1988?

The drought of 1988 comes to mind as I watch the crops suffer from heat and moisture stress.  1988 was the worst heat/drought that occurred in my lifetime here on the farm.  There may have been hotter years and dryer years, but the combination caused the lowest yields that I have seen.  We are currently about 7 inches below normal rainfall for the year to date, and above normal temperatures.
Interesting fact:  The corn market peaked before the 4th of July during the drought of 1988.

We got our double crop soybeans drilled early last week.  They are going to need some rain to get them started.  We made our straw last Wednesday on one of the cooler days of the week.  We didn't make as many bales this year as in the past because of the fact that we have sold all of our sows.

I sprayed our sweet corn for Japanese beetles.  The sweet corn needs rain too, and we don't have a good way to water our patch.  The Japanese beetles are also heavily feeding in some of the soybean fields.

We did receive 2/10ths of an inch of rain on Saturday.  Not much, but at least we know that it still can rain. 
We know that whatever the weather and however the crops turn out, the Lord will provide our needs.

Relaxing after the "hay makers" lunch under the shade tree.



 If there be dearth in the land, if there be pestilence, if there be blasting, or mildew, locusts, or caterpillers; if their enemies besiege them in the cities of their land; whatsoever sore or whatsoever sickness there be:
Then what prayer or what supplication soever shall be made of any man, or of all thy people Israel, when every one shall know his own sore and his own grief, and shall spread forth his hands in this house:
 Then hear thou from heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and render unto every man according unto all his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou only knowest the hearts of the children of men:)
 That they may fear thee, to walk in thy ways, so long as they live in the land which thou gavest unto our fathers.
II Chronicles 6:28-31