This morning I dressed my nearly 2-year-old daughter in a shirt that reads, “I love sunny days.” Yet, out my office window the sky is grey and sprinkles flicker by as I look to the tree bending toward the west with its over-turned leaves.
This morning I dressed my nearly 2-year-old daughter in a shirt that reads, “I love sunny days.” Yet, out my office window the sky is grey and sprinkles flicker by as I look to the tree bending toward the west with its over-turned leaves.
Clearly, it’s not going to be a sunny day. The forecast for tomorrow doesn’t look too good either.
So why did I choose that shirt on such a contrary day?
First of all, it was near the top of the unfolded laundry basket that’s been waiting on me to get through this deadline.
Secondly, it happened to match the pants she was already wearing.
But still, I had stopped to consider what others who see her in the shirt on this gloomy day would think of the person that dressed her.
Perhaps they’ll think she picked it out herself. Or maybe that it was her father that dressed her. Or, quite possibly, that her mother is just losing it. Nonetheless, I stand by my decision.
Sure, today might not be a sunny day, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t still love that type of day. Plus, the eternal optimist in me says that sunny days are ahead. That is something we all must continue to believe in.
It certainly has been a long, wet road for a portion of the country. Mid-June crop reports state that the last couple of weeks have really helped some farmers get their seedings in the ground.
The provinces of Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta reported 75, 79 and 90 percent complete, respectively.
According to one of our contributors, Manitoba, unfortunately, was still at just 43 percent. In clay soils and poorly drained fields, just 10 to 30 percent of the crop is in the ground.
Considering most five-year averages for this time of year are 90 percent or greater of land planted, these numbers are cause for concern.
Add this to the late seeding in the U.S. Great Plains and drought in other portions of the U.S., the United Kingdom, France, Germany and China, and it could make for a very interesting cropping season. Not to mention what the markets might do.
The weather and markets are difficult to control at best. While it is easy to dwell on them, the best you can do is make the most of the rainy weather.
Take some time to work on equipment maintenance, so you will be able to “make hay while the sun shines.”
Another good thing to do on a rainy day is to read and implement new ideas into your farming operation.
Some tips inside this issue include interpreting reproductive measures (page 12), enhancing your heifer breeding program (page 14), reducing claw lesions and hairy hoof warts (pages 18 & 19), lowering the risk of environmental mastitis (page 21) and sprucing up your cow records (page 24). These are all things you have control over. Exert your influence and reap the rewards.
Remember sunny days are ahead. With a little of that sun and a touch more rain, the crops in the ground – however late they were planted – will be stretching towards the sky in no time. PD
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Karen Lee
- Editor
- Progressive Dairyman
- Email Karen Lee
