The drought in the southwest is kickin my ass....

[triguy46]

Already in Oklahoma a long string of 100+ days, drier that it was in the dust bowl. Just spent two days cutting hay and got 40% less than last year for same amount of work. Anyone havin' fun in the sun?

[hadrons]

1. I wasn't aware of this ....

sorry, but I haven't heard alot of it on the news (its the tornadoes getting the news coverage) ... I've heard of water problems in Texas, but you wouldn't know it from ass-hat Perry.

[demguy72340]

14. +1

[patrice]

2. I don't guess my congratulations for your courage helps much, but I offer it anyway, fwiw.

And I know this isn't about Unions, but I want to say, "Solidarity, triguy!" to a fellow American Earthling.

[panader0]

3. 105 here today

But the Monument fire seems to be contained. I was able to return home Tuesday after mandatory evacuation for two days.

[grasswire]

4. I'm sorry to hear this.

On the northern border, it's too wet to plant.

Other places, drought.

Hard times, hard times.

[Kali]

5. we have had just a hair over one inch of moisture

since September 25th of last year

my hay guy raised his price from $6 to 8 this year :(

[Old Codger]

6. Too Bad

You live so far away, had a bumper crop this year, so did everyone else here so can't sell locally.... got a barn full. 400 light bales, hope I can move it later this fall/winter. Had to drop to 2.50 a bale last year to empty barn for this years crop...

[Kali]

7. I can vaguely remember $2 hay (and actual WIRE)

what kind?

[Old Codger]

9. Hay is

Just plain old grass hay, tall Fescue with timothy and clover mix, nothing special and light bales so kids and wife can lift if needed, 50-60# can't grow alfalfa here, too wet.

(on edit) I recall .50 hay as a kid, also did a lot of haying back in Minn. as a youngster alfalfa,3 wire bales,worked our buts off for a buck an hour LOL.

[newfie11]

12. Alfalfa hay in my area (NE Panhandle/WY) is 200/ton

Much of it is being sold to the drought area south of us as this area is irrigated. Grass hay is higher than alfalfa here. Glad I am down to just 3 horses now.

[Rowdyboy]

8. Ours in Mississippi is bad but I'm afraid yours is worse....

This has been the summer from hell for almost a month and its barely getting started.

[truedelphi]

10. We need to get speculation out of farm commodities

So that the Poindexter types are not utilizing the "machine whose name I must not mention" to destroy the nation.

I was amazed to find among my Sci fi collection a story written and published way back in 1979 that was a "fictional" discussion of said array of antennae. And how when implimented - this vast array of antennnae would cause human kind to experience exactly what we are seeing now - four and five tornadoes moving PARALLEL TO ONE ANOTHER ACROSS THE MIDWEST. Internal wind speeds of over three hundred miles an hour.

And droughts occurring wherever the Power that Be want them.

[AnneD]

11. It is worse in Texas...

Bro HAD three terraced ponds. He is now back to where he was 5 years ago......1/4 th of original pond and all sorts of wild life is coming up close to the house. It is the feral pigs that scare us most, but he sees all kinds of tracks. They are keeping guns by the door.

[SteveM]

16. I hear you. I live in downtown Austin, hidden a few days ago by smoke...

from Bastrop. Over 1,600 homes and 45 sq. miles burned. Fire under control, but everywhere the potential for more grows, and no rain in sight. Up to 85 days of 100+. I went dove hunting at Granger Wildlife Management Area, and stepped into a fissure, thought I was going to the center of the earth. Fell over, gun stuck into the ground. Had to disassemble and clean the barrel, pick mesquite thorns, and watch dove scatter overhead. Austin authorities said to start getting dry stuff out of yards since there is no miracle barrier to stop fires in town, either. Something dug a tunnel into my yard, but I didn't fill it in; whatever it is deserves a chance, too.

Damn! It's like being stir-crazy in Minnesota in the winter. Just a temperature difference.

[bvar22]

13. Central/West/Central Arkansas (Oklahoma Border Ouachita Mountains) checkin in,

and it is BAD here too.
We're on the edge of the "Extreme Drought" area.
The temps started topping 100 F In May, and haven't let up.

We are very lucky to have a great Well that we can run 24/7 without problems...the water just gets colder & clearer.
We've been able to keep stuff watered, but the high temps are really hurting the production of any good veggies, berries, or fruits. Several fruit trees have died, and several grape vines too.
The Wild Black berries were a total failure, as were peaches, plums, and pears.
The cultivated BlueBerries had tough skins, but tasted OK.

We have 22 healthy Tomato plants of various varieties,
but are LUCKY to get one tomato per day,
and that one has tough skin and cracks.
In a normal year, we would throw it away.

Pumpkins have laid down and died.
Cantaloupes are stunted and not making fruit,
but we are getting a few Watermelons.

The Black beans and Field Peas are doing fine,
but even the Okra seems to be struggling.

It has been a tough, TOUGH year so far.
Just doing minimum chores is a struggle,
and emotionally it is depressing.
If this is the New Normal,
we are in REAL trouble.
We can't DEPEND on using our well for 100% of our irrigation.
We had intended to just use as a Fill In during dry weeks,
and up till now, that was enough.

We will get through it somehow,
but are already talking about switching over to all drought/heat resistant crops,
but I don't know HOW we will live without a kitchen full of Tomatoes.

[proudlib8134]

15. ...

[Name removed]

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