And the weather forecast is .......

RAIN AGAIN ....... 80% on Saturday and 50% on Sunday

 

Well one thing about Kansas, we have great averages.  Last summer was one of the hottest and driest on record .... so far this summer, one of the wettest and coolest.  But take a governmental style statistical average .... we're perfect!

 

Yesterday, in my "feedsales" adventures, I had to pick and choose which road I took because of high water.  Not only the country gravel roads but also some major KS and US highways.  Low lying areas looked like lakes.  Those farmers with good bottomland for crops were wishing they had upland this year.

 

One rancher I was talking to, had tried to swath some hay in a low area a couple days back.  The rains came and the "babbling brook" became a "raging river" which consequentially took his windrows of hay with it.  The once straight windrows of fluffy hay were now hanging from fences and the not so low branches of trees that lined the creek.   I really didn't know what to say with such a crop loss but in the optimistic view of any rancher/farmer he replied.  "I am just hanging my hay out to dry!"

 

Now our average rainfall in this area is 33-35 inches a year.  That's not quite 3 inches per month.  And this year ..... just in June and not counting April and May ... (as recorded by the USGS in Elk Falls KS) we have received over 16 inches .... 10 of which came the last 7 days.  (click here if you don't believe me)

 

But the spirit of the KS rancher/farmer remains undaunted.  As one rancher put it, "I would much rather put in water gaps than haul water!"

 

However, for any who maybe reading this, if you know of a good supply of gopher wood give me a call just in case it KEEPS raining.

 

Dennis

PS How long is a cubit?