Here in Indy we're only "dry", being down on annual rainfall by about four inches already, but not too many counties north of here, it's already officially a "moderate drought", and that has an impact:
Corn futures are trading 12 to 14 cents higher this morning. Prices shot higher out of the gate on Sunday night, as weather concerns continue to intensify in the Corn Belt. The 30-day rainfall totals for a good chunk of the Corn Belt have been less than 50% of normal, and the above normal temps and below normal precip remain in the forecast into the 8-14 day window.And remember, kids, corn isn't just for breakfast anymore! It does everything from feeding your burgers to fattening your bacon to diluting your petrol. When corn goes up, practically everything goes with it.
That drought do move around. Last year at this time the OK/KS/TX region was getting rid of livestock because they were too expensive to feed(too dry and hot for grass to grow and for the same reason hay was too expensive) and the wheat crop was basically dehydrating on the stalk. This year we've had normal rains and so much wheat that 'bumper crop' is an understatement.
ReplyDeleteMind you, this year my garden is actually producing instead of drying up and blowing away, too.
Corn, it's the new tobacco.
ReplyDeleteErmmm ... when the price of corn goes way up, the price of meat drops for a few weeks as ranchers slaughter animals they can't afford to feed.
ReplyDelete"And remember, kids, . . When corn goes up, practically everything goes with it. "
ReplyDeleteMakes me want to go out and plant some popcorn, butternut squash, and black beans.
Saying it again: "Putting food in your gas tank is a bad idea."
ReplyDelete"...the copious buckets of water I have to dump on the jalapeño and tomato plants..."
ReplyDeletehttp://www.amazon.com/Master-Craft-Plant-Watering-Spikes/dp/B0037OEK0M/ref=pd_bxgy_lg_img_b
;)
And Colorado burns...still and again. OldeForce
ReplyDeleteHere we haven't seen a drop of rain in over a month, the snowpack which usually lasts until July has already melted off, the river is running (or not running, as the case may be) at near record low levels, and, yeah, the corn in the garden just... won't... grow, no matter how much water we dump on it. Luckily, it's looking like we won't have any water at all later on in the season, so at least we can get that out of the way now.
ReplyDeleteIf I could figure out how, I'd send you a bunch of our surplus - we apparently set a new record and got our entire months worth of rain in the first week.
ReplyDeleteThe sun came out for the first time in over a week yesterday. Yeah I know Seattle is famous for the rain but Geez - really I'm willing to share if someone could just tell me how.
THANK YOU!!! As usual you're spot on with your report. Thanks for doing what I used to do...
ReplyDeleteAll The Best,
Frank W. James