Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

So glad you posted an update on greybeard. I always liked his posts and miss them. It's nice that they moved from the flood zone. Couple yrs there I though we had lost them! They may not be in a farm situation now but, one day most of us won't be. It will work out for them.

Rich, occasional neighbors...they won't even care about the re tax increase but they might find how much grass grows without those full time mowers. maybe some visiting wildlife will brighten their days.

 

[Mini Horses]

Just saw them mowing a 15 acre hay field this morn, across the street. One mowing, another coming after to fluff and spread out....air and sun! Guess it's best chance at a window, the stuff is 2.5' and heading! Weather "suggests" well get some light rains wed night/Thu morn but sun and 90s until sun night. Humidity ok now, increasing Fri to sat. . Hope it goes well cause it's a LOT of hay! Another 18 over there that needs it....only so many things to do.

 

[farmerjan]

Well, things worked out really good this afternoon. I went up to the pasture and got the one cow and both "heifers in, and realized that the one heifer is more than big enough to be bred... might already be bred, so let her back out. The other cow would not come in; she headed in the other direction and I was not going to "run her" and get her upset. So, I locked #4 and heifer #50 in the bigger side of the catch lot and barn.
Went and filled up the truck, then the forester and then the explorer since gas was going up again...Spent over $100. and none were more than 1/2 empty...
Came back to the house after that and DS texted me and said he ought to be there about 5:30 or 5;45 if all went well. I went back up about 5:30 and low and behold, there is the #8 that wouldn't come in, AND #50's momma was talking to her heifer through the gate. I put #4 and #50 in the barn, shut the door and opened the gate and put some grain in the feeders and in came #5 (50's momma) and then after a few minutes #8 came in with 2 others that I didn't need. I let everyone eat grain ... I had only given them about 1 gallon total...as a reward and then opened the barn door, 5 went right in, then 8 went in.... so I shut it and then opened the lot gate and let the others out I didn't need.
DS called me and said he would be a little bit and he was sorry and I said no problem, I had managed to get the one in I wanted... I didn't even tell him about 5... she was an after thought... but she should be 3-5 months preg so needs to be checked with the rest and her heifer is pretty nice so she can just go out with the group at doug's and then they will all get checked and calves weaned or sold all at the same time.
That means that everyone is out of the nurse cow pasture with bigger calves... and only one cow still there... that could have come out...the heifer #48 that went to doug's earlier today; but she is near on impossible to get near the pen, so will wait until sometime she just goes in there on her own with a group. She could be 4-5 months preg but is pretty thin, so I think not. If she has a calf in the fall... oh well. And there is one other cow that is a bit lame that we have just left there with the heifers and she gets bred back everytime... her calf died back in the winter sometime... so her preg status is unknown. If it works out, she will get caught up sometime to get checked. She could have bred back after losing her calf...

So, I finally got home about 7:30. Need to eat and my legs are telling me that they are not liking this new "get back to work routine".... TOUGH beans.... I will take a good hot shower in a bit and eat something... stomach is growling.
DS said we will work that other heifer and put the "nose flap weaning things" in the 2 cows noses tomorrow. Then get them moved out with the other cows and get them back out of the barn lot and off the feed bill too.

 

[farmerjan]

Heard some noise and went out and here was the guy to do the garden, he hadn't seen my note and he was gone earlier when I had gone by. He wanted to come do it before it rained... That was SO NICE of him. His wife came in the car and followed so no one would hit him on the tractor...
He got it done just as it was getting dark.... It turned over nice and I am tickled... he only wants $30 so tomorrow I will take him $40 and a chicken from the freezer for them to cook. She works full time and I think he is on disability... he got hurt at work years ago I think my DS said... he putters and does what he can when he is not hurting... He may even be on SS now... but I REALLY REALLY appreciated it. Now I am getting excited about a garden.... If it rains, the worst part is done... and then if DS can get it tilled in a few days, all according to the rain amounts... I will be able to plant and mulch and be done...

 

[Mini Horses]

Garden in would be good. Cows in was great!! Ya did good.

As I came home, 4ish....they were turning that fresh cut hay, again. I know they're trying for drying. Thick field.

 

[Baymule]

I’m real happy for you that you got the garden plowed. A garden is on the way! Really nice of that guy to get it done.

Thanks for the update on Greybeard. I’m glad they are out of the river bottom, no way I’d want to be in a flood zone like that. Kinda sorry at the same time, they had a good life there, but he’s doing the right thing for his own health and his wife.

 

[farmerjan]

Got a few minutes... just got back from a trip to sharp shopper... wanted to get there early enough to get some of the "day old" bread they bring... Arnold and Pepperidge Farm ... the bigger "country style" stuff for 1.59 a loaf instead of the 2.89-3.59 at the groc stores...
Picked up a bunch of Gatorage for DS got some other stuff I wanted... DS drinks alot of it with work and all... and I got the 32 oz ones for $.99 each.... and went to the Walmart near there and found the Hershey's syrup there in the big jugs.... used to be 8.19 and now is 9.29 or something... but it keeps forever if it is not opened... and that is my one small concession to "extras" .... chocolate milk. Plus they had some actual 1/2 gallons of ice cream... for the same price as the 48 oz ones... got several to stick in the freezer....
Also found the kind of allergy pills that actually work.... "chlor tabs"... only last 4 hours but they do not make me sluggish or feel like I am spaced out or grumpy.... the walmart I normally go to has not had them in ages.

Got home and guess what... THE GARDEN GOT TILLED.... DS said he did not do it so it must have been Sam.... I can not believe it... I sure didn't expect it... So I will take him more money that he wanted and a chicken... they weren't home yesterday and I was so tired that I didn't go back out after I did the cow... It looks like it tilled up REAL NICE... and the soil was dry enough that it is a smooth looking seedbed... Got to get to planting it the next couple of days...it is too hot right now and DS is talking about getting some cows moved to pasture if he can get them down off the hill and into the barn... It is a little hot to be working them even. It is 88 out there now and the humidity is getting up a bit.

So, I guess lunch is over....waiting for him to call... he was getting off work early as they were going to work through lunch he said so they could leave early.
WOW and just WOW.....

 

[Mini Horses]

Nice surprise, a tilled garden! . I'm hoping to do test row or two with this tiller in a couple hours. Want to hit it early in morn, while it's coolish. 94 out there right now!

They're baling across the street. I see squares and rounds...they're going at it!! Two baling. One moving rounds. Not sure if a 4th doing accumulator/stacker or #3 switching off. Let's just say, it's busy! I expect they'll cut other side tonight, we have two more days of 90s, then 80s. This stuff is heading!

 

[Alaskan]

Nice surprise, a tilled garden! . I'm hoping to do test row or two with this tiller in a couple hours. Want to hit it early in morn, while it's coolish. 94 out there right now!

They're baling across the street. I see squares and rounds...they're going at it!! Two baling. One moving rounds. Not sure if a 4th doing accumulator/stacker or #3 switching off. Let's just say, it's busy! I expect they'll cut other side tonight, we have two more days of 90s, then 80s. This stuff is heading!

Glad it looks like the weather is cooperating

 

[farmerjan]

Friday eve.... it is real warm and much more humidity... Still 79 @ 9:30 p.m.... and the humidity will stick around. But it will cool off a little. Tomorrow supposed to be more chance of some scattered showers.... and hot... mid 90's? It only hit 88 here at the house but the humidity made it feel hotter.
I went up to do the cow and took a cooler with some ground meat, a pkg of stew meat, a small chuck roast and 2 chickens... 1 big one and one small one... plus left $60 for them as they weren't home. After I put the cow in and grained her, I went around trying to match calves with cows, so I know who is who. They aren't getting moved so not as important to match cow calf pairs... but I want to know. Got a couple that need tagging... the nice thing is most are going in the barn during the day and eating a little grain and just hanging out... so ought to be able to catch the couple that aren't tagged and get them done one day. There is a small head catch there that works for calves... so we could get them done. Have to try to get the bull calves banded too.
One heifer was acting like maybe she was getting ready to calve, but then she got up and was grazing, so I may or may not see a calf in the morning...

Then I went back and Sam and Doris were back, and eating some dinner so I stayed and visited for a little bit...wanted to make sure that they found the cooler I left on the porch so the meat wouldn't thaw out.... Told them how very much I appreciated the tilling job... and they thanked me for the meat and chickens.
Then I just came home a little bit ago. Tomorrow I will go up early and do the nurse cow, and then let her out... it will be later when I get home. at least the calves know what to do so not a problem if it is getting dark to put her in and do her.
Gotta get the bottles in the trays for testing... and add a couple of hoses to the ones on the truck for testing... I will be leaving at noon to go and set up to milk by 1:30 or so.
DS wants me to start spraying the thistles at a couple of places... so I guess I will start . He did show me how to start the 4 wheeler... NO I have never driven it... he has the tank mounted on the back with a hand sprayer on it.
I am going to try to get some of the plants in the garden in the next day or 2. I have a cattle panel to put up for the tomatoes... and will have to get the netting around it or the chickens will tear things up.

Have decided to let DS cut the hay off the property before I put up too much netting for the calves... It will only make a round bale or 2 but it is too tall for the calves to want to eat anyway... Then I can put up the netting for them... and the chickens will be kept out of the garden at least. I am going to have to bite the bullet and get a piece of the stuff I used on the carport, that is somewhat water proof... to fix the little coop since I can't get DS to help do any of it. I really hate doing carpentry work... just not my thing. They are digging in the flowers in front of the porch... not in the planters at least... but in the ground... I can't put the wood chips around them as they will just scratch them out...
Oh well, one thing at a time I guess. At least if I get the garden fenced... it ought to keep the chickens AND the DEER out... they will demolish the green beans and such....
The rhododendrum next to the steps on the porch is in full bloom. It is soooo pretty. And my camera won't come on... maybe it needs a new battery??? GRRRR