Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Bruce]

DW's aunt was born in 1909, survived breast cancer, don't know at what age. But it was before I met DW in 1989. Aunt Francis died at 96.

I'm sure treatments now are way better than when she beat it so I have high hopes for the GF.

 

[farmerjan]

I am hoping she will have a positive attitude. When they first detected it she was talking stage 4 and that she might have 6-12 months... a little extreme negativity... so this being stage 1 I hope she will have a more positive attitude now. I have told DS I will help or drive her if she needs any help... I will call her in a couple of days... he is relaying messages and said she was going to sleep today...
Had to call DS at 9:30... I am out hanging the load of clothes, getting ready to leave and here comes a whole group of cows up the bank into the yard, then a couple of them head for the road around the front of the house. I panicked... not wanting them to get on the road... 3 went across the road then the rest headed for the Christmas tree lot.... HOLY S#@T..... he got there and I luckily had feed in buckets with lids on the truck, and he called them and by then (half hour's time) they heard him and made a beeline for the pasture. He got them in the front lot where we get them in to catch them... the corner of the field where the tractor trailer had taken out the posts and tore up the wire had been hit again and the corner post was pushed over and there was a big section laying on the ground and they walked right out. I helped him get them in the front field as there was one that was determined she was not going in, being totally an ORNERY A$$.... but I cut her off with the car and she went in.... Then I left for work. He called me a little while later... he got the corner fixed and put up a couple of panels and had to redo the T-posts as 2 were bent so someone hit it again... probably last night.... and when he turned them out of the lot, he said several headed right for the corner and kept walking it wanting out.... . THANK GOODNESS for animals that come to call for a bucket of grain.... and yes, they got grain in the lot when he called them in. We do not call them for grain without a reward of grain... so they usually always come. They had gotten their little run and jump and buck out of their system... grazed some in the yard, and around the Christmas trees and then when he called, they were....OH GOODY........ Disaster averted.

I stopped at the other farm, got the stuff and did the computer work and printed off his reports and then high tailed it up the road. Got to the other farm right at 1:10..... hate to cut it that close but I would have had plenty of time if I hadn't gotten held up with the cows. Just glad I was here when they got out, and could call DS....

This farm is milking 45 cows... used to be 200..... sad to see them going out. He has a couple of people interested in some, so might have been the last test, but he will let me know....

Came home and decided to stop in Harrisonburg and go to the Sharp Shopper there.... ran into one of the dairy farmers that sold out about 6-7 years ago... it was good to see him. He has had a bout with cancer too. They are still farming, running 3-400 holstein steers... feeding them to 1,000 lbs and then selling by the tractor trailer load. Said prices have been better this year... but now feed is going up. I always liked going there... not the greatest facilities but he was great to talk to in the barn and we got along well. Had a girl that milked there that I also got along with.... his wife is nice too. Glad he seems to be in remission now... said his back is bothering him with arthritis but like he said, dairy farming is hard on the joints....

So I did get a bunch of stuff and then came on home. Got the cold stuff in the freezer and fridge... got 4 full 1/2 gallons of ice cream...not the 48 oz size...... got a couple of Bertolli pasta meals... will see if I like them and then if so, go back and get a few more to stick in the freezer. I also got 12 cans of creamed corn for $.59 / can....normal size can that is supposed to be 2 servings..... and I love creamed corn.....good to have on the shelf..... and 2 Sara Lee pound cakes for $1.49 each. I cannot make them for that so they will be in the freezer for "if I need a quick desert for something"....type of deal. Don't normally buy them and I think the last time I looked they were 3.49 or something at Walmart....
American cheese slices were on sale for 2.29/lb ... OR 10.59 for a 5 lb package. So I got a 5 lb package and will divide it up and freeze some. I don't eat alot of cheese but I will get white american on occasion for sandwiches.

So I am in, will get the samples packed this evening so I can drop them off tomorrow on the way to the other farm. I have to take out the hoses from the owner sampler farm, and get the shorter ones and put in the car for tomorrow's herd. Get the sample bottles in the trays for him too. I did not go to the dumpster today, will probably wait and do it Friday. I want to bring in the laundry tomorrow before I go... I have to leave by 12, but the sun should be on the clothes for a bit before I go out and get them in..... it was sunny out there this morning before 9.... any night time dew/frost should be dried off by 11 when I want to get them off. Don't want to tempt fate and wait for Friday... even though they say probably no weather until Friday eve....

So, I am going to go in and maybe make a sliced chicken breast meat sandwich for supper, maybe eat some mashed potatoes with it..... then get a shower and pack the 2 small farms' samples and go to bed.....
Knees are feeling okay, it was not very long in the parlor today.... definitely 2x as long a drive up than the milking time... so am a little stiff from the driving... tomorrow will be a little longer and a more active busy time in the parlor, but I think I will be okay. At least I will be able to have Friday "off".....OH... I have PT on Friday... well, that will be my "exercise" for the day.....and I think it is like at 9 a.m. so will have to get up and get going.... guess I will pack the samples after I get back.....could be worse....

It is sure better than it was 4 weeks ago

 

[Baymule]

Cows are out! Whew! You sure averted disaster! Glad y'all got them back in the lot and your son got the fence fixed.

 

[Alaskan]

Yeah... stressful

 

[Ridgetop]

WHOA! Nothing like hanging up the clothes and having an entire herd walk nonchalantly past you!!!

Luckily you were able to get them back in before they laid waste to the Christmas Tree Lot! That corner of the field has seen a lot of action this year! Is it your field or a rented one? Either way, maybe figure out how to put in a concrete post that can withstand the trucks.

 

[farmerjan]

Hey, Thursday night. Home from testing the bigger 200 cow herd with Geneva milking. I went early and took my time setting up. She milks fast, and it was a push.... but it is done. Samples will get packed tomorrow. I am going to take a shower and wash my hair and relax this evening as my feet and legs and knees and everything aches.

Got the other samples packed this morning and sent off.

Brought the clothes in this morning, there was quite a breeze and the towels and jeans and sheets smelled soooo GOOD.... I am going to change the flannel sheets on the bed just so I can sleep on these smelling so good....

Farm I wanted to put off until after the holidays is becoming a royal PITA.... called and texted me about how they really need to test before the first of the year.... I am so done with being their tester. It might be what pushes me into retirement. I won't be able to give them up as there is no one to come do them... and the company will not let me give them up without giving up everyone because they are only about 6-8 miles from me here. I am just tired of them and their thinking that everyone should jump when they want something done. I have another one I am going to talk to that needs to be done, a smaller farm, and then make a decision as to what I am going to do. I am just too ticked off right now to even call him back. I wish they would sell out, they are both in their mid 60's (brothers) and no one to take over the farm. The one brother wants out and to enjoy a few things in life.... this brother just keeps on and on and bit@#es about that they can't sell any cows because they can't get enough for them... and I have told him repeatedly that he is not going to see 1800-2500 heifers again... but he seems to think his cows are worth soooo much money... and they just aren't. There is no demand..... Somehow he thinks that his cows should bring more... regardless of what the overall market is doing. I have farms that have better cows than his cows..... and you don't hear them carrying on about how their cows should be worth more than someone elses... ..

Well, I am beat and going to get something to eat and quit for the night.

 

[Baymule]

How are the knees tonight after working on the 200 cow herd?

 

[farmerjan]

Knees were very tired and achy after the 200 cow herd. Geneva is a very efficient milker but she is fast and I only got to sit about 4 times for less than a minute in that 2 1/2 hours, so it was a little much....But they are done.
PT was tough this morning though.... I felt every little bit of it....the ham string behind the right knee was tied up in knots again.....

Have another farm that wants to test, they only test every other month but this is the month since they tested in Oct... so they are now on the schedule for Wed 22nd.... Next week is going to be a bitch. Mon PT, Tues dentist and then test a 100 cow herd, no set up but getting the numbers is a pain....Wed PT again, and now test wed aft....
You know what, I am nuts....
Then several days off with the Christmas holiday... I will HAVE to do exercises or I will tighten up really bad....then PT 28th and test that afternoon...back to test them for their 2nd milking Wed morning. Then PT on Thursday and test the PITA 200 cow herd Thurs eve and again Fri morning. I will take the meters down and they can set them all up. He just had to get the test in this "year".... So now I will have to put off the 500+ cow herd for the first week of the new year; hopefully Mon 3rd or Tues 4th.... Got one other herd to set up... that is the big 250+ cow herd that takes so long because they only have a double 6 machines in the parlor so it just takes a long time. I am dreading that one just for the amount of time as it is tiresome. But, this means I am basically back to work "full time" so to speak. Wasn't planning it quite this fast.... Oh well.......

It is cloudy and quite warm today. mid 60's.... only got down in the 50's last night and tonight is supposed to be the same. Then some more rain/showers tomorrow and then temps will drop for Sunday.

I am going to get about 6-8 laying hens tomorrow morning. One of my farmer's father in law wants to get rid of his small laying flock. Giveaway; as the one grand daughter he got them for is scared to death of them and he has just decided to let them go, since after 1 1/2 yrs she just won't go near them. He is about out of feed so doesn't want to buy another bag. I have a 2 ton bin filled with layer feed that I feed to everything so they won't cost me anything to feed now. Glad I put that feed in several months ago, and then didn't get any "left behinds" to eat it. I guess I will move them into the "meat bird" greenhouse shelter..... It will be plenty big for just a half dozen birds. Worst comes to worst, I can get them killed if they don't lay very good.

So time to get those samples from yesterday packed to go out. I need to get a couple of Christmas cards to send out so I guess I am going to go to the store... plan to be home before dark.

 

[Finnie]

Yay for layer hens! I hope they lay well for you. At 1 1/2 years old, it will probably depend on what breed they are.

 

[Ridgetop]

Older birds don't lay as often as first season pullets, but they are the ones that produce the extra large eggs. If you hook up a light in the meat bird house, you can fool them into thinking that the daylight hours are lengthening. Put the lights on a timer to come on around 4:00 am then they can find their night time roost when it gets dark normally. They should give you enough plenty of eggs for yourself and some cooking.