3 Tips for Staying Ahead of the Weather

One of the biggest challenges to any farmer can be mother nature. The weather is extremely unpredictable and can change dramatically from day to day and from year to year. When trying to grow sensitive crops, it’s important to know when it is safe to plant, what the expectations are for rain over the summer, and when the cool down will happen in the fall to ripen your crops for harvest. While there are many ways that you can attempt to follow the weather, and predict what will happen, here are a few tips for you to stay one step ahead of mother nature.

• Long-term forecasting – There are a variety of forecasting companies that will provide you with long range forecasts. These forecasts are typically generalized to each month or season and will give an idea of the trend you can expect during that time frame. For example, they may predict that the summer will be cool and dry. While not specific, these forecasts are great for giving you a general idea of what to expect and help you prepare for the season.
• Short-term forecasts – Forecasts for the next 7 days or so are great for planning out your week. If you know heavy rain is coming within the next 7 days, you can adjust your planting schedule or agricultural equipment maintenance schedule to best account for it. Similarly, you can use that forecast to plan irrigation and spraying as well.
• Real-time measurements – There are many weather stations today that can provide you with real-time measurements from various locations on your farm. You can accurately measure temperature, wind speed, rainfall, and a variety of other weather statistics. Many stations will connect to the internet and automatically log the data for you so you can see the trends. Additionally, you can typically set up alarms for various measurements so that you are alerted to an issue, such as freezing temperatures.

It’s important to do your best to stay ahead of the weather when running a farm. Understanding what is happening on your farm in real-time can help you more accurately plan for irrigation, spraying, and the use of your agricultural equipment. It can also save you from losing valuable crops should an unexpected late frost or early freeze sneak up on you. Your understanding of the weather can mean the difference between a bountiful harvest and a disappointing return on your investment.

Kevin Smith is a writer and an avid reader. He writes about business, marketing, health, pets, or relationships etc.