Editor's Note: Reflections on Rain

Reflections on Rain

Farmers always seem to have a love/hate relationship with the weather. And with good reason. For farmers, weather is a common topic of conversation at the local gas station or café. There always seems to be too little or too much and rarely just the right amount. For all that farmers can control, the weather is unfortunately not one of those factors.

Innovations in farming and agriculture have helped to mitigate risks related to weather. Corn stalks and soybean plants that can stand up to high winds; specialized buildings to keep cows, pigs, chickens and turkeys comfortable year-round; and cover crops that help hold valuable soil in place throughout the changing seasons are all examples of how agriculture has evolved in response to weather.

In farming, balance is essential. Timely rains can make a world of difference in crops’ growth and development. Rain also promotes ground cover growth that helps to feed livestock. However, too much rain can flood fields, damage equipment and affect production processes.

Farmers and consumers care deeply about water quality. Farmers know the water necessary for their fields has an impact downstream. Consumers look to farmers to find ways to continue improving water quality using innovative practices, such as bioreactors and saturated buffers (read about these on Page 28).

In this issue, also learn how an Iowa museum honors and showcases the beauty of the second-longest river in North America, explore the excitement and wonder of Iowa’s water trails, and discover how an Iowa business celebrates local farms by transforming corn, grown in topsoil with the help of Iowa rains, into a unique value-added product.

As spring rains turn the Iowa landscape green, farmers will again look to the skies for timely and adequate rain. It has been said that farmers are eternal optimists. If they weren’t, they wouldn’t take on the challenge each day, season and year with passion and enthusiasm.

After all, without the rain, there would be no rainbow.

Enjoy the issue, Lydia Zerby