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Here we go, WET again

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Because of the flooding I just got back home today for the first time since the 6th of June...
On the 6th with the predicted heavy rains- a neighbor pulled my bulls and his thru the flooded road in a tall old Hale trailer behind his 4X4 tractor...I followed in my pickup with my ATV in the back... We had about 1/2 mile of road completely covered by water- and the last washout hole I hit on the flooded road, the water went over the hood....I decided I was not coming back thru until the water dropped--and set up camp at Grandpas old homestead house at the north place...

That night and the next day it rained 2-3" over the whole area-- and the Milk River reached alltime record highs...We were lucky and the water never got to our house- but some neighbors totally lost their houses...But with all the rains the river has remained high- and today was the first day the water went off the road--which is tore up pretty bad with some deep washouts to go thru and barely passable by 4 wheel drive...

Because of the daily rains/flooded corrals at both places/and creek flooding, we haven't branded either- and about a month behind on everything...Much of the dryland wheat in the northern part of the county did not get seeded this year--including some of mine... Hoping to get some late season crops to use as hay (oats,millet, sudan grass) seeded into the river bottom if it dries out...Whole year is a month behind- as the temp hasn't hit 80 degrees here yet- and the spring flowers and lilacs are just blooming at the north place...

Even tho there will be a good crop of prairie hay, I think hay will be at a premium around here this year because so many fields were flooded out and totally ruined by the flooding on the Milk and Missouri drainages...

What a year--Winter from Hell went right into alltime flooding....We've been dealing with this flooding since the last week of March...So far this year we have had several inchs more rain in the first 6 months of the year than we normally get in a full year...
But their is Belly Deep Grass everywhere... :)
 
It's sure been a tough set of circumstances for lots of folks in flooded areas this spring. Glad your house didn't get damaged by the high water, and I'll bet it feels good for you to get back home. Even though we don't see eye-to-eye politically, I have to admit I've kind of missed you. :wink: Heck, if we lived a little closer together, I'd even come and help you brand your calves. :)
 
I had a 120 acres of silage corn to seed and between breakdowns and mud it's very late getting it in I planted 20 acres on saturday and got all the wettest fields yesterday another 80 acres I've got 20 acres left to seed but its rained all night and I bet it's a muddy mess. I'll get the planter home and fix what broke at dark then do a little planting tonight if it dries off enough. I'm 2 hours from being done but that could be days away. Oh do we have grass It'll be fun haying thats for sure unless it rains every other day.
 
We've had rain 10 of the kast 11 days! Tomorrow it is supposed to rain till noon then 4 days of dry - - - - the mower is hooked up and ready to go. If I drop 50 acres then I will have first cutting done ( at least a month to 6 weeks behind normal)

It looks like we might get a two or three hour break this afternoon and if so my son and I are going to try to get roadsides looking better. I unhook the PTO shaft to the left deck on the batwings and leave the safety lock on it then I can cut with the middle and right side decks and with two of these running we can cover a lot of roadsides quickly. When I come to the big bridges with wide areas I just drop the left side down rehook the PTO and in two or three passes make them look good.

On the steep hilsides I built a 5' bush hog for the front of the skid steer and thought I had a great unit with the 7753 BobCat but I traded to a 277 Cat and it is much faster and with the low ground pressure tracks has a really low center of gavity - -- - I replaced the 5' bush hog with a 7' M&W unit as the 277 is 6 1/2' wide and so far with the extra horse power and speed it has really prover great!

Row crops are not getting enough heat units so they are looking good but not as good as you might expect with 2" of rain a week. Cool season grasses have not dropped off with this cool weather but the warm grasses are still holding back.
 
Well I guess the drought must be officially over since a good many roads and highways are washed out. We've had nearly 4" in the last few days, and more in some areas. This country really isn't built for that kind of moisture but I'll sure take it. Even the trees are looking healthier.
So far we've had over 6" this year and that's more than we generally require or expect in a year.
 
Denny said:
I had a 120 acres of silage corn to seed and between breakdowns and mud it's very late getting it in I planted 20 acres on saturday and got all the wettest fields yesterday another 80 acres I've got 20 acres left to seed but its rained all night and I bet it's a muddy mess. I'll get the planter home and fix what broke at dark then do a little planting tonight if it dries off enough. I'm 2 hours from being done but that could be days away. Oh do we have grass It'll be fun haying thats for sure unless it rains every other day.
Click to expand...

Yes there is lots of hay and all it wants to do is rain every second day.I baled enough black hay last year and i don't want to do that again,so thinking might just get a custom guy in and silage it.Then at least i know i got lots of feed and good feed.
 
3words said:
Denny said:
I had a 120 acres of silage corn to seed and between breakdowns and mud it's very late getting it in I planted 20 acres on saturday and got all the wettest fields yesterday another 80 acres I've got 20 acres left to seed but its rained all night and I bet it's a muddy mess. I'll get the planter home and fix what broke at dark then do a little planting tonight if it dries off enough. I'm 2 hours from being done but that could be days away. Oh do we have grass It'll be fun haying thats for sure unless it rains every other day.
Click to expand...

Yes there is lots of hay and all it wants to do is rain every second day.I baled enough black hay last year and i don't want to do that again,so thinking might just get a custom guy in and silage it.Then at least i know i got lots of feed and good feed.
Click to expand...

That sounds like a good idea. :D
It's hard to beat good silage. I even have a Big Auggie 14 mixer wagon I'd sell you cheap. We have a heck of a time finding a silage crew that will come way down here. I like it bagged as the sealed bags keep a year or two if you don't need them.
 
Carter went to Fergus Fall Mn for a few days.. He called and said for us not to complain about the water... He said that he drove in foot deep water for 5 miles... I'm guessing aroung the northern easterly part of South Dakota/North Dakota...
 
Silver said:
Well I guess the drought must be officially over since a good many roads and highways are washed out. We've had nearly 4" in the last few days, and more in some areas. This country really isn't built for that kind of moisture but I'll sure take it. Even the trees are looking healthier.
So far we've had over 6" this year and that's more than we generally require or expect in a year.
Click to expand...
Same situation here. We had good snow cover but got dusty dry for a couple of weeks. Grass looked terrible.
I think we have had over 8" in the last 2 weeks. The little river out my back door is over it's banks for days now. I don't remember anything quite like it.
Strange to see such similar weather in so many places that don't get the same systems.
Might be a lot of salvage crop around here.
 
It is nice and wet here as well. Been damp all spring, but the last week and 1/2 we have around 5.5 inches of rain. Lots of hay here too. It is suppose to be hot the rest of the week. Should get some haying started in our country.
 
we got another 3 inches from friday night thru sunday morning. had hail come thru around 3am sunday. the hail was golf ball size and larger. :shock: we lost most of the hay and about half the wheat. mother nature gives it, then she takes it away :(

Summer2011030.jpg
 
Northern Rancher said:
Hope you get some regrowth to salvage something at least-it can't stop raining here now it seems.
Click to expand...

that's what i'm hoping for. could have been worse i guess, although the roof of our house is beat all to hell, it is still here. :)
 
Sorry about the hail, Justin. We got one last year on the night of the 3rd of July. It wrecked the heck out of hay and pasture, and then the grasshoppers took over. There is "many a slip between the cup and the lip," when it comes to seeing standing hay on the ground until it is baled and stacked in the yards. If we only had a crystal ball,.....but then life would be pretty boring. :wink:
 
Justin, I am so sorry. Bummer deluxe.
I wish I was a roofer, I'd come help you put on a new roof.
But as it is, I'd be better help if I stayed away...you know,
like not having to put up with me would be like hiring 2 good men!! :D

Here's wishing you a lot of regrowth so you get some hay.
 
That's a tough one Justin, hope you can salvage something out of the mess and get some regrowth.

We are hoping these swamps will eventually dry up so we can get on them in a month. A neighbor on the Dean River still has 4 feet of river water on their meadows.

There's nothin' to good for a cowboy!
 
thanks everybody. its hard to see a hay crop like the one we had all laying flat on the ground, but compared to the situations other folks are in around the country, we are still in pretty good shape. we had lots of grass before the hail, and most of it is still standing so the cows are happy..at least they will be until the snow comes. :wink:
 

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