Jeramie Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 I’m sure its probably all over the news but its bad, bad, bad out here. We have had no real rain in months and the temps are still over 100f and have been for several weeks. Wednesday its suppose to reach 115f in the shade. The National weather service has confirmed at least another 10-days of 100+ weather. Its August. There is a good chance we could have another 3-weeks of this. Its so dry that even thistles have started to dry up. Our well may not hold up as it loses its prime all the time now. Ponds are bone dry, rivers are down feet, lakes are down feet and covered in blue-green algae which means the water is literally dangerous (can kill a large dog in one hour from getting in the water). Towns and cities are starting water rationing, etc. Hay is next to impossible to get. I paid between $30 - $40 a round bale last year depending on size Right now small round bales are going for $80 and large if you can find them are already at $100. We are nowhere near winter so its only going to get worse. Small square hay (60lb'ers) are already at $5.00 a bale and expected to hit $10.00 a bale in the very near future. People are literally giving away horses. Cows are selling so cheap its crazy. In my home town one hobby farmer just sold 5 black angus cows and an angus bull for $2,000. Had he not got rid of them when he did he may have had to sell them for as little as $1,000. Broke horses are selling for $50 - $300. Some horses are just being given away. Colts and Mares together are going for $100 OBO. People are trying to trade cars, cattle, guns, horses, saddles, tractors, etc for hay. Last week a rancher was pulled over by Department of Transportation for overloading his stock trailer with cattle. He was dragging almost 50% more than he was suppose to. The DOT agent was going to write him a ticket but luckily for him an Oklahoma Highway Patrol pulled in, pulled the DOT guy to the side and said, "Look, these people are about to starve to death. If he doesn’t get those cows to market he is going to lose everything. Get in your car and get out of here. I don’t want to see you pulling these guys over again until all of this is over." Oklahoma, Texas, Parts of Kansas, and Parts of Arkansas are in a real mess. You all please throw prayers (and any extra hay ) this way please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Rained here Friday and drove our heat index higher with the humidity. Needed the rain pretty bad here. Hot here, have heat watches in effect, but nothing like that. Last severe drought we had a few years back hay prices got pretty crazy too, I ended up giving way too much for crp junk but made it through. That is crazy Jeramie. Sorry to hear that for the ranchers over there, man I hope things are ok for Dale last I talked with him think he was just getting in to adding cows to recover. You'd think meat prices and cattle market prices would be down all over given those prices. Beef was bringing really good money here last time I sent some in around a month or so ago. Have not paid attention to store prices on beef, rare we buy any from the grocery store. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texan_Til_I_Die Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Not to mention the effect this heat and drought is having on the wildlife. My trailcam pics are showing about a 25% (so far) fawn recruitment. By the time this is over, it may be even lower. Normally its closer to 75%. But on a good note, I did manage to snag 8600 lbs of corn over the weekend for only $1000. Maybe that combined with the 200lbs per week of protein I'm feeding will keep a few of the deer alive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrich Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 It's terrible, but I've been hearing much of the same. Water and hay are scarce, and even those farmers and ranchers that do have it are already worried about running out. I'm just thankful that my family sold out this spring. I've been seeing a LOT of cars and semi's broke down on the side of the road, either the engine or tires can't take the heat. In just under a week I have passed two cars either burning or burned to the ground on the turnpike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrich Posted August 1, 2011 Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 I just remembered, Last week my cousin's wife went outside to move the lawn sprinkler and found a dozen or so geese playing in it. That can't be a good sign. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 1, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 1, 2011 Yeah, farmers are in a mess too. Gardens should be in full swing right now but have already been turned over. There are a few places near the house where farmers turned over the ground along the highway so anyone throwing out cigarette butts wouldn’t burn their places down. I got a call from the Oklahoma Department of Ag concerning our garden (farmers market) this year. I told him we didnt have anything. He said that is typical for the state. Apparently production for both gardens and crops is non existent. Everything is far too gone. Corn didn’t even make it tall enough to produce. I have a feeling this is going to hit market prices HARD. I literally cross thousands of acres of crops on the way home and they have already been cut or mowed and the ground turned over because the farmers know there is no rain coming and figured it was better to go ahead and turn their crops under..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 (edited) WOW!!..I knew it was bad there but we dont really get all the details on the news..we went through 4 dry years recently, which is unheard of this far north..but we are getting good rains every week and crops look excellent this year..too bad we cant get a train to hual hay down ..there is so much of it up here it isnt worth anything.. Humidity is bad here too..we cant dry out..and I think it's because of the drought down south the weather is going up and around the so called "ring of fire" and coming across thehigh northern plains across northern Mn. & Wi. we got at least 5 inches or more in july and 2"' last eve for August already! Corn has tassled overnight and starting to set cobs too, not bad for being in the ground for only 60 days.beacause of the wet spring. Edited August 2, 2011 by Mathews XT Man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 WOW!!..I knew it was bad there but we dont really get all the details on the news..we went through 4 dry years recently, which is unheard of this far north..but we are getting good rains every week and crops look excellent this year..too bad we cant get a train to hual hay down ..there is so much of it up here it isnt worth anything.. Its being trucked in and through Oklahoma. They are bringing it in from Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. If you can line up a truck load it will run about $50-$65 a bale delivered in NE Oklahoma. The problem is its being bought so quickly its hard to line up a truck load! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 Guess we are lucky, only supposed to get to 101 here actual temp today and tomorrow. Our heat indexes are supposed to go to 115 but I believe here where we have the river bed so close it will drive humidity and the heat index even higher. Was supposed to only be 98 yesterday, but our thermometer in the shade under our front porch showed 102 about 4 yesterday afternoon. Dunno what the heat index was, but it was up there. Its being trucked in and through Oklahoma. They are bringing it in from Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. If you can line up a truck load it will run about $50-$65 a bale delivered in NE Oklahoma. The problem is its being bought so quickly its hard to line up a truck load! They did that a few years back here when we were hit with the worst drought I have ever seen here, Tn ag folks worked out to have semi loads of hay brought in and some of those actually came from Oklahoma if I remember correctly. I asked our local ag agent and had no luck. Those loads for the most part were sent to big time cattle ranchers, we saw several trucks on the highway, no chance for us to get in on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 They did that a few years back here when we were hit with the worst drought I have ever seen here, Tn ag folks worked out to have semi loads of hay brought in and some of those actually came from Oklahoma if I remember correctly. I asked our local ag agent and had no luck. Those loads for the most part were sent to big time cattle ranchers, we saw several trucks on the highway, no chance for us to get in on that. I have a 55mi drive home. Im seeing several loads every day. I know they are paying $80 - $100 in NW Texas and Western Oklahoma. Im sure these arent even slowing down in my neck of the woods because of the higher prices that direction. I did finally see the first post today for small squares coming through at $10 a bale. You wont be able to find square hay cheaper than that this winter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 The NE part of the state is ALOT drier that what I expected it to be. It's miserable ouytside, 85 this morning at 745. 113 yesterday afternoon. I just laugh at everyone that wanted winter to go away and summer to get here, lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The_Kat Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 While it is drier here....its hotter (more miserable) up north. The temps may be lower, but the humidity is the killer. I was worried about adjusting to the heat here when I got home, but I found it much easier to handle than the 85-90 degree temps with 80% humidity in PA. It is super dry tho....I just installed a sprinkler system to try and save my yard and landscaping, but I'm afraid it may be too late. I'm thinking about snatching some of these cheap cattle to get my herd started. Prices are WAY down! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 2, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 We are talking about picking up a few cheap cows too. We may even pickup a few saddle horses. I have 4 already but all need work or are spunky, etc. We are talking about buying a couple of old bomb proof horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ousoonerfan22 Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 It is bad!!! The grass other than a few patches of burmuda is dead and I'm already feeding cubes in addition to a 28% molasses tub to our cows.I have the bulls in another pasture and have a round bale out for them plus cubes and a lick tub.The ponds are getting low so I hope we don't run out of water if this heat lasts another month. I planted some white oaks 3 years ago that have 4" calipers and are probably 15" tall and I'm losing them.I've been watering them with 30 gallons of water in plastic barrels with a small hole drilled near the bottom on each tree. In the evening when I'm watering the trees does are out milling around with their fawns looking for something to eat,one doe has 3 fawns.I was wondering about throwing out some corn but would it hurt them in this extreme heat?I've always heard corn is a cold weather food source. I've also thought about pouring small piles of sweet feed out for the deer if I can keep it away from the cows. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted August 2, 2011 Report Share Posted August 2, 2011 Wow that's horrible! Been a really hot and humid summer for us, but not as bad as you guys have it. Like Kyle said it's more miserable up here, one day last week was 100 feeling like 118. I could have rung my clothes out after work that day! Humidity is horrible up here, if it's humid tack 20 degrees onto the actual temperature. Not as bad this week, in the 70s now and breaking into the upper 50s the past few nights. Perfect weather. Prayers sent for you guys in the midwest, sounds like quite the mess. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrich Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 There's a chance to break records today! :bang::surrender: When I got off of work last night around 10 it was still about 95 degrees out. I just heard a news report that businesses are having to ship ice in, because the water supply feeding their ice machines is too hot and they can't make ice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 It was 85 in Vinita at 0700 this morning. Last night at 815 it was 106. Supposed to hit 115 here today Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 There's a chance to break records today! :bang::surrender: Kinda curious about those records, by chance the prior records from the 1930's? I know there has been a longstanding string of records for this area from 1934 and 1935, bad old global warming back then from all the cars on the roads and the greenhouse gases they were emitting. Seeing some varied forecasts for here, news we get from Memphis this morning calling for 104 to be the actual temp in one town near us and 101 in another. Humidity here has been terrible, but even still our heat indexes are probably not much higher than actual temps out there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 it was 100 here in indianola Iowa yesterday. many days in a row with temps over 97. cant imagine what its like in oklahoma. hope you guys are watching what you do outisde. be carefull with heat injuries. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ckrich Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 Kinda curious about those records, by chance the prior records from the 1930's? The current OK state record high was recorded on June 7, 1994, in Tipton(located in the southwest region of the state). I'm not sure if it will get hot enough to break that record, but as far as local records in the northeast we stand a decent chance. Funny thing is, we just set a new record low in Febuary! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 It was 85 in Vinita at 0700 this morning. Last night at 815 it was 106. Supposed to hit 115 here today Youre less than an hour from the house... What are you doing up in this neck of the woods? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 it was 100 here in indianola Iowa yesterday. many days in a row with temps over 97. cant imagine what its like in oklahoma. hope you guys are watching what you do outisde. be carefull with heat injuries. Tony Seriously, most of us are going out at all until after dark. Too hot. Ive shot my bow twice in the last month. Both times were a few minutes after daylight. Right now its already pushing 100 by 11:00am. It doesnt dip below 95 until well after dark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeramie Posted August 3, 2011 Author Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 The current OK state record high was recorded on June 7, 1994, in Tipton(located in the southwest region of the state). I'm not sure if it will get hot enough to break that record, but as far as local records in the northeast we stand a decent chance. Funny thing is, we just set a new record low in Febuary! However, yes William. Most of our heat records were set back in the early 1900's. We are a completley Red state so all of our Weather Men are typically red. The ones here in Tulsa have mentioned during broadcast that this isnt not global warming. It is a trend that can be followed over many years. The same goes with snow. I remember playing in large snow drifts 30-years ago then we had a dry spell where we wouldnt get much more than a couple of inches. The past two winters (especially 2011) have really produced. This past February we literally had feet of snow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ousoonerfan22 Posted August 3, 2011 Report Share Posted August 3, 2011 If I'm not mistaken except for the hottest july record in 1980 the rest were in 1934-1936 that must have been some horrible summers stretching all the way to Tennessee. I can't imagine dealing with this heat with no air conditioning! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gator Posted August 4, 2011 Report Share Posted August 4, 2011 Youre less than an hour from the house... What are you doing up in this neck of the woods? Jeramie, I'm up here rebanding public safety radios. I'll be back again. This trip I felt like crap, all I wanted to do was get to my motel and crash. I need to hookup with you and Dwin sometime Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.