Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Yesterday was a pretty nice day after all. Got up, packed samples, did the chickens. It was 24 but went to 50 in the sun in the afternoon. After getting the meter brackets changed, went and set up. Met GF at the barn and we went to the pasture where the cows were and got most in the catch pen. Loaded 10 cows 2 calves and she stayed there with her daughter to get the other cows still out, in, and I came to the barn. I unloaded and DS was supposed to be getting off work to take the trailer back and get the rest. They got them in and had to wait on DS. I had stopped and put air in a low tire, then unloaded at the barn and had it ready for him to go back. I came home and got the clothes off the line... got the bottles and went to work.

Talked to DS after I got done testing, and of course it was "decided" that the night crew was going back in at midnight last night. I just listened as I tried to tell him earlier that he would probably have to go back in.... but again, I don't know what I was talking about... but that is so redundant that it is not worth my breath to say anything any more. He wanted me to know that they tagged and banded all the calves on the trailer and took them to the pasture and then took the 10 cows and the other 2 calves up there also and got them out at the winter pasture right across from my property. Originally he said we would probably do them today... but he said they are the quietest calmest calves we have had in years.... They are not "matched" so I will have to take time to see who is nursing who... but since they were all going there, at least they were all together and matching numbers can be done, when the weather is a little nicer. There are 13 calves and 14 cows and the owner of where they were said there was a dead calf so that is right. There is one cow he kept at the barn and said he was sure she had not calved... and I looked it up and she was about 1-2 months "shorter bred" when we preg checked so that is right. Since he was not sure who had the dead calf they all went out there. If I can figure out who lost the calf, she may get sold... all according to who she is and if she is old or anything like that.

So, I got up this morning to some rain and ice... car covered in ice... and it started to rain/sleet more after we started testing. It was NASTY, ICY, COLD RAIN, when I came out and went to the house to do the computer work. That went smooth and went back to the barn and loaded all the meters since the wash system was done... everything is in the car so done for several days.

It was 30 and is up to 32 at noon... might warm up a few degrees by afternoon, the rain is supposed to end late afternoon and then another bout before the frigid temps come down tomorrow by noon or so. Hoping that I don't have any frozen pipes out of it. I will probably let some of the faucets "trickle" so they don't freeze if the cold winds hit like they say.

Going in to pack the samples to send out. Just ate a bowl of cereal for "brunch".... I am thinking I will get out some stew meat and make a good beef stew....got potatoes and can add a pkg of mixed vegs since I don't have any carrots or celery to add in.
Have a small grocery list of things I keep forgetting so wrote them down... might venture out tomorrow morning for a few things since I just don't want to go out again this afternoon in this crummy wet/cold... just have to drop off the samples off for UPS.... I want to get everything together into gift bags for Christmas ready to go to his GF parents for the kids and all.

Talked to Deb and she is not coming out now for Christmas... and will not be out next weekend either as she has a New Years get together to go to. I am thinking that she just might be losing the push to come out here since she is not close to any family or close friends here. I wouldn't be surprised if she decides to sell it in another year or so. Since she lost her husband, there is not the incentive to be out here and I think she is not wanting to do all the work to maintain it.... can't really blame her under the circumstances. It will be worth a small fortune if she decides to sell it. We'll see.... she might fool me and decide to just work it out to work from home here... but somehow I just don't see it...

Going in to do the samples....

 

[farmerjan]

Well.... another afternoon in paradise.... Samples packed and went out to send them off. There is a good sized branch on the power lines on the way to drop off the samples... and it is sparking and smoke... so I called the power company... told them that I know they are busy with the ice and crappy weather, but I am thinking that the branch may catch on full fire or cause the power line to get burnt or whatever and the power going off. The power had flickered twice already but I didn't know if it was from that. So anyway, the lady was nice and was going to send in the work order to have it checked out.
Came home and was glad to get in the house. It has rained and sleeted and iced over, all afternoon. Saw lots of branches down in the 2 mile stretch just to take the samples for shipment.
Of course, about 4:30 as I am making some pudding, the power flickers and goes off... LUCKILY... I have propane for cooking so I got the pudding finished and had to go hunt up a kerosene lamp and fill it... and lit a few candles as it was getting dark. I called the automated line to report the power outage... and I could see there was no power across the road at the former owners place up on the hill.
It was off about 1 1/2 hours again, and then came back on. I went out to lock in the chickens in the crate and "scurried" back in the house. The rain had not let up... it was very light and misty, but had been doing that for over 12 hours on top of the few stronger light rains and sleet... the ground is soggy. I did not put out the rain gauge since I was afraid it would freeze and I would forget to get it in before the artic blast comes down. So I do not know how much precip but I would bet it is equivalent to what we had last week which was 1.2 inches.... If/When this frigid cold snap comes through tomorrow, it is going to freeze things and I bet we get some plant kills from it.

It only got up to 33 today, so not much thawing at all. EVERYTHING is coated with ice... more than last week. If the wind gets up like they say, there will be LOTS of branches snapping off and trees down and all that. I suspect the power will go off again too.

I took out stew meat to thaw so I can make some stew.... thinking I may find something to bake tomorrow too so the oven will be going... or might wait to do that on Saturday if it is so cold....
Several members on one of the cattle forums are in Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Ohio, Minnesota...... pretty much all are forecast to have blizzard like conditions.
A few on here are also in "blizzard forecast areas"... the rest of us seem to be "only" due to have frigid, "frost your ba##@ off", temps... NOT looking forward to it at all....

Hope everyone is safe in this weather that is smacking us up side of the head for a Christmas present this year.

 

[farmerjan]

Was 35 when the recording temp gauge changed over for a new 24 hour reading and it is now down to 16 at 11 a.m..... Few flurries early but it blew right past pretty much. Wind is gusting now and colder than it's been in a long time. The sudden drop is what is so hard. Chickens water was okay earlier... They will drink what they need and then tomorrow I will take more out.

Going to go to the nurse cow pasture and put some hay in bunk feeder in barn for the calves but DS put hay out yesterday. Luckily all those baby calves are at least 6-8 weeks old now. He got stuck getting out of the field because it is a long hill to come up from where he fed the hay down back... somewhat out of the wind....and it was so slick, wet, soggy... he had a flat on the truck the other day, slit the sidewall... so only had some straight tread tires to put on it... and he just couldn't get the traction.
He did go get the tractor the other evening and so it is back to use...got the front end loader put back on it while the temps were warmer the other day too so he was not fighting the cold to try to do it. I sure hope he put stuff in the fuel tanks...He will be doing alot of hay feeding today to get extra out for them for eating and for some windbreaks too.

Sun is out but it sure isn't helping much...

 

[farmerjan]

BOY, is it ever COLD out there. Down to 4.... yep plain old 4*. 7 p.m. There is a breeze and it makes it colder... have no idea of the actual wind chill but they are saying it will be a "feels like" -15 tonight. It is not howling out there, but enough gusty winds to hear it and the wind chime on the porch is constantly ringing, so the wind is pretty consistently blowing.

Chickens are locked in and I am in. Started the beef stew... ate a sandwich and going to eat some of the pudding I made. Have to go put the potatoes in the stew, I just got the meat browned; got a drip in the kitchen sink and all the cabinet doors are open.

Hope we don't have any calves born tonight....

Can't change it so just have to live with it...

Looking at your water/ICE @Baymule ... hard to believe that you are that cold down there again this year.

One of the guys in Alabama had 2* this morning... and a new calf born and it is up and doing good he said... Boy, they are not equipped for that...
I really feel bad for all you real DEEP SOUTH southerners... I know this is just way out of line for you. We get this but usually not this early in the winter.... here in the western part of VA, in the mountains, it is not that unusual to get real cold... but still... this is REALLY COLD...

Going to get all the gift bags put together since I did not do it yet... Then going to maybe get the vacuum out and do some cleaning up.... then again, might just get out a jigsaw puzzle and start one of them.

 

[Mini Horses]

I've been inside a while -- I'm still cold!

Glad I'm beyond outhouse facilities.

 

[Baymule]

My new propane heater is on, central heat is taking a break. 2 little granddaughters, son and I have been playing Uno card game and drinking hot tea. Bedtime for girls in 20 minutes, yeah-right! Right now they are crushing each other in the box the heater came in and beating on an empty cookie tin. And the 15 year old? Piled up in bed watching movies on her laptop. She’s sickly and feels yukky.

 

[Mike CHS]

The last time I went out to replace ice with water, my hands literally were painful by the time I got back to the house. Mel and Maisy could care less what the temp is but the ewe flock has been heading into the stall about sundown to cuddle up around the heat lamps.

 

[Mini Horses]

Pretty sure there will be some toting and breaking tomorrow. Sheep seem more herd happy than goats -- who are often "clickish" as to sharing space and food calmly. Mine all have shelter and bedding but no heaters. Hoping they huddle peacefully, do ok. This cold is brutal, worse in 40 yrs! Scary cold.

 

[Baymule]

@Mini Horses toting boiling water is no fun. Get your big pots out and buckets. Do you have a wagon to put buckets in? Only half fill buckets so hot water doesn’t slop out on you. In our-6F Snowmeggdon of 2021, I couldn’t use my wagon, due to deep snow and ice, so had to carry buckets of boiling water to the barn. It took 3 hours every morning and afternoon to care for animals

Draw up plenty of water in case your pipes freeze.

 

[Mini Horses]

I use water totes with screw on lids...from camper section....small lids like on a gas can. Plus easier to control pour. Still, no fun. Plus some gallon jugs.