There's either too much or not enough rain. What are some tricks and tips you've discovered for compensating for Mother Nature's capriciousness?

we are going more and more to raised beds which sees to help with both issues. you can do raised rows for field grown things - otherwise if its a yearly problem about the only thing you can do is put in drainage and irrigation systems - and thank and trust that Mother Earth and Father Sky know what they are doing!!

Hi all,

First line of defense ~ Prayer.

Second line of defense ~ N.R.C.S. ~ Natural Resource Conservation Service(s) and F.S.A. Field Service Agency should be available in your State(s) ~ (along with your Dept. of Food and Agriculture)...they are instrumental with their Agents in coming to your farm and helping you solve your Irrigation/Drought problems... Using topographic maps, knowing your soil issues, they are there to help you, the farmer to resolve and come up with solutions.

Also, there typically are grant opportunities within these agencies that help with Irrigation, Deer fencing, and many more $ availability... you have to ask them what's available for you and how to go after it... help you prepare for that Drought...

We've been able to irrigate our peach orchard(s)that is located atop a hill and the water is moved up to one pumping station to a pretty intensive irrigation system,up a big hill to boot and we are slowly beginning to irrigate our apple orchard(s)... utilizing their programs and expertise, as well as our own resources. We also have 2 irrigation ponds ~ one is spring fed and never runs dry and our other one, was made for an area that was always gathering run off anyhow... NRCS's agents helped us as well with this ~ (it too, never runs dry)... we also have a 100' artesian well where we can draw water from for our greenhouses and it used to provide water for our poultry production that we are no longer doing... Raised beds are good, as mentioned above and we too, do this method in some areas ~ we use black plastic with trickle flat irrigation tape running beneath and this helps tremendously... our 6,000 mums are all on a trickle irrigation system and you just have to really strategically plan and if you can't afford it, plan for it.. by putting some money away a little here and a little there... look for grant opportunities within NRCS and FSA...

During drought situations, we've asked our local Fire Department if they've any used old hose laying around that we can borrow and they've always gladly helped us out, and we're very appreciative of them doing this and give them nice fresh fruits and veggies to say thank you ~ we use trickle, overhead, connective pipe...sprinkler systems... (find it in Farm Bureau Bulletins... buy used equipment if/when you can)...

Your Natural Resource Conservation Service has agents/experts that use topographical maps of your farm, showing it's overall overlay and will best help you resolve your problems/issues... they are your first call of defense. This will help with what types of soil you are dealing with.. sometimes you may have clay bottom beds and the water will sit ~ drainage is so important and this service will help you with that as well... we've utilized their services many times and it's a blessing. We've built up our soils, use sustainable agricultural practices and work with what God's given us... Mother Nature is going to throw everything she can at you and being out of control of the weather/elements is always a farmers challenge ~however there is a silver lining at that cloud with rain about to drip out of it... get your experts to your farm and come up with some coheisive plans, look into $/grants available and grow from there!

Oh, if it's an animal issue for flooding,(in our case it was beavers), work with your Wildlife State Dept. and get a beaver deceiver pipe or permission to notch the dam to lower the water ~ it wreaked havoc and flooded our many of our fields along a stream and that was no fun...even keeping customers into getting over our bridge to go pick their own apples~ work with whomever you can ~ again, it's those relationships that are built along the way... that are necessary to grow!


Best to you~!
hugs,
Karen

0testing_post