We have been very dry. Abnormally dry, although I am not sure what is normal anymore.
The latest report from the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality doesn't offer any clues as to when we will find relief.
Agriculture, so far, is feeling the effects of this lack of rain moreso than city dwellers. They've not been asked to ration their water - yet. This may come if the levels of streams and ponds continue to drop, though.
Water is a precious commodity. We try to conserve - we don't water the grass, for instance. We do water the garden but that's a food source.
However, the golf course on US 220 probably waters enough for a hundred families. Their sprinklers seem to be running 24/7.
Twenty-six counties so far have asked for federal assistance due to drought; Botetourt has it on its agenda for next week.
Farmers are selling off cattle because of lack of hay. Dairymen are already chopping corn, about two weeks early. What corn is there is not the yield that it should be.
We are already feeding hay to the cattle to supplement what little grass is in the pasture, and most likely we will be selling off part, if not all, of the herd.
The area is about 6 to 9 inches low in its rainfall totals for the year.
The trees are showing signs of distress, too. Leaves are turning already; some are simply yellowing and falling to the ground. It doesn't look like it will be a very pretty autumn.
In this morning's Roanoke Times were nine " Horse for Sale" ads--the most I've seen all summer. Three were marked "1st Day."
ReplyDeleteThe cattle farmers around here are thinning their herds. On Monday, I saw several loaded trucks headed to the livestock market in Lynchburg.
Looks like folks are unloading livestock they can't feed.