Foreboding Storm Clouds Welcome

Often, storm clouds are foreboding. Their dark shapes and mile-high piles of precipitation scatter crowds.

But when this set of clouds arrived with a cool west wind on Wednesday, celebration began. I was halfway through moving cattle when sprinkles settled on the ATV windshield. Everything was thirsty; now, we would have water for the Christmas trees, grass, and livestock.

Being in Indiana, east of the 20" line (the 100th meridian, where rainfall totals are at least 20 inches each year to the east and less than that to the west) and with soils that hold water easily, the essential liquid is not usually something I think about much. When we have enough, it rains some more to soak or flood...but it's at least there.

This dry summer has me rethinking water and how much it's needed, as well as how I can be a better steward of it on the farm.

Thanks for Reading!

And I hope you feel refreshed and rejuvenated for the week ahead with this moment preserved in picture and prose. Consider:

• What have you thought anew about recently?

Think of someone who would be interested in your answer, and share your answer and this newsletter with them.

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This Week on the Farm

The Christmas trees are growing like weeds...and so are the weeds. Sheep continue to clean the fence row, as I opened up a new section for them Wednesday, and they are doing a great job at it, as evidenced below: