We are bedding up and fertilizing fields now for next summer. I cannot wait to see what this winter's rainfall is going to be like.
This is a view from the cotton picker as we second pick the Pima.
You can see the shredder is right behind me. In the distance is a tractor discing the field and there is another tractor and disc just out of view. [Sorry, I couldn't get all four machines in one photo without staging it and I am not going to waste time like that.]
My first few years up here it rained early in the Fall. So, that is my default position, I expect it to rain and I know we have to get the ground worked before the heavy winter rains set in.
In a'normal' year, what ever that is we do not find out how much water we will get until February or March. I cannot wait that long to decide what to do. So, once again, the farmer takes all the risk. We make the investment and prepare ground; betting on the come that there will be enough water to grow our crops.
The risk is even larger for permanent crops. There we have to begin years ahead of time. And, years of investment and work can be destroyed in one season.
Last year I have neighbors who had hundreds of dollars an acre of tractor work in their fields who had to then abandon their fields. This is not good.
If we are ever going to have a healthy Ag economy we are going to need a stable water supply. it is bad enough that I have to worry about the ups and downs of Nature. I also have politicians trying to stick their fingers in the situation. It is not surprising the hair that has not fallen out has turned gray.
I hope you all have a great week. We are going to be busy keeping the tractors going.
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