Still Dry!

It's been 5 weeks since there was measurable rain in the rain gauge and the 10 day forecast is for zero rain.

The pumpkin patch is a bust.  The few that grew are rotten and eaten up with bugs.

The four fields planted with brassica are very different.  This one had very little germination and not much in the way of weeds either.

This one is about 1/2 germinated but there are a lot of weeds.

This is the soybean field that I broadcast brassica into.  It has a fair amount of germination but needs rain.

And the orchard field came in with stripes.  But very good in the stripes.

It had both oats and brassica and has been getting browsed.

I thought they were mainly after the oats but on closer examination, they like one of the varieties of brassica at this stage.

Poop of the week in the brassica.

Meanwhile, this is what one of the clover fields looks like - getting burned out.

Orchard field brassicas look good.

From the porch one evening - have had up to 11 in the field before dark.

I decided to replace the main field mock scrape/licking branch.

Old one out.

New one in.

First night - some curious visitors.

The atv is back so I did some spraying.  It's not the optimal time of year for spraying but I feel the need to do something to knock back grass and weeds in the burned up clover patches.

Perfect morning for it - no wind.  And cooler weather coming up.

I did some 200 yard shooting from sticks while sitting.

Feeling pretty good banging iron from that distance.

I even shot the buffalo in the heart.

The butterflies, weeds and flowers don't seem to notice the drought.

Persimmon.

About 8' tall ironweed.

Coyotes.

Turkeys.

With poults.

Fawns still in spots.

And not weaned.

The chores never end.

Grass in the clover.

I've watered the trees in the orchard three times.  Have already lost two cherry trees.