This area experienced temperatures near normal during the week. The range was 38 degrees, from the low of 46 on July 8, to the high of 84 degrees on July 10 and 13. Very warm days are in the forecast for the approaching week and beyond.
Rainfall on July 12 and 13 deposited 1.21 inches of water in the gauge. Different areas not too distant reported more, a light shower near 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on July 13 deposited 0.02 of an inch of water. The forecast indicates showers early in the week. After Thursday, July 18, rainfall could be substantial from the remnants of tropical storm Barry.
Good progress has been made in the harvesting of the abundant hay crop from about 60 acres. The baler counter reads in excess of 4,300 bales. I sold about 12 acres worth to a buyer who has put all of it into haylage. Probably the count will be near 80. Each bale represents 12 to 15 bales of dry hay.
With the busy hay drying season the garden weeds continue to grow even though progress has been made to reduce their number. Asparagus cutting ended near July 4, and that area has uncontrolled vegetation and I may give up the struggle and reduce the number of rows down to two from the original six.
I saw the first baby king bird near mid-week as I started cutting a field north and east of the building. A pair of small hawks visits the area daily, and I am quite sure that they are preying on the smaller desirable birds and perhaps the favorable barn swallows.
New bloom observed recently include: crown vetch, multi-colored perennial pea, wild carrot (Queen Anne’s lace), white sweet clover, hard-hack, late blooming elderberry, catalpa tree, bee-balm and tansy.
I was told that Moose Hill Pond was at the full level on July 1. If my memory is correct, the pond was down 12 to 14 inches last year near that date and later.
Temperatures for this period last year averaged warmer, four of the high readings were in the 80s, the warmest reading was 88 degrees on the 10th. The coolest reading was 47 on the mornings of July 8 and 12. It was a dry period with only 0.01 of an inch of water on the 11th. The chart for the week of July 7-13, 2019.
Day High Low Rainfall
Sun. 79 52 0
Mon. 82 46 0
Tues. 82 56 0
Wed. 84 52 0
Thurs. 79 53 T
Fri. 76 59 1.21
Sat. 84 63 0.05
Send questions/comments to the editors.
