Returned my niece to her rightful owners yesterday, met my brother in Topeka. Ate a disappointing meal at Red Lobster, but my niece got to pet a lobster, that I guess was worth the trip. Kind of disturbing really, all this about animal rights and cruelty with the four legged animals, yet the lobsters are on display right up until they are cooked....I think I will stick to steak.
Wichita Kansas reports over 13 inches of rain for the month of May, given their annual rainfall would be about 25 inches or so, it shows how wet they have been, normal for the month I think would be a tad over 3. I don't know what we have had, 5+ last weekend. Thunder and lightning this morning and yesterday morning but just a sprinkle of rain. Flood watch cancelled, but now replaced. Warnings of very bad weather Wednesday and Thursday. 60% chance of rain tonight and tomorrow, possibly heavy.
I have planted alot of soybeans in June in my lifetime, but rarely has the first of June shown up on the calender without one soybean being in the ground on my farm, one other time I believe. After the son came out today I went into several fields to judge if I could go this afternoon, I need one or maybe two more drying days. The alfalfa needs cutting, I guess I am too much of a coward to cut with rain forecast every other day. I am questioning my farming ability at the moment, my judgement really, wondering about the 3 or 4 dry days I spent working cattle when I possibly could have planted some beans. The haymower is hooked to one tractor, the planter to the other. All I can do is grumble.
I think we are virtually assured of a rain tonight, that will probably keep me out until Thursday or Friday with no more rain. June 20th is the magic number to me. It seems like you have a fighting chance of growing some decent soybeans up to June 20th, after that your prospects drop like a rock each day. I will be a nervous wreck if by this time next week I haven't planted a day or two. Anyone who recalls my posts from last year will remember similar sad stories, then me begging for rain when we returned from the UK in August. We still managed a respectable crop, I hope 2008 works out that way.
The good news is, they are starting building me another machine shed tomorrow. Just another way to spend money, but I have to keep the equipment out of the rain. I suppose once it is finished, it won't rain for 3 months.