Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

You must be haying! Hope all is well.....

 

[farmerjan]

It's Monday eve. Yes, @Mini Horses we are in hay. I also have just not had much to say. The weather has been really nice, got a couple really cool mornings in the upper 40's, and the last couple have been in the lower 50's.... typical of this time of year. Days have been sunny, no humidity, mid-upper 70's and an 80.
Tedded out the sorghum at the big farm and then raked hay at deb's where he cut the other day. It is very sparse. Sorghum is drying and will be ready to rake and bale in a day or 2. Finally got him to finish cutting the sorghum across from my house.... he was going to put it off again, let it grow a little, but it likes warm weather and I said, look, it is good and sunny, LOW HUMIDITY, so it will dry. You just don't know when we are going to get another stretch like this. So he finally agreed and got it cut this evening. I was raking hay at deb's and so we got the sq baler and the wagon out of the arena there that has a roof over it...he's been storing it there. Then I said I could quit anytime and finish the big field in the morning so he brought me back to my truck and then I went and got a couple cans of fuel from the barn & brought it back for the tractor he was mowing with. Dumped them in and I took them back to the barn so they will be there. Came home and I am in for the night. Got some soup in the convection oven heating.

Had PT this morning, and it really helped. Been nearly a month since I was there because I cancelled when my father passed away and we have been on every 2 weeks... Will go one more time before the replacements.

Got a video to watch from the doctor's on the whole thing instead of going to a class. Have the blood work and CT scan and all this Wednesday, 29th. Need to get driving directions since it is at the hospital where the surgery is going to be not the dr office where I went for my consultation appt. Will pick up the rental car tomorrow eve. Can't/won't drive my little truck due to the farm use tags... I would trust it but don't need a ticket or any other problems.
My car is not done, and will be a bit yet. They have had some problems at the garage and are way behind where they thought they would be. Not going to get bent out of shape since I all too well understand things not going as planned. They are human too. But it is going to be awhile by the looks of it. Not sure I will have it before the surgery. But I sure want to have it by the time I get back home.

Going to rake the rest of the field I was in, in the morning after the dew dries off. It won't take an hour... then he will be able to sq bale all the grass, and then I will probably rake the sorghum I tedded as it was pretty dry... or else he can rake it on wed when I am gone.

I tested a herd Sunday eve and forgot to drop off the samples so they will go out tomorrow. I was busy on the tractor and did not get in, in time to get them dropped off for UPS. Have 3 farms I need to call to see what they are wanting to do. Would like to get a couple scheduled early in Oct.
As far as I know we are shipping cattle on Friday so that will be my day. Saturday is "McCormick Farm Day". This farm is now owned by Va Tech and they do alot of Ag stuff there... it is where Cyrus McCormick invented the reaper, which mechanized harvesting. Lots of people come and it looks to be a real nice day.
Then I have a farm scheduled for Sunday morning... it was the one that I changed around so that I could go up north for the weekend of the 9-10th. I am just going to leave it on Sunday and get it done. Then they won't test again until Dec. .

Got my infared heater out for the bedroom so that I can take the chill off when I get a shower and keep the room at 65 so that when I get up it is not 50 in there. Knees can not take the cold. Doesn't run much. I need to get the heated mattress pad on the bed for the winter and that would really help too.
Trying to get the LR stuff moved around so that I can get the TV set up on the coffee table so that I will have it to at least watch movies when I get back too. Not going to have a recliner by then, the one I kinda liked was sold only a couple days after I looked at it, and so I just decided to wait. I will still be able to put my legs up on the couch since it is a long (too big for this room really) couch. I just decided that I didn't have to have it.... if I can't get exactly what I want. Plus, getting the LR somewhat organized will allow me to use the "gas fireplace" in there too when I get back from the surgery and the PT.....

So that is about what is going on. Slight possibility of stray shower tomorrow, less than 20% chance and it looks to stay north of us anyway. Then sun and nice through til Sunday with another slight possibility.

 

[farmerjan]

Just a note; the lawyer's office did send some stuff to my brother's e-mail.... but they had the spelling wrong so he obviously did not get it. Why the he// the lawyer's office didn't check to see why he had not responded I have no idea. So, they resent it to him, he contacted all of us as they needed legal names, addresses etc., of all of us and our natural (biological) children... so it is in the "pipeline" , and started. Brother said there was about 8 pages they e-mailed him. I guess that they needed all the legal names and all so that they can contact us with the legal info; like will/ will reading whatever all they need to do. So we wait for whatever the next step is.

 

[Baymule]

Countdown to knee surgery! You better call me while you are in rehab! You'll be bored to death in there anyway. If it's a nursing home too, they put those old folks to bed at 6 or 7, ridiculous.

I'm glad the lawyer has gotten started on things. It will be better when you at least know what is going on.

I called the attorney that drew up our wills on Friday, he returned my call this evening. I am waiting on the death certificate, then we will get things rolling.

 

[farmerjan]

Just a little bit before I get outside and get going. Nice evening yesterday, down to upper 50's and the sun is coming up over the trees and ridge across the road today, and it is supposed to be in the upper 70's low 80's the next 2-3 days, rain and wet coming in after Sunday evening into next week.

Got a load of clothes in, on final rinse and then will get them hung. I have to take back the rental car today... I have it til 5, so anytime. They don't do partial days so will do it late. I am going to go to the laundromat and do those bulky things I still haven't gotten to, because we are going to have real nice weather the next 3 days and I want them clean and then put away with the rest of the "yard sale" stuff. Have sneakers to do that work better in the big machines too and have stripped the bed and will do sheets and all since they wash better in the big machine. I have an older agitator machine that I like for most stuff and love to be able to soak stuff in it, but the bigger bulkier things don't wash as well unless I don't put much else in with them. But for sneakers, the tumbler machines work better. Gonna hang some blankets to air so they will be ready to go on the bed. I LOVE the smell of "outdoors" in my sheets, towels and blankets.

Had a long day at the dr etc yesterday. Saw him for a few minutes, he said same thing, there is nothing getting any better, just worse, and when was the surgery scheduled? When I told him he said good, and I asked about a rehab and he said there was a new facility he worked with just a few miles away, and he was very confident in the doctors and staff there, and that the office will call to talk to me about it about 2 weeks before the surgery, and they can get it set up. He said I would do good in rehab he was sure. I also mentioned I was worried about the shutdowns of elective surgeries in my area and he said ...."Not going to happen here".... period. WOW.... so that was that. Then went down to get the CT scans for the robot... did each leg separately so had to lay sorta on the edge/side as it went in the machine; so the leg/knee being done was flat in the center... but that went well and they got good images on the first try of each. Then went to the lab and got blood drawn.
Got lost going there because there was road construction EVERYWHERE... Lost in the city... was so frustrated. But I called and they had another patient that got there early and so they sorta flipped our appts so it worked out. I apologized to the dr and he said not to worry, that he was often late for things so he was no one to judge....it all worked out.
The SUV I drove was big compared to all the smaller cars... but it did ride pretty comfortable so..... Have not filled it up but used about a full tank.... about 400+ miles.... I will look at it and see what the gas mileage was when I fill it.
GF told DS that I should have taken her suv... it is actually a little smaller than the one I took.... said that if I got in a wreck then she hoped it was totaled as long as no one got hurt.....as she doesn't especially like it..... GEE WHIZ If I had known she felt that way I would have taken it because I wouldn't have worried about anything happening to it...it is less than a year old so I really did not want to take the chance of it getting damaged.....OH WELL.....would've saved me some money.....done and over it.....

Watched the video class they sent in my e-mail but will have to watch it again... need to reread the "booklet" that I got in the mail too....It didn't all sink in because I was distracted somewhat. Got my PCP appt for Oct 15th.... never had to have a pcp "ok" for the ankle. Oh well... Dentist has been scheduled for 20th for a routine cleaning etc...

So, I am going to get out and get the clothes hung, and then go across the road and get the rake off the tractor and the tedder put on so I can get that done. Won't take more than 2 hours to do it at most. Then the rake can get hooked back up so I can rake it late Friday or Sat.....

I will take the clothes and go to the laundromat on the way to return the rental...then can come home and hang them.
DS is gone today with a friend to an annual "trip" they make to a car parts "flea market" thing in PA. He says we are still going to ship cattle tomorrow so that will take up most of the day....I will go up about 11 or so, get the cattle in and loaded, and then stay for the sale as usual, after eating lunch there. Then I guess I will rake on Sat morning...

Time to head out....

 

[Baymule]

I'm so glad that you are getting the preparations for your knee surgery in order. With rehab and therapy, You will be dancing on your twinkle toes!

 

[Bruce]

said that if I got in a wreck then she hoped it was totaled as long as no one got hurt.....as she doesn't especially like it..... GEE WHIZ If I had known she felt that way I would have taken it because I wouldn't have worried about anything happening to it...it is less than a year old so I really did not want to take the chance of it getting damaged

Does she have any idea how much money she would lose if it was totalled? A car that new is still on the painful side of "percentage value lost the second it is driven off the lot".

 

[farmerjan]

@Bruce : I think that GF was talking a little tongue in cheek.... AND..... with the cost of new ones, this one is worth nearly right at what she paid for it because of the demand for used vehicles.... they recently contacted her about selling it and offered her quite a bit more than she expected.... don't think she was meaning it literally except that if something happened she would not have been devastated... which is why I did not want to borrow it. Moot point.

Long day. Hung the clothes, got the others ready and in the rental. Went across the street and unhooked the rake, hooked up the tedder and tedded out the sorghum-sudan grass. It was in pretty good shape, might have gotten by with raking tomorrow without tedding but there were some green spots. It will be perfect to rake tomorrow.

Came back to the house, got all my stuff for errands along the way and left. Went by bank and paid elec bill, went to ins co and questioned the car ins and got it changed from business which the other agent put it in as, last year, to just personal.... she couldn't seem to get it that I was not using it as part of the milk testing.... just using it to drive to a farm, do the testing, and drive home.... just the same as any of them drove to work every day. Talked to a different young woman today, and she was nice and when I asked her and explained and asked if she considered her car in a business class, just driving to work and home, she changed it back to personal.... I have never been very happy since my old ins company sold the business and this one bought it out/merged with it.... My old agent/owner, retired, that is why the business was sold, and got the new one and have not been impressed. I only carry liability due to the age of the vehicle.... yet that agent insisted it was business due to the fact that I traveled alot of different places... yet no one else had ever thought that. So this other agent said that it was not really business... and I told her that I was only working part-time now anyway....
Saved me $75.00/yr...... I pay it once a year then it is done and I don't have to worry about it and you get a little discount doing that too....
I pay my prescription plan to supplement the medicare once a year too.... just easier.....

Went from there to the laundromat, got the clothes in and started, and then took the vehicle back. Got my truck and came back to the laundromat, they were on the last rinse so that worked out... Brought them home and got them hung out which is great. Brought in a few of the things I had hung to have enough line space....

Talked to DS and they were on their way home from the car "flea market" thing in PA. He said he has to work tomorrow and will not be in a position to take off to come help load cattle... so he is going to get them sorted this evening; and then said that he talked to the auctioneer and he said there is going to be a BIG RUN tomorrow... so DS wants me to come to the barn @ 4:45 and he will get them loaded so I can go and not sit in line..... I had planned to go tomorrow around 11 to the barn, and then stay in town for the sale after unloading.... So now, I am going to take them early, and then I will have to go back in later. I will come home after unloading; and have time to rake the sorghum after the dew comes off the field. Then I will go back in since we don't sell without someone being there.
If there are alot of cattle it will go one of 2 ways..... there will be more buyers there, as they will all have been advised of the expected "run" of numbers... and the 2 buyers that weren't going to be there last week, will definitely be there this week. IF there is good demand, it will help prices and they ought to be good. Competition between buyers to fill orders...... Numbers elsewhere have been pretty good. BUT ; the stock market dropped today, and there is alot of talk of inflation and the "fed" raising interest rates in 2022 instead of them waiting til 2023, as they said here not too long ago. AND, with rising feed prices, and this inflation, and the insane gov't BS and "giveaway" programs, the feed lots and hence the buyers, will pull back on what they are paying because it will cost more to get that beef to slaughter size and that will hurt as people will get to where they are going to feel the increased costs and start cutting back on things like beef and go to cheaper food. Grocery store prices are up now, as it is .... and there are things people have to have and spending extra on real good cuts of meat are going to be less and less.... especially since you are talking a 500 lb steer now, that will not be fed out to slaughter size until next summer/fall..... who knows what grain and feed prices will be like by then.....even hamburger will get very expensive.... Chicken and pork are way up too. Flour is going up, grains are going up... there is nothing that is not going up....So if that mindset prevails, the prices will be off....

Like I keep telling people, you need to try to get some stuff squirreled away as a hedge against prices... and for the security of having stuff because it might not be available on the shelves when you need it... this way if things are "rationed" you will already have some put back and can just get the amount "rationed" and know that you have something to fall back on.

Anyway, I had to go in and find a set of sheets for the bed, and will not get the heated mattress pad on since it got "put away" when I washed all that stuff this spring/summer.... planned on looking for it this evening and that means moving a bunch of stuff around....but now I need to get into bed so I can get up at 4 or so..... so I will just get the bed made up and then find all that and get it on sometime between now and when I leave the end of the month for the replacements, so it will all be in place for when I come home.

Time to get in the shower and get my clothes out for the morning.... I will probably need a sweatshirt early, saying it will get down to the upper 40's. It was 47 this morning for a low but up to just 80 this afternoon and the sun was nice.
DS just called, said he got them all sorted and only have to take out 1 cow in the morning.... her calf is in there to be sold.... one of the hard to get in ones from my nurse cow pasture.... so rather than have her calf go over, or through, a fence or something...leave her in with them tonight and then we will just sort her out in the morning and run him right on the trailer with the rest.... be glad to get the couple of nutty ones gone....he got the crazy one of mine from out back along with a couple others..... there will be somewhere around 20+ going... and at least 7 or 8 are mine.... nice unplanned "paycheck"..... help make up for the chunk out of my account for the yearly car ins payment I made today!!!!!

 

[Baymule]

Does she have any idea how much money she would lose if it was totalled? A car that new is still on the painful side of "percentage value lost the second it is driven off the lot".

not if you have gap insurance.

 

[farmerjan]

Morning. It was 53 when I left to go to the barn at 4:30... Got down to 51 on the recording thermometer....The sun is coming up now.
I got there, DS was running the cattle into the alley to get them loaded. Had one cow that gave him a fit... she must've known this was not a good thing. Feel sorry for her, but she is really old, the calf did okay this year but not great, and she had gotten a little thin out on pasture since she had no teeth to be able to graze efficiently. Would have liked her to have been on hay for another couple weeks so she could have gained a bit..... but it's done. She was a one and done, bought her to raise the calf and then get sold. So she had a good last summer of being out to pasture.
Took a total of 23 in.... I think that 8 or maybe 9 are mine. Very full load with 3 of the 23, being cows. Luckily it is only 25 miles or so to the sale barn so not a long time being a bit crowded. They would have been a little less crowded if they were all 4-5 wt calves. But those cows were going....
Got to sale barn at 5:40 and no one ahead of me. Had a bi#@h of a time getting the 4wd into "low" as it helps with backing the truck up with a big load like that.... but finally it slid in and then backing up was easy. It is a little bit of an uphill to back up to the unloading gates.... just enough to need the lower gear.
Got most of numbers of my calves, except one, so I will go in a little early and go check them in the pen they are in and make sure I get the one that I missed. Don't have all the numbers of them but was only really concerned which were mine so I get paid for them. I will be able to get a few more #'s.... we try to keep some records of which cows raise the better calves..... makes a little bit of a difference with keeping replacement heifers. If a cow consistently raises a so-so calf, she is on the the "strike" list....up there with attitude ..... as a reason to cull her. A few of these calves are not from problem cows, just cows that calved later in the season.... but a few are mediocre.... and there are a couple, like the one that was so hard to get in, and the one of mine that I wanted to keep and has such a "stupid" attitude, that I will not deal with it.

Got back around 6:45 or 7. So, then I came on home and made myself a cup of hot chocolate. Got on here and am going to try to catch up with a few things and check my e-mails in case there is anything from the lawyer....

DS said he got the tedder unhooked and the rake hooked up so I will go out and rake the sorghum-sudan that I tedded out yesterday, around 11 or so after the sun hopefully burns off the dew. Sun is coming out in the field now and it is all out in the center of the field, no trees or anything so it ought to dry pretty good. I won't bother with the laundry today since it will be damp for awhile and I will be in town later. It is supposed to be real nice tomorrow too, so will get it all in tomorrow afternoon.
Forecast is calling for rain/showers all next week. It is great we got the calves shipped today, and all the hay that is on the ground should be ready to get baled by Sunday afternoon. DS did cut another 5-6 acres or so, I will just rake it tomorrow as it is pretty thin so should dry pretty good as it is. He will bale it on Sunday and all that is down will be "up" .... good timing.
Got a call about the car so will run down there to see what the status is. It is only 2 miles and easier for me to talk to them face to face....
DS said I might want to think about my mom's vehicle. It is maybe a 2012, and has about 45,000 miles on it because she didn't go anywhere much and then stopped driving when her dementia got worse and then father had the stroke and then no one drove. My POA brother did drive both the truck and her bronco, on occasion, to keep them running, and drove my dad's truck home to his house and back a couple times over the last couple years. So, I need to talk to POA brother and see what it is worth.... there are a couple grandchildren that might be interested but it seems unlikely since they all have fairly newer vehicles.... and most have smaller ones. So I will do some investigating on value and all....Used vehicles are more in demand than ever, but it is a little older than what most of the car dealers are looking for. Might be a good "last vehicle" for me.... keep my older ones for work and all that and keep this for "good".... sure does not have alot of miles on it.

Time to get going and some things done here so I can go rake the sorghum. Then head to town... going to be a long afternoon. At least I will get a good lunch at the sale.