farmerjan
Super Self-Sufficient
Everyone should take a look at the US Drought Monitor... and see the extent of the drought areas. I heard something on the radio today that I didn't catch all of it, but about a reservoir in Utah that is so low that they are concerned about enough water for homes and making the electricity to power those homes??? Scary.
But with this drought monitor, most need to realize that alot of the wheat grown in this country is "dryland" wheat... not irrigated... and if we do not get much moisture, there will be crop failures.... if the crops are too sparse, it will not pay the farmer to harvest it because it will cost more than the harvested crop is worth.
On top of that, the beef cow herd numbers are dropping. Some farmers are culling heavy due to the dry conditions. Not enough grass, and not enough moisture to make hay. Hay costs are going to go up. On top of that the cull cow price is high now... higher than it has been in years. There are alot of bred cows that are getting sold and going to the kill buyers. This is going to lessen the number of calves that will be born next year, further decreasing available numbers.
I realize that many on here are not big beef eaters. But for anyone that is, you need to make sure if you buy beef that you get some stockpiled because the prices are going to go up. We sold nearly all our heifers that weigh in the 450-550 lb range since prices were higher than they have been in years. Partly to help pay for the fertilizer prices that are now TRIPLE what they were last year. But this also took these heifers out of the "pipeline" as far as being bred as replacements, for calving in 18 months.......
I know of 3 beef farmers that have sold out in the last month.... and a 240 cow dairy that I milk tested for the last 30+ years just sold out. Most of the dairy cows did go to another dairy in PA... but I have 2 others in the retirement age bracket that are talking about going out....
Gas has come down here about 10-15 cents in the last week. But things are getting worse in the Russia/Ukraine situation... there is A LOT of WHEAT grown in the Ukraine....it may not directly affect us but it will affect the world supply which will affect us in prices if nothing else...
But with this drought monitor, most need to realize that alot of the wheat grown in this country is "dryland" wheat... not irrigated... and if we do not get much moisture, there will be crop failures.... if the crops are too sparse, it will not pay the farmer to harvest it because it will cost more than the harvested crop is worth.
On top of that, the beef cow herd numbers are dropping. Some farmers are culling heavy due to the dry conditions. Not enough grass, and not enough moisture to make hay. Hay costs are going to go up. On top of that the cull cow price is high now... higher than it has been in years. There are alot of bred cows that are getting sold and going to the kill buyers. This is going to lessen the number of calves that will be born next year, further decreasing available numbers.
I realize that many on here are not big beef eaters. But for anyone that is, you need to make sure if you buy beef that you get some stockpiled because the prices are going to go up. We sold nearly all our heifers that weigh in the 450-550 lb range since prices were higher than they have been in years. Partly to help pay for the fertilizer prices that are now TRIPLE what they were last year. But this also took these heifers out of the "pipeline" as far as being bred as replacements, for calving in 18 months.......
I know of 3 beef farmers that have sold out in the last month.... and a 240 cow dairy that I milk tested for the last 30+ years just sold out. Most of the dairy cows did go to another dairy in PA... but I have 2 others in the retirement age bracket that are talking about going out....
Gas has come down here about 10-15 cents in the last week. But things are getting worse in the Russia/Ukraine situation... there is A LOT of WHEAT grown in the Ukraine....it may not directly affect us but it will affect the world supply which will affect us in prices if nothing else...
it's still not free to raise any of these but, it's available! Everyone remember eggs are great protein 😊! Also, I've been eating a lot less meat even though I am well stocked in freezer..
