Red Sky in The Morning Steve Apps photo

 

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On my recent, daily, early morning walk, I noticed the red sky stretching from horizon to horizon. I remembered my father’s words, “Red sky in the morning, sailors take warning.”  The meaning-- foul weather was on the way, be prepared (whether you were a sailor or a farmer).  Two hours later. the storm clouds moved in and rain began.  Cold, autumn rain, but nonetheless, appreciated rain.  On the home farm it seemed we never had enough rain—our sandy soil required it; nothing much grew without goodly amounts of rain.  When one of my brothers or I would complain about a rainy day, Pa would say, “Never curse the rain.”  I have never forgotten that admonition, no matter how hard it rained, or how wet I got. 

Rain was something we always appreciated—and this year, 2022, is no exception as we read about barges on the Mississippi getting stuck on the bottom of that mighty river because the water level is too low.  The West and Southwest continue to experience severe drought.  I also recently read that Texas cotton farmers have suffered because of the drought. Cotton is Texas’ largest crop.  Cotton farmers are expecting half their normal annual yield this year.

In Wisconsin, for the most part, the rains have come regularly this year.  At my farm. I had green grass in my lawn all summer-long.  Often, by mid-summer the rains stopped and the grass turned brown until it rained again. 

Checking the National Weather Service, Wisconsin State Records, I discovered that Wisconsin has had some record rainfalls in recent years.  In 2019, 44.6 inches of rain fell, followed by 39.7 in 2018. The least rain fell in 1910—20.5 inches.  During the Great Depression, the country saw the least annual rainfall for a five-year period, 1929 to 1933.  These were the years of the dustbowl when the dry winds of summer filled the air with the soil from thousands of acres of farmland.  The wettest five-year period for annual rainfall in Wisconsin was 2015 to 2019.  The greatest 24-hour rainfall, in Wisconsin, 11.72 inches fell in Mellen, WI on June 24, 1946. 

As farmers, young and old, have long known, ample rainfall can make the difference between success and failure on the farm. Remember, “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight, Red sky in the morning sailors take warning.”

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Watching the sky is one good way of predicting the weather.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Saturday, December 10, 1:30 p.m.  Verona, Library.  Launch of my new book, MORE THAN WORDS.  I plan to be there in person.

WHERE TO BUY MY BOOKS

  To learn more about rain, see my book: Never Curse the Rain. Buy from your local bookstore, or buy online from the Wisconsin Historical Society bookstore, https://shop.wisconsinhistory.org/books, bookshop.org, or purchase from the Friends of the Patterson Memorial Library in Wild Rose—a fundraiser for them. Phone: 920-622-3835 for prices and ordering, or contact the librarian: barnard@wildroselibrary.
Patterson Memorial Library
500 Division Street
Wild Rose, WI 54984.
www.wildroselibrary.org

If you live in the western part of the state, stop at Ruth’s home town, Westby, visit Dregne’s.  and look at their great selection of my books. Order a book from them by calling 1-877-634-4414. They will be happy to help you.  If you live in northcentral Wisconsin, stop at the Janke bookstore in Wausau (phone 715-845-9648).  They also have a large selection of my books.