My dad told me that back in the late 1930s following the Dust Bowl years, there were several years in which temperatures were colder than normal. That seems to be happening now, but it seems like we're getting the cold and the drought at the same time.

We haven't had significant precipitation in this part of North Dakota since July 9, 2007 when we received 1 1/2 inches of rain. We just came out of an open winter and about the most snow we received at one time was 4 inches, but that quickly melted. 

Now, it's April, a month that is supposed to be cool and wet. Well, it's cool, but it isn't wet. Parts of the state have been hit hard with the heaviest snow of the winter. Not here. We'll get a bit of drizzle or some snow flurries, but nothing substantial.

It's beginning to worry a lot of people. If we don't get some moisture soon, we may not have a crop this summer. Earlier this evening I checked my garlic and there are spots that have no moisture. I can dig right into what should be frozen ground and expose the garlic bulbs. It's really interesting.

Typically, April isn't our wetest month so maybe I shouldn't be putting the cart before the horse here, but we should be getting some kind of moisture. We should have received plenty of rain/snow mix in March and didn't. Now April has been cool and dreary but not wet.

I'm afraid May is going to be sunny and hot, which will dry out what little moisture we have.

Still, we are optimistic here at North Star Farms. If all else fails, we'll suck water out of the river to water our plants. I just hope the river doesn't go dry. A neighbor's well went dry and he lives next to the river.

What to do? We won't panic just yet. If we haven't rain by June, then maybe we can panic and throw in the towel. Until then, it's full speed ahead for 2008.