The difference 35 miles can make.

[may-be]

I went to a soybean plot/field tour 35 miles east of me yesterday. I could not believe everyone's beans were much shorter than in my immediate area. They were good crops loaded with pods. Mine grew the tallest since I started growing them in 09. they have been laying on me and I am worried about white mold. I don't know what the difference is since we had the same hit and miss rains.

35 miles north of me they are wet. Hay not done and grass seed swaths turned black. Guys crops are ready to harvest and no one could start yet. They also have a lot of trees in that area. Someone on here awhile back said being wet was part of the farmers fault for nocking down to many trees and not growing grass. To much rain? or what am I missing?

[freewheat]

Yup, things can vary over short distances. But there are MANY factors at play. Timing is huge when weather is sporadic or inconsistent. Soil texture is not forgiving when you have heavier soil than a few miles away and it is wet. The lay of the land also plays a huge role in how different conditions can be in a short distance. The previous crop type matters as well.

I know these things, because they ALL worked against me this year in a very nasty way. But in a much shorter distance.

Timing: My seeding was late, because I was combining this spring. My canola was emerging at the wettest time of the year, while others was three leaf or more, and far more able to take moisture. I have extensive areas of drowned. Like 40 to 50%. Literally, on the quarter south, due only to timing, it may be only 5% drowned out. My best areas are like the worst of theirs.

Soil texture: On soil maps of our area, the soil is heavier almost exactly where my land borders are, through a freak of quarter lines...

Lay of the land: My "best" land is quite flat, with slight rolls in the landscape. It holds water from running off as fast as it could if it never had mini rolls, perpendicular to the watercourses. Heck of a soil when it is dry, but when wet it is misery. No wonder the 30's, 80's, and early 2000's were our farms best crops.

My point is I hear you on how varied it can be. It is frustrating tho, to have the areas worst crops this year. If you do not understand or realize the above mentioned factors, you may think I have no idea what I am doing. Hard on my pride this year, I want it to be over so I do not have to look at my bloody poor crops, and worse, have others look at them and probably wonder what the heck happened to my brain.

[SASKFARMER3]

25 miles west Two inches yesterday. North half hour 1 inch us a mist yes farming is all about L U C K.

[may-be]

4 tenths last night and 3 inches 8 miles south of me.