Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Home from dinner and tooooo full. And I brought home half of it...Had a nice evening.... stopped and picked up DS's parts before we went to eat....took our time.
Didn't get down the hill today to the other house... HAVE TO get there tomorrow, and get going on finishing up. Did a few little things here, then got a shower and washed my hair so I didn't smell like the dairy barn.....

DS said he cut 2 fields tonight... about 12-14 acres. They will have to be tedded out late tomorrow . Possible rain coming in Mon eve.... It will be close to get it dry & rolled. Couple days of showers then drying out by the end of the week....
We got 2/10ths inch in that shower today.... soaked right in. So that is about .8 inches in the last 24 hours. I am going to go out and put the hose on the peach trees tomorrow so they are saturated.... going to be up to the low 90's for a few days and want them to be good and wet deep down..... then if it does rain any next week they will be keep for a week or so.

Looked at the calendar, and the farm on Sunday is a morning test......... Well, at least I get to sleep tomorrow morning. And they don't start til 5 so I don't have to leave here until 4:10 or so... I need to get one scheduled in for mid-week... and have 2 more that should get done towards the end of the month....

time for an allergy pill, eyes are itching all of a sudden..... then fall into the bed and pass out....

 

[Mike CHS]

I hope the weather works for you. We have a couple of days without soaking but the forecast gets wetter for the next week.

 

[farmerjan]

@Mike CHS ... we have been lucky. DS tedded out the hay yesterday, used the old tedder and wanted to make sure it was still okay.... it has had issues and is very hard for me to get it to "fold back" to get it in and out of gates and to travel up and down the road... the new one has hydraulic arms to lift the outside 2 wheels up and down for use....
So I talked to him and he said that there was a chance of some showers this afternoon, so that it probably needed to be tedded again.... then raked so he could get it baled today instead of doing it tomorrow. So I went up and tedded and then came home and got my headphone/ear protectors as I forgot them.... went and got lunch for all 3 of us...jim was there doing some mechanic work..., then DS went out and switched the tedded and hooked up the rake and I raked for 3 hours. Got it done, a few slightly green spots.... He came and started baling after I had about 3-4 rows raked. I can rake faster than he can bale....

Had to use the smaller round baler with the net wrap because the parts I picked up were not all right....AGAIN..... missing the big bearing and got 2 smaller ones or something.... so they could not finish putting together the baler... so got out the net wrap baler and he was using it. Better smaller bales and done, than to wait for tomorrow and it rains and gets wet and has to be worked again.

We actually almost got rained out. Got a couple of big black/grey clouds and about 10 big fat plops of rain on the windshield of the car just after I got done tedding....But it passed without amounting to anything. He should finish it up in a little bit. He did not need me for anything else so I came home. My ankle is swollen from all the days of testing and being on my feet so much and the knees are not happy either...Being on the tractor was not that difficult, but they are down so more swelling...
It was about 12 acres he said....It was pretty good and dry, a few spots with green underneath along the tree lines and such.... he rolled that on the outside of the bales so it doesn't get packed inside tight and causes it to heat and even catch on fire; or mold inside. It is over mature, but not too bad.

Allergies weren't too bad but have started to have runny itchy eyes and nose b lowing so am going to take some more stuff...

Tested cows this morning, and have got to pack samples. I plan on going down the other house tomorrow, since I did not get there today. I was actually headed down the hill, on my way home from testing, when he called so changed my plans. Nothing on the schedule tomorrow, so will try to make a dent in what is left.

Went out and put the hose on the first peach tree. Left it nearly 2 hours and then really flooded it a bit more when I moved it to the middle tree. I will turn it back on and soak that one in the morning as I am tired and will not want to go back out there later. It is nearly 8 pm and I am feeling the long day and the heat from being in the sun tedding and raking this afternoon. Hit right at 90 after a "warmish 67 " to start. Sun was intense out there.
Going to have to find a really good book on "Pruning for Dummies"... to cut them back this fall...and to prune all the ones I move from DS property, so they get a good start next year. As soon as he cuts the hay in that field, I will go mark all the ones that are alive.... and hope to find some sort of system to mark which are what so I can get "likes" together for future pollination.

I really would like some ice cream, but none in the freezer, and not making a special trip out to get any. I have some vegetables in the fridge to eat.....I ate the take home from my meal out, last night. Seafood is not as good reheated like that, but it still wasn't bad....
I think I am going in to get a shower as I am all sweaty from being in the sun on the tractor.... and find a movie and put it in the computer and lay on the bed and watch it.... I do not feel up to doing anything in the house tonight except get the samples packed from this morning maybe......maybe in the morning...got clothes in the basket that need folding from the other day... need to start going through the boxes of stuff that have been moved here lately, kitchen stuff to put away... organize the cabinets a little better... I have been very lax in the house lately..... Maybe once I am done down below I will have the initiative to really want to work here. I have not had alot of umph lately.
DS just called and said that there is just under 10 acres of the orchard grass, and a little over 2 acres in the strip of just mixed grass hay.... it made over 120 rolls of the orchard grass and 25 of the mixed grass hay. I never would have thought t would have made that much. Now, granted these are the smaller rolls, 4x5, with the net wrap as opposed to our other baler 5x5+.... so that is still more than we normally make. It is funny as talk has been that the hay has been not as tall or as thick this spring.... and it really did not seem like that much when I was raking it.
Best part is, it was in pretty good shape, a little over mature, but made really good with the drying and gettin it baled. Didn't get bleached out or rained on or anything.
So if we figure 22-24 sq bales per big bale, that would make it about 18-20 sq bales per 4x5 roll.... so at 18 per roll that is over 2500 sq bales worth.... SOOOOO glad that we aren't sq baling the first cutting.... I would never be able to help.

And we are just getting started with hay. We have at least 75-100 more acres to make if my guestimate is anywhere near right. And we do figure we need 1500 or more rolls to get through the winter... DS did sell a bunch of hay this spring, couple of guys were short of hay....one has more cows and his place doesn't make enough for the increased cow numbers. We make his hay and it made good last year... he gets first cutting then rotates his cows into the hay fields later to graze instead of making 2nd cutting. He added about 6-8 cows last year... and he didn't have enough hay and fed a little earlier because of more animals on the grass, and fed longer because things got a slower start, then just exploded.
If the rest of the fields produce anything like this, average or better... we will be making over 1000 rolls first cutting.... And even a bit over mature, if it is made well, then it sure beats snowballs....
Plus we will be feeding more calves through the winter again I am sure.... So we will need it. Weaning and keeping them and selling in March worked out pretty good this year. And he is putting another 6 acres into corn.... the field has not had anything done in the last 3 or 4 years since the pipe washed out, and we could not safely get to it. So they put the pipe in a month or so ago... and cut all the brush and autumn olive crap that had started to come up... and it is going in corn this year to help get it cleaned up... yes, DS will use some herbicides in the corn and it will kill alot of the trashy weedy stuff.... then the thoughts are to eventually fence it so it can be used in rotational grazing, with the other fields that abutt it from the "other half of the farm" that the other brother owned. He is buying the one half from doug's widow, and doug's brother's widow we rent from ; they had originally bought this farm together.... 250 acres or so.... split it but then farmed it together, then doug used williams half for grazing. It is all pasture, no crop land on that half, just about 40+/- acres crop land on doug's half. Anyway, this 6+ acres is way in the back across a smallish creek, sits up against where we graze some of the cattle and DS said that he would like to fence it so that he has the option to also graze it.... But, may as well get it back into some kind of production for now. It is right across this little creek from the hay and corn fields so not going to be a problem to chop and make silage from it too in the fall. He has 2 people wanting to buy small quantities of silage from him... most people won't sell it in small quantities.... one guy this past winter used to bring over his silage cart thing for DS to fill about once a week or so.... DS would get it filled within a day or 2 since he was feeding silage to the weaned calves and the old cows.... and they took it across the scales to get a weight, and that's what he paid for it everytime. They did not weigh it everytime.... but had a basic idea of what each load weighed. At $50/ ton that went a long way to helping pay for the cost of it all....
It costs about $400 PER ACRE to put corn out.... decent varieties of seed corn are $200-300/ PER BAG of seed corn...that's counting fertilizer, and the prep work to get the land ready for it.... then there is the chopping and hauling and bagging.... IT"S NOT CHEAP.... You hope for a decent yield of 8-10 tons per acre.... so at $50/ton selling... you barely recoup your costs.... but with the increasing costs of grain, corn silage is going to be "cheap feed" for us this winter if we get a decent crop. We will feed some grain to give them extra protein and the trace vitamins and minerals and all that they need balanced... but not near as much grain as we would if we did not have the silage. Plus the old cows get it and it really helps to keep their body condition up when they have fall calves on them.

Okay, time to quit. Tomorrow is another day....

 

[farmerjan]

Monday evening. It has been warm and sticky but mostly sunny today. Didn't see anything in the rain gauge so must not have done anything last night.
It is clouding up and hear some thunder in the background to the west. Looked at the radar, and it looks like most will stay west in the mountains more, and some to the east. It seems to be moving more north than east so if it continues that track, we won't get very much. The future radar shows some this evening after 9 or so...
We could have waited to make the hay today, but glad it is done. DS was spreading poultry litter this afternoon in the field across from me that was in a cover crop that the deer just devoured, and DS had the co-op spray it and kill it and will plant the sorghum sudan in it in a couple days. If we get any kind of normal weather/rain/temps, we will get 2 cuttings off it.

I got the samples packed and dropped off to go out UPS. I went down the hill and got a load of stuff in the car and brought it up. Sorted some more stuff out to go to the dumpster. Sadly, I put the books from my grandmothers in the dumpster. They were moldy and in bad shape after I took more out of the box. I did find another box of other books that are in pretty good shape.... You save what you can.

DS said the hand cart is at the barn where he put it after moving the freezers.... I need it for the last bunches of boxes so that I don't have to carry them individually.

I have not felt good all day. Not sure what except a nagging headache. Might be leftover from the hay/allergies etc., being on the tractor....and being tired..... first trip out and getting used to that again for the year. Plus all the testing last week and again Sunday before getting on the tractor. I was thinking of 2 trips today, but did not happen. Plus I did watch a movie last night and fell asleep and probably should have just gone to sleep earlier... might have slept on the neck wrong to give me that slight achey head....my fault.

I have PT in the morning then will go by the grocery store and grab a few odds and ends.... yes, including some ice cream..... Then I plan to go to the house again and work on that. I also had gotten the truck emptied here finally, so might take that to put junk on it and then can put a load to come up after I dump stuff. Getting down to the end. Got some outside stuff that needs to come up; cattle panels for the garden. t-posts, other stuff.

Seems there is something else on the calendar... I better go get it out of the car and check it out so I don't forget to do something....

I need to talk to a couple farms too... got one I really want to get tested this week.

Put the water on the middle peach tree for several hours while I went down the hill. Soft slow light spray so it soaked in good. Then ran a bunch on it when I was going to move it over, for a few minutes and really soaked the ground to standing water that lasted for a couple minutes. Moved it over to the other tree and will see how much rain we do or do not get before I put it on that tree since that one is doing so much better. I will probably put water on it just to keep it going good.

Skies are getting really dark, granted it is evening, but they have that dark clouds/storm look. I should have maybe mowed the lawn today. But I did not want to sit on that mower and do it. See how the rest of the week goes.

Making a list of things to do tomorrow.... need to think of something to eat for supper. Oh, I have vegetables in there to heat.... clean out some stuff..... have a nice big glass of milk and get a shower and get an early night.

I did go on the website and paid the taxes since I did not get anything more from the banker or anything. NOT paying a penalty... the cc fee was $10 and that was aggravating enough.....But that is done on time....and I sent an e-mail to the banker and said that I had paid it, have a conf #, and that when the next taxes are due in Dec I want to revisit the escrow deal and see about getting it stopped. I am serious about this.... I want to pay my own bills when they are due and not have some other entity "taking responsibility" .....which in this case was a big mess.... I will push that....

 

[farmerjan]

Sticky and warm...68 up to 88 and just humid. Sun and clouds all day. Clouded up this eve and some thunder and a shower but the rain was like a horseshoe around us... west, up overtop to the north and back around to the east....

PT went good and we are cutting back to every other week to see how it will work. Seems he thinks that I did get alot more "work" on it while on the tractor and out and about.... it did not hurt near as much this morning.

I went and got a few things at the hardware store that I needed, the surveyors' tape so I can mark the trees that are good once he cuts the hay, a small roll of electricians tape as there is a little chewed spot in the one wire on the fan I brought up, and I want to wrap it for safety's sake.... then went to the bank and put the "repayment check" from the christmas tree farm taxes in my account and went to the grocery store. Did more shopping than I planned but it is mostly dry and canned goods.... and yes, I got some ice cream.

Came home and got it all into the house. Hung a load of clothes and out some jeans in to soak... I will put todays's jeans in and then wash them all.

Did the dishes up and the gallon jars that I wanted to get washed up.

Got a message from the farm I wanted to do this week that it would not suit him , could we do it Monday.... so I put him on the calendar for then.
Later this afternoon got a text from the farm scheduled for Saturday, that he had to switch with the hired milker, so could we do it next Saturday.... . I have not answered him back.... but I guess that I will have to since there is no way I can test with the hired guy, they are about as half-a$$ed and don't know the cow numbers and we would be there half the night.

Worked a bit around here today due to the heat... I still have a bit of the "feeling off"..... I would have gone this morning after PT and it would have been good before it got too humid... so tomorrow I will get up with the 6:30 or so alarm and go down early and if it is not too bad, then make another trip with the truck...

I ran out of steam today in the "close" feeling temps.

 

[farmerjan]

One trip up the hill this morning and going to take the truck down and get some stuff to the dumpster before it rains. Have a couple of smaller shelving units that I should be able to load myself, and can bring up. They need a good washing so will leave them outside.... wood, but they will get a hosing off if it doesn't rain so getting wet one time won't hurt them.
I will unload the car later after I get more done. It won't hurt anything to sit there and won't get wet so not a priority.
Radar is now looking like it will be going around us AGAIN....we must have made the rain gods mad....Maybe tonight....

It is cloudy and humid but not as hot as yesterday. Started out with sun but didn't last very long so didn't get near as hot. I am going to put the water on for the 3rd tree while I am gone. We were looking to get some rain last night, but it was a very short shower that barely got the bottom of the rain gauge wet. I am going to soak the rose bush again, and water the one at the front porch since it is partially under the overhang and does not get a good soaking where it is. Also have to water the irises that I moved up here because they are also impeded with the overhang. They will need to be moved as it is not as sunny there as I thought it would be either.

Definitely will be moving that big bush with the little white flowers that comes out early in the spring... it just "closes " everything in and after the flowers are gone early, is just a big humped up bunch of green stems... sorta like a forsythia just gets bigger... It will be good to put along the dirt road side of the property on the bank there and it can grow to it's heart's content....Good to screen out the dust too from the dirt road. Along with the forsythia.

 

[farmerjan]

Back for a bit. Knees are starting to really ache. I did sort some stuff and threw out a bunch of old food that was in a couple boxes that were stacked... So then I took a bunch of stuff to the dumpster... and loaded one set of the shelves and brought it up with a few more boxes. Truck is unloaded. Had to come in and sit for a bit. It had gotten hotter and more humid and I was sweating bullets. So, I am sitting and off my knees for a bit. I might get the car unloaded and maybe go down the hill again...
It has gotten dark, cloudy, and looking like it was going to move in and it keeps going around.... I have been watching the radar; it starts out in the west, pop up dark green and the oranges of downpours, then it goes north and pops up again east of us. Some places I have been hearing are getting downpours of an inch or more .....

I think an ice cream sandwich is called for and a couple of ibuprophen.... maybe they will knock the edge off.

I really think that a recliner is going to be in the near future... gotta get this ankle up as it has been swelling more again..... that doesn't help the knees.

 

[Bruce]

Yep, you do need to take it a bit easy. I know you have a lot to do though so it isn't easy for you to take it easy.

 

[Mini Horses]

No time to "take it easy" ! Always too much to do.

 

[Baymule]

Yes! Get a recliner, it will help your ankle and knees. Just propping your feet up is really relaxing. You need one!