weather

[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.

[ajl]

Too wet is far better than too dry because you get a big crop on those islands between the sloughs. Only people who think that have not been wet enough. I feel sorry for those in the Lampman area. That is worse than the flooding we got in '16 and 17.

[sumdumguy]

In 2011, the flood’s affect on farmers just out of Lampman was brutal. One farmer told me he had 12 feet of water on his land. His buildings were severely flooded and they needed a boat to even get to his yard. Needless to say, their farmyard was trashed. They said that farmers north of them were ditching and when the water got to their place it had no where to go. That area has serious issues. Hopefully there is a plan to deal with their water problems.

In the Wascana flats miles of flat, low land was lost to flooding in the fifties. Wascana Conservation Authority (a group of farmers that got provincial approval) dug two or three big ditches into Wascana Creek and drained I’d like to say two municipalities, - maybe more. Those ditches made a huge difference with annual maintenance costs tacked onto taxes on all land draining into the project. Don’t know what a ditch like that would cost today. ( Only thing is with these projects guys blow (dirt) into the ditch or build approaches, remove spillways and during the dry years, no one notices until a 3-inch downpour and the flow is tested.)

What other options are there? Hopefully Lampman area can organize and get a solution built.

[Guest]

that was us in 15 , feel sorry for them . its sickening . all of a sudden saving homes and yards becomes more important than crops . this rm is still waiting for money from pdapp

[Sheepwheat]

Too wet is far better than too dry because you get a big crop on those islands between the sloughs. Only people who think that have not been wet enough. I feel sorry for those in the Lampman area. That is worse than the flooding we got in '16 and 17.

Lol. Exactly.
Ever been unable to seed because of too dry?
Had 6 bushel canola because of too dry?
Had to dry that 6 bushel canola because of too dry?
Had to leave crop over winter because of too dry?
Wrecked machinery from pulling it out because of too dry?
Had nitrogen leaching because of too dry?
Been unable to spray because of too dry?
Been unable to work outside most of the summer because of too dry?

If you ain’t experienced the misery of too wet, it is hard to even fathom. I would far rather have too dry.

[farmaholic]

I can't imagine why people can't realize we are farming in different soil zones and those zones exist because of environmental and moisture conditions......

There's a saying about walking a mile.......

I do understand, there is no debate from me....we all know what we want....but obviously don't always get it.

[helmsdale]

Lol. Exactly.
Ever been unable to seed because of too dry?
Had 6 bushel canola because of too dry?
Had to dry that 6 bushel canola because of too dry?
Had to leave crop over winter because of too dry?
Wrecked machinery from pulling it out because of too dry?
Had nitrogen leaching because of too dry?
Been unable to spray because of too dry?
Been unable to work outside most of the summer because of too dry?

If you ain’t experienced the misery of too wet, it is hard to even fathom. I would far rather have too dry.

I will gladly concede too wet sucks. Perhaps everyone that thinks one sucks worse than the other needs to swap farms for a year... each brings their own loveable side effects.

I've always been able to seed because of too dry, but have watched it blow away after disturbing the soil.

I've seen worse than 6bu canola because of too dry. I've seen canola fields that look like great chemfallow.

Drought can end in late august/September and tough grain can and has been an issue.

Have seen $100,000 work orders on combines that are gutted from front to back chasing a crop that's just above your ankle bone.

I've had nitrogen volatilization because of too dry, and significant nitrogen crop burn because of too dry.

Have suffered heat stroke from working outside when it's hot and dry.

I've watched insects clean a shit crop from fenceline to fenceline because it's too dry.

I've had well established trees in yards die because of too dry.

Hauling water from rivers miles away to dehydrated cattle.

Water wells that run dry.

Uncontrollable wild fires.

Etc etc etc...

Extremes suck ass.

Not picking on you in any way sheepwheat, just liked your point for point list and didn't want to roll between tabs on a dumbphone.

Like farma said, about walking in others shoes. I have a tremendous amount of empathy for guys in the wet zone, and surely wouldn't want to be in that boat. I am sure there's plenty of empathy for those in the dry zone, just remember you truly don't want to have to wear those shoes either.

[sumdumguy]

Lol. Exactly.
Ever been unable to seed because of too dry?
Had 6 bushel canola because of too dry?
Had to dry that 6 bushel canola because of too dry?
Had to leave crop over winter because of too dry?
Wrecked machinery from pulling it out because of too dry?
Had nitrogen leaching because of too dry?
Been unable to spray because of too dry?
Been unable to work outside most of the summer because of too dry?

If you ain’t experienced the misery of too wet, it is hard to even fathom. I would far rather have too dry.

Well Sheepwheat, we plowed down every acre of cropin 1980 except for 1 summerfallow field of registered Laird lentils that cost us $1.20/ lb. to seed. We ctually lost fields to volls that wintered over in Canary straw in 1986. I hate drought but I know that water logged ground chokes the roots too. Too much of either is not fun, but farmers are resilient and we do what we can playing the cards that are dealt to us or we move on to greener pastures.

[biglentil]

Too dry you die, too wet rice is nice.

[AlbertaFarmer5]

I would say That your opinion on too wet or too dry has a lot to do with how it diversified you are or aren't. With Livestock or hay, there's almost always a silver lining in excess moisture. With grain, at least around here, drought is usually a blessing.

Depends if you're a glass half full or half empty type. With enough irons in the fire, There will always be something to be happy about or depressed about.