Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Baymule]

Your son is so used to you always being there, that he doesn’t realize how it would be with out you.
Would it be feasible to buy another place, and would rent money from the place you have now help cover what you would lose by backing out of the cow business? It may be time to crunch numbers. What do you actually clear per year and what would it take to replace it, or just do without it?

I believe in striking first. Waiting for it all to go down the drain will take you down with it. The time to get out is before it all blows up in his face. You will get the blame if you are there in the thick of things and you will get the blame if you have extricated yourself from the situation. Pick your poison.

 

[farmerjan]

@Baymule ....It won't go down the drain because he will be able to fall back on his father financially I think. His health is not that good and there are no other heirs. They have their spats, but the way the will is currently written it goes to DS... and he has POA and all that. His father has made the comment that he will not leave any to the step daughter since they fell out years ago...haven't spoken in years..... and that DS might as well get some use out of the money now while he is alive.... Have no idea what else there is but the house they built when they moved down here is paid for also... DS is on the deed now, I know....his wife, the stepmother, passed away a couple years ago....

I am not financially responsible for any of the mortgages or anything on any of the farm properties... he will not take me down financially. And since there are not any bills of sale, on many of the cattle, and without tattoos hard to prove which are which.... I can easily go in and say xyz are mine and there is no way for anyone to stop me. There are no loans against the cattle either.
I am going to just quietly do my thing, and do what needs to be done for the equivalent upkeep of my animals.

Funny thing is today he has been really decent... and civil.... and she was no where around. He also asked about the explorer... I said I had talked to GF sister and that she said she did not want to take on payments and that I was fine with that, I wanted her to have first choice since she had been interested. He said he would tell GF to tell her friend... and what did I want for it. I said, I already told you I would sell it for what the ford place will give me... 16,500. I have put over 600 into fixing the AC... and with the taxes title and all that, have more in it... he said yeah, about 1,000 or so... and I said yes. He said he didn't think they wanted to spend that much... (so why bother me about it) ..... so he said if they didn't take it would I sell it to the ford place ?, and I said that GF sister said she would put it on facebook market place and help me sell it and see if I could get a little more for it... that she helped him sell his truck etc... and so forth...may as well get as much as I can. I will give her something for helping sell it too... but I can/will fall back on the ford place so it will be gone by the holidays. He did ask if I still was interested in the truck and I said that it probably would be a good deal for me to buy it from him. So, that is on the table... but I am going to sell the explorer first.....

So helped at the barn this morning... watered down the silage as it dried on top alot over the weekend... then barely started packing it, as he was mowing hay, when the guy came to put the grass head on the chopper for the sorghum. I had to deal with someone breaking the end of the hose hooked into the water hydrant in the barn ( he had a guy there working yesterday for awhile and he is not too swift...dug out the ditch behind the barn where the water runs alongside; and I think they yanked the hose and it broke off the plastic "end" that we had put on it....not a big expense, but a PITA for me this morning.
So, I had to switch hoses around and all that, so was later getting started with the spraying water... then, I called him and said that Tyler was there at 10 and so DS left the field and came up in the tractor so we could use it to help pack... and he was going to need it to go round bale with anyway. So, I helped pack some but it was getting too high and I was not comfortable on it and he asked if I was okay and I said that I needed to quit... he said that was fine, he understood.... and with him having to use the bucket to spread it and do more zigzag packing to get it all done, I was sorta in the way too. Then when they quit to have lunch... DS wanted to keep packing and said he still had to do the chickens if I wanted to pack and I said I would go do his chickens so that he could do the packing... and then I would probably get my stuff and go to test anyway. He was very appreciative of that.... said thank you a couple of times so that he could keep packing... so I left there after rolling up the hoses from the watering... put mine in the car, and went and got him some lunch to eat while he was in the tractor. Talked about the hay and all, he was going to go bale some at the field that I had quit in, so I could get around, after they got done with the chopping.
I went and fed and watered all his chickens, went to the house and got my stuff, and left for work.

Of course, the farm I went to had problems with their sq baler; so they were late getting back to the barn to milk.... always something... but it went fine after they got there and got started.

DS had texted me and asked if I could maybe move round bales, then sent another text and said that it was more important to get the rest of the field raked as he had gone and baled some of what was in the way so I could get around... got one of the 2 other fields I already raked and most of the bigger lower field baled then went up and baled several rounds so I could finish raking without dragging through the windrows...
Then he wants me to go to the other place to rake as there is a 50-60% chance of rain coming in Thursday... he said if I could go and get the stuff raked he had cut, it ought to be okay to bale Wed aft since it was pretty dry when he was cutting it and turned up in windrows it ought to dry more with the breezes we have been having. If the weather holds in the low 70's the next 2 days, it ought to be dry enough to bale by Wed afternoon. This will all be rolled into round bales. He said if I went down there to let him know and he would make sure I would get a ride back up to my vehicle whenever I needed to go. I have no farms scheduled for Tues - tomorrow - so ought to be able to get it done. Then I have to test Wed morning and won't be home til after noontime... so it would be really good to get it done tomorrow then I won't have to worry about it.

And then, according to the weather, it will determine when he cuts the rest of the one field on top; he got the 4 acre long field cut, but only 2 rounds around the top field so it will only be one pass around it with the rake.... will have to finish cutting the top field, the small field across the creek, then the good orchard grass in the bottom field. We will have more sunny weather so we will make sq bales for much of the og field. I think there is one or 2 more fields there close to the barn to cut and that will be it for the year... I HOPE.

So that has been my day. Pretty decent and productive. I asked how many loads of corn silage and the sorghum... he said he thinks there were 34 truck loads of corn shopped and hauled and 15 of the sorghum-sudan grass... said the bunk is very full.... he leveled it down a bit so the plastic will cover it to seal it when they cover it.... but that is more than I expected to have. I will have to ask about the tonnage... but I am thinking each truck had 6-10 tons???? Depends because it was a little dry, but the sorghum was about perfect to chop... 400 tons if you figure 8 tons per load which is 16,000 lbs.....x 50 loads total... Last year we had 3 bags and it was about 100-125 tons per bag... so that would be about right I think. We fed out 2 full bags... he sold some of it also... but there is one bag still in the field that we will feed out first due to varmint damage/holes in the bag....
We had chilly weather long into what should have been spring... then it warmed up in a hurry... so we fed longer than normal. Luckily we have had a good year for rain overall.. so plenty of grass at most of the pastures. A couple were stocked to the max, like the 10 heifers he moved last evening... I might get a chance to go look them over tomorrow or wed....so that pasture was eaten down... but several of them still have plenty of grass for awhile...

Neighbors to DS house did have a frost there as the squash and green bean plants he planted late and got a good picking off last week, got hit. The squash are completely gone...
I did not get any frost in the garden here, but I am higher and we got a little breeze which saves it here.... The tomatoes still look good.... I did not plant late squash or green beans.... I hope to go out and pick all the green tomatoes towards the end of the week as there is another cold wave of air coming in after Friday... that will do it for the year I am thinking.
I will move the spider plants back in on Friday and probably will be it for them to stay in also. Got to get some brackets etc up so can hang them. They are looking really good and healthy... I am pleased with them.

So that is about it. I will try to go to the nurse cow pasture tomorrow eve but might have to wait for Wed eve if I am on the tractor late tomorrow. I have been giving them grain every other and sometimes have had to stretch it to 3 days according to the weather or my work schedule.
The calf on the cow with the huge udder is looking good and acting good so it is getting enough to eat. That is good.
The heifer calf on the nurse cow is still acting stupid and the 2 steers I put on her are doing fine and the one still likes to be rubbed... have no idea why she is acting so idiotic. And the "boys" are so calm..... Shame, as I will not want to keep her for a cow down the road with that sort of attitude....

Well, time to quit for the night.

 

[Baymule]

That's a switch. Maybe he has realized how much you do and how much he depends on you? Let's hope so. I hope this "nice" streak continues. It's good to know that he has his father to back him up if it gets bad for him. Without that, it would be hard for you to watch if he got into financial trouble.

 

[Ridgetop]

His mood/attitude changes are hard to figure out.

 

[farmerjan]

@Ridgetop ......Yes, his mood swings are worse than PMS'ing.....I attribute some of it to the continued headaches and all, that he has never been able to get over from that accident several years ago... he has had all sorts of tests... he cannot have a normal MRI due to metal in his eye... they say it can make it move and could blind him... but he has had all sorts of other stuff... and he is still going to the specialist and gets prolotherapy injections sometimes and this is an approved dr from the workman's comp... he is a sports medicine/spine/chiropractor/ and whatever... @ Va Tech complex... has all sorts of degrees and stuff... and DS does get some relief when he goes there.... I wish he would go back to my chiropractor, but it is not approved....
Some of it is the kow-towing to the GF all the time too. And, I am the one with the problem because she is always decent to me to my face... she is just very self centered and I have a hard time with that. Again, my problem.

So, today, Tuesday..... Got up, got the samples packed and dropped off for UPS. Went to get the tractor and guess what... that little loose wire must have been the whole problem because tractor started right up. Funny, how he never noticed it when it had to be jumped the other day.... Oh well... no matter. Now I know what else to check on first. So, I went up and he had gotten alot of the hay baled all around where I needed to make turns, so I finished up that field. Left there and came by my house and raked the acre or so that he had cut here... and then went down the dirt road and all up and around and into "dennis' " where he had cut. He cut a small area just above the barn which has alot of rock ledge... and it is pretty green. Don't know if it is going to be dry enough to bale tomorrow... it is shaded by trees so does not get alot of sun there to dry. This time of year it makes a big difference when the actual sun on the hay helps to dry and reduced time and it takes a long time to dry. Then did another small section in what used to be the pasture (we used to rent this until the owner decided he needed to plant deer plots for the deer and didn't want cattle in there in the winter.... like we need MORE DEER around here)....and it was pretty green too. Part of that is from the gound being very well fertilized from 20 years of the cattle on it from Thanksgiving to June 1st. But there is so much ledge and rock that most is not suited for cutting.

Anyway, then went up and raked the 2 rows he mowed in the upper field, and then raked the "long field" which is about 4 acres.... sits up there in a near perfect rectangle and gets all sun and makes some nice hay. It was in real good shape. He had texted me and I told him when I left the first place and did mine and headed to dennis', and said he could come then and take back to my truck, or wait til I was done. He said he would wait til later... he was at work.

So about 3 he texted me and said how was it going and I said I have about 15 minutes... finishing up the long field... so I did and came down off the hill and he was there and took me right to my truck and that was it. I left the tractor and rake there at dennis' as we will do the rest of the upper field and then the smaller field across the creek (just pasture grass) and the 10 acre orchard grass field as soon as the weather looks good.

Came home and hung out a load of jeans since there was a nice breeze... they will be dry and I can bring them in tomorrow afternoon after testing. A little bit later, he texted me and said if I was home he could use some help at the barn. So, I went to barn, and GF just got there too, from a Dr check up. DS had gotten the plastic over the silage and needed help to pull it tight when he was putting lime all around the edges to seal it. So she and I worked at pulling it tight and then as he used the tractor and bucket with the lime, and he could not get as close as he needed in spots, she would take a 5 gal bucket and scoop some out and dump it along the concrete walls so the plastic will stay down and seal out the air. It wasn't too bad but no sense in having air pockets. Then when he got down near the front edge, I pulled it straight and he dumped several buckets and then I spread it with the shove to seal it across the front.
Then he had a whole bunch of old plastic from the silage bags from last year and he put a second layer of plastic... BECAUSE, birds and some of the "critters" will make holes and this will help alot to keep the birds from pecking holes in the plastic. Plus, it is thicker plastic so won't tear as easily either. GF's ex came to get his daughter, and he helped DS with the 2nd layer of plastic and then they put old tires on the top to help weigh it down. He and DS are friends so it wasn't a big deal.
So, it was basically done by dark, I left and came home to put chickens in crate.

DS just called, he went and baled most of what was in the "subdivision fields" so he didn't leave it all for tomorrow. That is just "grass" and it was VERY DRY so the little bit of dew probably helped it a little. He is going to finish the top field that I finished raking today, tomorrow in the daylight... it is steep and not a good place to do in the dark. Then that will only leave going down to dennis' place tomorrow, to get it all done.

I will take these old "no good" tires here, from the last tire changes... cords showing through so definitely no good... down to the silage bunk... he needs quite a few more to make sure the plastic doesn't get "picked up" by any wind...keep it tight on the silage as it ensiles. I said that I needed to go to bed as I have to leave for work at 3:45 a.m..... he said oh, sorry, I didn't mean to keep you, I forgot you said you had to go to work... and then started talking about the price of cattle and I said... HEY, talk to me tomorrow... and he said, sorry... get some sleep....

Like I will if you get off the phone... "Chatty Cathy" tonight ?????
Makes me smile and want to strangle him at the same time.

So, I am quitting and going in to bed. Bottles in the car, don't need meters or anything. They never get there at 5 which is supposed to be their starting time... so if I get there by 5:30 it will be fine....

 

[Baymule]

You really need to get over it. The GF is nice to you, even reminds your son to tell you things that he forgets. I know why you have a problem with her, you just gotta drop it and move on. If you were better friends with her, she might could keep you more informed, since your DS forgets so often. Ponder on it.

 

[Alaskan]

Sunday. 1 p.m. and again waiting on DS. I screwed up when I parked the tractor and the rake is sitting in a little bit of a dip so can't get the tractor to roll off to start it Slap myself .... DOPE !!!! I cannot jump it from my little truck battery... and I do not know exactly how to jump it directly to the starter and I am not going to screw that up... So I called DS and he said he would be heading this way "shortly"..... I said I had half the big field done and wanted to get it finished. He was real nice on the phone so she was obviously right there with him.... and said he would show me how to jump it on the starter... and I said there was a wire unhooked and maybe that was why it wasn't charging but I didn't want to mess with it... "okay, I will look at it when I get there in a little while"... I said call me so I can come up and see how to jump it directly with the starter....I am going back to the house for now.......that was 2 hours ago. Guess I could take the car up as it has a brand new battery and it is actually a bigger battery than my truck.....

I had let the chickens out of the crate and no sign of the leghorn hen... so it is very unlikely she will reappear. Stupid crazy chicken. So now I will either have to find another hen to go with the rooster, or sell him sometime... I might take him to the Va Poultry breeders show in Nov..... either find him another mate or sell him. Maybe I can find some of the New Hampshires I want, instead. Nothing to do and he can keep the 2 lt brahma pullets company which will calm him down a bit anyway.

So, I made a sandwich and just ate. I got the samples from yesterday packed/boxed... need to strap and label to go out UPS tomorrow but that won't take but a few minutes. I am going to go out and get the clothes off the line.

There was maybe a smidgen of frost out on the grass that is laid over here at the house but I don't think so... It got down to 37 so not quite cold enough for that. There wasn't any real breeze but by 8 there was a light breeze again. It is blowing gently now. Sun is out and it is really nice if a bit cool. I have been out with a sweat shirt on all morning. Uncovered the spider plants and they all looked fine but I left them on the ground. Won't hurt them and will probably cover again tonight. Then a couple of warmer days in the upper 60's-low 70's and nights in the upper 40's and 50's. Rain towards the end of the week... then getting colder again. Probably will let them get another good rain soaking and then find places inside for them.
Talked to GF sister the other day at the farm.... as she was one wanting the Explorer... she said she didn't know if she wanted to take on payments right now and I fully get it. Told her that I fully understood. No hard feelings or anything but since DMV said the title was corrected, that I wanted to get it sold, and since she had expressed interest, she got first crack. She has a little "run around in car" that gets 25+ mpg and I told her point blank that she wouldn't get near that in this explorer, and that she was probably better off without the payments and she agreed... Then she said, well, I will help you get it sold... she has done lots of stuff on the computer and helped DS sell that truck that had gotten stolen that time... and she and her boyfriend had just sold a dump truck that he had and she said it was stupid that they were making payments and taxes and ins and all, and that he thought that going independent and quitting his job to go into business for himself right now, might not be a good idea... he makes good money I guess at this job... and she said that they had it for over a year and it was just costing ... anyway... she said she would get it on Facebook Marketplace and other sites and help me sell it... so if DS doesn't get the other person here to look at it in the next week... I am going to take her up on it and get it sold. Should be able to get more than the Ford place offered... AC works... and get it gone.

Yep, he is with the wrong sister for sure... this one is much more of a worker even if she has some bad "reputation" past to her name....and she does not like her sister's way of spoiling and mollycoddling the daughter. She is the one with the little boy that thinks my DS is just the greatest thing.... and she does not spoil him like her sister and her parents try to do.

Well, going out to get the clothes off the line and then take the car up and see if I can get the tractor started. I will sure be more careful about where the rake is situated when I park it the next time so it will roll.....

Bummer that he can't switch girlfriends

 

[Mike CHS]

You will probably get some rain tomorrow. Most of this front passed north of us but we got about an inch of rain and that is the first rain in over a month.

 

[farmerjan]

Thanks @Mike CHS ; Forecast is for us to get it starting after midnight tonight. And by looking at the radar, we are going to get a bit then it looks to split a bit and much going NNE above us, and some going more east and staying south.... We will take what we can get. We did get some from "IAN" and that was good. But with the clear crisp days and constant breezes, it has gotten rather dry, again. Not as dry as you though.

DS got the hay baled about 8:30 this evening finally. He was doing some work on the roof of his barn at the farm down near him that he had forgotten the tin had torn and blown off... so didn't get started baling until after 5... I went and got him a "bale" of twine for the baler and had it here at my house for him to put in the baler before he went down the hill to dennis'.... then I went and got the bale truck, so he could use it to bring the baler back up the hill and put in undercover and not get it soaked in the rain. It won't get used for another week probably. The tractor he left down there to hook up to the discbine to mow with next. When ever he deems it time to do it. After he unhooked the baler, he took me back to my car where I traded for the truck before... then he went to doug's and I just came home.

I tested this morning, left here at 3:45 and got to the farm at 5:05.... we started milking at 5:30 which is a bit earlier than they normally get going... still it was after 10 when we got done and there were a bunch of cows she had not gotten punched into the computer, so I had to put in all that info. I left there about 11 and stopped at the Goodwill there to poke around a little. Stopped and filled up with gas at 3.39 there, as it is hitting the 3.50's here now (and rumor has it that it is going to go up AGAIN).... and came home. Got here about 12:30. Let the chickens out of the crate... they were not happy.... Got the samples packed and dropped them for UPS.... then got the tires loaded and took them to the barn and put them at the bunk and dropped off the air tank that I had on the truck.
Managed to get the clothes off the line and in the house too.

I also got all the plants hung out for a "watering". By then DS had called to ask about the bale of baling twine... so I turned around and went right back to the barn where I had just been a half hour earlier....and got it.

It is still a warm 60* out. Said it was going to be a warmer night. I'll take it.... Clouds had covered the sky by 5-6 p.m. after the sun had actually peeked through for a bit.

Going to get some sleep and then tomorrow I have to get some dishes done and all that stuff that has not gotten done the past few days. See what the weather does, and do things accordingly...

 

[Baymule]

You had a late night, after a long day. hope you got some sleep.