Things are not looking good for crops in the western US this year. Third year for California farmers and not much for snow pack in the mountains. Ground water is probably low as well. Most of your table crops/produce come from there.

Grain farmer friends of mine who live in such areas are already very worried. Winter has been very dry. Inflation, drought and probably war are not going to be good.

I saw where some govt official said if you make less than $300K salary to stop eating meat and eat lentils instead. Hmm. Soy and lentils need rain to grow.

We had an unseasonal 5" of rain today along with 2 tornados. Our wettest month is usually May; if we don't get it then we are in trouble. But that doesn't stop the developers. We have also had enormous wildfires in the North Texas areas, as of a couple of days ago over 74K acres gone. That's a loss of a lot of hay,friends. See what that does to beef prices that are already out of sight.

Yep, not looking good. I think that they have said that this is the worst drought in our region in 1200 years.

Though it does not show in the supplied image this drought extends well into Canada's grain and hay production areas. We have a perfect storm brewing of drought and high fuel prices.

Talked with a friend in Washington state that said there that 1 lb. of rice was going for $5.00. Prices here in Texas are still relatively solid. Time will tell.

In my part of the state we are way drier than 2012. That yr I had virtually no crop. I'm afraid to forward contract any grain this year. It's going to take a lot of timely rains to keep our crop alive.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by NormanConquest:
We had an unseasonal 5" of rain today along with 2 tornados. Our wettest month is usually May; if we don't get it then we are in trouble. But that doesn't stop the developers. We have also had enormous wildfires in the North Texas areas, as of a couple of days ago over 74K acres gone. That's a loss of a lot of hay,friends. See what that does to beef prices that are already out of sight.

what?? you had 5" of rain? we got less than a half inch. my damn rain collection system level is dropping like bidens IQ

John, NOTHING can drop that fast! We were in a pocket that it just dumped on us, 15 miles away in Georgetown they only got about an inch.

The dry yrs of 1950-1957 was when the rivers in central Texas stopped flowing. I remember that several people burned the stickers from cactus to feed cows. Most of you guys and gals were not alive to see this, but my father in law had 100 acres of cotton that failed for 7 yrs and the bank called in his loans. Sold the farm and people were able to buy it with the Govt. programs to pay for not farming. It was a very had time for people get food. It could happen again and the Kalifornians could return to the west and get the hell out of Texas.

it's bad up here too. Very little snow this past winter. If we don't get a bunch of rain soon, crops are going to be pretty bleak this year.

Les, good luck on those Kalifornicators moving back west; they haven't totally destroyed our property values yet. But one can hope. Hope you + your wife are doing better.

Les, you are right about the drought in the early 50s. My ex was born in 51 in Dallas + she saw rain for the 1st time in her life in 57 + broke into tears because she was so scared at something she had never experienced. When the sky did open, there was massive flooding We got our rain, finally, but we got it all at once. I'm sure every one of age has stories to tell about that time, but when the floodwaters broke in 57; if one is familiar with Georgetown, Tx., the San Gabriel River was 4' over the bridge that was already at least 100' above the river. They had firemen + volunteers on a guy line on the bridge to help clear limbs, etc. before the mass took out the bridge. Brave men. I have seen similar here in the Memorial Day flood of 1981. Half of Austin proper was under at least a foot of water. Our main HWY 29 between Georgetown where I worked + Liberty Hill, where I lived was 2' underwater. Kinda helps living in the country + knowing the back roads.

It's hard seeing friends get excited their clover popped up and made a leaf knowing all that work is probably going to dry up long before they can bale it. Of course it is too early for corn and soybean to be put in yet. If this predicted drought does continue along with the lack of fertilizer...

My peach trees are blossomed out so I've got my fingers crossed that we don't get a late freeze. I think we'll be O.K. but I've seen it happen many times before. I never plant my tomatoes until the pecan trees bud out; they are the true test. May is our wettest month.

Pouring rain in the 'Zarks today. Completely missed my Kansas friends location. I see some early peach blossoms on my trees now. Nine times out of ten my area gets a late freeze. My kieffer pears are ready to bloom too.

Betting on another dry year here. Buddy claims round hay bales were selling for 300. each at the local auction market.

Grizz

WOW, quite a price difference from your area to mine. The last couple of years the round bales were averaging $85.00. Of course that might well change after all of the fires in north Texas.

I've been selling alfalfa small square 55 lbs. bales for $8.00 a bale. With the water cut 50%, fertilizer going from $750 a ton to $2,000 a ton and off road diesel last year at this time was $1.42 a gallon and this year is $4.71 a gallon. My neighbor's are talking about only getting one cutting and prices for small squares going for $15.00 to $20.00 a bale for first cutting. We might see people coming out into the country again and dumping horses because of the cost to feed them. It happened when we had a bad drought here and hay was going for $12.00 a bale.

Ranchers who buy hay have hopefully stocked up now on all the 2021 cutting they can find. Dry lot ranchers are going to have a tough go.

I have several neighbors who have pleasure horses and buy all their hay. A couple of months ago I asked them if they were stocked up for a couple years and they looked at me like I was nuts. One of them HAS listened. They have 5 to feed and dry lot them.

Most of the beef and dairy farms here do produce their own hay and silage but fuel/fertilizer prices are gonna hurt big time.