Were theres mud theres money

[freewheat]

Yeah lots of money. Leaching nutrients, denitrification, broken machinery, chains, dying soil, dying earthworms. No crop seeded means 0 money, but all these above losses, plus erosion costs, extra tillage costs, weed costs, etc. I always notice the guys who think we're nuts complaining about the wet conditions, are from arid areas, and have no clue. It is way easier to imagine drought, and what it does, than to imagine it too wet, when all you do is pray for rain year to year.

On a drought, if you don't seed, you do not lose nutrients, you do not break machinery, and you do not have to till and fill in erosion channels. Weeds are no issue to get rid of, etc.

Just some perspective for true drylanders who beg for rain year to year.

Water is poison if taken in excess. FJLIP, I love that phrase!

To much of anything is a poisonous situation, yes even water.

[TOM4CWB]

Where is 'global warming' when you need it?

If it was 25C every day... instead of 10-15C things would firm up quick and plants and evaporation would take care of the extra H20. WE need more heat!

[checking]

As SF3 will tell you, that's the trouble with a drought. Most will seed on the prayer that it will rain. Excess rain that keeps coming takes the cost decisions out of your hands. I'd call that a case of where your first loss is the smallest.

I had relatives that pulled up stakes to move to BC in 1937 just before the weather change arrived. The wives said they could have stood it, except for the fact that they didn't even have water to make a garden. The first letter back from BC comments on how there actually was a colour called green.

Think about that, and count your blessings.

[bucket]

Checking

How were people farming in those days. Were they taking care of the soil or mining it.

Maybe they left because of their farming practices. The last few years have proven we are farming better and conserving water in the soil instead of drying it out with a plow.

[cottonpicken]

Who says the worlds short on empathy?

I'm with wade

[Choice2U]

Agree with Cotton/Wade. Which fruit is better, an apple or orange? I grew up in W Central SK and had crop insurance (drought) 5 out of 8 years in the 80's. Now I live where many are at 50% done (me at 70% because I am smaller). Extremes are NO DAMN GOOD...either too dry or too wet.

[ado089]

They way we farm now I better for moisture management period. I rented some land this year that was 1/2-1/2 maybe 1/3-2/3 summerfallow since it was broke 90 years ago. First of all there is now organic matter left in it and secondly the rain does not soak in at all, I probably have 20 bags of canola washed out into the low spots. With that said I've been very fortunate this year in being able to get all the crop in with only some crusting problems(again due to s.f.) but the trouble with a wet year is that it has to stay wet ALL year because as metioned above you lose your best producing acres. That makes for alot of extra work, fuel, damage and a harvest from hell. Imagine last year with bottomless moisture. I'd rather flirt with drought than deal with mud.

[checking]

Bucket.

It sounds like you could use a plow for your low spots!

A bucket of water - a bucket of dust, your choice! Choice is good, today, isn't it?

Do you think they had alternatives in the horse era? That has got to be a new theory if they left because of their farming practices.

I rather suspect they were doing the best they could with what they had, and for many it wasn't enough without rain.

[malleefarmer]

ok point taken, guess i was looking from australian perspective sorry guys didnt mean to upset anyone unduely as im sure your all stressed.

[malleefarmer]

can anyone email some pics blacketp@bigpond.com