Just got back from chasing neighbors yearlings off our wheat pasture. Trucks sank wheelers made tracks. Told neighbor I will catch the rest in the morning with a big rifle. He called about 6 to tell us his yearlings had been out on my wheat for the last couple weeks. Justin turned his cows and calves in this afternoon.
NEWS FLASH: Drought ends at Ponderosa
- Thread starter M. R. Byrd
- Start date
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Wet forecast for the next seven days. Moisture would be welcome here at the Ponderosa and in the area. A week of damp weather with some light rain would be perfect to those fire areas around Ashland.
BleuBijou
Active member
AHHHHH!! Moisture is in the air!!:10sign:
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Awesome rains, PTL
fsentkilr
Active member
It won't take long for the grass to start new growth. In two weeks the area will be turning green again. In just a few days after the rain you will see some new growth. The loss of the cattle, houses and buildings and the lives that were lost are horrible. The buildings and fence can be replaced, and the range will be better than it was before the fire it's a natural cycle that has went on forever.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
Where there were significant cedars, the range will be better as will the hydrology. So far here, we had .27 earlier this week and had 1.92 in the gauge this morning. Been raining lightly ever since. Great moisture. Will make this powder keg safe again.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Rain all day today. Will check the gauge in the morning. It will be sizeable.
Last week the Ponderosa received 5.05" total.
The ice storm in January produced 2.70"
Below is the normal for the area.
Last week the Ponderosa received 5.05" total.
The ice storm in January produced 2.70"
Below is the normal for the area.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Rain all day today. It is clearing out now and looks like rain out of forecast for over a week.
Here is rainfall report. Quite a bit of yellow and red in this report.
Here is rainfall report. Quite a bit of yellow and red in this report.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Yesterday's rain was 1.85" at the Ponderosa with the 5.05" brings the recent rainfall total up to 6.90"
I am seeing playas I haven't seen for decades. Good to see some water on the prairies. Seeing a good number of roosters and turkeys out and about.
I am seeing playas I haven't seen for decades. Good to see some water on the prairies. Seeing a good number of roosters and turkeys out and about.
fsentkilr
Active member
Yeah I think I am coming out tomorrow. The wetland on my WRP should be full for the first time since it was constructed in 2013. It has had water in it several times, but it's never been full. It's to wet to do anything here on the farm, I can have my brother and son drive the trucks hauling beans. Maybe I can get lucky at Boot Hill you never know.
I know the feeling. My cousin had a duck pond built on the farm I hunt in southeast Kansas in august and we've hardly seen any moisture since then. It'd starting to fill up, but has a ways to go.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Good luck at the Casino.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Got really cold at the Ponderosa last night. Plenty of ice on the dog dishes and the hoses frozen solid.
Bilbo Baggins
Active member
Maynard, you may need to ease up just a bit on the "Rain Dance". So glad you are getting some moisture.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Yeah, old age is creeping into the old bones and dancing is being dampened naturally, so don't expect much from now on. Naked dancing these days would keep the crows out of the corn patch though.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
Just rain at the Ponderosa so far. Dumped 2.50" from the rain gauge today and still raining some. Lots of wind, as a matter of fact there are whitecaps rolling on the playas. That may explain why the road ditches are loaded with ducks.
Early reports from family in Garden City say 5" of heavy snow and trees and power lines going down.
Early reports from family in Garden City say 5" of heavy snow and trees and power lines going down.
Prairie Drifter
Well-known member
The moisture is a good way to start the season if we can dodge frost damage on the wheat. I'm sitting at 1.77 here. Not the conditions I want for 2 litters of pups right at weaning time. Could use some sun and a breeze to help them. I would guess we have lost some early nests. May well hurt the turkey production once again.
M. R. Byrd
Well-known member
5" of the heaviest snow ever in Dodge. Not as much snow at the Ponderosa, but did dump 1.30" from rain gauge. Turkey and deer hanging out in shelterbelt. Quail around the edge of corrals. Winds were gale force from the north. Again ducks using ditches as the whitecaps still rolling on playas. Playas fuller that I can ever remember.
Blowing snow starting up again.
Blowing snow starting up again.