The drought is getting real

[sumdumguy]

Not much here Furrow, we need a good soaker. There's a low coming this way. Hope yours and our order gets filled, for sure.

[grassfarmer]

The last crop report out of Alberta was positive - there are some areas suffering but most according to this are ahead of long term averages.

[URL="http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd16390"]http://http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/sdd16390[/URL]

Really can't complain in my neck of the woods - after a very dry March-May we've had 4.7" in June, nearly all from thunderstorms. Our grass is in excellent shape and has produced well but the peak growing season is over. Our corn jumped with the heat this week and hopefully we'll continue to get both moisture and heat to allow it to play catch up. In the immediate area most cereals look good, lots of crappy small canola and beans. Potatoes (and one pivot of canola) I saw under irrigation today look awesome.

[biglentil]

She's dry again and the forecast is the shits 30 plus all next week and no rain. Not one cloud in accuweathers extended forecast, hope it doesnt live up to its name. Great flowering weather not! Shes a fk'd up year. Need to hit thundershower bingo.

[SASKFARMER3]

Swing and a miss all three tonight went just north by a mile to three or started just east of us. Maybe tonight then major heat .

[grefer]

Many around here havent had an inch of rain yet since before seeding. Those that have are only a tenth or two over an inch. The crops are still hanging in there but a week of 30 degree weather will take yield away and put some crops at risk of severe losses. Hay crops are poor with many having suffered bad winter kill.

[furrowtickler]

Grefer where abouts you at ?

Around here there is a band from Turtleford SE through Glaslyn and past Whitkow that's had near perfect June rain
North of that line and becomes very wet to a near disaster at Meadow Lake area
South of that line from Jackfish lake SE is spotty to very dry in areas NE and east of NB . Also SE through to Stoon is very dry in areas but they have had recent rains .
All west is in good shape until you get to the other too wet area west of Paynton / Maidstone . But crops are very late .
I know for a fact if we had lighter land our crop would be toast already .
My guess is less than 10 days for this pocket . Dry stress already showing up on ridges and fields with lighter soils.
One week of hot weather is needed for crop development north and west of here , but locally it's going to cut yields a lot .
Sure has been bizarre to watch the radar the past 4 weeks . It's like there is a wall from Hamlin to the radio towers just north of town preventing rains .
The river valley has a huge influence just west of there though.
Once that pattern sets up in early June this area struggles dramatically.
Seen it many times before . I am sure many other guys on here have seen similar situations over the years .
Will save a fortune on fungicides though lol

[farmaholic]

92% humidity here this morning and no dew on the vehicles? 0.02 inches from yesterday/last night's rain. I will need to be careful what I ask for from now on.

This coming week is going to be tough on crops. Let's see how they hang on.

Maybe there will be a thunderstorm lottery with all the heat, but there is very little moisture in the local and surrounding area to feed and fuel any. I think we are going to need a moisture laden low pressure system coming in from the ocean to give relief.

[Hamloc]

Hard to believe we can go from it being so wet in the spring that many areas in our fields went unseeded to now where areas in the fields are starting to dry out and go backwards. I am not going to complain though as we are certainly more fortunate than many areas. We have good grass for the cows and our first cut hay looks like it will be decent. I am curious Furrow, what will make your final decision on fungicide. I know I put proline on my Canola last year and my yields were similar to my neighbor who put no fungicide on his canola. I sometimes wonder if I am just throwing money away.

[tweety]

I know I put proline on my Canola last year and my yields were similar to my neighbor who put no fungicide on his canola. I sometimes wonder if I am just throwing money away.

Did you also calculate in the cost of damaging all the beneficial fungus and bacteria?

By the look of the forecast the dry areas have just begun to get dry, a couple weeks of 30+ will hurt.

[sumdumguy]

These weather forecasts are so hit and miss. I will be surprised if it is accurate for the heat.

[furrowtickler]

Tweety you bring up a very good point .

[tweety]

Tweety you bring up a very good point .

A point farmers have not considered. Any truth to the 'organic farmers don't have fusarium' rumour?

[farmaholic]

I am NOT spraying for nothing! The financial and environmental costs...

I realize not everyone is a little too dry at this point and may need to spray, but based on my assessment here.... I can't see it happening. Spraying fungicides in a dry year won't increase yield beaten down by dry conditions....Not logically to me anyway.

Quote from a ChemCo ad:

"Whether it’s the heavy rain and high moisture of 2016, or the dry weather seen in years past, you can count on "_______" for a significant yield and quality increase for your cereal crops. Think of it as a tool in any weather to help you when it matters most: at harvest."

Really? Change your marketing to fit the times! How about dropping the ****ing price during these times if you want to see it move.... even then that is hardly a reason to apply it if it doesn't fit into the "best management practice" or "integrated pest management control plan" or a "sound agronomic decision". My goodness guys.....come on!

[furrowtickler]

Some farmers , more know than you give credit for .
And I have no idea about organic / fusarium thing
Other than most likely not as bad with out round up usage , JMO though

[grefer]

Grefer where abouts you at ?

Around here there is a band from Turtleford SE through Glaslyn and past Whitkow that's had near perfect June rain
North of that line and becomes very wet to a near disaster at Meadow Lake area
South of that line from Jackfish lake SE is spotty to very dry in areas NE and east of NB . Also SE through to Stoon is very dry in areas but they have had recent rains .
All west is in good shape until you get to the other too wet area west of Paynton / Maidstone . But crops are very late .
I know for a fact if we had lighter land our crop would be toast already .
My guess is less than 10 days for this pocket . Dry stress already showing up on ridges and fields with lighter soils.
One week of hot weather is needed for crop development north and west of here , but locally it's going to cut yields a lot .
Sure has been bizarre to watch the radar the past 4 weeks . It's like there is a wall from Hamlin to the radio towers just north of town preventing rains .
The river valley has a huge influence just west of there though.
Once that pattern sets up in early June this area struggles dramatically.
Seen it many times before . I am sure many other guys on here have seen similar situations over the years .
Will save a fortune on fungicides though lol

About 3 miles from the X for the Radisson dopler station. I had a neighbor suggest we should tear it down because the clouds seem to part or disappear as they get close. Its wierd and frustrating at times like this.