The scurs took the Weather Eye back to the Nash Rambler dealer to get the wet weather out of its system. They opened it up and removed several mosquitoes. Will that make the difference, or will we continue wearing water wings? Starting Thursday, sunny with highs in the mid-70’s and lows in the mid-50’s. Sunny on Friday with a slight chance of an overnight shower. Highs in the mid-70’s with lows in the mid-50’s. Mostly sunny on Saturday with highs in the mid-70’s and lows in the mid-50’s. Sunday, sunny with highs in the mid-70’s and lows in the mid-50’s. Sunny on Monday with highs in the low 70’s and lows in the mid-50’s. Tuesday, mostly cloudy with a good chance of showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the mid-70’s with lows in the mid-50’s. Partly sunny on Wednesday with highs in the mid-70’s and lows in the mid-50’s. On the 6th, our gaining daylight slows to one minute per day. We’ll only gain roughly three minutes of daylight from the 11th until the summer solstice on the 20th. The normal high for June 6th is 76 and the normal low is 56. Like Noah, the scurs may start construction on an ark soon. Don’t laugh.
Crops took it on the chin again this past week as more rainfall refilled the replant areas that had previously drowned out. Rain Friday afternoon and overnight ran from 2+” to 3+”. The lakes and ponds from May returned. Most worrisome to many was the lack of post-emerge herbicide on their corn. There is still time, but that window is rapidly shrinking. Much of the corn was V4 – V5 with four or five collars showing this past week. Some herbicides are not labeled for aerial application and some, even if they are, applicators will refuse to apply them due to liability concerns. The soybeans that aren’t underwater are staying relatively clean, especially those where time allowed before or between rains for a pre-emerge application to be made. Many are sitting out here, however, without chemical weed control. While the weeds aren’t huge yet, it won’t take long before they’ll need to be addressed. Patience, grasshopper.
So how much rainfall have we been dealing with? At the ranch from April 1st through June 3rd, we’ve tallied 13.22”. In Bugtussle, we have accumulated 16.78”. Normal at the SROC in Waseca for April through June 30th is 13.15” and we're only three days into June as of this writing. We have lots of June left to go. Incidentally, the growing season, May through September precipitation at the SROC is 23.72”. For May and the small sampling of June we’re at 12.05” in New Richland, so halfway there already. So what does that bode for the nitrogen applied either last fall or this spring? Not well, I’m afraid. Some were confident there was plenty of N leftover from last year’s crop, so upfront applications of N could be dialed back, then additional N applied if needed. This happened back in the early 90’s as well with disastrous results. We need a block of dry sunny weather to allow these root systems to work their way down in the profile and so supplemental N can be applied if/where necessary.
Little garden progress either. Watching a flush of crabgrass coming where the garden plot was burned down a month ago. Too wet to plant just yet and it may require another application of glyphosate in areas if it becomes too sodden. There are some things we may have to punt on soon if it doesn’t straighten out. Still, things like tomatoes, peppers, beans and sweet corn are fair game up until about July 4th. A second planting of string beans around that same time provides fresh beans until freeze up. There are always options to plant for a fall garden as well. Winter radishes and their spring counterparts can be planted in late July or early August with good results. Snap peas, while a little more hit and miss, are always welcome when they hit. I’ve even been thinking of an option for the cannas if they don’t get put in soon. We have an old plastic water tank full of junk. The junk belongs in the dumpster. Fill the tank with potting soil and voila! Canna habitat. Gotta keep those hummingbirds happy.
We’ve been so blessed with birds heading into summer. There is nearly constant activity in the backyard or the side yard by the living room. The orioles, catbirds, and red-bellied woodpeckers frequent the jelly feeder throughout the day. The female orioles must be on the nest as they’re not appearing as often as they did a few weeks ago. There is some serious scolding coming from the silver maple in the pasture, so suspect that may be where they’re incubating. The mosquitoes are so ferocious, however, that I don’t bother to find out. Hummingbirds are becoming more and more active. Everything is so lush and green, they’re difficult to pick up against that background. Refill the nectar feeder in the crabapple and their familiar hum can be heard. There is also a male cardinal that sings his lungs out at any given time. I saw his sunflower feeder had run empty. Despite the bug population, it was refilled as soon as I could get to it. Regardless of the flying biting insects, have to reward anything that can sing that beautifully.
The fencing project at the kindly neighbors’ is nearing completion. It took some doing to essentially replace the fence that was there with one that would be reliable. To do that, electric fence is the cheapest, easiest and fastest route to go, although some guidelines still need to be followed. For a decent fence that will keep sheep in, it takes three strands of charged wires or charged wires alternated with uncharged wires such as we had before. It helps if the sheep are wet when first exposed to it. Clean, dry wool is a nonconductor and in fact, early electrical wires were often insulated with it inside the outer wrap. It’s also a plus when the animals are trained on electric fence early on. Our lambs with the ewes get that experience at a young age. They learn quickly that yellow insulators are not your friend. It’s best to steer clear of them as well as the wire strung in between. It takes some time to do a fence right, especially if you dislike chasing animals after they get out. There are simply too many other things to do to budget time for that.
Had to make a quick run to the vet’s office on Saturday to replenish Poppy’s heartworm and tick medicine supply. When I got there I told them who I was and what I was there for. Immediately they wanted to know if Poppy was along! Apparently she must’ve made an impression in her previous visits. I laughed as people frequently ask about her and had to give them some good-natured ribbing about why no one is that glad to see me! It really doesn’t matter as protecting her from the six-legged and eight-legged pests is the main thing. That was the first errand I ran as I really didn’t want her to run out. Even though I didn’t take Poppy along to the vet’s office that day, there are always reminders wherever I am. There are usually Corgi hairs on my clothing or even on the keyboard. I can take a little bit of her wherever I go.
See you next week…real good then.