Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Thank you @Alaskan . Believe me both have been considered. I started drinking more water as per the PT... and had to back off because I was having way too many issues with swollen feet and legs; fluid I was retaining. And with the "quest" to try to lose some weight with now being able to be more active, I have been watching the sugar/sweet intake. Funny thing is I will go through spells and have no desire for much of anything sweet... then get a craving or two for a day or two, then just don't want any. So I don't think that is it but still I will try to make a note if it does trigger it.
Good news is last night I must have slept "right" because no problems this morning.

It is Sunny and real nice out this morning. Was 31 but is already up into the upper 40's and supposed to be in the upper 50's and then a real warm up into the upper 60's the next few days.... THANK YOU to Mother Nature....

I did look out and the clothes are all still on the line!!!!
Gotta get a couple untangled from the next line over,,, but...

So, I am getting ready to go out and unload the work stuff off the truck. Then decide what I want to tackle today. Like load a bunch of stuff for the dumpster. I can actually add to it for a day or 2 and not be pushed to get it emptied, since I have the car to drive now.

Also, when I was in Lowe's looking around, I found some long "window box" type containers that they had marked down. Were $10.97 for the 36 " ones... down to 2.49..... I mean REALLY??? And they were a nice sage green color. So I got all 9. They also had 24" long ones for 2.07 down from 7.99 but I didn't get any of them... still thinking about them. I figure that I will use these somewhere... for that price. I have the whole front porch and the deck.... Could even use them for feeders I guess... they are deep enough and calves could easily get their noses in them. Would actually be perfect for goat or sheep feeders..... They are still in the car so need to get them out too. It is gorgeous outside so I'm heading that way.

 

[rachels.haven]

I haven’t had much luck with sprouting leaves yet, but I will keep trying.

If you can't get leaves to sprout, try pasteurizing the soil to kill off other stuff and using young or middle row leaves. Some people also like putting the leaf pot in a gallon bag so they can forget about it. But then again, sometimes they just don't sprout or take a very long time to get moving.

 

[Alaskan]

Thank you @Alaskan . Believe me both have been considered. I started drinking more water as per the PT... and had to back off because I was having way too many issues with swollen feet and legs; fluid I was retaining. And with the "quest" to try to lose some weight with now being able to be more active, I have been watching the sugar/sweet intake. Funny thing is I will go through spells and have no desire for much of anything sweet... then get a craving or two for a day or two, then just don't want any. So I don't think that is it but still I will try to make a note if it does trigger it.
Good news is last night I must have slept "right" because no problems this morning.

It is Sunny and real n ice out this morning. Was 31 but is already up into the upper 40's and supposed to be in the upper 50's and then a real warm up into the upper 60's the next few days.... THANK YOU to Mother Nature....

I did look out and the clothes are all still on the line!!!!
Gotta get a couple untangled from the next line over,,, but...

So, I am getting ready to go out and unload the work stuff off the truck. Then decide what I want to tackle today. Like load a bunch of stuff for the dumpster. I can actually add to it for a day or 2 and not be pushed to get it emptied, since I have the car to drive now.

Also, when I was in Lowe's looking around, I found some long "window box" type containers that they had marked down. Were $10.97 for the 36 " ones... down to 2.49..... I mean REALLY??? And they were a nice sage green color. So I got all 9. They also had 24" ling ones for 2.07 down from 7.99 but I didn't get any of them... still thinking about them. I figure that I will use these somewhere... for that price. I have the whole front porch and the deck.... Could even use them for feeders I guess... they are deep enough and calves could easily get their noses in them. Would actually be perfect for goat or sheep feeders..... They are still in the car so need to get them out too. It is gorgeous outside so I'm heading that way.

Ha! You jinxed me.

I had a bad headache last night... it kept waking me up until I crawled to the bathroom and took some Tylenol. Still couldn't sleep until it fully kicked in.

 

[farmerjan]

Ha! You jinxed me.

I had a bad headache last night... it kept waking me up until I crawled to the bathroom and took some Tylenol. Still couldn't sleep until it fully kicked in.

Sorry

 

[farmerjan]

Wednesday. Noon. I came in and ate an egg salad sandwich . I hadn't eaten any breakfast as it was an out and going early morning.

Let's see... got the stuff out of the truck and then loaded the bags of junk in the car because of the wind blowing so much. Got the couple of shirts untangled on the line. Picked up some stuff around too. It was not near as warm as it looked due to the wind really blowing.

Tuesday it was partly cloudy then cleared off... still quite breezy but warmer. Had PT at 11:30 in the pool, got home and got a few other things done. Talked to DS and he wanted to go get a tractor and rake that was at another place because he has a guy coming to do some work on it this week. But he also wanted to go look for 2 cows that did not get brought home from the last pasture. The guy with the pasture next door said that he hadn't seen them but we were welcome to go look. So, we went and looked and yes, they were there; there is a hole in the fencing and there have been cattle back and forth. We are actually lucky that the rest were in our pasture and none of their cattle in there. And there was a cow of ours in there that has been there for 3 years that they were going to get her in when they got up their calves and never managed to get her in... and then said that she wasn't there anymore....and there she was big as life.... her old faded eartag still in her ear....
Anyway, DS got them to follow him from their pasture, through the hole, and up through the field and into the "middle field" in the pasture we rent. He shut that set of gates with a bunch of their cows in also. We went around to our pasture... you can't get through there since there is no gate from one to another....and he sorted out a couple of their cows out but it was getting late and dark... so finally he just made sure the gates were hooked shut and hoped they would stay put overnight. I went up early this morning... they were all still there... and I went across the field in the truck slowly to the first field... our cows followed along and their cows came a little behind... I got our 3 into our 1st field and one of theirs that we originally thought was ours. But it had a freeze brand on it's hindquarters so not ours. I managed to get it back out and then went down and opened the gates from the middle field (#2) into the far field (#3) and their cows all headed back towards their field... I came back and hooked those gates and made sure the gates to the first field were hooked shut. Unless there is some sort of a big upset, I expect that the cows will still be there this afternoon. GF was going to bring the couple of corral panels up there to set up... I said I could help but she said she could do it with no problem. I said that I didn't want to haul the big trailer up there and get into a problem getting it turned around with the ground still being a little soft.... Then she said that since they are supposed to get the last 4 from the other pasture up the road, that it would be smarter for DS to go get both places this afternoon... there is plenty of room in the bigger trailer... he can lock the cows in the front section with the divider gate and then go down the road about a mile to get the others all in one trip. So that is the plan. I said I would drive the tractor and rake back to the barn so plans are for me to meet at the barn at 3:30 and we can get all this done.
On top of that, I managed to get 2 of the 3 calves in at the nurse cow pasture that have to come off the cows... the 3rd one I wanted to get in is not a big deal since I sold the cow, open and a pita cow... these other 2 are still on their mommas and both need a break before they will calve again. So he can go get them too.... they only have to go to the barn with the weaned calves.The steer is going to get sold, and it would be good for him to go with the other steers; and the heifer is off the longhorn and I will probably keep her since she is spotted and will get very discounted at the stockyards.
At least it is warmer and sunny and nice so I will get back to the barn before too terribly cold as the afternoon gets late.

Nice to have things fall into place for a change.

So I got home and was hungry. I am going to go out and bring in the clothes off the line. Got the stuff in the car to go to the dumpster... then I will put all the boxes in the car for the big herd tomorrow morning.
Got a phone call from the herd not too far, that has to test 2x... that I get so dirty at.... he has found the cows and they will be leaving in a couple of weeks. That was a bit of a shock... I know that they had been talking to some different ones, but it didn't look like anything was going to happen anytime soon. Found a guy who had sold out about 10 years ago, leased his farm, and the person leasing was going to be done and they were selling out their cows. So this farmer has decided to go back into milking and is buying nearly the whole herd....minus some cull cows getting sold... and my farmer said that he and his brother have decided this is the best thing they can do... they are both in their 60's.... no kids.... and he said that it was a better deal than he had hoped to get.... cow prices are up right now with the cull cows being worth more, so it is a very smart move. It is the end of another "era" .... they have been milking there for over 50 years.... but I will not miss the getting dirty and having to go there 2 milkings. He wanted me to hear it from him and to thank me for all the years of testing....
Now if my herd in Winchester gets their last 40+ cows sold.... that will be 2 of my bigger herds sold out... I hate the one in Winchester because I like the jerseys and because it was not a hard parlor to do. This farm closeby it will be a relief to not have to cart all 24 meters in and all the hoses. That will leave me with only 1 herd that uses 24 meters.... and they only test every 2-3 months.... and I like going there... that is where my milk cows are, right now.

So, I am going to go out and run down to the dumpster and get the car cleaned out so I can load the boxes and stuff....get the clothes off the line.....and get some clothes to wear to ride the tractor back... no cab, so even if it is nice out, it will still be cool on the tractor...

I hate that you have to work @Mini Horses with the nice day out. I can fully enjoy the weather here as there isn't alot of stuff going on this week. I thought we might be taking some stuff to the stockyard this week (sat) but looks like we will wait another week for the odd ball stuff that we have.... and the guy said he wanted to wait a week or 2 on the heifers until this Russia mess gets a little more settled?... Steers are still tentatively planned for next Friday 11th....

Oh, I also came up missing a white leghorn hen... feathers everywhere so I am sure something got it... Making sure they get locked in the crate at night again... and not letting them out of the greenhouse/shelter as early.... And they are coming up and trying to lay in the carport now.... GRRRR

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday eve. Been busy. Had a "train wreck" at the pasture, yesterday afternoon, when GF went back up to try to get the 3 cows in the pen. She had her niece and nephew, he is 2 and loud and very spoiled... she got the cows right up near the pen, then the kid started hollering and the cows got nervous... Then one went out, and another didn't want to be penned and went under the corral panels and got out loose... it was a mess. She finally got the one back into the middle field through the other set of gates, and DS and I went there to try to get her back; they all came back up towards the pen but the one would not go in and so we just let them be. They were too riled up. He had tried to explain to her that the cows are not used to children and that they would get nervous and she insisted on going up there. So, she got mad, then said she was going to get the 4 calves in at the other place, and did get them in and I brought them back to the farm. He had the guys coming to the barn to do some welding, so we went to the tractor and he brought the tractor and rake back to the barn and I drove the truck and trailer. He dealt with the guys there, and I came on home... he was going to get the calves unloaded after they got done. He also said he would take some hay to the 2 calves and cow in the pen at the nurse cow field... they had water, and that he would get them moved today.

I went to the pasture after PT today, and worked the cows down through the field and got 2 of the 3 in the pen... but did not "push" the issue... I will work with them for a couple of days and get them quietly to accept coming into the pen for the grain. Then tery to get them in when DS is getting off work... call him and he can come right away to get them so hopefully they don't get all wound up.

So I came home, got the chickens locked up, got everything else I needed into the car for the testing this morning.
DS came to the house and we left at 3:15..... but the ramp to the interstate was closed due to construction.... okay, go north on the main route and pick up the interstate 8 miles up the road... I do it all the time.... get within 2 miles and there are signs that there is a emergency accident situation... get around the corner and there is a line of Tractor trailers that probably could not get on the same ramp... followed the detour signs... and they were setting with their emergency flashers.... so we did a U-turn, and hit the back roads and did a zigzag up several back roads... having had to backtrack to get there... and finally came out well above where the wreck must have been and we got on the interstate... we were only about 10 minutes later than we normally were, got set up and they still started milking on time... Then one of their samplers was missing a coupler piece.. so we had to take the milk samples out of the hose... a pain, but doable.... and then they found one of the older style coupler/valve to use....
It was a "monday" morning on Thursday morning....

Finally got done... they are milking right at 550... totally MAXIMUM numbers.... and we left there... came down, stopped at TSC for DS for some chicken feed for his bantams... and came home. I let the chickens out, changed clothes and went to PT. I ached.... I had already put in my full day's work... then came home, and ate a sandwich and tried to get a break for a bit. Packed the samples finally. Just made sure the chickens were in the crate for the night... and am in for the night.
Weather was decent. Partly cloudy and some breeze but hit 67. The forecast is for it to drop to the mid 20's....
then 40's tomorrow then back into the 70's by Sunday. It is already down 20 degrees from the high...getting cooler earlier than last night.

I am going to bed early....

 

[farmerjan]

Oh, another thing to add. Gas and Diesel went up $.20 this morning... we are now at 3.59 for gas most places and diesel went up to 4.75 from 4.45 yesterday. A friend that runs one of the local stations said he has been told to expect fuel to go up another $.50 - .60 by monday. So, if anyone is going to get any kind of fuel, you better do it. DS called and is getting the fuel tanks at the farm filled... and they are coming tomorrow.

This is not going to get better any time soon. The mess with Russia and Ukraine is getting worse... and the BS in this gov't with their talking around the mess, and that opening up the construction on the Keystone pipeline, and lifting any regulations that shut down some of the production will not help the situation here.... they are so totally stupid.....prepare for diesel to be over $5.00 gal and gas to be well over $4.00 very soon.

 

[Mike CHS]

I filled up my Tacoma this afternoon and the gas was $3.69

 

[Bruce]

It is just shy of $4 here now. Was $3.69 a few days back.

 

[Alaskan]

We are already over 4