July has arrived and with it has come fireworks, camping, picnics, swimming, fresh garden products, family reunions, freezers of homemade ice cream, boating, fishing, county fairs and vacation trips.
Usually in this rural area July means checking cattle, baling alfalfa hay, spraying or digging thistles, cutting out cedar and locust trees from pastures, finishing the planting of milo and feeds, and finishing wheat harvest. This July wheat harvest around here is almost a “no go.” Lack of moisture caused for the wheat to be thin, short and not the hopeful “bin buster.” Weeds can be seen down the rows of thin wheat fields. Some wheat fields have been sprayed and are now planted to fall crops. Farmers are praying for rain to keep the fall crops growing.
A few combines may be seen in the wheat fields. Usually the wheat harvest is winding up by this time of year, but it is a late wheat harvest this year. Many are reporting it being the worst wheat harvest they have ever had.
Some are having to cull out their older cattle from the herds. Balers are going full speed as the amount of feed for the cattle this winter is in question as future rains are now in question. Pasture ponds and creeks are showing low amounts of water. Some have started hauling water to their cattle. Some of the ponds are dry and there is an opportunity to have the contractors come in with heavy equipment to dig out the ponds so when it does rain again, the ponds will hold more water.
July is just getting started and August is soon to come. Rain amounts during these months are unpredictable and the farmers are scratching their heads in wonder. Has there been Julys like this before? Yes, they imagine there has been.
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