It's so dry

[AlbertaFarmer5]

After the past few winters, where cold and snow (and snowmobiling) lasted until late April, this is a welcome turn of events, at least until it isn't any more.
Looks like runoff has peaked already. Enough water to run and pool, but at levels a fraction of normal, and weeks earlier than usual. Still patches of snow, very muddy, frost barely out at all.
We had a string of early warm dry springs following winters with very little snow in the late 90's to early 2000's, then stayed cool and dry until summer. It was disasterous for hay crops, but mostly very good for grain crops around here.
I'm not sure what to do. Current conditions would be what we normally see 10 days prior to seeding( when seeding into mud as usual). If this pattern continues, do I pretend that it doesn't always snow and freeze throughout April, and often in May, and seed early to take advantage of moisture while it exists, or do the usual?

[GDR]

If this pattern continues, do I pretend that it doesn't always snow and freeze throughout April, and often in May, and seed early to take advantage of moisture while it exists, or do the usual?

I've been wondering that too. ***** willows out, honey bees having a hay day, native trees buds are getting sticky and poplars sending out those fuzzy things. Mother nature thinks its go time but could she could also be in for a world of hurt. Only seeded in April once here on the 29th. Might beat that if the trend continues.

[DaneG]

Damn dry here west central Mb, snow mostly gone almost no runoff. I ordered a slough pump and a bunch of hose to move water from river to hay fields, got to try something wishing and hoping hasn’t been working!

[4GFarms]

Trying to be optimistic but it’s sure dry out there. No creeks running and what water that is laying will be gone when the frost comes out or with the wind we keep getting.

Might have to graze the neighbours crops!!! Just kidding or am I??

[fjlip]

Only water will be snow in dugout. Grass/fields will soak it all up. Least snow here in years. Temp records broke 1910 records, climate has been warm before???? WTH? Changed YES, but back to 100 years ago. Earth to STUPID Scaremongers, C02 was way lower then!

[WiltonRanch]

Way less snow than previous few years but not critical by any means yet. Fear grass and hay will be a letdown here like 6/10 years. Think I’ll start seeding wheat as soon as I can get going. More wheat less of the others. At least you can get something with wheat. Could be a real kick in the nuts year. High inputs, falling commodity prices, and low yields. No fear of us overproducing canola. I’ll say it again, we are far from critical here but unless we have a substantial moisture event in the next 3 weeks our grass is pooched, and crops will need just in time moisture soon after seeding to bring it on. You guys in the dry areas is critical though. This year is stacking up to be an epic disaster.

[macdon02]

Frog strangler rains happening in Australia. Queensland and NSW specifically, very similar to 2012 with the drought in US Midwest. The cycles are shifting and as another area gets drought relief, another dries out. Rule of thumb is within a year expect drought once Australia gets the rain. Maybe Mallee can chime in? Think i saw 400mm predicted in some locations.

[beaverdam]

In SE Sask, we've had our share of 200-300 rains over the last 10 years, finally drying out now. Great to have that land back for this year.
Glad someone else is taking a turn, for a change.

[furrowtickler]

I see some Australian rain fall records go back to 1988 ...... some way farther.
The 1988 one caught my attention

[farming101]

I see some Australian rain fall records go back to 1988 ...... some way farther.
The 1988 one caught my attention

I think I'll lay in a bunch of cutterbar parts and increase the ingestion insurance....