weather

[ajl]

AB farmer, how do you get a good crop in mud? My wheat last year was seeded in late May. Some places the tractor spun while trying to pull the drill so had to nudge up the shanks to keep moving. It was coming good when we got 2 inches on June 14. That is a typical rain in mid June around here but it was super saturated from the spring. Couple days later the crop looked sick as it turned brown. After that it recovered but was thin as the tillers were abandoned. Late green tillers came to get frost damaged in Sept. On hilltop there was a thick swath but as soon as you moved off the tops the swath was half as wide. Truly a seed in mud, crop was a dud situation.

[agstar77]

Measuring rain in mm. Only showers since snowmelt. Rain soon or no crop.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

AB farmer, how do you get a good crop in mud? My wheat last year was seeded in late May. Some places the tractor spun while trying to pull the drill so had to nudge up the shanks to keep moving. It was coming good when we got 2 inches on June 14. That is a typical rain in mid June around here but it was super saturated from the spring. Couple days later the crop looked sick as it turned brown. After that it recovered but was thin as the tillers were abandoned. Late green tillers came to get frost damaged in Sept. On hilltop there was a thick swath but as soon as you moved off the tops the swath was half as wide. Truly a seed in mud, crop was a dud situation.

The mud has to eventually dry up to get a good crop, on years where it stays muddy for months it is ugly. As far as seeding into mud, I avoid compaction at all costs. One pass seeding with low ground pressure tires from the tractor back to the pneumatic packer tires(Concord). Doing everything I can to increase OM in the saturation prone soils is helping a lot too.

[Guest]

Were lucky here so far 2.6 “
Talked to a fellow at lampman that got 17.5 “
11” finished us in june in 15

[grassfarmer]

.....Talked to a fellow at lampman that got 17.5 “........

Really? maybe he has the same rain gauge as SF3? Official reports are indicating 200mm (8") That's still a huge amount of rain but to get more than twice that what time period are we talking about?

[foragefarmer]

Agstar

"Measuring rain in mm. Only showers since snowmelt. Rain soon or no crop. "

Are you in the Interlake? Hopefully something this weekend. Good luck to you!

[Guest]

Really? maybe he has the same rain gauge as SF3? Official reports are indicating 200mm (8") That's still a huge amount of rain but to get more than twice that what time period are we talking about?

yea your right , my typing mistake , meant 7.5 " , dirty rain . leaves a trail of destruction

[checking]

AF5.

Does tiling work in your area? Anyone done it?
Not talking about cost of installing, but if those are your constant conditions, is moving a better option than installing?

[grassfarmer]

AF5.

Does tiling work in your area? Anyone done it?
Not talking about cost of installing, but if those are your constant conditions, is moving a better option than installing?

That far west of #2 in AB should be grass and cow country. It's extremely marginal grain country on account of the frost and short growing season never mind the occasional wet year.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

AF5.

Does tiling work in your area? Anyone done it?
Not talking about cost of installing, but if those are your constant conditions, is moving a better option than installing?

I've experimented doing some on a small-scale myself , It is working. Now that land is approaching 4000 and acre it makes sense to do it on a large-scale. Have enough natural slope and outlets to make it fairly easy and practical. I am of the belief that the potential and limitations are already priced into any land in any other area , The window for moving to affordable land has long since closed. And don't get me wrong, In spite of the Excess moisture, We grow some incredible crops when they don't get hailed out. Just requires different management and some improvements.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

That far west of #2 in AB should be grass and cow country. It's extremely marginal grain country on account of the frost and short growing season never mind the occasional wet year.

I agree 100%. Just like farmaholic advertises his Paradise as the slum of the ghetto to keep the rest of us away. This is all very marginal pasture land , We are hoping to expand the frost free grazing season from two weeks to three if global warming ever happens. The occasional wet years nine out of 10 are minor compared to the frosts. Much of it is better suited to cattle country, Which is why I still keep a hundred and some cows here , To make use of that and as insurance. But with my lack of math skills, I can't figure out how to pay for land using cattle. If Grass farmer had it figured out he would probably still be here too.

[farmaholic]

A guy I know sent this to me, this is the Lampman area.