We need rain badly

bob charles

Piss off,

don't know how many farmers I met this morning saying such ****e

whelan1

bob charles wrote: »

Piss off,

don't know how many farmers I met this morning saying such ****e

totally agree, these are the guys who had an easy spring, cant wait for our discussion group meeting on wednesday:D

Mulumpy

whelan1 wrote: »

totally agree, these are the guys who had an easy spring, cant wait for our discussion group meeting on wednesday:D

Have to agree with ye sadly I was one of those who escaped the fodder crisis but the clock now turning full circle. Place starting to burn but to hell with it twill be grand anything better than the misery of last year.

mf240

People looking for rain should be arrested.

delaval

We need rain badly. We are feeding 10 bales daily and this will double next week. However I can wait. Like the wet last year this is no more than an inconvenience.

In reality this will extend our grazing season as when rain comes our place will burst into life and grow in excess of 100 in Sept. with the dry land we will be able to exploit this to the full.

Cows have dropped 2 litres due to heat stress and this is costing money which I don't like. I wonder what way superlevy will be affected

Going forward...

My only concern is keeping water to the cows, other than that, it can stay like this for as long as it wants.

This is doing ground a world of good and when it does rain again, think of the growth we'll get. That will help replenish stocks again and hopefully ensure a good back end to the grazing season.

Mulumpy

delaval wrote: »

We need rain badly. We are feeding 10 bales daily and this will double next week. However I can wait. Like the wet last year this is no more than an inconvenience.

In reality this will extend our grazing season as when rain comes our place will burst into life and grow in excess of 100 in Sept. with the dry land we will be able to exploit this to the full.

Cows have dropped 2 litres due to heat stress and this is costing money which I don't like. I wonder what way superlevy will be affected

One good thing I suppose is that ground will crack like anything and improve drainage no end.

Timmaay

delaval wrote: »

We need rain badly. We are feeding 10 bales daily and this will double next week. However I can wait. Like the wet last year this is no more than an inconvenience.

In reality this will extend our grazing season as when rain comes our place will burst into life and grow in excess of 100 in Sept. with the dry land we will be able to exploit this to the full.

Will your plan is then be just to press on with bale strong paddocks as needs be in Sept with a growth as such, or will you be trying to push out your autumn rotation planner as late as possible? In a similar boat to you now, except I'm feeding the cows 2nd cut covers of 1800kg, so this is reducing the amount of silage stock I will have. Would I get away with trying to get another cut in Sept, or would I be better off stretching out the autumn rotation as long as possible. Land is dry here, but grazing on the shoulders can be trickly as drainage/paddock infrastructure still needs work.

ellewood

delaval wrote: »

We need rain badly. We are feeding 10 bales daily and this will double next week. However I can wait. Like the wet last year this is no more than an inconvenience.

In reality this will extend our grazing season as when rain comes our place will burst into life and grow in excess of 100 in Sept. with the dry land we will be able to exploit this to the full.

Cows have dropped 2 litres due to heat stress and this is costing money which I don't like. I wonder what way superlevy will be affected

same as that needed rain long ago but not too fussed as where im feeding them is like concrete there not marking one bit and when we do get rain grass will fly - its still 100 times better than last year tho..

jomoloney

no growth on the home farm, mowing & wilting strong grass in front of the cows and feeding by night , aftergrass by day, meals upped to 4kgs.

no point of spreading fert. at this stage, reckon we will be browning off here in a week's time

no available grass for 200 ewes due to flushed ,

was cross country yesterday , saw a large dairy herd in south tipp literally eating clay

second cut on the out farm is due for cutting in 10 days, only have about 40% winter fodder secured so far.


just heard my neighbour lost his bull with sunstroke , think he cost over €4k , a couple of years ago.

freedominacup

bob charles wrote: »

Piss off,

don't know how many farmers I met this morning saying such ****e

Fup 'em. We need a lot of rain in order to make any difference and it will just screw everything else up if it comes now or any time soon. We've a grand crop of wholecrop steaming ahead, no lodging no losses. It's there in case of a summer like this so it's swings and roundabouts.

A nights rain would be a disaster tbh. It'll just stop the grass from continuing to search down for moisture. The roots will turn to get the moisture near the surface and just get burned away once the dry weather returns.

Happened here in '95 we got the nights rain and a quick flush of growth, lovely green carpet accross the whole place a few days later burned to s**te 10 days after that and the damage meant that the grass was less able to make use of the softer weather when it came in Sept.

delaval

Timmaay wrote: »

Will your plan is then be just to press on with bale strong paddocks as needs be in Sept with a growth as such, or will you be trying to push out your autumn rotation planner as late as possible? In a similar boat to you now, except I'm feeding the cows 2nd cut covers of 1800kg, so this is reducing the amount of silage stock I will have. Would I get away with trying to get another cut in Sept, or would I be better off stretching out the autumn rotation as long as possible. Land is dry here, but grazing on the shoulders can be trickly as drainage/paddock infrastructure still needs work.

Baling will be inevitable I fear. I am not a fan of silage in Sept as you are grazing reserves, but it will be necessary for quality control. I'd be hoping for a few quick rotations to sort prob.

When rain comes it, if managed properly could set farms up very well for Feb 14!!!

RobertKK

I want rain, where fields have been grazed, they are burning up rather than regrowing and no point using fertilizer with no rain in sight.

I can see hills near me where the grass has turned golden brown as well.

It is great for people with wet farms, but farms like mine where they dry out quickly, this is bad weather.

Figerty

RobertKK wrote: »

I want rain, where fields have been grazed, they are burning up rather than regrowing and no point using fertilizer with no rain in sight.

I can see hills near me where the grass has turned golden brown as well.

It is great for people with wet farms, but farms like mine where they dry out quickly, this is bad weather.

"It is great for people with wet farms, but farms like mine where they dry out quickly, this is bad weather"

I was waiting for someone to say this. For about three weeks in a dry year, We have the best land in the country west of the Shannon.

Stuck a shovel in the ground last night and about a 1/2 inch down is still damp. Growth is good where the land wasn't poached or damaged last year.

delaval

Figerty wrote: »

"It is great for people with wet farms, but farms like mine where they dry out quickly, this is bad weather"

I was waiting for someone to say this. For about three weeks in a dry year, We have the best land in the country west of the Shannon.

Stuck a shovel in the ground last night and about a 1/2 inch down is still damp. Growth is good where the land wasn't poached or damaged last year.

Delighted you're getting a chance to recover from last year.

When ye didn't go broke last year, I think we'll survive!!!!

RobertKK

Figerty wrote: »

"It is great for people with wet farms, but farms like mine where they dry out quickly, this is bad weather"

I was waiting for someone to say this. For about three weeks in a dry year, We have the best land in the country west of the Shannon.

Stuck a shovel in the ground last night and about a 1/2 inch down is still damp. Growth is good where the land wasn't poached or damaged last year.

Most of my farm is dry, a couple of damp fields and it is good for them, but we all want what is best for our farms.
All will never be happy.
Some are happy with this weather. but why should I be happy with land burning up and no growth?
If you had my land you would want rain too, and I have some land that is wet and this is good weather for that type of land.
Most of my land is bone dry and farmers in this part of the country need rain.

Since the beginning of June we are 212mm of rain down on last year for same period. I don't want all that rain again, but a quarter of that would do the world of good round these parts.

ZETOR_IS_BETTER

A small drop for grazed ground would be nice

Figerty

RobertKK wrote: »

Most of my farm is dry, a couple of damp fields and it is good for them, but we all want what is best for our farms.
All will never be happy.
Some are happy with this weather. but why should I be happy with land burning up and no growth?
If you had my land you would want rain too, and I have some land that is wet and this is good weather for that type of land.
Most of my land is bone dry and farmers in this part of the country need rain.

Since the beginning of June we are 212mm of rain down on last year for same period. I don't want all that rain again, but a quarter of that would do the world of good round these parts.

Tis true, we will never be happy. I would need to have about another three weeks of dry weather before the land would burn up. Three miles to east of me they will be crying for rain shortly. Three miles to west it is still wet.

Upland would struggle with the dry, but lower ground loves this. The upland will be needed later in the year when the soft ground is gone boggy again.

I put in a load of drains on black earth ground this year and I am delighted with the condition it is now. The un-drained ground still has water, probably being pushed up from underneath. If the baler would arrive this evening I would be delighted!

Conmaicne Mara

Great weather for my commonage. It's mostly deep bog, soon won't be able to find the sheep in the grass. Another week or two of the temps we've been getting and I reckon there'll be a few yellow patches starting in shallow ground with bedrock under it.

Strange thing is I'd loads of spraying to do last Summer which I couldn't because of the wet, now I am debating whether I should tackle it in the dry :pac:

bbam

I saw on MT's forecast that the outlook for next week includes FIRES !!
We would never really need rain here.. I was out topping today, sort of catchup/payback for the holidays.. I even found one or two soft spots still !!

Heavy dew at night is working wonders here keeping growth going.. Rain would just be a mess.. September would be time enough !

Conmaicne Mara

Am surprised the fires haven't started already to be honest, seeing as how it's been so dry for so long. We have a rash of them here earlier in the year, got serious with houses nearly burnt, a road closed where the drainage pipe under it burned out.

RobertKK

Figerty wrote: »

Tis true, we will never be happy. I would need to have about another three weeks of dry weather before the land would burn up. Three miles to east of me they will be crying for rain shortly. Three miles to west it is still wet.

Upland would struggle with the dry, but lower ground loves this. The upland will be needed later in the year when the soft ground is gone boggy again.

I put in a load of drains on black earth ground this year and I am delighted with the condition it is now. The un-drained ground still has water, probably being pushed up from underneath. If the baler would arrive this evening I would be delighted!

I live in an upland area in Kilkenny, officially classified as mountainous by the department of agriculture for the DAS.
Very good soil in that it use to grow cereals in the past, with shale rock beneath the soil which gives good drainage.

Another problem is this part of the country doesn't get the same amount of rainfall as other parts like the west and north.
It reminds me of two years ago, we had another drought in this part of the country, the west and north got their normal rainfall if not more than normal but here in the south midlands/south east we had just 30% of the normal rainfall.
So prolonged dry or dry(ish) weather isn't ideal for this part of the country given it is already drier than other parts.
All the farmers in my areas are talking about the problems of a lack of rainfall and how we will need rain soon.
The hills in western Kilkenny/Tipperary border and to the north of the county often kill off rainfall that is moving westwards - it happened 2 yrs ago.

The problem is some parts of the country are in drought conditions or entering drought conditions already, while other areas got a lot more rainfall and don't need it.

Mulumpy

RobertKK wrote: »

I live in an upland area in Kilkenny, officially classified as mountainous by the department of agriculture for the DAS.
Very good soil in that it use to grow cereals in the past, with shale rock beneath the soil which gives good drainage.

Another problem is this part of the country doesn't get the same amount of rainfall as other parts like the west and north.
It reminds me of two years ago, we had another drought in this part of the country, the west and north got their normal rainfall if not more than normal but here in the south midlands/south east we had just 30% of the normal rainfall.
So prolonged dry or dry(ish) weather isn't ideal for this part of the country given it is already drier than other parts.
All the farmers in my areas are talking about the problems of a lack of rainfall and how we will need rain soon.
The hills in western Kilkenny/Tipperary border and to the north of the county often kill off rainfall that is moving westwards - it happened 2 yrs ago.

The problem is some parts of the country are in drought conditions or entering drought conditions already, while other areas got a lot more rainfall and don't need it.

That'll teach ye for robbing liam mc every year

RobertKK

Mulumpy wrote: »

That'll teach ye for robbing liam mc every year

Liam McCarthy loves Kilkenny and why wouldn't he

Figerty

RobertKK wrote: »

I live in an upland area in Kilkenny, officially classified as mountainous by the department of agriculture for the DAS.
Very good soil in that it use to grow cereals in the past, with shale rock beneath the soil which gives good drainage.

Another problem is this part of the country doesn't get the same amount of rainfall as other parts like the west and north.
It reminds me of two years ago, we had another drought in this part of the country, the west and north got their normal rainfall if not more than normal but here in the south midlands/south east we had just 30% of the normal rainfall.
So prolonged dry or dry(ish) weather isn't ideal for this part of the country given it is already drier than other parts.
All the farmers in my areas are talking about the problems of a lack of rainfall and how we will need rain soon.
The hills in western Kilkenny/Tipperary border and to the north of the county often kill off rainfall that is moving westwards - it happened 2 yrs ago.

The problem is some parts of the country are in drought conditions or entering drought conditions already, while other areas got a lot more rainfall and don't need it.

I recall hearing about that drought in the pocket in the south east. We got drowned two years ago and even worse last year. Two years ago Mayo and Donegal got washed out. Last year Donegal and Mayo had a great summer by comparison. For a small country it can be a strange mix of weather.

kowtow

Yesterday was St Swithins day.

freedominacup

kowtow wrote: »

Yesterday was St Swithins day.

Remind us

kowtow

freedominacup wrote: »

Remind us

No rain on St Swithin's day, no rain for forty days.

whelan1

reading mt craniums forecast he is saying it might be warm into early september:eek:

KatyMac

Trying to sink a couple of fencing posts this morning as a calling cow decided to visit neighbour. Absolutely impossible with a sledge hammer, ended up putting a temporary fix with an electric - never thought I'd see the ground so hard. I hate to say it, but we could do with a wee drop by now!

Henwin

tomorrow the 15th is actually St Swithins day

delaval

St Swithin died and his grave dug, it rained for 40 days and nights with such force that he couldn't be buried for 40 days

If it rains on Swithens day 15 July it's said that it'll rain for 40 days and nights

Going forward...

Is there any merit to going out with the slurry tank? Have an outdoor tank more than half full, when fully agitated is basically soiled water with all the rainwater it collects?

kowtow

delaval wrote: »

St Swithin died and his grave dug, it rained for 40 days and nights with such force that he couldn't be buried for 40 days

If it rains on Swithens day 15 July it's said that it'll rain for 40 days and nights

Quite true. They moved his bones, have a hazy memory of a very hot July speech day at School (1976) when the unfortunate St Swithin first revealed himself.

But ... a positive correlation does not equate to its own inverse! We are saved! Had it rained on St Swithin's day (or if it rains tomorrow) it will rain for forty days.. but that doesn't mean that if it doesn't rain it won't, if you see what I mean.

So forget St Swithin and let's get back to the rain dance. Either my cows started pi***sing roundup, or we are getting seriously dry here..

delaval

kowtow wrote: »

Quite true. They moved his bones, have a hazy memory of a very hot July speech day at School (1976) when the unfortunate St Swithin first revealed himself.

But ... a positive correlation does not equate to its own inverse! We are saved! Had it rained on St Swithin's day (or if it rains tomorrow) it will rain for forty days.. but that doesn't mean that if it doesn't rain it won't, if you see what I mean.

So forget St Swithin and let's get back to the rain dance. Either my cows started pi***sing roundup, or we are getting seriously dry here..

'Pissing roundup' that about sums it up ha ha

Dampintheattic

We don't need rain, and don't want rain to be frank. However, its looking like its on the way. Heavy clouds and temp gone quite cool.
Still a bit won't do any harm, but lets hope it stays at just a bit. -;)

Conmaicne Mara

Dampintheattic wrote: »

We don't need rain, and don't want rain to be frank. However, its looking like its on the way. Heavy clouds and temp gone quite cool.
Still a bit won't do any harm, but lets hope it stays at just a bit. -;)

Shallow spots turning brown today, drains have stopped flowing completely. Filled water for the sheep this morning. No water in pipe :rolleyes: so lucky I had the IBC filled, will last a while anyway. I suspect there may be better pressure at night.

Damo810

http://waterfordwhispersnews.com/2013/07/08/we-could-do-with-a-sup-of-rain-says-annoying-farmer-****/

20silkcut

Moving the white plastic fencing posts is nearly an ordeal now. Takes a right pull to get them out and a right push to get them back through the hard ground.

Manoffeeling

Beet doing well but not panned out yet.

paddysdream

A few cow men around here with the pit open or feeding bales already.No growth whatsoever on bare or mowed grassland.
Here at the mo. am running out of grass and it looks likely that unless we get rain(lots))soon then weaning the last of the ewes is out of the question for a while.
Meadows around here are a good bit(30% to 40%) back on last year and second cuts look to be out of the question.
Passed a local farm today where silage cut in 2nd week of June and closed for 2nd cut straight away.Field is just brown with some patches of green traneens.

whelan1

paddysdream wrote: »

A few cow men around here with the pit open or feeding bales already.No growth whatsoever on bare or mowed grassland.
Here at the mo. am running out of grass and it looks likely that unless we get rain(lots))soon then weaning the last of the ewes is out of the question for a while.
Meadows around here are a good bit(30% to 40%) back on last year and second cuts look to be out of the question.
Passed a local farm today where silage cut in 2nd week of June and closed for 2nd cut straight away.Field is just brown with some patches of green traneens.

where is here

delaval

Manoffeeling wrote: »

Beet doing well but not panned out yet.

When its panned its really thriving!!

Conmaicne Mara

whelan1 wrote: »

where is here

My guess is Carlow.

Western Pomise

In this neck of woods land could easily go another ten days without rain and still not be 'dry' on more 'disadvantaged' farms......for eg a neighbour made silage other day and they did some 'ploughing' at same time as he let round baler bale around the field rather than bringing bales to dry part of land......land here never recovered fully from v heavy soaking in Nov,Dec.

tabby aspreme

Met Eireann say no rain for at least 10 days except the far northwest may get a bit,

pakalasa

We've low lying corcas land. When it dries, the clay becomes full of cracks. I havent seen any cracking yet.

reilig

The only reason we'd want rain just yet is to wash the dust off the car!

Baler did leave an odd track on saturday, so ground isn't over dry yet.

I think the lads who are wishing for rain are mainly those who spoke on here earlier this summer about having a lot of paddocks to bale for silage. Now is yer time to use it!

freedominacup

reilig wrote: »

The only reason we'd want rain just yet is to wash the dust off the car!

Baler did leave an odd track on saturday, so ground isn't over dry yet.

I think the lads who are wishing for rain are mainly those who spoke on here earlier this summer about having a lot of paddocks to bale for silage. Now is yer time to use it!

Flip side of that one reilig is that guys on ground like yours who are wishing that the sun stays out for another month are mainly those who spoke on here about the difficulties they had in the past 12 months to graze and conserve fodder. Now is yer time to use your heavy land and literally make hay/silage while the sun shines as a buffer for the next time it all goes curly. There should be wagon loads of fertiliser blocking the roads in your area at the moment.

reilig

freedominacup wrote: »

Flip side of that one reilig is that guys on ground like yours who are wishing that the sun stays out for another month are mainly those who spoke on here about the difficulties they had in the past 12 months to graze and conserve fodder. Now is yer time to use your heavy land and literally make hay/silage while the sun shines as a buffer for the next time it all goes curly. There should be wagon loads of fertiliser blocking the roads in your area at the moment.

Sure we deserve a bit of luck!

We have lots of grass, we don't need to lorry out the fertilizer!

Is there much point in spreading wagon loads of fertilizer on land that is bone dry? Also, if we put on too much fertilizer, there is an danger that when the rain does come, our ground with lots of grass will be too wet to graze. We're not over stocked and cattle are able to graze the wetter parts of the farm and get long periods on these wetter areas while giving the drier areas a chance to boost covers.

freedominacup

reilig wrote: »

Sure we deserve a bit of luck!

We have lots of grass, we don't need to lorry out the fertilizer!

Is there much point in spreading wagon loads of fertilizer on land that is bone dry? Also, if we put on too much fertilizer, there is an danger that when the rain does come, our ground with lots of grass will be too wet to graze. We're not over stocked and cattle are able to graze the wetter parts of the farm and get long periods on these wetter areas while giving the drier areas a chance to boost covers.

It's because ye have lots of grass that ye neeed to lorry out the fert. I thought you said that some of your fields were still being marked by a baler so not so dry. Grow the grass and conserve it for the inevitable next wet year.