Question of the day
Thursday, Jul 12, 2012 - Posted by Rich Miller
* Gov. Pat Quinn said yesterday and again today that he plans to unveil a state drought task force report on Monday. The entire state is now in a drought…
Moderate-to-severe drought conditions now exist in all of Illinois, according to a weekly update from the U.S. Drought Monitor.
“In the hottest areas last week, which were generally dry, crop conditions deteriorated quickly,” said the update posted Thursday on the agency’s website. “In the 18 primary corn-growing states, 30 percent of the crop is now in poor or very poor condition, up from 22 percent the previous week.”
The update added a section of north central Illinois that previously was rated as abnormally dry but not yet in drought.
More than two-dozen southern Illinois counties are in an extreme drought, while 20 central Illinois counties are classified as in a severe drought, including Cass, Logan, Mason, Menard and Schuler counties in the Springfield area.
* The Question: Has this drought affected you or anyone you know? Explain.
- OneMan - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:48 pm:
Going to sound silly, but the outfit that cuts my lawn only comes out if the lawn is growing and only charges me when they cut, so a month of not cutting has to be having an impact on them.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:52 pm:
In my own backyard, I am losing perennials that have taken me years to establish and to enjoy. My relatives are worse off. They are farmers and are about to lose their income for the next several years. I don’t know what a “task force” can do about the drought. Perhaps Governor Pat will do a rain dance on the Governor’s Mansion lawn?
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:53 pm:
One plus to the drought: no mosquitos so far.
- It's Just Me - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:53 pm:
To OneMan, I don’t think that is silly. We hire the same company to do both snow removal and lawn grass cutting. They only removed snow once this past winter and have only cut the lawn three times. I can’t imagine how they are doing, but my building did use the savings for some stuff we have been putting off.
- Skeeter - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:56 pm:
Not in the slightest.
However, I sure hope that neither Gov. Quinn or Pres. Obama offers any sort of aid to those areas. This sounds serious, and I would hate to have those Democrats add insult to injury to all those good Republican welfare-hating farmers.
- Kasich Walker, Jr. - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:58 pm:
Yes.
It has convinced me that f both the Pentagon and NASA consider the impact of global warming in their planning, it’s long past time for the Dems and the GOP to do the same.
The drought has also convinced me to further encourage this administration and all Americans to support not just the legalization and commercialization of marijuana and industrial hemp, but opium, too. These crops could withstand current drought conditions and have multiple practical uses.
- He Makes Ryan Look Like a Saint - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 12:58 pm:
My family farms in Scott County…..It doesn’t look like it will be a good year for them.
My son mows lawns for a summer job. It looks like I will be giving him more money this winter!
- robin the retriever - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:00 pm:
I live in the southeastern part of the state. The drought has probably destroyed my parents’ crops along with most of the fields near here. The corn just is drying up and the stalks are yellowing. Also, the drought is so widespread that the local ethanol plant is laying off some workers.
- yinn - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:09 pm:
My spouse talked a couple days ago to a DeKalb County farmer who said he’d had to plant twice in the spring and that the second, current crop would be a total loss if significant rain didn’t arrive in the next week or so.
- 3rd Generation Chicago Native - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:12 pm:
We will all be affected by the higher prices at the grocery store. A lot of crops are feed corn, which will affect meat prices.
The local farmers markets don’t have as much produce to sell as in years past. I am sure we will be relying on more foreign grown produce.
This is something that will hurt the economy more, from the increased prices at the grocery store, to the people who produce that now have to watch their spending even more.
Not to mention those who are trying to keep their crops, perenials, young trees etc alive will have higher water bills.
- U of I 91 - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:16 pm:
As the wife of a farmer, the drought impacts every aspect of our life. We are watching our crops wither away. We hope that crop insurance provides enough to pay the bills.
We also raise cattle, wells are going dry and the pasture is gone. It is a full time job just caring for the cattle right now.
There are many sleepless nights in farm country right now. Not just here in Illinois, but in much of the US.
I am very thankful for my off farm job.
- Crime Fighter - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:20 pm:
Lake Springfield, the largest municipal lake in Illinois, seems much lower here on the main basin than reported. I have about 2 1/2 turns on my boatlift before I’m dry-docked. I also noticed in the north basin CWLP no longer is pumping water in (nothing left to pump in?)
Along those lines, the amount of opposition we’ve seen over the years for proper dredging has been incredible.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:22 pm:
I can’t remember seeing so many dead lawns in June. I have shade trees, so mine’s a little better. I’ll only water my garden, trying to save plants and shrubs I’ve had for years. Things will be worse this fall if it continues. I imagine prices on everyting related to corn will go up.
- Nieva - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:33 pm:
We live in Gallatin Co. and the crops look bad. I can remember a couple of very dry summers in my 57 years one being 1988. Corn is done in alot of fields with the bushhogs cutting it under or cutting it for hay. My small farm is in corn this year and it usually makes close to 200 bushel per acre. If we see 100 bushel per this year it will be good. The price is up put there will still be huge losses. Most of the farmers carry crop insurance and this will help pay for seed and other planting costs.
- zatoichi - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:36 pm:
The perennial plants are taking a beating so they get watered 2x a week. There were many lawn care companies around earlier. Now you never see them. City has not put in water restrictions yet. Like others, the huge issue will be food prices later in the winter. Corn around us looks bad so there will be many farmers with financial problems later.
- Jimbo - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:39 pm:
Won’t see the impact for a few months.Then our reliance on the crop will be obvious.No other country can bail us out because we are the primary producer.
- Downstate - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:47 pm:
The vast majority of farmers have crop insurance. Under most plans they will recoup 85% of what last year’s production was. As a result, most will have a break even year. That’s not great news, but it’s better than a total loss.
Very few farmers operate without crop insurance. Particularly anyone with bank debt is required to carry the coverage. The few that I know that don’t carry the insurance are rather large land owners that rely on other businesses as their main source of income.
Car dealers, implement dealers - they might actually feel the impact more than farmers and bankers will.
- Dan Bureaucrat - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 1:53 pm:
My woes are minor in comparison: my watering chores have escalated. I’m not thrilled about the extra work, but it is even more painful to waste so much water. I would support an ordinance that lawn-owners only be allowed to grow native species.
- Mike Huntoon - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:00 pm:
the corn is still looking ok in this part of Western IL / Eastern Iowa - we a band of thunderstorms soak everything a couple of weeks ago and it seems to be enough to allow corn to start maturing . . . lawns on the other hand are looking the worst brown color I’ve ever seen them in July . . .
- Ron Burgundy - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:03 pm:
The only effect it has had on my life is my neighbor’s yard is just as brown as mine is, despite her obsessive-compulsive efforts to prevent it. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, though that could also be heat exhaustion.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:06 pm:
FYI for home gardeners: please don’t water your lawn or plants while the sun is up. It simply wastes all of the water since most of it evaporates before it gets absorbed by soil and plants. Try watering after dusk or before the sun comes up. Much more efficient that way.
And tell your neighbors, you know the ones, who have their sprinklers going in the middle of the day. Complete. Waste. Of water and time.
- SIUPROF - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:17 pm:
It is bone dry in Carbondale and everything that is growing needs watering to survive. Crops look terrible. One plus, however. Due to the hard fairways, I have hit shorter (about 300 yds) par 4s off the tee.
- Food - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:33 pm:
The drought is going to make getting food to food pantries and the like that much more difficult. Produce wholesalers will have less to donate, federal dollars for supplying food to emergency providers will not go nearly as far, and the money pantries have to but food for distribution will buy less as well. As with most things, those with the fewest resources get hit the hardest in times of disaster.
- Slick Willy - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:53 pm:
Pond in my backyard is down at least 5′ over the last two years. If we do not get some rain soon, I may be facing a fish kill. Lost at least six white pines in the wind-break too. Never thought I would shed a tear over a tree dying, but damn it man, when you start them as seedlings you get attached.
- Bitterman - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:55 pm:
All my neighbors here in central Il are farmers and are looking at 90-100% loss now. Not sure any rain will benefit. Saving our younger trees and plants with regular watering. Our well is 130ft deep in an aquafer but many of our neighbors are not so lucky and are hauling water. The veggie farmers are stuggling to keep plants alive. It’s tough for sure and feels a lot like ‘88.
- Bitterman - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 2:57 pm:
We were fortunate to get a good first cutting and a marginal second from our hay field.
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 3:01 pm:
My father works in ag in Central Illinois and was telling me back in May that he was worried this was going to be another ‘88 year and it looks like his concerns have been borne out.
Here’s hoping this is just a one-year anomaly like ‘88 was and not the start of some Dust Bowl years or an earlier-than-anticipated start on the scientific predictions for the Corn Belt’s eventual move north resulting from climate change.
But to tie politics into this, I find it interesting that Congress is taking the first steps in years to make cuts to the farming safety net in the new Farm Bill at the same time farmers are experiencing a really awful year and need that safety net the most.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 3:05 pm:
We’ll know in a couple of weeks or so. This is pollination time for corn, and if there is no significant rain, my farmer buddies tell me you can count on yields about 20 to 30% less than projected in spring.
More expensive corn means more expensive meat (beef, pork, chicken feed) gas (ethanol requirements) plus anything with corn sweeteners.
But be careful before you buy corn futures yet. Corn futures have been spiking for a couple of weeks already.
- Sunshine - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 3:54 pm:
Been watering from our downstairs spring. It has slowed considerably to about 35-gallons a day versus 140-gallons per day.
The only easy way to carry water is with clouds. We’re hoping the Gov does in fact do a rain dance on the Capitol lawn. But then it’s liable to only rain more debt.
- Bluefish - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 3:57 pm:
Plus - I haven’t cut the grass in well over a month.
Minus - No grass clippings to use as mulch or compost.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 4:15 pm:
Re: watering in the day vs night.
It depends on how you water. If you have mulched the garden and put the water directly at the base of the plant, it doesn’t matter. I have pots with the bottoms cut out around my tomatoes and peppers and I simply fill the former bucket and let it soak in. I have a soaker hose on the potatoes, so, again, day vs night is not an issue. The whole garden is mulched with straw. This keep the soil a bit cooler and also helps retain moisture.
In the late part of the afternoon on very hot days, I spray the corn and potatoes to help them cool down. Small volume of water, but the evaporation helps lower the temp.
All of the corn fields in my area of north-central Illinois are stressed. The beans look better, but they will need rain soon.
- Going nuclear - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 4:33 pm:
I’ll let the scientific community ponder whether the record high temperatures are due to natural variability or can be connected to long-term climate change. However, I read that there is a chance of an El Nino weather pattern developing over the next three months, which means the northern US could be in for a warmer and drier winter than average.
- Wensicia - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 4:42 pm:
@Pot,
I do the same with my plants. I use pots due to excessive tree roots and have a thick layer of pine bark in each large pot of tomatoes and peppers. My flowers don’t need this, because I mostly have shade plants. When you use mostly pots you save a lot on the water bill.
- Pot calling kettle - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 4:50 pm:
==When you use mostly pots you save a lot on the water bill.==
In my case, it helps keep the well from running dry. LOL
- amalia - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 5:48 pm:
there is not enough water to keep the kitchen garden going. must water multiple times a day for containers. forget the lawn, I have long ago, but I want summer veggies and the toting and lifting of water is just incredible.
- Sunshine - Thursday, Jul 12, 12 @ 7:26 pm:
Remember, when things get hot and dry, creeks stop flowing and water stagnates. That causes hordes of mosquitoes.
We blend, puree, Lemon Grass and Lavender and make a very effective spray to apply on ourselves when we are outside. Smells pretty good also.
- Phineas Fogg - Friday, Jul 13, 12 @ 7:41 am:
I live out in the country. My corn crop yield has been reduced but you never know by “how much” until you go to harvest it in October. I look for a minimum of a 30% reduction in my normal corn yield.I haven’t had to mow my lawn but once over the past 30 days (so at least that is one good thing). I and my rural neighbors are concerned as to whether our well water will start to run dry though. We are not on a city water supply. Thus, no water to flush toilets, take showers with, or drink.That is the biggest concern: the level of our local water table.
- Dirty Red - Friday, Jul 13, 12 @ 8:57 am:
Rich, the farmers in my hometown have been making deals with ranchers to take the corn as it is now so they can try to replace it with beans.
I’ve also been told there are crop insurance claim adjusters driving through the southernmost counties non-stop to declare fields a total loss. A number of farmers in that area apparently gave up on their crop a few weeks ago.