Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Wed eve. Yesterday was a real nice day out. Tedded the hay, only took a little over an hour and then went to work. Had to wait for the dew to dry off though as it was still wet in places. It is real green along the one side where the sun barely gets up over the trees.... that will wind up going around the outside of a bale as it will not dry enough in the next 2-3 days.
Work went good, the daughter does an A-1 job with the paper/computer work.... They had dried off a bunch of cows so only had about 210 or so go through the parlor.
My jersey finally calved, a heifer... and we talked about me getting the other twin... They want to test again in early Dec so I think I will bring the 2 home then... the calf will be close to weaning and the other will be getting close to breeding. There is also another jersey there that they could not get bred so turned her out with the heifers as there is a bull in there... she has been nearly impossible to get caught in the catch pen... but is starting to come in now. I told them to either get her checked when they do that bunch of heifers, or get her where I can come get her. No sense in them feeding her if she is not earning her keep. There are 3 that are bred and going to go dry in Dec/Jan... I will leave them there since they have been feeding them all this time and milking them, they are entitled to have them through the next lactation.
They are going to be freshening about 50 heifers in late Dec into January.... plus the cows that are out dry coming back in. But they figured it would be better to get another test done before all these heifers come in and they have to try to "train them" what a milking parlor is all about. Then they will wait until probably late Feb/March to test again.
Then as usual, we get talking about all sorts of different stuff and I didn't leave there until after 7:30 and got home about 9. Put the chickens in the crate; samples in the house and came in.
The radar showed that we might get a little bit of a shower 5-8 a.m. but it was going to be hit or miss. It was a "hit" and we wound up with about .1 inch. And when I looked out I realized I forgot the jeans on the line so they got a rain water rinse earlier. I will have to remember them once they dry. It stayed mostly cloudy all day, so not real good drying except that there was quite a breeze. Looked like we would get another shower later but didn't. DS said he was going to tedd it out after work to knock the rain off and so it would not be on the wet ground. I probably should have done it but I didn't think he wanted it to get done today and again tomorrow. And he might say not to tedd it tomorrow and just rake it on Friday morning.

Since the weather was crummy, after I got the samples packed I went looking for a phone. Went to 2 verizon stores as the first one they didn't seem to care if I even walked in the door and it ticked me off. The second one was where DS usually goes as they have very good "customer service" . Spent 2 hours with a younger guy there, went over all sorts of different possibilities... they don't have that foldable flip phone by Motorolla I wanted to see, the new "razr" Yes, expensive... but I wanted to get a feel for it since I have been finding them on Ebay from a couple of sellers with very good ratings...and would buy 2nd hand to see if I truly liked using them. I want a phone that I can fold close and put in my front jeans pocket.... and NOT break the screen... DS said his cost in the $800 + range... they are so RIDICULOUSLY EXPENSIVE.......looked at the flip phone I can upgrade to for "free" but it is not even a little moisture(water) proof... and so would go with the bigger one that is similar to mine but bigger. I hate that they won't make a nice slim flip phone anymore like mine.
But because everyone keeps talking about getting a smart phone I have been doing some research....I am not sold on the Samsung Galaxy 4 foldable flip phone....a little big when folded into a square . It is almost like 2 of mine side by side... I really wanted to see if the Razr was a little narrower.....and I am NOT going to get a phone that is 6 or more inches long and 3-5 inches wide like most smart phones. My old flip phone is 2 inches wide and 4 inches long when folded shut and 7 inches long when I open it to use. I like the longer and narrower. So, I am still researching my options. I can go with the regular flip phone for now too.... the better one...

Talked to the farmer and they are thinking $30 a piece for the turkeys. I told them that I would have to get a place for them fixed, since we had some trees come down on some fence and it needs to be repaired... (we did, cattle fence, but I didn't have to tell them that) and that I wanted to look at them and then see what I could maybe do. I was thinking cheap... $10-15 or maybe 20 since they said they have had them and not been able to sell any in a year or more.... So I will go look at them tomorrow... thing is I would have to keep them til spring before I could sell any at the poultry swap to recoup some of the expense... and they will eat a fair amount of food in the process. We'll see. I am going to get some more eggs though....and see, in the conversation, if they want to sell any layers... she says they get way too many eggs and people are not buying like they used to. They are over a year old... I wouldn't mind having 3-4 or so...
Bottles in the tray, meters still in the car and the hoses... so loaded ready to go pretty much.
I will talk to DS in the morning and see if he wants me to tedd it out again... it won't be ready to rake before Friday anyway.
We are going to have to work the calves from 2 weeks ago through the chute and band and vaccinate.....in the next few days and then move the heifers up to the nurse cow pasture as soon as they can get a shot... 2 weeks after they were in with the bulls minimum.... Then the others will get worked through next week. Don't know if he is going to try to go down again on Monday... probably not as he will want to go with GF and the kids to Trick or Treat for Halloween....

Well, time for me to quit and get some sleep. I didn't sleep worth 10 cents last night so hope I will go right off tonight.

 

[farmerjan]

Heading out in a few to go tedd the hay. DS sent a text to see if I could I do it. So that is fine. Sorta planned on it anyway.
Sun is coming out, there were a few clouds but supposed to dissipate and be nice. I did bring in the spider plants last night that I had out for 2 days again, it was getting chillier. They got that little bit of rain yesterday. I picked up some different hooks and things at Lowes the other day... to try to figure out what I want to do about some sort of a pole or chain to hang all these pots. Next I will have to figure out where the studs are and all so they have good anchors so will take the weight. But I figure that windows have to be framed out right? ; so the studs would be right there along the window trim?
I know that @Ridgetop and her DH did all those renovating projects in the past... I just HATE doing this stuff... give me the animals and the garden anyday. OH WELL..... I will fiddle with some of it maybe over the weekend... need to get in the shed and find all the DeWalt tools and things I invested in and see about getting on some of this stuff....

Going to leave early and go by a "phone store" to look at different types of phones... maybe they will have the Razr one I want to look at and "hold" to get a feel of to see if I even like it in my hand....

Next will be a new laptop... screen on this one is not wanting to even work when I do the pinching on the side of it... I use it plugged into a flat screen on the desk at home all the time anyway.
Always something....

 

[Mike CHS]

That reminds me I need to get my rear in gear and start looking for a phone before mine no longer works.

 

[Ridgetop]

So do we. Apparently, ours are so old they will not be working after first of 2023. Don't want to pay $1000 for phone. Currently have an I-phone but am considering changing to whatever our sons have since they will be able to tell us what we are doing wrong. Also DSIL1 can get them cheaper on line. Then DSs can program them.

 

[Mini Horses]

I switched a month ago. It's an adventure!!! Took me a couple days to be able to answer . Then msgs, and now I'm ok but, learn more each week. It's way bigger than old one -- that is now still my alarm clock , a calculator, etc.

Some things are better -- like having some computer functions along with you all the time. Old one only talk & text. Also use new ones hotspot for my tablet & laptop, so cancelled Dish. Saved $. . Still trying to settle in on changes.

 

[farmerjan]

"Friday noontime. I was home late after this farm. The husband does not want to stop talking... he stays to make sure the wash cycles all run through and helps me to take out meters but then keeps on talking and I have 1 1/2 hr drive home...

Looked at the turkeys, they are big and look pretty decent... way too many toms... I offered 25 each and they said okay... will get them next month. They are staying in regular woven wire fence... 48 " tall... and they have bare ground there as there are way too many for the space... So I will hope they will be more than content to stay in here with all the grass and stuff to pick through. I really am torn about them in one way, and will have to feed them for the winter... but think that they will bring good money in the spring and so should break out even with the ones I might keep. They are bronze, and look to be a halfway between Broad Breasted and not... that is why I think they are not flying over... they have bred there and raised some young this past year... and the BB can't naturally breed... So they will pen them the night before, I will go test a morning milking....and then get them after. I need to get things "together" before they come here....

They have a mixed bunch of chickens, most look to be small and more bantam sized so not interested in any for layers. Too many roosters there also... typical of so many that do not cull and try to make them at least break even. I had thought the eggs I got were from pullets but are actually "full sized" for the chickens they have. They taste fine but not what I want in the long run.

Also, for everyone with the phone situation "aging" out... Verizon says that the service will end with the date of the DECEMBER bill... they will suspend the number and account... in my case DS's bill is Dec 23.... but there are some that are billed early in the month. So I am figuring that I have a month....

I made several phone calls before I went to tedd and then to leave for work... No one had the Razr foldable flip phone I wanted to see and "hold in my hand". So I went to the Best Buy as they have one of the biggest selections..... and the people there were absolutely wonderful to talk to and ask questions of..... the neatest thing is showing the one young man, 30's I would say, when he saw my phone. He said he hadn't seen one in years.... and so when he asked my permission to handle it... which I just handed it to him.... and his biggest thing was, he could not believe the hinge on it worked so good.... how tight it was.... and the color and all the buttons lit up... he said they just don't make them like that anymore. Another colleague was probably in her 20's.... DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS.... and went nuts saying it was the neatest phone she had ever seen and wished they still made small ones like that....
And lo and behold.... they had a Razr foldable flip phone that had been ordered then returned a couple weeks ago. They give a 14 day return policy on anything they sell.... there is nothing wrong with it, just the person did not like the phone and bought a different smart phone in the flat screen type. So, they let me hold it, feel the weight and size, all that. I also looked at the galaxy z4 foldable flip phone, again, but it is "fatter" when it is folded. It is about 1/4 inch narrower, but more squared off and fatter when folded shut. The guy I was working with did tell me that motorola used to be one of the best for quality... well made, and "lasting"... but they were bought out by Lenovo, a chinese company and they are not as "reliable" as the focus is on the new inovations and all the newest apps and that sort of stuff.... They are both still over 1 1/4 inches wider than my small old flip phone... but they are about the length opened as my flip phone is opened. Mine is just long and narrow and very comfortable to use.
And the Razr I am interested in was last "updated" 2 years ago... that is their newest one, whereas the Galaxy is "new" this year.... the technology is new in the galaxy... and that most phones have supported updates for 3-5 years .... so the Razr is "2 years old" .... technology wise....
The Razr is $1000 average, the Galaxy 4 is $1000-1500 average new.
So things to ponder.... BUT, there is a big discount on the Razr they have there, PLUS the "open box" as opposed to being a sealed box..... brings it down to the prices I have been researching on the internet...for refurbished, with being able to buy protection and insurance and having "local" access to having it worked on...
Most all smart phones are minimum $200.... even a decent flip phone now is $100 if you get one that is water resistant..... and I looked at some smart phones that were in the $3-500 range and there were some that were over $800... My DS said his was over $800.... which I think is just absurd.... but then I think that $5 a lb butter is totally ridiculous....
So, is it worth the price for the foldable phone that I really prefer ? .... It will be less than half of what the new phone out of a sealed box will cost... the insurance/warranty/guarantee is all there....
Going to ponder it for a bit. It is "for sale" there so someone could come in and buy it....

And I did not realize this; but you cannot change a battery in a smart phone... they are sealed... like I can change the battery in this old flip phone I have...don't know if the regular flip phones have replaceable batteries.....

This is the age of throwaway and the whole younger generation really has no clue to the REUSE and rebuild and refurbish and replace parts....the sealed smart phones are not made to replace things....like batteries.

What a wasteful world we have become.

The one other caveat to this foldable Razr, is it is "unlocked"... so only needs a "sim card" for the company I want to go to... most of the ones I have priced are for a certain company... they have "e-sims" which are not "changeable" to another company....so if DS and I "split" then I could go to a different carrier and just change the sim card....

Boy have I learned a new vocabulary in the past week or 2.

I could take this to the Verizon guy and they said at Best Buy that Verizon might very well just put in a sim card for nothing (they are about $10 so not a big cost) to keep me in the network.... and since that young guy at Verizon was so helpful, and he said I could call him and ask any questions etc.; so he would probably give me "lessons" to run a smart phone... set it up so to speak.

We'll see... going to spend a couple days to ponder it....

Everyone that has to upgrade, don't leave it for too late... there are many phones that are out of stock now... Best Buy had almost 1/3 of the "display phones" out of stock....

 

[Baymule]

I have an I-phone and love it. It goes in my front pocket, screen side against my leg. When I wear overalls, it goes in the zipper bib pocket. When I buy new blue jeans, I check for pocket phone fit. LOL

 

[SageHill]

Just got a new iPhone Mini. It's smaller than the old iPhone - yay. I really didn't want a new phone - the old one worked fine, but DH's battery wouldn't hold a charge for very long (I said he used the phone too much ). So far this one at least doesn't hang out of my pocket - though I'd guess it might fall out of the pocket after getting on and off the tractor a few time. So far though, so good.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yep. Battery dies and new phone needed in these.

You could have bought the phone, pondered a few days after and return if you like. Now, by the time you finish pondering, someone else may own the reduced price unit.

 

[SageHill]

Yep. Battery dies and new phone needed in these.

You could have bought the phone, pondered a few days after and return if you like. Now, by the time you finish pondering, someone else may own the reduced price unit.

Planned obsolescence