before, also. It must drive the weather forecasters CRAZY.

Just yesterday, Brownie & I drove down south thru all the wheat fields. Their burning program is just starting. As far as the eye can see and in all directions - smoke from burning wheat fields. Fortunately, the wind is not blowing up my way - yet. And, I'm sure, the Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge will start their annual burning program soon. THAT will bring gobs of smoke into my area. Gag, gag - for about a month.

Just a part of living out this way...........

 

[Alan W.]

It's weird how things work out. We had a full consecutive 12 months of above normal rainfall. With a break or two before that, it was something like 16 out of 20 months. Some months were double normal or more. End of August the faucets got shut off. No rain at all for close to 30 days breaking or tying all sorts of records for dry periods. Ground was so wet so deep that we haven't suffered too badly yet, but it's getting to the point of being too dry. Leaves are dropping and plants are going dormant early. I'm trying to water some of the younger ones that didn't get established, but not sure I can save them.

Thats the way it has been here. Some areas worse than others. Friend of mine already feeding hay, his fields are gone.

 

[Birdhunter1]

I have 3 horses on 5 acres of pasture, normally I wouldn't feed hay (regularly) till mid November. With the past month and a half being very very dry I decided two weeks ago to take the horses off the pasture so they don't eat it to bare dirt. We have had some rain in those two weeks but not enough I need to mow my yard again so they are still in the barn lot. I will likely buy more hay in the next few weeks so I don't be scrambling for it in February.
Like I said I normally wouldn't be feeding hay till November and i started two weeks ago. Hoping for a cool down, rain and a long fall. Either way I'm buying more hay when I get time to run and go get it.