# WANTED: Rain



## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

The thunderstorms which blew through parts of the southern lower last night skirted just east, west, and north of my farm.:rant: I watched the doppler helplessly throughout the evening for updates, and it was maddening. Forecast is for more "scattered showers" and "isolated showers"(both of which designations, I've found, translate into "it'll rain somewhere, but not on your place"). Plots that I planted on 6/21 (PF Mix) and 7/1(soys) are lagging badly.

If I don't get me a crop of beans, I just don't know what ah'm a gonna do... :yikes:


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## wild bill (Apr 20, 2001)

while your at it send some my way. my corn looks great but the beans are a little behind.


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

Although my crops won't die...this sure is not helping at all. So far this is the 2nd worst drought we have had in the last 8 years but it's shaping up to be the worst. The deer still have plenty to eat and every plot is full of food, but there is a lot of growth that is not taking place that I was counting on for at least a little bit in the fall to get the deer in great shape before winter. The bright side, we will get rain eventually and about 65% of my plots, including harvest plots and crop rotation plantings on the big plots, are all planted in the late summer so there will be exceptional forage and growth from that point until next spring and through the summer....just hate to see clover and brassicas turning the various color shades they are turning right now!


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

No doubt. I stepped on a few more spiders last night. The thunder was south of me but never recieved any rain. The corn is starting to show a little yellow dead leaves.


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

I got some of that rain finally. Not sure how much but when I went to bed it was raining very light and when I woke up it was raining steady. Better get back and mow that clover now that it's moist.


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## NATTY BUMPO (May 12, 2001)

wecker20 said:


> Better get back and mow that clover now that it's moist.



Yep, me too. Been waiting a month or more to mow my permanent legume plots. Been waiting...... and waiting......... and waiting ........   

NB


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

I'm afraid to go look. Grasses are prolly really high, or the chicory is going to be massive and shading everything out. We'll see.


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

It's interesting how some of those weeds seem to flourish during the drought. The past few years I've taken this time to spray round-up on the weeds, within the perennials. The weeds get quite a bit higher, the clover is dormant, and the clover seems to do fine. I'm only spraying on the portions of the fields I'm going to be re-planting this year anyways because the first year there are hardly any weeds..these are on all 2nd year plantings. I spray the entire plantings late July, so the weed areas get hit twice, and then they are planted a couple weeks later. Seems to really take care of the weeds to the point you really don't notice them the first full year after the late summer planting.


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## 4x4_Hunter (Jan 2, 2002)

We picked up 0.4 inches with the storm last night in Monroe County. I think they picked up over an inch though in town (closer to the lake). We needed that!!! 

Water levels NW of Houghton Lake were pretty low but our clover/rye/brassica mix plots looked really good.


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

Still nothing. Saw some fields with 1/2 dead corn yesterday about a mile from the house. Check out the hay fields right now. You can tell which ones had alfafa planted in them. This plant can grow in about anything. The grass croaks and the alfafa shoots up. Churches are starting to hold pray meetings for the rain. Been 15 years since they have done this.


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## Liver and Onions (Nov 24, 2000)

Yeah, it sure is dry. It was worse in '88. How many remember that summer & what happened with their food plots ? The deer destroyed our small corn plots that summer.....first time we had seen that. That fall some of the best places to bow hunt were trails that led to a water source.

L & O


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

'88 was the most memorable bona fide drought I can remember. Seemed like we went well over two months with no rain in SE MI. Everything was parched, dormant, or dead. 

Good news: one of those "isolated showers" parked its butt right on top of my farm and stayed there for about two hours. Don't have a reading on how much I got, but whatever it was, I'll take it.


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## rzdrmh (Dec 30, 2003)

i remember the summer of 88.. what a year.. i was too young to know anything about anything (14), but i remember the burned yards, the hot weather, etc.

that year convinced me too - watering lawns should be illegal.. sheez - got pictures of our pure brown, dead grass in the summer, and what do you know - next spring, i was mowing like crazy again.

the conversation went about like this:

"dad, looks like the lawn could use some water.."

(dad, with raised eyebrow)"Water? that's foolishness, son, you can't kill grass. be grateful you're mowing less this summer. now lets go pick rocks, cut wood, ....."

dad was right.


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

I remember 88 being really bad..didn't we have 30 days in a row over 100 in lower MI?

But, this is the worst up here in the last few years...really bad. From what I've been measuring were at less than an inch for close to 2 months.

NEED RAIN BAD!! Hope this doesn't carry into the fall!


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

I remember 88. My parents well went dry. Read a article in the Grand Rapids press. There was a well driller in there mentioning that a lot of wells are drying up in Allendale area. Then they also mentioned a city well that had to be lowered because the water levels dropping. I wish Mountain Spring or whatever it is called has this problem. They are a partial cause to this problem.


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## drwink (Oct 15, 2003)

I remember being in an archery shoot on May 1st, if I remember right it was a saturday. I don't remember getting any rain in SE Mich till after the end of July or early August ?
We spent most of the weekends driving the back roads of Livingston & some Wastenaw county looking for property. All the freeways we drove on rhere were burnt grass areas everywhere.

We were doing good latley in my area, or at least till the 4th of July, then not much.
Had storms/rain in the Brighton area last few afternoons yet the west side of the county where I live nothing all week ?  

Wally


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## bishs (Aug 30, 2000)

Ah yes, the drought of 88. How could I forget!
I got married July 30 1988, "the end of the drought". Leaving the church, the largest thunder boomers I have ever seen rolled in! The wedding party took off in 6 cars, all lost each other, all had to pull over. It was raining too hard to drive.. The usher's car had a flat tire, and the ushers, discarded their tucks, and changed it. Was that a sign???? Yikes,,,


Things are MUCH better now....


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## brokenarrow (Oct 6, 2003)

Question is? How are all your tree's that so many of us bought and planted this spring? By my property, we had plenty of rain thru the end of June. To the tune of around 6-7" in 2 weeks (North west Wisconsin). Since then we have had just a shower or two. My trees looked OK not great but ok. My land is now starting to dry up pretty good. The water in the pond is down about 2 foot. I think its mainly the top 8 inches that are bone dry out in the plots. Would think most of the rooted plants are still doing fine but I too am hoping for a bit of precipitation. Nothing better than to have the ground moisture level high right before planting those fall crops. Then it only takes a few showers to get them off to a great start.


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## KrazyKletus (Feb 6, 2002)

We picked up close to 3" of rain on Wednesday, probably 0.5" on Thursday and I woke up this morning at 4:00am to severe thunderstorms parked over my place. Haven't checked the rain guage yet, but I imagine we picked up close to another 0.5". All of my food plots are in great condition (especially the corn & beans), but I'm struggling to keep up with the mowing & weed control. The deer are absolutely hammering the beans right now.
In regards to the 700 trees we planted this spring, I probably have around 85% survival so far. Hopefully, some of these pop up storms over the next several days will deliver the much needed rain to some of you guys/gals that need it.


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## lyndon43 (Jun 10, 2005)

I think we would be happy if it were just dry here ( south central WI). Were scorched. I dont remember last rain or day below 90.

In the sand country, if your fields are not irrigated, your corn or beans are toast. 

Will watch & see how remainder of summer goes, before doing my fall food plots. I work outdoors & operate backhoe everyday, have not seen soil conditions like this since the 88 drought.

Broken: My trees were doing great, I just havent had the heart to go look at them. Planted trees that do well in the sand country so hopefully thoose spring rains will carry then through.

On a brighter note: I dont hear any of the business owners in the Dells whining this summer. Every day I drive by, the parking lots are full at the water parks.

I guess we are paying the price for such a cool summer last year.


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## brokenarrow (Oct 6, 2003)

I just told my wife the same thing after my 8 hours today. 6th day in a row where the temp. at 5am was uncomfortable in the shop. Told my bride that last summer was the best in years. :LOL She couldnt tell the difference? She is a nurse working in air cond.
Down by my house on the state line and Lake Michigan we have had only 1 short rain fall since Mid June. It is definately hit and mis down here in the south, go 5 miles and you may of had a 1/2" of rain five more and NONE. Up at my other house and property in N. West Wi. we are doing much better but it is still dry. I heard the Gov. declaired an emergency in Wis. for farm watering and drought actions.


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

Well some of us recieved rain on Saturday. Talked to my in laws and they got missed again. I am not sure what we recieved for Byron Center/ Hudsonville but i would think it was at least measured a inch. Still keeps us well below the average of 6-9 inches for the area.


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

I got hammered on Sat. Had to be over an inch. Also had lightning strikes too close for comfort. Not sure if the barn actually took a hit or close to it. The line comming from the barn had the fuse blown right out of the electric box and the next fuse down from that line also blew out. Killed our phone too.


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

That is usually a good sign that you got hit by lightning.


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

I killed the power to the barn. Gotta look it over really good tonight and then put the power back on. Hopefully the damage was to the fuses and nothings fried. Kinda scary w/ a hit that close and a barn full of hay.


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

Just got some more of that rain today. Rained as hard as it can rain for about 5 minutes then tapered off for another 5-10 minutes and then it was gone. Got a lot of rain but most of it either washed away in a stream or evaporated once the sun came out.


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

like everyone in Mi is going to get a dose today - that's some front passing through.....

ferg....


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

"like everyone in Mi is going to get a dose today"

already missed us!  It is extremely dry up here right now...pretty bad when the chicory is wilting!


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

I went back and checked the loop - did look like it formed just east of you and moved on - sorry NJ - 

keep doing the rain dance - 

ferg....


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## lyndon43 (Jun 10, 2005)

Checked the radar before bed last night, and had high hopes.


Missed again!! I'll be fine, its the farmers in my area who I feel for. Alot of the fields in my area are beyound bouncing back from a rain.


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## fairfax1 (Jun 12, 2003)

Many a farmer in central Michigan is going to bed tonight thanking their Higher-Power for this afternoon's rain.

On our place in DMU 34 we had about 30 minutes of strong showers. I don't have a guage up but it was a delightful downpour....no gully washer, just a 30-minute soaker.

I have never seen mid-Michigan corn stressed like it was on Friday....with leaves curled and poking straight up their spikey appearance looked like a pineapple crop. Or Yucca. 

Today's rain will get them back to normal.


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

Yep got missed also. Did have one very heavy dew last night. Hopefully sometime soon we will recieve another shower.


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

Looks like the entire LP and some of the SUP is going to hammered again - rain dance is working kids 


ferg....


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

So far, the top of that rain band looks like it will just miss me to the south within a matter of a few miles....still got a chance though, gotta keep dancing!


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## wecker20 (Mar 10, 2004)

Holy crap, it's heading straight for me! The one day I wouldn't mind if we were dry and we get it. I'm fishing a tourny tonight, guess I better bring the rain gear. Better now than never.


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## sagittarius (Jun 2, 2004)

I got 0.97" today between 10:30 and 1:00 today, the new rain gauge works great! The clover, buckwheat, soybeans, sunflowers, and sweetcorn are saved!


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## MGV (Jan 22, 2002)

Yep the flood made it here also. Now its time to start mowing the grass, not the buck horns


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## Ferg (Dec 17, 2002)

Looks like southern Mi is going to get some more today - looks like the drought is over - fire up the bush hogs 

ferg....


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## Jeff Sturgis (Mar 28, 2002)

It's getting crispy...missed again!


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## Ranger Ray (Mar 2, 2003)

1 and 8/10 inches in 1 hour, now thats a rain.


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## Backwoods-Savage (Aug 28, 2005)

We got 1 3/4" on the last one but not much today. It is mostly going to our north or to our south. Even with that rain the other day though, I still planted some oats and rye the next day. Now if I can keep the turkeys out, we might get a little growth yet this fall.
Keep smiling!


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## johnhunter (Jun 17, 2000)

Wow. It started drizzling at my farm (I was there, broadcasting oat seed heavily on a new 250 foot long wetland berm - does 200 pounds over a quarter acre seem about right?  ) around 2:30 this afternoon. Soon, it was raining steadily. It's still raining there. 

A real, honest-to-gosh soaker. No kidding, we haven't had a rain like this out there since April. We've had some thunderstorms, some heavy and brief rains, but no soakers all summer long.

This is also the first rain I can remember that came out of the most common direction, the southwest. The pattern this summer has been showers coming from west/northwest.

The wheat/oats etc. that I planted last Monday were starting to come up neatly in the cultipacker rows. Another good rain, and even my clover plots _might_ get rescued.

The Bur Oaks on my farm(I've got the best stand around) are dumping the best crop of acorns I've seen in four years(but not as much as that year, 2001, when both the Burs and the Swamp White Oaks produced heavily).

May be able to salvage a hunting season out of 2005 after all! :yikes:


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## Hamilton Reef (Jan 20, 2000)

Note that this refers to my area:
"But compare Muskegon's mere 1.57 inches with rainfall over the summer just ending, and you get a different picture."

Heavy rain still leaves area below average

http://www.mlive.com/news/muchronicle/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1127747725314880.xml&coll=8

Monday, September 26, 2005 By Robert C. Burns CHRONICLE STAFF WRITER 
We needed it -- three months ago. 

Waves of rain that washed over Muskegon County Sunday were a welcome sight, but left us still more than five inches below normal for the year, according to National Weather Service meteorologist George Wetzel. 

Rainfall at the Muskegon County Airport totaled 1.57 inches for the 24-hour period that ended at 7 a.m. today.

If that seemed like a lot, you should have been in Mears, where rainfall for the same period totaled 4.1 inches. Other areas to the north were drenched. Baldwin got 3.79 inches, Croton Dam 3.71 inches and Scottville 3.58 inches. 

But compare Muskegon's mere 1.57 inches with rainfall over the summer just ending, and you get a different picture. 

In the entire month of June, Muskegon County got only 0.90 inch when it should have gotten nearly three inches. The months of May, July and August yielded slightly over two inches, about an inch below normal. 

Sunday's storm may have broken the spell, Wetzel said. The area will now be heading into what he described as a moist autumn, with periods of high wind normal for fall. 

Wetzel said the rain was attributable to a high-pressure system to the west, combined with a low-pressure system to the southeast. They had the effect of slowly spinning heavy rainclouds so that they passed over the same areas again and again. 

But none of that likely had anything to do with Hurricane Rita, he said. Its northernmost fringe stopped in the area of Kalamazoo. 

The rain apparently had no serious adverse effects. There were no significant power outages or reports of flooding. 

"It really worked out good because what we had was heavy rain over an extended period of time," he said. 

Consumers Power's Muskegon service area, which includes parts of Oceana and Ottawa counties, had reported 14 outages in scattered locations. They affected 432 customers, of which 128 were without power this morning.


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## ih772 (Jan 28, 2003)

Guess I'm one of the lucky ones. Last Thursday there was 3.4 inches of rain in one day at my house.


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## answerguy8 (Oct 15, 2001)

It has certainly been an unusually dry summer, to say the least. Had a real hard rain Thursday afternoon in Bay City and I anxiously went up to my hunting property in Pinconning to check the rain gauge. The bottom of the gauge was barely wet.

But finally when I checked it Sunday morning there was half an inch from the night before and then the gully washer on Sunday added 2 3/4 inches to that.
Most of it soaked right in by the time I got there on Monday. 

I fertilized my grain on Saturday, so that should all be washed in and available to the plants now.


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## mike hartges (Jun 9, 2003)

On my western Hillsdale county property, the rain gods have smiled upon for the past 2 weeks. We've received a total of 3 inches in the rain gauge. The winter wheat and oats are really taking off. That's good because the soybeans are almost gone. The deer are hitting the clover daily. I had to water the clover field several times this summer but it's in good shape heading into hunting season.


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