06 Jun Weathering the Storms

Storms brewing to the west of Strong City, Oklahoma.

Cheyenne, OK–I’ve lived in Tornado Alley my whole life. As a matter of fact, my high school alma mater’s mascot is a Red Tornado. I’ve donned tornado apparel and cheered for tornadoes. But through all of that, I’ve never actually experienced a real-life tornado … and I’m not mad about it!

The calm after the storm – Strong City, Oklahoma.

Oklahoma has been on a rough ride the last couple of weeks. Storms, floods and tornadoes have struck our state day after day. I can’t recall such an extended streak of weather like this. I think it’s safe to say we’re all exhausted and ready for a break! Seeing property damaged, homes destroyed and lives lost is tough for everyone. Those are tragedies we could all have easily experienced had a storm taken a slightly different path and having to face so many days in a row with those possibilities on the table takes a mental toll on all of us.

South of Strong City, Oklahoma.

We’ve been so very fortunate here in Roger Mills County. Yes, our rain totals have been excessive, but we’re all above water. We’ve experienced a few tornado warnings, but not much of anything has come from that. So many communities across the state have had far worse outcomes. We pray for and think of those who have lost loved ones, their homes and their livelihoods. We are so thankful for our meteorologists and storm trackers who work tirelessly to keep us all informed. We can’t forget the linemen and the state and county employees who keep our roads and bridges maintained. We are also grateful for the first responders, law enforcement and the volunteers who are putting in so many extra hours to assist in recovery and rebuilding efforts.

Wheat field west of Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

The wheat in this area seems to be handling things fairly well. We are still a couple of weeks out from harvest time. I’ve seen a few fields nearby trying to recover from wind and rain stress, and hopefully they’ll continue to do so. Time will tell what long-term effects this weather streak will have on the agriculture industry. We are certainly experiencing a delay in getting cotton, milo, soybeans and other fall crops in the ground. The cultivated ground will likely see some nutrient deficiencies from so much rainfall. The cattle are definitely at risk, too. Aside from the potential for a direct loss from flooding, there is the risk for disease with so much standing water.

The Washita River south of Strong City, Oklahoma.

The Washita River south of Strong City, Oklahoma.

We are hopeful for dry days ahead. As of right now the forecast isn’t looking too promising, but we’ll continue to do our best to take it all in stride!

Ivy and Mason.

Checking cattle near Durham, Oklahoma.

All Aboard Wheat Harvest is sponsored by High Plains Journal and John Deere. Lindsey can be reached at lindsey@allaboardharvest.com.