Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Bruce]

All in all it sounds good, I hope "the minimum amount" of land they can cut off is a few acres at least so you have room for animals, maybe even your own few cows. Since they have been dealing with renters for a while it sounds like they are ready to make their lives a bit easier.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @farmerjan,

I really hope this works out for you. You have been enduring crap from your landlord for years and it is time to have your own place to do as you please.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[farmerjan]

COLD this morning and windy..... was 34 , and although the sun is out, it is breezy and COLD compared to what we have had.... only up to 44 now.....

@Bruce .... the minimum in our county is 2 acres for any "new" places that are not grandfathered.... but even at an acre it would be better than what I am dealing with. We'll see. Not trying to get too far ahead of things so I don't hope too much but it sure would be an answer to a few prayers. I think that they might want to "square up" the land there since it sits on a corner that is more of a "V".....
Not having the cows right at the house won't be the end of the world..... as long as there are no restrictions as far as use. The cows will be less than a 10 minute walk across either the road. We rent across the dirt road from this guy, sorta behind this house, and across the paved road pretty much across from the front and to the left... from another person where the nurse cows are... So they are all right there.

Going to work on some stuff here since it is so cold out. Been sorting through some more junk and now there is a reason to really start "cleaning out".....

 

[farmerjan]

Oh, and by the way, there was frost out there this morning.... hope it didn't get cold enough to freeze the tiny peaches I see where the flowers were on the tree branches when I was looking at them a couple days ago.
Found a litter of kittens, the cats will have to get moved and there will probably be some losses with the roads there, as the paved road is busy compared to here..... well, that's in the future..... I don't get excited over the kittens as so many disappear to the coyotes over the course of the year. I will have some of the females spayed when I move them to where ever I wind up though. There are several cats here that have just appeared and I do not intend to take them; except to maybe move a few to my son's barn or the rented "home farm" to help keep down the vermin. They are all pretty wild so trapping will be an interesting project whenever. I don't make pets of the outside cats since they often disappear.... most to coyotes I think. A couple of big old tom cats that fight with every thing too. Got rid of one last year that was just tearing everyone up. No sympathy from me. Get along or get gone..... I feed them and whoever is here can eat and stay if they don't fight. They get too nasty, they are gotten rid of.

Clothesline post came down in all the wind the other day too. Gotta move it out of the way so that we can mow around the back of the house. Got a guy who is looking for some work, so think that I will get him one day my son doesn't need him, to come do all the mowing and weed trimming and clean up stuff outside.... got some stuff to go to the dumpsters and all too.

Didn't eat breakfast so time to make some "brunch" of some sort.....

 

[farmerjan]

@farmerjan, would a yearling Jersey and Hereford Cross make good beef or would I need to keep it longer. I would be able to keep one over the winter in the Pig Palace and keep alfalfa and Feed for it, but would need my Pig Palace back come spring.

Yes, a jersey cross anything would make a good beef as the meat will have a subtle "sweeter" flavor and jersey meat is tender in general if it isn't an old animal.
Are you talking getting it this fall after the hogs are gone?. And why not let it out to graze and manure all the grass areas? I wouldn't keep it in the pig palace. I don't think the horses will leave it alone, they tend to gang up on animals... I know that from experience except that my old mare was glad to have some company but she was by herself so a few cows were good for her.
I also wouldn't feed alot of alfalfa hay as it is very expensive and you will get better gain with some grain, and good grass hay with a little alfalfa added in.
So, is this animal on the cow now, going to be 5-600 lbs when you get it????? It will weigh about 700 + at a year.... depends if it takes more after the hereford or the jersey. It will marble better if you kill it around 18-24 months.... but will be "baby beef" if you do it sooner, but it just won't have all the marbling. It will still be tender. And contrary to some people's ideas, exercise at that age is good for it as the muscles will actually develop and give you more meat than it if is in a small pen. You won't get the "finish" on the animal because it won't have matured enough to reach the point where it will put alot of fat into the meat at a year. Still, it will be cheap to buy so would be a good investment I think. I have a jersey steer that is a little over a year and he will get put in the freezer this fall sometime..... Now I am waiting on where I am going to be, before I start making too many plans. Got SOOOOO much to move where ever I go. Easier to move him live than in the freezer!!!!

 

[Baymule]

I have to talk to a friend to see if he still has the calves from this year. I’m just rolling this over in my mind right now. But if he still has calves, yeah, I might pull the trigger on it. I know it won’t make it to fat beef status but I’m ok with that. I’ll see him this weekend and find out more.

 

[Mini Horses]

Does he have pigs? If not, he may like some trade value...I mean, you could throw another in there with these 2 you have. And have him keep the steer there for a while longer. Just a thought. Of course $ cost for all will be figured first.

 

[Baymule]

No he doesn't have pigs. He does like lamb though. LOL

 

[farmerjan]

@Baymule ; You could really get into a good barter system if he doesn't have pigs and likes lamb too...... Especially if he has the pasture and can run a steer (or heifer) for 18 months and raise you some good beef..... Like @Mike CHS said, he won't eat/buy meat that he doesn't raise himself.... or comes from someone he knows....

 

[farmerjan]

Okay, I have been reading and answering some of the threads since I haven't been on all day. Went and did a 220 cow herd today, that only tests a couple times a year. A PITA in some ways, never has all the stuff in the computer updated, always says " oh, I'm selling this cow and that cow and don't test this one, she's going dry" and all sorts of stuff that should have been done BEFORE I go there..... but since he has to do all the prelim on his computer, I just try to roll with it. It is like "found money" since I don't test them very often.....
BUT wouldn't you know it.... if it weren't for bad luck, they wouldn't have any..... as he got out of the big truck with his computer under his arm, he caught the cord on the vent window locking little handle, jerked his arm, and dropped the computer, hit the step and then the ground..... screen is cracked/shattered and so couldn't do any of the "paperwork" ... now will have to go back the first of the week since I can't get anything done until the computer stuff is updated....
5 total hours there and my ankle(left leg) , as well as the knees on both were screaming this evening.... Didn't have any one able to help me. The guys there did carry all the meters in and hooked everything up and then took it all down too after the complete wash cycle went through.... but after about 2 1/2 - 3 hours I was starting to feel it. I should have said no, but don't know when my son could have helped since he just went back to work....
Ankle is swollen this eve, but it aches enough that I will have to take something else again or I will never sleep. I will worry about going back up there after he sees if he can get either another computer and get the hard drive stuff transferred over.... I suggested that he try another monitor to see if he can salvage things at least temporarily...

Unfortunately have a smaller herd tomorrow, and won't have help again because my son committed to helping haul cattle for a friend out to their place in WV which is a couple hours away... so can't get back in time to help. Will check with the farmer in the morning to see if all is still a go.... he will have to carry the meters and hoses into the barn for me.... It won't be too bad to do, except that I am doing it after todays' long day.... so not a favorable combination back to back....

I have a 200+ cow herd scheduled for tues, but will have help from the girl who helps me some. She will be able to get the meters in the barn and help set up and then help do samples and such....