Luke Bryan said it right- rain makes corn… and rain is a good thing. Unfortunately over the course of my internship we have barely had an inch of rain. It has been at least 3 weeks since we last had any measurable rain and the crops are suffering because of that.
Over the past few weeks, I have been taking care of my test plots and watering them as needed. Which, in this weather, is at least once a week. The two main plots that I have been monitoring are located in Hall and Seneca Falls, NY which has not been ideal this summer. At least once a week I water the plots with a 1500 gallon tank full of water and fire hose.
Both of the plots are mostly cover crops, however, the one located in Hall has forages, alfalfa, grass mixes, and organic corn. The heat has made most of the cover and alfalfa plots burn up and die quickly along with the corn. In hopes of salvaging what has yet to burn up or die, I channel my inner firefighter and break out the hose. The test plot located in Seneca Falls is actually a plot that will be shown during the Empire Farms Days at the beginning of August ans is located right on the show site. The owner and operator of the land and show has graciously installed an irrigation system to keep the plot watered.
Hopefully the weather God’s have some mercy and let the rain fall soon.