Drought 2020

Base price

We had a light shower this morning but not enough to wet the concrete around the house. Other than a heavy shower on Monday night we've had no rain in over a month.

I'm afraid to wish for rain in case it comes and forgets to go away.

Danzy

See on Twitter that clongowes wood college farm growth per day is at 29, demand at 54kg, feeding 3 to 4 kg to the cows.

Mortelaro

Growth has slowed to a crawl now in SE Wicklow
Just 3km this month and unlikely to get more than 3 in the next week
The frost and harsh east wind has burnt cover noticeably

Buford T. Justice XIX

Mortelaro wrote: »

Growth has slowed to a crawl now in SE Wicklow
Just 3km this month and unlikely to get more than 3 in the next week
The frost and harsh east wind has burnt cover noticeably

An inch of rain needed here asap.

Growth of 34, demand of 73, cover of 151/LU, 9 days ahead.

I'll be bringing in some dry-cattle ground on Monday, 2 covers of over 1600 left to graze and a big hole in the wedge to be filled from 1100 to 600.

Even that growth is probably worse than it looks as the heavier ground was bumping it up a fair bit.

Timmaay

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

An inch of rain needed here asap.

Growth of 34, demand of 73, cover of 151/LU, 9 days ahead.

I'll be bringing in some dry-cattle ground on Monday, 2 covers of over 1600 left to graze and a big hole in the wedge to be filled from 1100 to 600.

Even that growth is probably worse than it looks as the heavier ground was bumping it up a fair bit.

I let the wedge build up here, didn't let demand go over 55, and cows been grazing covers of 1800+ last week, that's helped keep things at bay till now, but will be falling off a cliff in another weeks time. I'm tempted not to bother knocking afew acres of the worst of the 1st cut and graze that instead, by now pitting that is going to be a very expensive way of having the cows eating it in 2wks time again, be better pre mowing. Some rain starting to stay on the long term yr so with any luck it will all change into June (athlo as I've said before I need the rest of the country to suffer for us to have enough rain in the east lol)

Danzy

Timmaay wrote: »

I let the wedge build up here, didn't let demand go over 55, and cows been grazing covers of 1800+ last week, that's helped keep things at bay till now, but will be falling off a cliff in another weeks time. I'm tempted not to bother knocking afew acres of the worst of the 1st cut and graze that instead, by now pitting that is going to be a very expensive way of having the cows eating it in 2wks time again, be better pre mowing. Some rain starting to stay on the long term yr so with any luck it will all change into June (athlo as I've said before I need the rest of the country to suffer for us to have enough rain in the east lol)

Timmaay


I'm at Mass tomorrow, online, but I'll try sort something out for Thursday.

Mooooo

First cut in the pit today, a couple of fine ruts in one field after it as well and they weren't filling the trailers. A drop of rain would kick things on but not as effected as a share of ye. Had a growth of 85 last week altho I expect that to be down a bit this week coming. Pushed sr to 4.4 but have surplus paddock to come back in and aftergrass from part of first cut in 3 to 4 weeks as well.

tractorporn

Mooooo wrote: »

First cut in the pit today, a couple of fine ruts in one field after it as well and they weren't filling the trailers. A drop of rain would kick things on but not as effected as a share of ye. Had a growth of 85 last week altho I expect that to be down a bit this week coming. Pushed sr to 4.4 but have surplus paddock to come back in and aftergrass from part of first cut in 3 to 4 weeks as well.

Same here I buried the slurry tanker today. Theres moisture in the soil here it's just heat I need.

SouthWesterly

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

An inch of rain needed here asap.

.

Same up here and I had an inch last Saturday in the space of an hour. Don't know if it got over to you.

Friends in ballymac saw it over me but didn't get a drop themselves.

Was out in the veg garden and field today and it's dry. Lots of midges about though. My wife says a sign of rain!

tabby aspreme

SouthWesterly wrote: »

I put my finger down over an inch into dry soil. Not good for all the veg seeds I sowed.
Lots of fields cut near me.

Same here, impossible to get seeds going, would need to be watered every few hours

nthclare

I am a salt water fisherman, but since I'm a few k over the 5k limit I decided I'd try perch fishing in the local lake..

Went to try digging for worms and hardly anything, the soil up here in the Burren is as dry as a bone, powdery on top...

Buford T. Justice XIX

SouthWesterly wrote: »

Same up here and I had an inch last Saturday in the space of an hour. Don't know if it got over to you.

Friends in ballymac saw it over me but didn't get a drop themselves.

Was out in the veg garden and field today and it's dry. Lots of midges about though. My wife says a sign of rain!

Nothing in a few weeks here, I saw the shower up your way alright but too far away to leave anything here:(

Cloudy out now and a few drops in the air but doubt we'll get anything worth talking about.

Danzy

Even a cloudy day helps the growth.

SouthWesterly

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

Nothing in a few weeks here, I saw the shower up your way alright but too far away to leave anything here:(

Cloudy out now and a few drops in the air but doubt we'll get anything worth talking about.

Great weather for cutting grass but without water there won't be a second cut. Lots of fields below me are cut and looking dry.

whelan2

Overcast and clammy here all day. Few spots of rain falling now

MickeyShtyles

Few drops falling here, enough to cover concrete I mixed today.

Dickie10

grass turning yellow here

addaword

Rain badly needed in south Donegal too.

kk.man

Rain will come next week and we will be crying for sun.

Mac Taylor

Just in from checking on last cow to calf and it’s making a light shower, just enough to keep the dust down:D

_Brian

Overcast and cool in Cavan.
Drops of rain but not raining so far.

Noticed yesterday that ivy in hedges is dying back.

The dry spell has been great for insects. The evening air is filled with them and the swallows and house martins are getting plenty of grub.

farawaygrass

Low cloud cover and light mists in Galway. The swallows are real active

amacca

farawaygrass wrote: »

Low cloud cover and light mists in Galway. The swallows are real active

You have swallows?....havent seen them here for a while.

Bleating Lamb

Yesterday morning we had a heavy shower for 5 mins,apart from rain one night about a week ago that was the first proper rain since Mid March!....
something unheard of for NW.
Water schemes on hosepipe ban and grass turning yellow in any dry fields.

greenfield21

Looks like some rain Thursday,friday Saturday with warm dry weather coming back by Sunday. So a brief wet spell.

farawaygrass

amacca wrote: »

You have swallows?....havent seen them here for a while.

Have seen a few the last while but loads around this morning. There was a big reduction in numbers last year

mf240

The brown bog is showing and the black bog is flying it.

Farming on the fringes

Mooooo

farawaygrass wrote: »

Have seen a few the last while but loads around this morning. There was a big reduction in numbers last year

Had 8 last year only 2 or 4 here this year so far have been here with nearly a month alright

visatorro

greenfield21 wrote:

Looks like some rain Thursday,friday Saturday with warm dry weather coming back by Sunday. So a brief wet spell.

Been forecast a few times and then when it gets closer it disappeared. Hard to have faith in something that is near impossible to predict with the weather fronts either side of Ireland like they are

Biscuitus

Nothing here. Enough grass to last a few weeks but then I'll be in serious trouble. Weeds have no problem jumping out of the ground though and can't top cause the grass will just die then like in 2018.

endainoz

Grand bit of rain in North Clare today, and as said already we have a prolonged spell at the end of the week. I think compensatory growth will fill in the gaps of grass lost.

_Brian

We have more swallows and martinis than last year but prob not same as years gone bye.

Spitting rain there walking through grass it’s just enough to wet your wellies so that’s better than nothing.

trg

_Brian wrote: »

We have more swallows and martinis than last year but prob not same as years gone bye.

Spitting rain there walking through grass it’s just enough to wet your wellies so that’s better than nothing.

Swallowing martinis? Fear of your arse so

80sDiesel

amacca wrote: »

You have swallows?....havent seen them here for a while.

I have more swallows this year than ever. I am restoring some meadows so they have had a massive increase in insects to feed off.

Who2

80sDiesel wrote: »

I have more swallows this year than ever. I am restoring some meadows so they have had a massive increase in insects to feed off.

ive far less swallows this year but i did notice a lot more bird noises, which type ive no idea.

Say my name

Danzy wrote: »

Timmaay


I'm at Mass tomorrow, online, but I'll try sort something out for Thursday.

Ease it back a little for Thursday/Friday.
You've overdone it just a tad.

3 the square

Ken ring is give it dry till june
He would know in fairness !!

whelan2

We had drizzle and light rain. We also had terrible flies during milking. Muggy and overcast now

Still waters

Heavy land thriving around here, grass growing out over walls in places you'd hardly travel with a quad other years, no harm at all, we'll have plenty rain yet for everyone

SouthWesterly

endainoz wrote: »

Grand bit of rain in North Clare today, and as said already we have a prolonged spell at the end of the week. I think compensatory growth will fill in the gaps of grass lost.

My weather station said rain in North Kerry but it didn't show. Been cloudy all day.
Plenty of swallows flying around here. Didn't see as many last year

Kevhog1988

Small but if rain here today, Grass damo this evening when walking through it. Not enough to wash in fert but its a start

Buford T. Justice XIX

SouthWesterly wrote: »

My weather station said rain in North Kerry but it didn't show. Been cloudy all day.
Plenty of swallows flying around here. Didn't see as many last year

We just got a sup now, just enough to wet the concrete. Fecking rain due on Friday better show up:(

SouthWesterly

Buford T. Justice VI wrote: »

We just got a sup now, just enough to wet the concrete. Fecking rain due on Friday better show up:(

We caught that same shower. My weather station hasn't registered it.
Hopefully it was enough to soften the crust on the soil to let the seeds break through

_Brian

Kevhog1988 wrote: »

Small but if rain here today, Grass damo this evening when walking through it. Not enough to wash in fert but its a start

If it’s enough to keep grass moving any bit it’s a good relief. That will keep us all with our heads above water till more comes.

Buford T. Justice XIX

SouthWesterly wrote: »

We caught that same shower. My weather station hasn't registered it.
Hopefully it was enough to soften the crust on the soil to let the seeds break through

Some rain and wind forecast for Thursday night and Friday morning. Should be more certain on Tuesday.

Dickie10

nice little squall of rain here this evening. just enough to settle dust but no puddles

Buford T. Justice XIX

Dickie10 wrote: »

nice little squall of rain here this evening. just enough to settle dust but no puddles

Same here, it'll soften the top before the next drop on Friday

endainoz

80sDiesel wrote: »

I have more swallows this year than ever. I am restoring some meadows so they have had a massive increase in insects to feed off.

It must be great to see the wild flowers growing in it aswell. Will you delay cutting it much?

patsy_mccabe

In Shanon Airport we got 244mm rain in Feb. All of April and May to date we got 44mm. One extreme to the other.

We're also right under the Jetstream for the next few days. No idea what that means though. :rolleyes:
https://www.netweather.tv/charts-and-data/jetstream

80sDiesel

endainoz wrote: »

It must be great to see the wild flowers growing in it aswell. Will you delay cutting it much?

Yes it will be managed in the old way with one cut in July./August,