Weekend rain

[flea beetle]

Not as bad as AJL but definitely wet and need to get spraying. Was waiting for some rain to get out spraying, and now it is relentless. Raining as I type here now.

[Guest]

Here on my clay I don’t care how dry it is or how big the cracks in the ground are 4.5 inches will cause problems! A slow rain is worst because as the clay gets wet it swells and the seals and then water just pools and runs.

what'd u get ?

[Guest]

Got 1.5" here, mostly in a 5 hour spell on Friday. Land has gladly soaked it in and I'd be happy for more.

As for big rainfall events that was why I was posting Gabe Brown's claims about infiltration rates a while back. Claims he upped infiltration rates from 1/2" hour to 10" hour. Maybe an exaggeration and not true on every soil but I'm sure he is onto something - we are working hard to increase our infiltration rates but have a long way to go. I want to hold all the water that falls on my land yet my neighbours are all dedicated to getting all the water off their land.

are you in good shape now , for the grass?

[seldomseen]

what'd u get ?

.8 of an inch here. Perfect amount for now!

[Sheepwheat]

Infiltration rates are highly dependent on climate region, wind vs. bales, vs. calm, heat vs. cold etc., parent material in the first place, ie texture, topography, how moist the soil is already, and yes management to an extent at least. If soil is saturated, infiltration just won’t happen because it is physically impossible, unless pure sand.

We got 2.5 inches. Some water laying. Some places that got that much would be dry already, some would be flooding. Mostly depends how moist the soil was in the first place...

On our soil, you would never willingly put 4 inches on at once, that is simply nuts. 2 inches is borderline. In the worst of the wet years, a tenth of an inch of water was not infiltrating in virgin land any more, just running off.

I wonder if gabe brown starts with wet soil or dry soil to test his infiltration rates?

I do know in our long term no till garden, with 6 inches of organic matter above the mineral soil, water never lays, the om holds it until it can infiltrate. Never have to water the garden. Ever. Soil is always moist under that mulch.

So vvalk, unless you know intimately and have farmed buckets soil, you have no right to claim to know if his rainfall is too much or not. Especially if you farm irrigation on soil that can take 4 inches without a problem!

[sumdumguy]

We got over 2 inches in two days, but driving around the Wascana flats yesterday, the iddy biddy canola looks like a rain soaked mouse, not good yet but here’s hoping it will realize that rain is good and turn on the grow jets. BUT not complaining at all. Too dry for too long sucks.

[grassfarmer]

are you in good shape now , for the grass?

Yes for now but we lost yield potential that we'll never get back and lots of grass is headed out. Probably caps production about half what it might be in a good year. Influences when the start date to winter feeding will be.
The rain we got, and hopefully more to come, gives us the chance of getting a corn crop as there is still time for it and that would ease winter feed worries. Wheat is looking great around here so should be enough straw again to fill the cows.

[Sheepwheat]

Grass, empty your inbox!

[grassfarmer]

Grass, empty your inbox!

Too much fan mail, LOL.

[bucket]

Too much fan mail, LOL.

From SF3??????.....lmao

[the big wheel]

From SF3??????.....lmao

Sf3 inbox is full from Ralph. Misses him when he goes south. Lmao!

[farmaholic]

Sf3 inbox is full from Ralph. Misses him when he goes south. Lmao!

I think they're hot tub pals.