Large areas of flyover country are at present swim under country: https://s.w-x.co/util/image/w/noaa-2019-flood-risk-map.jpg?v=at&w=485&h=273 This can be compared with corn and soy producing areas: http://ctgpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/united-states-top-soybeans-producing-areas-map.jpg http://ctgpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/united-states-top-corn-producing-areas-map-1024x782.jpg There is media coverage: Midwest flooding has killed livestock, ruined harvests and has farmers worried for their future - CNN Farmers won't be compensated for millions of dollars of soybeans lost after floods and trade war How this goes in terms of insured and uninsured losses, as well as planting decisions, deserves some attention.
Flooding Impact: More than One Million Acres of Farmland Damaged | KTIC Radio == Have read elsewhere that (2019) wheat will be extensively done instead of corn or soy.
Calif. Sierra Nevada is snowed in. Very good for water users there. Not supporting scientific ideas that ENSO cycles dominate that process. Oroville Dam's new spillway is holding up well BTW I used to hang out with those 'snowpack survey' people. Related, it has been a 'superbloom' spring in arid and sub-mesic parts of CA. But you know where that leads: Lots of fire fuel when the next dry year happens.
Northern Great Plains currently have another reason to delay prep fields and plant. Further south and downstream, Spring flooding was already going to be severe, but after this event, even more.
Not yet a record: Mississippi River flood is longest-lasting in over 90 years, since 'Great Flood' of 1927 But water keeps arriving from sky to agricultural mid west and 2019 may become historically interesting. Readers will appreciate that 1927 ag production was held to lower standards.
Effects | Facts – Climate Change: Vital Signs of the Planet The relevant section: Changes in Precipitation Patterns Average U.S. precipitation has increased since 1900, but some areas have had increases greater than the national average, and some areas have had decreases. More winter and spring precipitation is projected for the northern United States, and less for the Southwest, over this century. Projections of future climate over the U.S. suggest that the recent trend towards increased heavy precipitation events will continue. This trend is projected to occur even in regions where total precipitation is expected to decrease, such as the Southwest. Expect midwest flooding to become the norm and act accordingly.
Miss. River basin has almost 150 years of records of water flow at many stations. That level of duration and detail is nearly unique in the world. If a sturdy detection of change to underlying probability distribution function could be detected anywhere, it would be here.
Midwestern US rainfall has remained for months much above normal. Corn and soy planting progress are delayed and here drawn through 2019 May: Midwest Flooding, the Corn and Soy Crops, and Knock-On Effects | naked capitalism Sprouting conditions can be seen here and in its links: https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/accuweather-predicts-another-historic-low-for-corn-planting-as-billion-dollar-disaster-looms/70008479 But following link is perhaps the most interesting: Crop Prices and Flooding: Will 2019 Be a Repeat of 1993? | St. Louis Fed For whatever reasons, very much corn and soy is now in storage and this may allow 'riding out' very low harvests in 2019. It is novel and interesting and not what I anticipated in attempting to update this.
We did not have flooding like the Midwest, but have been having unusually wet spring/early summer. The ground is so wet, I still can't plant potatoes in my garden this year.
The morning radio was talking about there going to be a shortage of popcorn this year. You can grow them above ground level. How to Grow Potatoes Above Ground With Bed Fencing | Home Guides | SF Gate
Yeah, if you are growing a few potatoes, maybe doable. I usually grow 200 feet rows of potatoes. That's 50 of cages by this method, and I have no idea where I can get that much of dry soil right now. I have grown potatoes in bags for kids project. That was fun, but was far more work than conventional rows to keep adding soil and composts into the bags. Plus you never get full size potatoes when they are grown in confined area like in a bag or wire fence.
If I ever got back into gardening, I was going to try the bag or fence method for sweet potatoes, but then my lot is less than a tenth of an acre after you discount the house and garage.
You might also want to try "straw bail" gardening method. Again, you will not get as big or as good of yield as directly planted into the soil, but it is easier to prepare the bed than the bag or wire fence method.
