Ireland is officially 'in drought

Sam Kade

The media clowns will write anything for a dramatized story :rolleyes:


http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/its-a-scorcher-and-ireland-is-officially-in-drought-29431138.html

ifeelill

Yeah we dont seem to be a crisis point just yet. Westmeath co council have reduced water pressure to homes to offset the greater demand for water and also the reduced rainfall. I expect to see a ramping up of water restrictions over the next few weeks if the better weather continues

RobertKK

The fact is official drought conditions as set by Met Eireann are being reached., today and tomorrow.
In this case the "media clowns" are reporting fact.

YbFocus

RobertKK wrote: »

The fact is official drought conditions as set by Met Eireann are being reached., today and tomorrow.
In this case the "media clowns" are reporting fact.

Over in the weather forum they reckon we'll have rain and lots of it in the 28th, so ten days roughly.

Sam Kade

RobertKK wrote: »

The fact is official drought conditions as set by Met Eireann are being reached., today and tomorrow.
In this case the "media clowns" are reporting fact.

Drought is when wells dry up and grass starts to burn. Plenty water in wells and grass still growing

Viewtodiefor

Sam Kade wrote: »

Drought is when wells dry up and grass starts to burn. Plenty water in wells and grass still growing

Wait until September Sam !!

freedominacup

YbFocus wrote: »

Over in the weather forum they reckon we'll have rain and lots of it in the 28th, so ten days roughly.

We were due to get a half an inch approx next Fri according to forecast yesterday now we're to get...........

http://www.yr.no/place/Ireland/Munster/Waterford/long.html

.......... I just had to check again 4-5mm next Sunday. It's just ass covering. I don't see it breaking for a good while but I then I know f'all about it.

20silkcut

I wonder is the realisation sinking in that weather patterns are changed utterly.
This is the second year in a row of the weather been ridiculously stuck in a pattern for weeks on end. Then we had the cold regime stuck for ages in spring. When this current heat wave breaks down it seems likely that whatever regime takes over will probably stick around for ages as well.

Farming needs variable weather these stuck patterns are a nightmare.

Viewtodiefor

freedominacup wrote: »

We were due to get a half an inch approx next Fri according to forecast yesterday now we're to get...........

http://www.yr.no/place/Ireland/Munster/Waterford/long.html

.......... I just had to check again 4-5mm next Sunday. It's just ass covering. I don't see it breaking for a good while but I then I know f'all about it.

Bit like the track add every little helps!

Timmaay

20silkcut wrote: »

I wonder is the realisation sinking in that weather patterns are changed utterly.
This is the second year in a row of the weather been ridiculously stuck in a pattern for weeks on end. Then we had the cold regime stuck for ages in spring. When this current heat wave breaks down it seems likely that whatever regime takes over will probably stick around for ages as well.

Farming needs variable weather these stuck patterns are a nightmare.

Two words, Gulf Stream! Ireland is sooo utterly dependent on it, and the last few years the Gulf Stream has gone crazy, will it return to normal, the longer we get these patterns the more likely they are here to stay. But yes, your fully correct, grassland farming in Ireland needs variable weather, and simple as is without it, costs will be rise due to have to bridge the gap in grass supply and demand, moving forward it's very important to have this factored into the cost of production etc.

pakalasa

Timmaay wrote: »

Two words, Gulf Stream! Ireland is sooo utterly dependent on it, and the last few years the Gulf Stream has gone crazy, will it return to normal, the longer we get these patterns the more likely they are here to stay. But yes, your fully correct, grassland farming in Ireland needs variable weather, and simple as is without it, costs will be rise due to have to bridge the gap in grass supply and demand, moving forward it's very important to have this factored into the cost of production etc.

It's the Jet Stream, different thing altogether. But right in what you are saying. It's normally runs in a straight line, but recently it has started to meander big time.

freedominacup

20silkcut wrote: »

I wonder is the realisation sinking in that weather patterns are changed utterly.
This is the second year in a row of the weather been ridiculously stuck in a pattern for weeks on end. Then we had the cold regime stuck for ages in spring. When this current heat wave breaks down it seems likely that whatever regime takes over will probably stick around for ages as well.

Farming needs variable weather these stuck patterns are a nightmare.

No all been done before. '84 and '85 spring to mind immeadiately. We got 10mm of rain from 20th Apr until 1st Sept in '84. The following year it felt like there was no day we didn't get 10mm of rain and this led into '86 which was the one year I remember that could compare with 2012

vanderbadger

have a chap in draining a field, havent been able to drive thru the wet part the last 2 years, you would break your ankle there now its so hard and rough

reilig

freedominacup wrote: »

No all been done before. '84 and '85 spring to mind immeadiately. We got 10mm of rain from 20th Apr until 1st Sept in '84. The following year it felt like there was no day we didn't get 10mm of rain and this led into '86 which was the one year I remember that could compare with 2012

Wasn't 86 a good year? record breaking 32 days without rain recorded in the South West? 85 was probably the worst summer around here in living memory. Started to rain at the end of may and didn't stop till mid september. I remember we were making small pits of silage in the corners of fields at the beginning of october.

freedominacup

reilig wrote: »

Wasn't 86 a good year? record breaking 32 days without rain recorded in the South West? 85 was probably the worst summer around here in living memory. Started to rain at the end of may and didn't stop till mid september. I remember we were making small pits of silage in the corners of fields at the beginning of october.

I think you're tbh but there was a serious storm around the Aug bank hoilday in '86 I think after a not particularly good year around here that f**ked the harvest.

RobertKK

Sam Kade wrote: »

Drought is when wells dry up and grass starts to burn. Plenty water in wells and grass still growing

Depends where you live.

Burning up here, wells have to be managed, farmers drawing water for their farms.

20silkcut

freedominacup wrote: »

No all been done before. '84 and '85 spring to mind immeadiately. We got 10mm of rain from 20th Apr until 1st Sept in '84. The following year it felt like there was no day we didn't get 10mm of rain and this led into '86 which was the one year I remember that could compare with 2012

Yes but back then you had 40/50 cows on 100 acres. Now you have 80/90 cows on 100 acres.
Different ball game completely.

Under stocked mixed tillage farms are not really under pressure in this weather.

reilig

20silkcut wrote: »

Yes but back then you had 40/50 cows on 100 acres. Now you have 80/90 cows on 100 acres.
Different ball game completely.

Under stocked mixed tillage farms are not really under pressure in this weather.

How do you define understocked?

Blue Holland

Sam Kade wrote: »

Drought is when wells dry up and grass starts to burn. Plenty water in wells and grass still growing

Bit like myself been on here last July saying "bit miserable but at least the land is dry enough.

20silkcut

How long is a piece of string????

I have 23 weanling bulls and 9 calves on 90 acres. I am under stocked. But still am sweating over a crop of silage for selling that needs rain and appears to be getting lighter by the day and the rest of my year depends on it.

So I am an under stocked farm under heat stress.

But fodder for my own stock won't be an issue.

Timmaay

Agreed that stocking rate doesn't make a major difference, any good farmer will make sure his animals don't starve and will have some sort of plan B. But simple as is where it will effect us all is in our pockets, the highly stocked farmers have to buy in feed, either now or next winter as they are digging into their winter feed now, the lower stocked like silkcut simple as will have less feed to sell, same net effect in both cases, less money in your pocket!

Sam Kade

Blue Holland wrote: »

Bit like myself been on here last July saying "bit miserable but at least the land is dry enough.

No it's like when we got the snow and frost a few years ago and everyone roaring about snowploughs and salt.

Sam Kade

20silkcut wrote: »

Yes but back then you had 40/50 cows on 100 acres. Now you have 80/90 cows on 100 acres.
Different ball game completely.

Under stocked mixed tillage farms are not really under pressure in this weather.

Back then there were plenty farms stocked at 1 cow to an acre and more.

Dampintheattic

Sam Kade wrote: »

Back then there were plenty farms stocked at 1 cow to an acre and more.

In days of old when knights were bold.
And Kleenex wasn't invented.
Men wiped their arse, with blades of grass.
And went away contented.

Thought you folks should know that:cool:

mf240

when the men were made of steel and the boats were made from timber.

lalababa

I have two wells run dry for first time since they were dug 6/7 years ago! Now I have to draw water like a devil. Another well is really low , but the home well is ticking over thank God ( but for how long?).:(

freedominacup

20silkcut wrote: »

Yes but back then you had 40/50 cows on 100 acres. Now you have 80/90 cows on 100 acres.
Different ball game completely.

Under stocked mixed tillage farms are not really under pressure in this weather.

Ah no. We had 120 cows on a 90 acre grazing block at that time.

One good thing we got out of it was a good supply of water. We had been pricking around with two bad springs up to then but they both dried up. Got a new well divined that July great flow but deep, never left us down since. If it was good that year it'll always be reliable.