Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Never Complain About August Rains

Lush crops and pastures with overflowing water sources can’t be beat in August.

Not all locales are that fortunate, but many in the agriculture business are smiling because of the late summer moisture and cooler days. An old saying, “It was a million dollar rain,” certainly is true. Actually, the number would higher than that, with everything presently so increased in value, compared to when the adage was first
quoted.


Yet, we have heard such comments as: “I sure wish it would quit raining and warm up. I can’t get any hay put up or ground worked.” It’s impossible to suit everybody all of the time, and there are those who are never satisfied whatever the conditions.

Don’t fret, “In  Kansas, if you don’t like the weather, it’ll soon change.” That’s always been  the case and will likely continue. When the variation will come, no one is  certain. Best example of this is listening to weather forecasters.

Entirely different conditions are often predicted on each of our three television stations. One sometimes gets the feeling their predictions are not even for the same area. Thing to remember is that even though trained in their field, not unlike doctors, preachers and presidents, weathermen are still human. They put their jeans on one leg at a time.

There’s no way to know for certain what’s going to happen, despite all the training and new,  extravagant gadgets used to make the analysis. Truth is the forecasters are right 50 percent of the time. They can be better than that, but no worse. If a predictor calls for rain, it’ll either rain or it won’t. The guess was right or wrong: accurate half of the time.

Crops are now “made” for most farmers. No, the grain isn’t in the bin, and grazing livestock still have time before the grass is dormant. Yet, production is up sharply from prospects a few weeks ago. We’re going into fall and winter with feedstuffs and   water generally ample, compared to what could have been if the faucet hadn’t turned on.

Certainly, floods which destroy property, and downpours that take soil downstream and damage crops and fences, are not what we want. Some places have received those conditions, and we sympathize with them. Still, no one should ever complain about rains in July and August. Moisture has to be better than drought. Nothing lives without water.

There is always that threat made in Haggai 1:11: “I have called for a drought on your fields and hill; a drought to wither the crops, starve you and your livestock, and to ruin everything you have worked so hard to get.”

Yet, we survive on the promise in Isaiah 30:23: “I will give the rain for thy seed, wherewith thou shalt sow the ground; and bread of the increase of the ground, and it shall be fat and plenteous. In that day shall thy cattle feed in large pastures.”

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