Drought and thank you

[notjustair]

Our area has hit D4 status. Things are bleak. I?m doing everything I can to be able to keep all of the cattle that I intended on keeping, so I am
running them all over the section with electric fences. I now have a group of 60 in an area where all of the springs have dried up so I have to
haul water.

A while back I posted that my ?54 Chevy 6400 was not charging once it got hot under the hood. I put the 1200 gallon water tank in the back of it
last night so I grabbed a screwdriver and took the cover off the regulator. Someone here mentioned that the spring for the cutout needed to be
adjusted. I adjusted her a little bit and problem solved! I ran it several time throughout the day with it hovering around 100 degrees and lots
hotter inside the old truck. She charged just fine the whole time. Thanks guys!

On a separate note: that hill has an old well with a pump jack on it. I can pump it just fine and good water comes out. If I found I way to operate
the pumpjack (without have pumping for hours by hand) I wouldn?t be hauling water up there. Has anyone come across such a situation before? No
consistent wind in that area for a windmill, btw. I do have a power pole close by, though.

 

[Eldon (WA)]

Strange weather patterns, my brothers in south central SD are having a record year, rain showers every couple of days.

 

[GreenEnvy]

Were are you located? We haul water every year to some of our pastures. Our last meaningful rain was on June 20th. The joys of farming in a 12-14" precip zone.

 

[Janicholson]

A pump Jack is a device (often gasoline engine powered with modern engines) that uses a gearing setup to lift and lower the pump rod. The one shown is an example. Jim
Jack

 

[JD Seller]

I know there where gas powered pump jacks that would run the windmill type of water pumps. The old ones were powered with hit-in-miss motors and a flat belt.

Also how deep is the well??? Several fellows around here have solar powered well pumps. I think they are limited in the depth of a well they will pump out of.

 

[Kansas4010]

According to the 27 weather forecaster this is the driest year on record for Topeka since 1940. The bad part is Topeka has gotten more rain than I have 30 miles to the south. The last decent rain I got was last October with 2 inches. Winter was dry with no snow. This year the biggest rain I've gotten is one 70 100ths drizzle. It's going to take something major to catch up and I don't see that happening. We're getting a little rain this morning but not enough to help. The forecaster also said a hot dry bubble has developed over the top of a couple counties. The radar shows they are getting rain except it is so hot and dry it dissolves before it hits the ground. I've started culling cattle and have been hauling water for a while now. If it keeps it up I'll be out of the cattle business.

 

[Traditional Farmer]

Wish I could give you some of the rain we've had in Virginia,we'd both be better off.About the wettest July ever and August looking about the same.

 

[Lazy WP]

If it is a Monitor style pump jack, just put a 5 horse gas motor on it. I myself would prefer to put a half horse electric motor on and use a generator. Don?t know why but a gas pumpjack self destruct.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

Gas motor (Clinton) ran a pump jack for years. Just fill with so much gas and it stops when runs out or run a romax wire from spark plug to water tank level and will shut off when full. Have to unhook romax from engine to start. Once running hook it back up.

 

[RBMI]

30 miles south must put you somewhere close to Lyndon?

 

[Leroy]

That style I cannot get rid of as they think the side pull does not let them stay fastened. I just bought 2 jacks friday and one last week for the Amish I work with and they all are powered with new gas engines. Hope to find several more at the Portland, Indiana show this month.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

We got a real soaking last night in Wichita. Like maybe a couple of inches overnight, more to come in a while. I know it is dry north of us, but it sure seems like July was cool and wet here.

 

[Russ from MN]

Like Roger said, gas engine on pump jack, figure out how much gas you need to fill the tank, start it and leave, we had one out in the S pasture for years.

 

[David from Kansas]

Hey, Case, we are 100 miles NW of you and we got 1.3 last night. In really good shape for moisture now. Cooler weather ahead which helps.

 

[1948CaseVAI]

(quoted from post at 10:02:29 08/07/18) Hey, Case, we are 100 miles NW of you and we got 1.3 last night. In really good shape for moisture now. Cooler weather ahead which helps.

Hey David you must be close to where I grew up in Pawnee county.
God's country! Glad to hear you have the moisture you need!

 

[Butch(OH)]

Not to tute my own horn by I was the one who suggested adjusting the cutout spring, not too many people around anymore who truely understand how that old electrical stuff works.

Up until a couple weeks ago I had a pump jack conversion unit made to do just what you need. It clamped to the pump housing and attached where the handle is located and you run it with an engine. If I hadn't gave it away I would send it to you. The Portland IN engine show and swap is coming up and there is always quite a few of them for sale so ther emust still be quite few of them around.

 

[rrlund]

I know what you mean about the drought. In my 63 years,I think this is the first time I've dealt with a "flash drought". We started out flooded,had to replant some corn,then had to deal with serious denitrification from excess water. We went right from that to scorching heat and no rain at all. For the second year in a row,the pastures were gone in July. I ran through all my surplus hay last year. I'm trying to finish out the largest calf crop I've ever had from last year while trying to keep the cows. It's gonna be a tough row to hoe. I've already sold some cows that hadn't calved yet. Last years drought caused some cows to breed real late,so I have 6 here that still haven't calved. I'd almost feel better if they weren't bred at all because they're all young cows. If they weren't bred,I'd hold them over and cull some others,but if they calve this late,they'll have to go when I get the calves weaned. I'll have to get rid of about a third of the herd before it's over with without a doubt. It's making for some sleepless nights.

 

[37chief]

I have a good idea what you are dealing with. Sounds like you are dealing with a water shortage plus a feed shortage. People who have lots of water sometimes don't realize how lucky they are. Growing up, in the summer our well went dry, and Dad had to load a large water tank on his 54, and go to the next town to get water, to last us a week. When my brother had cattle, he always had plenty of water, the cattle just had to walk for it. Feed was his problem. He had to have truck and trailer loads brought in. He found a lot of rain damaged hay, fairly cheap, and got him through the dry time. Stan

 

[Steamboat]

Climate change. Get used to it!

 

[d9gdon]

(quoted from post at 15:55:53 08/07/18) Climate change. Get used to it!

Yep, 4 times a year.

 

[muleboss]

You must be 30 miles North of me. We got 2.70 inches last night. First rain in along time.

 

[Roger in Iowa]

Here is a pump jack at Beaver City NE. May be near you. Take electric motor off and install a small gas engine. Looks complete, with more than you need. Roger


https://nwks.craigslist.org/grd/d/monitor-pump-jack/6658394844.html