Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Alaskan]

High humidity? When my sister lived in Hawaii anything that wasn't immediately put in the fridge or freezer was green in 2 days. Not just bread, cereal and the like as well.

Given the size of your family, and the BOYS!, I am surprised a fresh loaf of bread would live to see the next day.

I freeze bread after I slice it if I won't be using it in the next few days. Take out 2 slices, let them thaw (or warm a bit in the toaster) and it is just fine for sandwiches, French Toast, etc. Better to freeze it that put it in the refrigerator.

Huh... maybe high humidity.

I do live on the coast.



And yeah... rare for the bread to make it past a day...

 

[farmerjan]

I checked it yesterday @Mini Horses ... and yeah, I hope it is a go. I have had it on the calendar since I got the new one for 2022 !!.

Had a good day overall. Not alot of sun, more clouds and sun mixed and not as warm due to a fairly good breeze. I wore a short sleeved shirt in the barn but pulled a light sweatshirt on over it when I was taking down meters.

Got everything in the car to go, and decided it was too windy so brought the little seedlings in. Left the spider plants and all out. Glad I did bring them in. Took the samples to go out UPS, filled the car up with gas, and left.
Stopped at a tire place that also does other stuff as they do alignments. Made an appt for next Thursday when I go to the farm up that way and test, then will get the OS stuff... then get the car aligned... brand new front tires, I don't need them wearing off unevenly. I t seems to pull a little bit to the right...

Dropped the jump drive off at the one place and the reports and all at yesterdays' farm. Came to the farm I was going to test and got them set up. Started milking right at 2 and we were done at 4:30 or a little after. Got the computer work done and then after they washed I loaded them up. Then went to the farm that is going to Owner Sample next week and left the meters he needed and hoses and bottles for the milk samples.
Left there and came back and had just heard that there was a wreck on the interstate and saw the back up traffic moving very slow so came down Rt. 11 which was the main N/S route before they put in an interstate. By the time I got down to the next entrance/exit it was past the accident so I took it to Staunton and then got off and went by Walmart to get some soda for DS's GF's parents... they always include me for any meals/holidays... never want me to bring anything... so one day when I said something to DS he said well, just bring them some soda since they drink it like most people should drink water..... Not going to fight it or preach... So, I picked up a couple of 24 pks of cans and treated myself to a couple of pots of blooming tulips in a pretty lavendar/white stripe... they were only 4.97 so I figured I could splurge a little. Last year I got some yellow ones and planted them and there are 3 of the 5 bulbs that came up and have some very pretty yellow tulips along the porch. The chickens scratching there haven't helped them... but they are blooming. I will plant these in admongst a few daffodils that came up and the yellow ones and next year they will hopefully come up again. Since they don't last very long, I just thought why not.

Got home, brought all the samples in the house and 2 gallons of white vinegar that I also picked up for pickling or whatever... our "local" brand is so much cheaper than even Walmart brand... I am sure that isn't going to last... it won't go bad...
So, I am in for the night. It isn't getting dark until 8 p.m. now; makes it hard to believe it is already after 9:30....
Tomorrow is supposed to be mostly sunny with a breeze again... hopefully I will be able to do some things outside. Going to take the meters I didn't need at the OS farm, and put them and all the hoses in the carport...
Knees ache from the PT Tues and the testing yesterday and then again today... Oh well, maybe tomorrow I will be able to do some "exercises" .... I don't do them on days I test since I am on my feet so much. I sat down only 1 time this afternoon for maybe 1 minute... and they are telling me they didn't appreciate it... OH WELL, get over it... getting back to life.....

Going in to wash all the cow sh!t out of my hair and have a couple of days of not smelling like cow sh!t and iodine and a dairy.

 

[Baymule]

Jan. So far swap still on for 5-7-22...just checked the site. At this time, no limitations are listed as to birds. . So mark your calendar.

Pictures or it didn't happen!!!

 

[farmerjan]

Pictures will be @Mini Horses department... like the swap a couple years ago....

It was a very cool 44 this morning but areas north actually got down to 32 and some frost. Nice the next 2 days then sun but 20 degrees colder for Easter. Nights are supposed to be in the 30's all next week. The sun is out so will warm up. I will put the plants back out on the deck in a bit after the sun comes around the house and warms the air a little more.
Clothes in the washing machine, got to pack the 200 samples from yesterday afternoon's test. Unload meters and stuff out of the car. Lots to do. No rain here the last couple of days, ground is getting dry again from all the wind blowing. Maybe the first of the week they say.
Going to enjoy looking at my 2 pots of lavender and white striped tulips, then plant them in the front of the porch with the yellow ones from last year.
Lots to do, need to look at the list and see what I should get into first. Might try repotting some of these spider plants so they can settle and start growing so will look nice when I do have a yard sale... thinking June ???

 

[farmerjan]

Started out cool 48... has gotten to 70 but the wind is blowing and gusting a bit so feels colder.
Had a half a headache yesterday and have a bit of a sore throat this morning. All the usual sinus drip/coughing... driving me nuts. The headache is still there in the back of my head too. This wind is not conducive to me wanting to be outside to do much. Left the plants inside because it it just too windy.
Going to plant a couple of daylillies I got in a tub. They are sprouting and just don't know yet where I want them. This will at least get them growing for the year. The peonies are all coming up and looking good in the pots/tubs from last year since I took the straw off... just in time for the forecast of low 30's several days this week.... possible frost they are saying. All will depend on how much wind... then back into the 60's and 70's by the end of the week.

I am going in to do up a sink full of dishes. Then see what I can do without getting blown away.... Took something for the headache and hope it will work on the stiffness in the knees too this morning.

 

[Baymule]

Going somewhere to a gym would be quite a hike for me too. It would take half a day. Then the rest of the day....who cares? So basically a day is shot. So I'm thinking I'd be better off to just get some sort of home gym. So many to pick from and I don't want to spend big money for some fancy-fangled thing that does everything for you, hooked to the internet and all that blather.

Going to therapy twice a week is going to cut into my farm time, but I'll be there with bells on to get my therapy.

Another frost? Is it a bit late for the possibility of a frost? You sure are having some up and down weather!

 

[farmerjan]

@Baymule our Goodwill often has home exercise things for sale... I haven't got room for anything like that here right now. Front porch is too public near the road, and still has tons of stuff... carport is still packed with stuff, deck is too hot in the sun during the day... I am just going to deal with trying to do a little more here myself... set a goal and try to get into a schedule/routine of some sort.

Our last frost date here is May 10th... east of the Blue Ridge Mtns is April 15 -25 th all according to which station you listen to. We've got another month... just wish we weren't getting 80's some days then 50's other days... 50-70 would be just about right. Nights in the 40's maybe... not down to freezing and then 3 days later not down below 55....

Dishes done, made some egg salad and ate a sandwich. Going to go up to the pasture and feed the bottle and see if the calves are near the catch pen.... maybe get them in for DS to work them? He said he would be around if I did get them in he could come up with no big problem. No one working with him this weekend due to the holiday.
Wind has blown all day, real gusty bursts. It has not quit. I left the plants in and put on the kitchen floor so they could get the sun coming in the storm door.

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm thinking I'd be better off to just get some sort of home gym. So many to pick from and I don't want to spend big money

I'm with Jan...our Habitat, Goodwill and other 2nd hands always have plenty. Some are the fancy kind! Go there and just get something basic -- a walker or such. You can do all the stretch and squat stuff beside it.

I have been direct sowing some things that are ok with cooler. Hey, if I don't, I won't. To my way of thinking the getting it ALL going is maybe the hardest. . So easy to back off... I'm already questioning myself and then mirror pep talks happen.. After all, it's one way to support retirement at some point. I need a routine!

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm thinking I'd be better off to just get some sort of home gym. So many to pick from and I don't want to spend big money

I'm with Jan...our Habitat, Goodwill and other 2nd hands always have plenty. Some are the fancy kind! Go there and just get something basic -- a walker or such. You can do all the stretch and squat stuff beside it.

I have been direct sowing some things that are ok with cooler. Hey, if I don't, I won't. To my way of thinking the getting it ALL going is maybe the hardest. . So easy to back off... I'm already questioning myself and then mirror pep talks happen.. After all, it's one way to support retirement at some point. I need a routine! Raising your own food is good.

I will assure you of this, Dana, it is less fun with no one to talk first tomato with.

 

[farmerjan]

Happy Easter a little late in the day..... Been a nice one as far as the weather... but a little crazy to start.
Heard a cow Mooing this morning... there is a COW right in the front yard... eating and mooing... WHAT ????? I wasn't even dressed yet.... jumped up, got clothes on and out the door... figuring there is a whole bunch... NOPE, just one cow. Yep, one of ours... so I go out and get a bucket with some feed.... get her to follow me, driving the truck slowly across to the end of the lawn to the corner of the dirt road and the paved road... to the gate for the pasture. ALL the other cows come up there, wanting to see what I was doing... so I just called the loose cow in and put her in the catch lot because there was no way I was going to get her in the gate into the field with the cows. Shut the gate to the road into the catch lot and figure that I would have to get DS to bring hay and go into the field and then I could get her through that gate into the field. Then I went down the road and tried to figure out where she got out. Only place I could see was where it looked like she might have gotten the top of the woven wire (field fence) bent over to reach grass along the road and came over top of it. Remember.. this fence is needing replacing very badly. It was actually several strands of smooth high tensile wire, 2 strands of barbed wire inbetween... and then a patch piece of woven wire that had been put up against it... I think that there had been calves getting out there at one time in the past....Pulled it all back up and tightened it up and then bent over some thorny branches from a bush and "wove them" into this spot so it will hopefully look much less like a place to try to get out...
He came a little bit later before I had even called him... I saw him, and he had gotten out of the truck and was trying to figure out why that gate to the road was shut... then I jumped in the truck and drove down there and told him about the cow. So I watched the gate so he could take hay in and decided to go and get some more since they are calling for rain and "stuff" all day monday and he will be gone Monday night and Tuesday. He is taking the cattle to the guy in VT but they are going to meet in CT to transfer the cattle to his trailer... so a little more than 1/2 way.... We need to get them off our "feed bill" and get paid for them too....
Anyway, after he went in the field, I swung gates around a bit and the cow came out the one gate and went directly in the other gate into the field and that was done. Then he came back with 2 more rolls of hay and then he went to feed elsewhere.
The cow had been in the greenhouse/shelter, knocked the chickens feeder over and ate all the feed, knocked the waterer over... left a pile of fertilizer... but at least didn't "tear" anything up.

Had dinner at GF's parents with them all... then after came home got the bottle, went and fed the baby calf fed some feed in the barn and introduced her to a little grain... hope she stays in the barn if it gets too wet and miserable tonight; and went to the farm to help DS get in and sort the cattle so that all the ones he is going to load to go on Monday eve, are all together in the barn lot. We had to get steers in out of one field and then get the other group in and sort out some heifers and other stuff..... He has 16 to go and one more that he held back... he will see how tight they are in the trailer. Then we treated a calf that is sick, and then he fed some silage... we are down to about 3-5 days worth, and he had cut them back already.... so these 16 head need to be gone for sure...
Then I came home.
I had put the plants out in the sun since we had very little wind/breeze. It was not as warm as yesterday, but felt warmer since it was not windy. It hit 68 today. I brought the plants all in and put some of the pretty begonia's I had gotten, under the table on the deck to protect them from the possible frost/ and crummy weather that is coming. They are now talking about a WINTRY MIX!
. Totally nuts.
Really, from saying a possible frost, and then rain on Monday; to now we are going to have snow/sleet/rain... coming in tonight around 3-4 a.m. and wet ALL day... but it ought to "warm up to 40" and be all rain... Temps for the next 2-3 nights are supposed to be low 30's ...frost freeze warnings possible..... then warming and temps by the weekend back up to the upper 70's and low 80's..??.. I have never seen it switch back and forth so much as it has been doing this year.
Can't do anything about it, but really........?????
So, I will be making a trip to the pasture in the morning to see if the calf is in the barn and make sure she gets a warm bottle in the morning. Might even lock her in the smaller side so she can't get out in the cold & wet. She is doing pretty good, but is not stealing as much I don't think, so I was planning to put her on 2 bottles a day. With this weather coming, I am going to go ahead and start it tomorrow.
It was so nice today.... hate to see any crummy weather coming... best thing is at least I am not going to test anywhere until Wed afternoon and that is a "maybe" as the farm called and they are tenatively going to be unable to come into the farm from the road that way for 2 days as the RR is going to be tearing up the crossing and putting in new ties and such... so she said that we might have to reschedule... NOTHING SURPRISES ME anymore...

So that was my day... and that is the wonderful forecast we have to look forward to.... not as bad as the terrible snows they had out west this past few days... 2 ft of snow and blowing drifts in the 3-4 ft range... so many of the ranchers are calving... spring blizzard weather...
I did get the tulips planted along the porch so that if we do get some wet it will help to settle them into the ground. They are going past fairly fast... tulips always do when they are greenhouse forced into bloom like that. The yellow ones that came up from last year are nice though. So hopefully next year I will have some real pretty ones. Don't know how bad this weather is going to hurt the peonies... and if we get real cold, how it is going to affect the peach trees since they have bloomed.... apples are starting to bloom now. If it gets too cold, it will kill the tiny fruit on the peaches and the apple blossoms will freeze and hurt the apple crop too.

I'm going in to get a glass of milk and take a shower I think. Not really hungry so might just have a couple of wedges of cheese for tonight.