Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Been a chilly wet afternoon. Went up to do the nurse cow and it wasn't real wet, just grass wet and all. I don't think we have had very much up until then by the looks of the buckets only having a little in them at the house.
I did a little in the kitchen today, been kind of in slow motion after the morning on the video thing for work then getting the potatoes in. SOOO glad that they are in... Not expecting miracles from them since they are just sprouted ones... but have always had pretty good luck in the past. I am going to go to the farm bureau tomorrow as they had onion plants the other day... I will put some in. and I am going to have to break down and get another cow panel so I can get the rest of the tomato plants in. Got way more than I need... sure hope to sell some tomatoes this year.... Plants were very reasonable... 2.50 for a 4 pack of very nice plants from the local nursery. Plus the ones I had started that the hail did a number on... the ones that survived it are starting to come along so I will have to get them in too.... Being a senior citizen has some perks... they have 10% off on Tuesdays for seniors... I naturally always go on Tuesdays....
Anyway, this rain has gotten a little "harder" not just wet misty type stuff. Hope it soaks in good.

Put a chicken in to roast earlier, and the house smelled great when I came home from doing the cow. I ate some and some green beans.

Did all the dishes up so the sink is clean too! I should have mixed up something for desert, to bake, to make good use of the heat from the oven but maybe tomorrow if it continues to be chilly and wet.

The temp is dropping... I am glad that I had been leaving the plants out to get hardened off... it is down to 54 and might get down to the low 50's or high 40's.... I had turned off the gas fireplace heater in the LR as the house was holding temps in the low 60's at night... but I turned it back on this evening to take the chill off. It might not come on but at least it won't get too cold or damp with this rain. The rest of the plants are on the back of the truck out at the garden...they ought to be fine.
I think I saw little green rows across the road so I think the corn is up. Plan to look at it tomorrow. The warmth was great and this rain will be wonderful if it warms up after it is done...
Can't wait to get more in the garden. I would like to get it planted within the week and mulched too. There is going to be alot of the grass trying to reestablish so it would be good if I can smother alot of it. Didn't realize how much I missed the garden... when the knees hurt so I just didn't care... but now I am enjoying it even if it still wears me out a bit from not being used to the activity.

Haven't tried to start the mower with the rain.... sure hope it will start as soon as the rain stops. It looks like the grass grew 3 inches in 3 days!!!! Want to cut it lower and then use the sweeper and get it all caught up to use in the garden too... Got to measure it and see how big it is... I am thinking 40x50 or more with the "L" leg 10 x60 on the end??? And I need to get it cut around the outside to get the netting up before anything starts coming up and the deer get into it...

 

[Mini Horses]

Glad your garden is working....it's a missed part of life, if we can get through the extra work to get to harvesting. true to form, mine is a loner project! . Like you, got some things transplanted. I got mine mulched at planting. So much left to plant!!! Rain most of week. It's a project. No till??? I'm a long way off. Couple yrs.

Gonna dig and transplant the squash and zucs that came up from seed, so I can retill that section. Want to go deeper, adjust tiller. Grass grew faster than I could move! Hope to get 3 rolls of wheat straw this week...even if saved for winter cover up, to rot and spring cut in. $20 ea is cheap. My area is fenced, which has some limits for tractor, 110x110. Basically, once planted it won't be back in there, just the walk behind. . So this redig part has to get done this weekend.

You have a job having to collect the old hay mulch, transport, then spread. At least mine was unused, baled....just a little bottom musty...ok for mulch. And free

Wish we had a sr day nursery !

 

[farmerjan]

You are lucky... $20 a roll for wheat straw...that's a real bargain. Do you use it in the goats for bedding too??? I would take 5 or 6 and have some just left there to rot down some for next year... Only straw around here is sq baled... one of my farmers has it and they are bigger, tight squares.... $5 each but it does make it easier to put down. I will get 8-10 bales next time I test him so I have it to use. I keep some in the greenhouse shelter where the chickens are too... the stuff around the outside 2 years ago is all rotted down. But it is good exercise to go fork piles from around the hay storage areas and then more good exercise to fork it off the truck and onto the garden . Not saying I need exercise or anything to take off the extra "rolls " around the middle...

So I went up and did the cow, decided to let her stay in for the day. She will just chill out and I know she did not want to come out last night into all the rain. It is supposed to stop today, but is just a real wet rainy damp day out there. I looked at the rain gauge but did not dump it yet... was nearly 1 1/2 inches I think. I am going to run a few errands since I don't have any farms scheduled until friday afternoon. Hate to spend the gas in one way, but at least I don't have to rush to get to a farm this way. Going to take the explorer and see if they can check the air conditioning too... Then come home and maybe bake something. Warm up the house again.

It was down to 51 this morning and is only 54 now. Was sprinkling rain pretty good too. Ground is wet. Good thing is we didn't get any downpours or anything so it really soaked into the ground really good. Perfect rain. Sure wish the garden was all planted but OH WELL......

 

[farmerjan]

Finally in for the night. I just made a sliced chicken breast meat sandwich for late supper. Day went about half the way I had planned.
Did the errands, went to the coop and got onion plants... bundles of 50 I think...didn't really want that many of each but I took them as they were fairly inexpensive. Got a 1 lb bag of tendercrop bean seeds or maybe topcrop... it was only $1 more than the 1/2 lb bag... they will keep and be pretty good for at least next year. Went by and had the air conditioning checked and charged... and there is a leak in the tubing and it was dripping out... so guess I will have him order the kit and replace all the tubing... seems this explorer has a front and back air conditioning sections; might not even fix it but sell it as is... then headed home and get a text from DS that we are going to work the neighbors calves this afternoon be at the barn at 5:30.... I had said I could help when he asked last week... but then he neglected to tell me which day.... Tues or Wed....
Then about an hour later he texts me and said 5 ; instead of 5:30... so I went to Fred's, so I could let him in the gate to go up to the barn. Last year he took the calves to doug's barn to work them as Fred does not have a very sturdy head gate and he had several cows calve real late last fall, and the calves are pretty big and pretty wild. His cows raise real nice calves but they are real skittish/wild... we talked about buying some of his heifers in the past, but they don't get much people time and they will run through you. Not worth it.
So of course Fred didn't have all his cows in the catch pen, so we had to help get the "2nd half" in and then DS does pour on wormer and fly spray on the cows and we turn them out... got the calves all in the barn then loaded them out and take to dougs to go through the chute and get the bulls banded and all get blackleg shots. 2 of the bull calves were probably 4-500 lbs... from last fall; so glad that we didn't do them at Fred's....
So them he took them back and Fred was weaning off the 5 biggest calves... plus one heifer looked(too young) bred so Caleb said he would buy her from Fred... she will get a shot of Lute and hope she slips the calf... Fred asked DS to just take her on to the stockyard as he is not at all set up to deal with too young bred heifers... so instead of me going to DS house to get some Lute in his fridge, they worked it out that Caleb would take her.... Fred had another that had pinkeye real bad last year and didn't sell her and she also got bred, she is making an udder, but has pretty good growth so ought to calve okay for him. The biggest calves momma's are probably bred back for summer/fall calves so that is why he is weaning them.
Caleb had helped DS get the last bunch of cows across the driveway earlier, that were giving us problems the other day and it was hot and DS wasn't going to run them... well it wasn't hot today and I guess they had to run them a little but got them all out. They had locked them in the barn on the other side. So, DS and Caleb worked those calves and after he got back from taking Fred's calves back to his place ( not 5 miles away) he decides we are going to move the rest of these to one of the pastures... This is like 8-8:30... .

So we sorted them out and kept the 2 that are real BI#@H's to get in, and took the others to pasture... I think it was 7 more. Those 2 are slated to go to the monthly bred cow sale on the 2nd wed of the month. They both have nice enough calves although one is red with a red wf calf... but both are bull calves... for someone that doesn't move their cattle around like we do they ought to be fine... but DS gets so P.O.ed and it just makes working with him so bad when he is aggravated with them....So, I told him to just sell them as he will get really mad if they are out to pasture and we can't get them in. The other one is one of the 3 that was at the pasture next to the big one we rent; that got through the fence into that neighbors, and DS walked them back and we got them in the middle pasture , and I had to go over there for over a week until I could get them in the catch pen for him to come get them..
One of them came up open and I sold her and the other one is about 5 months pregnant so out with a different bunch.
Not keeping the problem ones.... and prices have been pretty good on breds and cow/calf pairs... time to ship 'em.

We are talking about cutting down with losing the one pasture that the guy is putting his place on the market... and then the nurse cow pasture....next year... so good way to cut back....
The one eyed cow that I put the holstein bull calf on last year, that was at the nurse cow pasture, we had moved to the barn and got her calf off her and castrated and cut off his horns... I told DS I ought to preg check her... and I said...OOPS she has a big calf in her... her "holstein" has been off her maybe 2 weeks??? She calved yesterday... so she bred right back at 30 days fresh... holstein went on her July 15th last year... cannot believe she was that far along. 10 months between calves....
So the other one that I told DS was quite a bit along... might be further than I thought so glad we weaned her calf off her too.
This is part of the problem of never getting the bulls out when they should be gotten out... and why we don't really have good dedicated "spring and fall calving seasons " anymore... because he will not make the effort to get the bulls out. And why some get bred back fast and others are behind... And why some of these heifers get bred back WAY TOO SOON... just like the young billies and rams will start getting fiesty and the young females come in heat and they get caught... and why you all pull the rams and bucks so that the young ewes and nannies don't get caught too young by their sires....

So by the time we got done getting them sorted out and all, and I followed him to the pasture because the tail lights all of a sudden don't work on the trailer again... must be a short... and it was all back roads but I didn't want someone to run up on him in the trailer... and then followed him back almost to the barn where I just came down the road to my house... it was after 9:30....

Next I have to get the heifers and their calves in at the nurse cow pasture as we decided to move them to another pasture for the summer... and we have one more group of about 20 cow/ new calf pairs to get in and work those calves and move to the big pasture.
Having those 20+ cows that were all open, really messed up the way we run animals out to pasture... so we are changing things around... plus we are down at least 12-15 head with the ones we have sold that were open... so we are rearranging who and where we put them this year. Next year we will be probably be out of these 2 places so may as well get things arranged this year. Once we preg check the ones with fall calves on them, he has the farm down near the GF house where he will put them and he can deal with them calving this fall, since he is right there.
Right this minute, I really don't care... I am tired and after dealing with his impatience this evening, I just want a hot shower and some peace and quiet reading....

 

[Mini Horses]

This guy has some squares, too. Yes easier to put down. But thinking I'd roll it out late fall to hopefully keep grass from sprouting! Will prob get a few of each. Nope. Don't use for goats. Too messy. I bed shavings, toss some less tasty hay when kidding for them the first couple of days to snuggle in. After that they're very active.

We had light rain yesterday. Heavy at night. Today from drizzle to downpour as it felt like doing! . 2" in past 24-36 hr. My tomato transplants were standing tall and happy! Temps in 60s. Light scattereds next 2 days. Weekend looks like I'll be able to plant again. Understand the exercise part but don't get a good feeling from it! . If I get through this planting part. I'll probably start to enjoy it again. This old hay I got, now been rained on and easier to use. Still decent inside but outers look rough.. At one time was some excellent orchard. Feel very strongly about getting a decent garden this year.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed early afternoon... It got down to 53 last night, has been mostly cloudy with some sun trying to come through. High clouds, bright out there.
I did a load of clothes and hung them out as I figure they will mostly dry today. There is no call for rain until Thursday afternoon although still cloudy with a very slight chance of a pop up. I just figured that these needed to get done and out...
I did the nurse cow this morning. Came home and decided to get in the garden if it wasn't too muddy. It actually wasn't bad. Not real sticky since the rain was so soft and about as perfect as it could be the last 2 days. We actually got 1.45 inches total and every single drop soaked in.
I got all the onion plants in. did a "triple row"... the whole length of the garden. Back is telling me that it is not used to this bending over stuff.... then I put in some old seeds of zucchini, and scallop squash... then some out of a package of mixed summer squash seeds. Finished out that row with wax bush beans. The started the next row with "Jade" green beans halfway across. I will put in the rest of the row with the brand new seeds I got yesterday... they are Top Crop green beans.
I had to take a break, so came in and ate another chicken breast meat sandwich from the one I roasted. Had to take some stuff for the aches.
I also got the 6 asparagus roots in. They look pretty sad... sure hope that something comes up from them.
I have some sunflowers I want to plant. I put them at the ends of the rows and where I make a break between different seeds or varieties usually. They just add to the garden. I also will plant one whole row along one edge... I just like them.
I need to get some cucumbers in. And I want to put in some cantaloupe.
I also am going to go buy a cattle panel since it doesn't look like DS gets the push to get the tomatoes in. I want them in and done before the rain we are supposed to get

 

[farmerjan]

Done for the night. Went to do the nurse cow and get a text about 15 min later that there are cows out on the road... I panicked jumped in the car and got down to the gate... realized I really did shut the gate when I went in... so then came down the road and there are 5 across the road, from the house, on the edge of the corn field... Got a bucket and called them and drove the truck and they followed right down to the front field & got them in. So I texted DS and said he needed to bring up some hay... these need to be preg checked and moved... they have fall calves on them... and he came up with hay and was all pissy with me...said they needed to go somewhere this was getting ridiculous to feed them hay...they were wanting grass.... and who could come preg check them because I probably couldn't do them right???? Like what is his problem... and I made the comment that the one field was all grown up with the autumn olive bushes...that's why there wasn't that much grass for them, plus their calves are getting bigger and eating more..... and he said "well, then get a chain saw and cut them down, I don't have the time... " like where did that come from either? ... Part of the reason the field has gotten so grown up is that for 2 years I asked about going in with the bush hog and cutting the fields and he always had an excuse why he couldn't put the bush hog on the tractor for me to do it... Even last year I did bush hogging.. it took me some time to get up in the tractor with the knees and all... but I still did some. He never did the nurse cow pasture either, even though I asked about it. I did it the year before in July...
So, I just said I will make some phone calls tomorrow. GF followed him to the field, he had the truck with 2 rolls on it, and he stood at the door of her truck talking to her and then got all sh#tty with me. I have about had it with his moods and all this crap with her. They are his cows getting out of there... don't go off on me. He bi#@Hes loud and long about my cows at the barn when they don't do what he wants... and he had no patience with the cow/calf pairs last night... I have about had it with his attitude again.
So, I will call the vet tomorrow and see when he can come preg check and then DS can do what he wants with them. The fence they keep getting out is the high tensile that has NO electric on it... so they just push through for the grass and eventually just walk out through it.
After all that, I went back up and turned the nurse cow out. She had an attitude tonight too. Was very intolerant of the calves.

I will do her in the morning and then go get a new panel and some t-posts... all the ones at the barn are tall and I don't need them 7 ft to just put in for the panel.... and come back and get it in so I can get the rest of the tomato plants in. Then try to get in the cucumbers and cantaloupe, and maybe some winter squash....
And see if the mower will start. The forecast is for mostly clouds but some possible part sun for a while during the day then clouds and rain coming in for Friday and into Sat morning... and getting warmer.
I really want to have most of what I want done, done, so it can get well watered in... and if it warms up it should come up quickly. I might do a short row of carrots. The ground seems pretty decent and might get something out of them.
Looks like the old seeds are not going to sprout...

I put in some dill, and marigolds, some straightneck yellow squash and some sunflowers and finally had to quit; back said enough. This is all very different from what I have done the last few years so pulling on muscles that are not used to it.

All according to what comes up of the old seed, then I will fill in with some other stuff. I am going to put in a little bit of lettuce even though we will be getting into hot weather....and then in July get some broccoli started for fall. And more lettuce later.

I ate some more roast chicken for supper... will get probably one more sandwich and then put the rest in to cook down for broth and maybe chicken salad out of the little left meat.

The corn is really coming up across the road. Looks like long green lines.... that is good.

Gonna quit and get some sleep.

 

[Baymule]

You have been pushing hard the last few days. The problem I see with rented pasture is that the fences are never that great, if you do very much to the fences, that is costly and you can't "take" the fence with you when the lease ends. It looks like some owners do not appreciate the hard work y'all do on the upkeep of their property.

I'm glad that you are getting the garden planted. You will enjoy the fresh vegetables, have some to put up and some to share. It sounds like you'll have a great garden! I love green onions, especially in scrambled eggs. Yummy!

Hope you can get DS to put the bush hog on the tractor and get the pasture mowed. He needs to cut his crappy attitude towards you. You work your butt off and are pretty much at his beck and call. When ever and what ever time he wants to work calves, you are there to help. You are his back up and he needs to appreciate that instead of snarling at you and complaining. Maybe he had a bad day, but it isn't your fault. Maybe you should unload on him or at least have a sit down talk.

Just my opinion, but I think you need to push towards getting your own place fenced, so you can have a few calves of what ever you want, at home. It would also help to keep the deer out and you could have a dog again. With all my barking dogs, deer never got in my garden.

 

[Mini Horses]

I have a sometimes ballistic son. He's been sent to anger management, drug programs, some things don't improve. Some do. He is a decent person until some of these things take over....very talented. Wasted often. Frustrated and annoying. Its like jekel and hyde. . Yes, I've unloaded on him before. It's a tightrope we walk. I feel your confused annoyance with no "real way" to fix it. Short of divorcing them.

Doing a lot of own work gets me through. Sometimes equipment handling is hard with weight and strength...at least my equipment is far smaller and I've learned to manhandle some of it! Not always easy. I've hired muscle on occasion.

I'm on garden weekend here, too! Do it, best we can, when we can...hope for best. Saw my friend whose tiller I have and thanked her for it. She's was as happy that I let DS take my tractor and hog to cut for her, so we have a mutual benefit. Works for me. Oddly, I'm looking to up posts & panels for similar use.. Would be nice if we lived close and could share the work. The hard work is always easier and seems more worthwhile, when you have another to at least hear you grumble or boast.

Today I have my last store for the week. 4-5 hrs so easy day. I'll suffer buying diesel before getting home so tractor can work all weekend . Gotta get done because a heavy work load next week -- haven't checked but prob sun all week, just to annoy me!

 

[farmerjan]

Yeah, @Mini Horses it would be great if we were closer to share the big garden... work and bounty... I hope to be able to sell some of the extra stuff... enough to pay for the plants and seeds and all... Luckily my plants were not expensive. You figure 2.50 a 4 pack is like less than $.65 a plant... I sure ought to be able to sell enough to pay for them. I am kinda keeping a running total of what I am spending... including the plowing and tilling... to see how it comes out at the end of the season. I am actually hoping that there are more people looking for fresh produce so that I will be able to sell stuff. I won't have a big variety... but am going to try to put the tomatoes into boxes/baskets or what ever by the variety to see if people like some kinds better than others. And I have planted quite a few of the Roma type tomatoes for sauce and such. We'll see. Still, if things don't do real good, if I have enough for myself and a little extra that will be good enough. Plus to feed the chickens....

I went and looked at fencing at Lowe's and to pick up the new weedeater that I bought on line. My other one is probably not fixable the guy said. I was going to go with a Dewalt since I have several of those tools and batteries, but they are alot heavier to handle. I had the black and decker and had 3 batteries already so went with another one. It has lasted 4-5 years... I didn't pay $90 for the new one, special on line and of course another 5% with the Lowes card which will get paid off next month. I had seen some "field fence" for $269 for 330 ft roll... but it is a little lighter weight and only class 1 galvanized... class 3 lasts much longer and is of course more expensive. The co-op here had fence panels for $1 more than TSC advertised,,, but the fence posts were .30 - .50 more each and I did not want real tall ones. I spent some time looking at types of flooring for the bathroom since I was there and got to talking to a "salesman" who seemed very knowledgeable... some really don't seem to know what they are talking about. Brought home a couple of small sample pieces just to see what I think of the colors in the room. I am going with "fake " planking instead of a tile pattern. I like wood looking stuff.

Went from there to TSC.... got 5 steel posts and then found a damaged(bent on one end) cattle panel and got it for 20% off... so it was 24 + change instead of 30.99. I was happy and brought it home and put it on a hard surface and mostly straightened it out anyway. Doesn't have to be perfectly straight to hold up tomatoes. I got it and the other short piece I had here that I cut off the "twisted like a pretzel" one I had. Got them both up and the tomatoes planted. Do you know I still have 12 plants left over? . Gonna go by and see if Sam has all his yet...I really don't want to put them in... I have A LOT of tomatoes in now. I always buy too many... plus the ones I started that I salvaged from the hail were starting to come along....
Didn't get anything else in... wanted to but I was pretty tired out from the trip to the stores and then putting up the panels and all...

By the time I got home, got the panel straightened and up and the short one up and all the rest of the tomatoes planted that fit... it was time to bring the laundry in; then went to do the nurse cow. She was in a better mood tonight too.
Then came home and weedeated until dark ... which wasn't very long.
The weather forecast is for some rain to come in tonight... and last until early tomorrow and then maybe another wave of rain after that... I have to load the meters and hoses for the big 250 cow farm tomorrow, that canceled on me last week. Hope I can do it inbetween rain showers.

Oh yeah, I also hit a good thing at the co-op... I went and got some feed to get me through with the nurse cow...used up the feed I picked up Sat at the feed store I like.... and on the way out I saw some horse feed for $10 bag... seems it was "out of date"... like the cows will care???? We basically only use it to get them into the catch pens... so I bought all 5 bags... and if I mix a scoop in with the nurse cow feed it won't hurt... I mean it is 11 or 12 % protein... no soy and all that stuff... probably "better nutrition" than the cow feed that I get, because I basically only get the "cheapest" maintenance stuff for when we call the cows in at pastures... it is a treat, not their ration for perfect production or anything. They are supposed to be getting that from the grass this time of year. That is cheaper than bulk price. Turns out it is 20.99 a bag normally. It pays to look for the bargains.

Did find the sheep and goat fencing I want for the property... 4x4 inch holes and all... $ 399 a roll at TSC... What did you pay for yours at TSC last year or 2 years ago @Mini Horses ???? I will probably cry when I hear... I am thinking that I ought to go on and get it now... I can put it on the TSC card with no interest for 12 or 18 months... no 5% discount but..... They had 4 rolls... get a discount on 10 rolls but I don't think I need that many... Glad I don't want the 2x4 wire... that was even more for a 220 ft roll....

Guess that's all for now.... Allergies weren't bad until this afternoon when the sun came out for a bit.; and then hit me with a vengenance. Eyes have finally stopped watering.