S.D. - The roads are dusty, cattle are overheating and the corn stalks are starving for a drink.
Welcome to South Dakota summer 2017.
Breaking news: It's hot and dry, folks. And it's really a drag. While it's not considered to be the worst drought South Dakota has seen on record thus far, this summer is really taking a toll on our most important industry: Agriculture.
Farmers and ranchers wake up each morning and check the forecast to the same song.
Monday, hot and dry. Tuesday, hot and dry. Wednesday, you guessed it.
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Most people realize the importance the agriculture industry is to the economic well-being of South Dakota, but this year's drought is magnifying exactly how critical that engine really is.
But more importantly, this dry period is weighing hard on the spirits of farmers and ranchers.
No rain means little to no hay crop.
No rain means extra work to keep cows and calfs cool and healthy.
And no rain means no grain produced from the ground.
The harvest season is an immense amount of work, but it's the season that farmers work for. It's their paycheck. It's collecting the grain that feeds the world. This year, sadly, farmers are not looking forward to harvest compared to recent years when yields have been rather bountiful.
As we continue to pray for rain each Sunday in church, we continue thinking about the farmers who are battling through this drought each day.
It's difficult years like now that we appreciate South Dakota's agriculture industry more than ever. It's a full-time, all-the-time job. And even if this year finishes tough, farmers will drive back into the fields next year, plant their seeds and start over.
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To the farmers and ranchers working through this heat with little signs of hope, thank you.
Thank you for everything.
