02 vs 09 drought

[dfarms11]

I don't see why you couldn't swath graze canola. Thats about the only thing we did not do, into winter that is. When we turned the cows into the canola field, I had swathed a couple rounds to see if I could bale it but left it and they cleaned them up too. Now they were going into green canola not heavily podded stuff. It was actually silaged a month or more before and was all regrowth. Just keep that in mind for swath grazing. It would probably have to be cut mid Aug, while there are still flowers on it, to keep the green in it, I wood think.

[coppertop]

grassfarmer, I always check the Weather
Network and Environment Canada, they will
have completely different weather forecasts
for the same day at times. At least they
are both calling for showers this week. I
can remember many years when a forecast for
showers would result in a three day rain,
maybe we will be as lucky this week !!!

[grassfarmer]

I have been looking at Accuweather.com and it is the most depressing forecast. Maybe it's designed for folks that like to sunbathe.
The others are all looking good for this week.

[coppertop]

I just got home from town and nearly decked
a lady at the Post Office who said she
HOPED it DIDN'T rain because she was going
to the Ponoka Stampede and was camping !!!
I told her that we are all desperate for
rain and she looked at me like I was from
outer space !!!

[dalek]

Wish I could ship you a day or two of rain. We have 6 straight wet days in the forecast, everybody around (Central Ontario) is at least 2 weeks behind on haying, and there are hundreds if not thousands of acres in the fairly immediate area that are still too wet to plant after 2 months of mud and now it's pretty well too late for anything anyway.

[coppertop]

I don't think many farmers in Alberta will
be worrying about the hay being too wet to
cut, more likely working because there is
nothing to cut.

[per]

Yep it is interesting how we all have problems on the opposite end of the spectrum. An outfit in Winnipeg has come up with a haying solution for too wet. They are called Bio Agronics and have a product called hay saver. It is made from lactic acid and acidophilus and we have used it for several years. I start baling at 30% and have never had a spoiled bale when applied correctly. The hay keeps all it's leaves and stays soft and palatable. Just a thought in case you want to get right out of the box. I have given up on the 12' discbine idea and am going to choose between a 25' or 30' swather. Alfalfa hasn't flowered yet so can't decide whether to cut early and hope for rain and regrowth or go after volume at the expense of quality.

[dalek]

My neighbour has ended up cutting haylage with duals on his tractor because he kept getting stuck in the hayfields without them. Gonna have to tear the fields up when he's done but he'll have feed.

[Ron]

Grassfarmer sorry it took so long to answer. Yes it is a wreck for grain guys. Inputs were incredibly high last year and this year, crop insurance doesnt come close to covering expenses and I hear guys are buying out their canola contracts for 2 or 3 weeks now. We made decent money last year but that was the first time in quite a while that margins were good (and everybody had their hand out, chem/fert/fuel/custom all jumped up)
I think a lot of guys arent going to be around in the spring.