Tuesday 19 July 2016

The Weather.

How everything in farming revolves around the weather.  Yesterday the farmer cut two lots of grass in the hopes of making hay.   Yesterday and today have been scorching hot (well for here, although not as hot as down South).   But already the humidity is building up in the air and it is becoming oppressive.   The barometer has fallen quite a long way since lunch time and things are beginning to look a bit dicy.

The forecast is for heavy and prolonged thunderstorms in some areas overnight and through tomorrow, with up to thirty millimetres of rain falling where a storm occurs, and where these storms happen is in the lap of the gods.

At lunch time the grass was just not quite dry enough to bale and as I left to go and see friend M for the afternoon the farmer was off to inspect it.   Now I have returned and he is out - whether he is baling the hay or not I shalln't know until he returns.  If not and there is a storm here (and it certainly feels as though there will be) then the crop will be virtually ruined and will have to stand until it dries out and then be made into silage.

Watch this space.***Made into hay this afternoon.   The farmer came in for his tea two hours late and has now gone to load it all on to his trailer and bring it home.  Looking at the weather forecast it seems that we will probably miss the bad weather tomorrow, but as the farmer has to go for an MRI scan at a hospital fifty miles away we shall be out all day and the hay will be better in one of our sheds even if it is still loaded on the trailer.

16 comments:

Derek Faulkner said...

Lets hope the weather holds Pat, down here we could fry eggs on the pavement and tomorrow looks similar. It'd be such a waste for that hay to not become hay and as we've discussed in our E-Mails, we've been lucky to be so far ahead of you up there.

Heather said...

Our weather is a gamble and often so localised. One area can have a flash flood and a couple of miles away they haven't even had a shower. Do hope the hay can be saved, though at least silage will not see it wasted. I also hope the farmer is not exhausted after working in such heat.

donna baker said...

Silage must not be as profitable as hay then. How our species survived dependent on mother nature's whims is a miracle. I guess that is where they got the saying don't count your eggs before they hatch, etc. I only wish for rain this time of year. I'd be happy for just clouds.

ADRIAN said...

After the last couple of days it should bale for haylage. Good luck. It is looking as if many will run through the night or until a storm stops them.

Derek Faulkner said...

Great news about the hay Pat, the Farmer has done well. With it set to be around 22-23 degrees through the night here, much combining will go on into the night as Adrian has suggested, just to finish off the rape harvest.

Terry and Linda said...

I so understand that saying...you got to make hay when the hay making is good!!!

Good luck!

Linda

Joanne Noragon said...

I wish some of that water had stopped here; we are so dry. Maybe the next storm.

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

I'm glad you managed to get the hay harvested and stored. Its very hot in Essex but no rain forecast. We really need some it nay clear the air. They've given overnight temperatures of 21 degrees......phew!!!

jinxxxygirl said...

I started following the weather when i worked in a garden center many moons ago... So i would know how much to water the plants... I still enjoy watching the weather... Glad all worked out well for you in the end.....

Thank you for the well wishes on hubbys shoulder...Just a warning... we were told after the fact that shoulder surgery is one of the most painful surgerys to recover from that you can have!Hubby said if he had known that before hand he might not have had it done... He is just beginning week 2 of 6 weeks in a sling... He has alot of pain and discomfort...Ofcourse i don't know if what is wrong with hubby's shoulder is the same as your Farmer... Hugs! deb

The Furry Gnome said...

Glad you got that hay made before the rain!

Terra said...

How good your hay is safely stored in case of rain.

Gwil W said...

I was a bit worried about the Glaslyn Osprey youngsters (can't call them chicks or fledglings anymore as they are now so big). Storms had been forecast for North Wales too, but looking at the live feed this morning they are safe and sound in their nest .
So, good news there too.

Cro Magnon said...

All is safely gathered in; the best words a farmer can hear.

Librarian said...

Good to know hay has been made and this crop did not have to be all turned into silage.
All the best for the drive to hospital and back tomorrow, and the scan of course!!
We're in for what is forecast to be the hottest day of this week. I'll be spending it at the office with no air conditioning, but I'll be fine - as a woman, I can dress business-like and still keep cool, no need for long trousers, long sleeves and a tie like my male colleagues.
From tomorrow onwards, we are to expect thunderstorms and heavy rainfall again; I hope it won't be as bad as last round, when so much damage and even deaths were caused.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

Hey, hey, hey man! The farmer made hay while the sun shone. Hurray for the hay!

P.S. shalln't or shan't?

Unknown said...

I don't like a high humidity. For measuring the humidity I use a digital humidity sensor. Greetz