Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

I just reread my last post and don't want anyone to think we are going to run out of hay to feed our own animals... The rolls I talked about as "carryover" is normally what we have left after all the animals are gone out to pasture. But we will have a lower carryover than we have had for years and years. This latest cold snap... this morning it was down to 25.... and these cold windy days have the cows back into eating like they were not going to get another meal. They had slowed down with the warmer days in the 60's and above. This cold snap will also knock the growth back for a couple weeks...
Plus we are calving, so they are going to need to eat more to be able to make enough milk.
I just wanted to make sure that everyone that buys hay, understands that the farmer is not trying to rip you off because his prices have gone way up. It is unbelievable how much the inputs have increased for us.

It is sunny but this cold 25 start to the day is BRRRR.... Getting ready to get the bottles in the trays then go out and let chickens out and then load the rest of the meters and hoses needed in the car and get ready to leave. Going to make 2 stops going through town on the way to test.

 

[Bruce]

Sounds like most of the "exotic" animals would be exotic only to someone who lives in a Manhattan apartment and has never left the island

 

[farmerjan]

The "exotic" designation really is for anything that doesn't "FIT" into the conventional ag designation I guess. I mean, yeah, a true fullblooded GYR heifer is definitely exotic, and the mini-zebu's are "exotic" as are any of the "mini" cattle breeds... but it opens up an untapped market for the small "weekend" homesteader type farmer... and for all the ones that have and like the "odd ball" stuff. Plus with the huge draw of people by having it on an evening, many are home from work so there is the opportunity for more exposure. And to be truthful, the buyers at the regular livestock sales do not want to waste their time with all these "odd ball" cattle, and the prices reflect that. So, although I don't think that some of it would qualify as "exotic" in my book... it has a draw that is huge. I am glad for those that raise these "rarer" breeds... and hey, it was fun to go see what crazy stuff there was.... Like with the sheep and goats, 99% of the market is for animals to go to slaughter... this allows someone with a rarer breed to bring them and hope that a smaller homesteader type person would be interested in them for some different qualities that just weight gain for meat... and this way someone could offer breeding animals for that purpose, not just for slaughter...

 

[farmerjan]

Just got home from testing and started to answer some threads. I talked to the farmer a bit, I really like them, they are just nice people. The twin heifer calves just got weaned, so I am going to make arrangements to go get them in a week or so.... whenever DS is wanting to ship a few of the "odd ball" calves here to that sale on a saturday, where we take some of the odd colored calves that will bring more there than we can get at the closer sale where "black" is the only color they want to see.

I have had a nagging slight headache for a couple days, and then after being out in that cold wind yesterday getting the cows in, I didn't feel bad but didn't feel great last night. This morning I had a scratchy throat and it is developing into a good cold... runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sore scratchy throat. Didn't really see that coming... I felt okay but not great testing, and kept blowing my nose.... feeling more under the weather now. So, I called PT and left a message on the answering machine thing that I wanted to cancel tomorrow because I don't think I should be there with these cold symptoms. I don't like to cancel last minute like that... but never thought the slight headache was going to develop into this. I don't need to be around anyone tomorrow and probably not for a couple days... hope it will run it's course in a couple days... Loading up on Vit C, echinacea, and will take some zinc when I go to bed as it upsets my stomach some.
I was going to wash my hair tonight but will wait for the morning so I don't go to bed with a wet head. I am going in, in a few minutes and get as hot a shower as I can stand, have a cup of hot cocoa with some amaretto to put me to sleep....

Locked up the chickens when I got home, and the leghorn had laid her egg where I had been getting them from. Thank you very much... It is so chilly and wind still blowing out there this evening.

Already down to 28... supposed to go all the way down to 20 and maybe some lower.... boy will this slow down the grass/hay growth, and it will hurt the fruit trees if they are close to coming out. The 3 peaches here are not that far along, and I am hoping the ones down next to DS house aren't either.... The bradford pears (ornamental trees) are coming out and the wild cherry trees are in bloom but if it kills them that is fine.

Didn't hear anything from DS about the prices for the consigned calves in the special feeder sale with the Cattle Assoc that he consigned...

I'm quitting for the night...

 

[Mini Horses]

Hope you feel better. Colds will run their course but, we can help them run faster!

Stay in, rest ... this weather we have doesn't need you out there.

 

[farmerjan]

20 degrees this morning... REALLY....it is 10 a.m. and only 35 right now. Partly sun but it is supposed to have some more clouds coming in so doubt it will get to the 50's like they say unless there is a warm wind blowing up this way.
Cold is pretty much "here".... blowing nose and feeling stuffed up.
Something I will have to deal with. Got to get out and let the chickens out. Then see if the air will clear the head a little bit. Cannot find the other bottle of Vit C.... it is "packed" somewhere... might have to make a trip to the store, since there are only a few more left in this one; maybe go by the Chinese restaurant, next door to the store, and get some egg drop soup. We'll see how I feel after I do the chickens.
Got to pack the milk samples and drop them off too... ought to get that done then I can make 1 trip out and get it all done. Might just open a can of chicken noodle soup too....
Guess if I got to feel crummy, today is as good as any with the cold temps. We are going to warm up but some rain/storms possible by Thursday. At least it won't be a cold rain if the temps go back into the 50's and 60's...
Kinda glad that DS couldn't help test the 500+ cow herd on Thursday. Not sure I would be up to it in 2 days. Got one more to test besides them. Might see about doing them on Friday if I feel a little better. Then do the 500+ one as soon as DS can help.

Going out to let chickens out. Then pack the samples.

 

[Baymule]

I sure hope you get better and this isn’t one of the latest Covid variants. I figured that’s what I just got over, my smell and taste were screwed up. You might want to see or phone consult a doctor and get a prescription for antibiotics to keep from going into pneumonia. Please do take care of yourself. Put on warm pajamas, put on warm outside clothes over them and do outside chores. Then back inside and lounge around in PJ’s and do nothing. That’s what it took for me. So stay inside, do as little as possible and stay warm. Get well!

 

[farmerjan]

Besides the constant nose blowing and coughing...and eyes watering... I am just having a good old fashioned cold. Talking makes me lose my breath and cough.... I felt clearer when I was out to lock up the chickens earlier... It will run it's course...

Ate a bowl of soup and drinking OJ..... I did very little today except getting the samples packed and dropped off to go out and then I did fill the car up with gas. Did a little puttering in the house but not alot.. watered the violets and all. Put away the clean dishes out of the dish drainer but did not wash anything else.

It finally warmed up to 53 and there was not near as much wind today. Mostly sun but some clouds. Tomorrow is supposed to be more clouds but warmer.
Both hens laid in the "usual" spot in the carport.... so that is good.

I am going in to take another good hot shower and use the steam to "open up" the sinuses.
No farms again tomorrow which is good. Give me a couple of days to get some rest and shake this thing off sooner. Supposed to have PT Thursday but I am going to cancel it tomorrow as I know I won't be feeling like it and don't want to spread these cold germs around. Not smart to go out and someone else catch it.

Congrats to @Baymule for finding her new farm... looks and sounds like it will be pretty good for her with the sheep... pics show alot of grass...."green gold" to a livestock owner....

 

[Mini Horses]

Vicks...for the sinuses.

 

[Baymule]

You need to lay around and not do anything for a few days. Let your body rest and get well.