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HomeMy WebLinkAboutWeather data station aids southwest farmers 1978 The - Weather data stat aid s - s outh west farmers By CHUCK HOUSE should keep i mind that w o u l d ha v e been Staff Writer possible late week rains significantly reduced. In The intimate relation- may disrupt field curing any case, McFarland said, ship between weather and and baling operations." millions of dollars were crops, obvious to farmers This report was geared saved. for centuries, is now in- to help farmers in the This is what the ESSC is eluded within the domain Southern blacklands and all about. of science. Brazos Valley, but the Basically the weather - Naturally weather af- College Station ESSC of- crop reports are conveyed fects crops, but until fice handles two states to radio stations, which recently, the methods besides Texas and issues a read them over the air. farmers used to guage multitude of reports. And because the weather when to plant, spray and Oklahoma and New changes constantly, so do harvest were not based on Mexico also are within its the crop conditions and factors measured by boundaries. ESSC reports. scientists. Formerly Meteorologist in charge Good farmers generally farmers planted by the of the office is Joe Mc- are aware of the moisture calendar, sprayed when, Farland, a man who in their soil, McFarland they had time and har- beTieves`That the ESSC said, and of other factors vested when the crops program is increasingly relating to their own crop seemed ripe. These effective. planting. But the ESSC methods had varying For example, scientists keeps farming com- degrees of success, and as have learned that soil munities in disparate the weather is fickle even temperatures play a large areas aware of conditions. science cannot guarantee a part in the growth of field If it were too dry to plant maximum yield. But it can crops. If the soil is too cool rice in one area, for in- help. or too warm for a par- stance, farmers elsewhere At the Soil and Crop titular crop (each has its with sufficient water may Service Cen er on ems optimum temperature) it want to take up the slack. A &M's west campus a will not flourish like it In this way, McFarland miniature weather station would under better con- explained, the farming receives information on ditions. community becomes more conditions all over the ESSC monitors soil efficient. world. Maps with data or temperatures in many The program, which fronts, temperatures anc locations in its territories, works in close conjunction other pertinent in and when pertinent, with the National Weather formation hang on the releases them over the Service and the National walls. The teletype radio. McFarland related Oceanic and Atmospheric chatters, snapping out up this story: Administration, does not to the minute data. This spring, he said, soil actually prepare weather The weather station is temperatures in the area forecasts. It uses them and part of the Environmental were up to 10 degrees interprets them to specific Studies Service Center, a lower than they would be crop conditions. Mc- .S. trip a rthrent of normally, or two or three Farland said the ESSC — Commerce organization. weeks behind schedule. formed in July, 1975 — has ESSC analyzes this data — For this reason (and met with a great deal of and some of its own —and because farmers were approval from farmers. hen relates it to farming. advised) planting in many Feedback, for instance, On May 15, for instance, areas was delayed until the was impressive on an ESSC released this report: soil warmed up. occasion when the report "Warmer temperatures If they had planted by did not go out, McFarland should boost the growth of the calendar, McFarland noted. cotton and sorghum where said, many farmers might To farmers, weather is low soil moisture is not a have had to replant. If the news, and the reports limiting factor. Farmers effects of the low soil which the Environmental and ranchers planning temperatures had not Science Service Center mid -week hay cuttings caused replanting, yields issues can be of significant value to those who wish to use them. At first, Mc- Farland said, few knew about the ESSC, farmers and ranchers were reluctant to rely on their information. Now, however, their reluctance has dissipated with the warm sunshine of success.