Drought??

[old'un]

Are we heading for one? Spoke to a number of farmers the last few days and they are starting to worry about possible failure of spring sown crops due to lack of rain.

They are also reporting poor yields from grass and poor growth in autumn sown crops for the same reason.

Anyone seeing/hearing the same?

[Jacko3275]

Where I shot at the weekend they where out with the water cannon/sprinkler things and the ground was like rock pain in the but trying to get the magnet in and it’s not long back when the Ouse was over these fields

[marsh man]

2 minutes ago, old'un said:

Are we heading for one? Spoke to a number of farmers the last few days and they are starting to worry about possible failure of spring sown crops due to lack of rain.

They are also reporting poor yields from grass and poor growth in autumn sown crops for the same reason.

Anyone seeing/hearing the same?

I was thinking exactly the same as you old 'un , I am just back from walking around the Pea fields and it was like a hot summers day , the irrigation was flat out on some winter wheat fields and the spud fields will be next , by the end of the Winter the marshes were that wet you would have thought it would have took months to dry out and yet by mid march they were all bone dry ,and now once again the livestock are grazing the fields quicker and that can grow , strange times for sure 

With this early heat I wouldn't be surprised if the temp top 100% sometime during the next few months , if the hot weather make any difference to the virus ? we might soon find out 

[old'un]

Yep, I walked a few fields and the ground is like it is in midsummer, rock hard and big cracks that you could put your hand down, what with the failure of large acres of rape due to flea beetle, then autumn sowing being stopped by heavy rain and now a possible drought causing the failure or poor growth of some young crops I wonder what this will do to food prices?  

[Dave at kelton]

Try living in SW Scotland, no appreciable rain for 8 weeks or more now. Not what I expected when I moved up.

[jeffgg]

same here in chesterfield the farmers need rain 

 

[islandgun]

Rain and wind at the weekend for us, but yes enjoyed the dry weather..

[old'un]

8 minutes ago, islandgun said:

Rain and wind at the weekend for us, but yes enjoyed the dry weather..

I would think this warm dry weather is unusual for you Steve? Bet its been like the Caribbean with those lovely white beaches.

 

Just to add a note on my visits to local farmers over the last few days.

I have known some for a good few years, one farmer who has grown rape for as long as I can remember said he will no longer be growing rape after losing 100+ acres to flea beetle and the wet winter, he re-sowed the field a couple of weeks ago with linseed, when I asked the other farmers if they will be putting any rape in, most said no or I very much doubt it.

[JDog]

In ten weeks here we have seen one hour of appreciable rain. Late sown spring barley has had a hard time getting established and peas are just sitting around for weeks before emerging.

[old'un]

11 minutes ago, JDog said:

In ten weeks here we have seen one hour of appreciable rain. Late sown spring barley has had a hard time getting established and peas are just sitting around for weeks before emerging.

One farmer was telling me the recorded rainfall for the area (Worcestershire) was only 60mm in the last three months, think we need some rain. 

[39TDS]

1 hour ago, old'un said:

Are we heading for one?

I think we are already there

[old'un]

14 minutes ago, 39TDS said:

I think we are already there

Possibly so, we have fields around here that have been ploughed but its been much to dry to risk sowing anything, plus time is getting on now so I think they will be looking at autumn sowing.

[kenholland]

they said rain and thunderstorms on thurthsday in places it that's any help , I don't think so. my guy has had is sprinklers on for the last 4 weeks, and some are getting ready to suck up out of the rivers , getting all the pipework ready.

[Konnie]

Farmers I talk to seem to agree in a 12 month period you roughly get the same amount of rainfall taken as a average. So looking back at the very wet autumn/winter we are in for a very dry spell. 

Peas have already started to run and they've not long been through, hoping for smaller yields everywhere higher price, as spring down crops didn't get the water in the early stage of germination/growth. 

[Walker570]

It is dry for sure, but I think one of my farms put the maize in an inch or so deeper and it is sitting in some damp ground from the rainy season. Only 9 weeks ago it was literally underwater.

I have lived my whole life involved with agriculture in some way or another even as a Copper for 28 of those, I still went back to the countryside and farming on days off.  We have always had hot years , cold years wet years, dry years. What we do not seem to get these days, are thunder storms.  Maybe remember those a bit more vividly but first week of July was guaranteed to produce a few for the Royal.   We certainly do need some rain but little predicted for the Midlands for then next two weeks at least.  Then we will be up to our ankles in mud. The great British weather.

Edited May 19, 2020 by Walker570

[Jacko3275]

If we have a mild dry spring we usually have excrement summer so no need to panic yet... touch wood 

[motty]

2 hours ago, 39TDS said:

I think we are already there

It is dry, but certainly not anywhere near a drought.

[7daysinaweek]

Been bone dry here for weeks, I still need to dig the triffid out in the garden but the soil is like concrete.

I have just been out and done a rain dance in an attempt to invoke a mighty downpour 🌧️

[WalkedUp]

Very dry here, I noticed the stream ditch is now bone dry. I planted 200 whips in March, barely had any rain to get them going. The peas in the fields behind have stunted in the last few weeks. The ground is very hard. Lawn is doing ok as lots of dew on the cold nights. 

I said to my wife it’s unimaginable that we will have a hot summer like 2018 as not only agriculture but many trees etc will be stuffed. Praying for a washout June to get some moisture back in the ground. 

[oldypigeonpopper]

hello, they forecast rain thursday or friday that might help,

[craig1982]

We have only had rain on one or two occasions in eight weeks in North Yorkshire. My local farmer I spending a fortune on having a drill rig drilling a bore hole in an attempt so secure a good supply of irrigation water. It has cost approx. £100,000 and he is till not sure it's going to work.

[pigeon controller]

Having a drive round yesterday and the winter barley has some good heads on it but the spring beans seem to be struggling. 

[Harnser]

It’s very dry on my patch ..my farmer friend is irrigating barley and wheat .a very unusual practice .

harnser

[Alycidon]

No rain here since mid March.  Needs 3 or 4 days of rain,  then some more for a few hours once every week or so.

Worrying,

 

A

[marsh man]

We didn't get any of the heavy showers that were forecast and no rain for at least the next 4/5 days , chap on the radio tonight was saying this spell of dry weather could have the making of the drought year we had in 1976 when everywhere was dry for most of the Summer ,