El Nino? Super El Nino?

El Nino? Super El Nino?

El Nino? Super El Nino? – by Art Dawson, Ph.D. El Nino is coming! El Nino is already here! But what is El Nino? El Niño is a climate event in which happens when surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean become unusually warm. The warming water...
Storm Damage Recovery

Storm Damage Recovery

July 15, 2026 Storm Damage Recovery Summer storms are here! They are already impacting Midwest farmers. According to Farm Journal Agronomist Ken Ferrie (1), recent heavy rainfall and hail have turned what was a genuinely nice season into an unfortunate episode...
Alfalfa’s Summer Slump!

Alfalfa’s Summer Slump!

July 2026 Alfalfa’s Summer Slump! Decline in yield. Decline in growth rate. Decline in feed quality. This is the alfalfa summer slump! Summer slump happens when daytime temperatures reach the 95-105 F range. Nighttime temperatures stay elevated to 70-80 F. Extreme as...
Alternate bearing crops

Alternate bearing crops

June 2026 Alternate bearing crops! Pistachios are the classic example of an alternate bearing crop. 2026 is an “off” year for California pistachios. 2025 was an “on” year and next year isn’t here yet! This year’s California crop is expected to harvest less than a...
Heat Stress in Almonds

Heat Stress in Almonds

May 2026 May & June are Critical Months for Almonds It’s Mid-May! The “warm summer months” are just beginning. Evaporation Transpiration demand will increase daily, and the effects of heat stress will develop in your crops at the same time. Typical Evaporation...