Ridgetop
Herd Master
Wow! That was a terrible ice storm!
Farmerjan's journal - Weather
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farmerjan
Herd Master
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Talk about extremes.... The temps warmed up into the low 50's by Monday afternoon... the ice came off the trees and hit the roof at the barn and it was really loud and disruptive. Cows were acting all stupid.... DS being dead tired, from 2 nights of working, driving to the doctor's and back.... didn't help his short patience and attitude... and there is more going on there with GF too; and add to it some more STUPID BS with his cousins (my nieces) over the settlement of the estate... and not wanting to pay my brother... and if they don't soon get it figured out then they may as well just turn it all over to the lawyer.... DS is beyond FURIOUS with them... and if it goes to the judge, my brother will get paid as stated in the will... so this is just the biggest bunch of STUPIDITY and BU//SH!T there ever was.... and on top of it, it seems the other brother has not done his "job" of the paperwork for his share of the annuity....that we were the direct beneficiaries not in the estate.... and that was over a year ago.... so the estate cannot be "closed" or whatever they call it until he does that.... this is such a sh!t show.... I am ashamed to be related to the whole bunch. DS was telling me about the email the one niece sent to the judge... it is so stupid.... and he said he is soooo done with the whole bunch and the BS.... and I said, now do you understand why I moved 500 miles away and didn't go back very often and only for very SHORT visits.....
Vet check went pretty good. 35 cows, 6 open.... 2 OLD cows that it is fine but the other 4 were 2nd calf ones and they are on the thin side... they lose alot of weight with calves on them. All 4 of them were bought; he had bought 12 1st calf heifers 2 years ago.... they raised decent calves... but it really takes alot out of them. There are 3 old cows with no teeth in this group, that raised calves and are 5-6 months pregnant, so it makes you wonder why young cows did not catch before they started to "milk the fat off their back" as the saying goes.
We moved 26 out back to the "autumn olive " field, that are preg, to go with the 11 from the preg check last week. There are a couple in the barn that will get moved elsewhere, but it was 3 trailer loads and we had to back all the way out the old railroad bed that is the road to the back, and after years of trees and leaves etc... after that ice it was muddy on top and just hard to back it out. Hard underneath from the old railroad bed (it was a spur line years ago). With the ice and melting and all, no way to turn the truck and trailer around without getting hung up in the field and tearing up the hayfield .... and that is not going to happen. So anyway... that is done. We will move a few more around... he is going to have to decide what he wants to do with the 4 opens... the other 2 will go to the stockyard when we take a load.... one is mine, a bought cow; and the other is a 2009 (year born) cow we raised up from a heifer, out of a cow we bought years ago. She has raised some decent calves... She is in good shape, raised a decent calf, open, and NO TEETH.... bye......
We will get more moved ... because he is going to bring in the other calves that should have been weaned and he put across the drive way for "a couple weeks" and then haven't gotten brought back in so the cows can get a rest. Most of them were checked preg and will go out back with the rest. There ought to be between 50-60 breds all together.... once they all get moved around where they need to be. Plus there are a few with new calves that will go with this bunch.... too late to want them to get bred now... we are trying to get away from calves in this crappy cold weather.... so will hold the ones with new calves back with these pregnants and then they will go with the bulls in June and should get bred back quick since their calves will be a little bit older and they should be in good shape.... June breeding means calving starting in March....
There will be about 8-10 that I don't know if he is going to hold and put with the bull in June or just put a little weight on and sell... My preference is for most of them to just feed for a month, get some weight on them with the silage we have to feed... and ship 'em....
The one that he thought had that baby calf, that wasn't really "right" and I lost; was open, so she is the one that calved... and never really acted like it was hers... just a very passing interest... she is going along with the high headed one and the 2 from the nurse cow pasture if I can get them in when it is dry enough to get the trailer up there.... since he was talking about cutting back a bit on cows and trying to do more steers, this is the best way to do it.... cull the ones that need to be gone....
Then I went to the meeting but he was just too tired and went home to get some sleep.... It was on managing weeds... and of course was based on using herbicides and timing to control weeds and such.... just made me aggravated that they(Va Tech and the whole extension service) spend so much time and studies on chemical control and not doing studies on how to try to manage the pastures to control them in other ways... although they did say that one of the best was to manage weeds in pastures and hayfields, was to run goats in a rotational grazing system.... but when I asked about any studies on how to maybe manage the soil fertility to make it less "attractive" to weed growth... they said that we needed to manage the soil for optimal growth of the desired species instead.... WHY can't they be a little more of a combined management rather than manage for the desired species and kill off the undesired with chemicals....
I did find out that it is against the law to sell or move any hay treated with Grazon (widespread application for killing weeds) off the farm (or off the fields where it was made) to other property that has not been treated due to the toxicity of the Grazon in the hay (straw etc.) that lasts for at LEAST 18 MONTHS.......because it will contaminate the soil.... so make sure that if you use old hay or something for mulch it is off fields that are NOT treated with Grazon..... there are other chemicals that do not have such a long life and can be used within 4-6 months... so any of last years hay could be safely used for mulch the next year... but not with anything treated with Grazon... or a newer class called Dura-Cor ....for anyone interested the chemical names are : picloram and aminopyralid and clopyralid.... these are "Pyridines" and it can go through the animals system and be present in the manure and urine.... it affects all broadleaf crops which most of the vegetables we grow fall into that category....
Surprisingly, the 2-4-D classes are target specific, and very short lasting as it is degraded by ultraviolet light.... does not do as good a job on some weeds, and is not known for the lasting effect....but over all, a better one to use for some weed control on stuff it will target.
Manure and spoiled hay from fields treated with the Grazon type herbicides can be used on pastures and hayfields since it does not affect "grasses"... just broadleaf plants.
Tested this evening.... going back in the morning.
Took car down to the co-op..... after inflating tire up with air tank...had a small rock between the treads punched right up into the tire.... looks like a mini sized arrowhead.... 4th time this particular tire has had something in it.... a piece of wire; a big screw another time... cannot remember the other.... REALLY ?????
Gotta get some sleep.....
Vet check went pretty good. 35 cows, 6 open.... 2 OLD cows that it is fine but the other 4 were 2nd calf ones and they are on the thin side... they lose alot of weight with calves on them. All 4 of them were bought; he had bought 12 1st calf heifers 2 years ago.... they raised decent calves... but it really takes alot out of them. There are 3 old cows with no teeth in this group, that raised calves and are 5-6 months pregnant, so it makes you wonder why young cows did not catch before they started to "milk the fat off their back" as the saying goes.
We moved 26 out back to the "autumn olive " field, that are preg, to go with the 11 from the preg check last week. There are a couple in the barn that will get moved elsewhere, but it was 3 trailer loads and we had to back all the way out the old railroad bed that is the road to the back, and after years of trees and leaves etc... after that ice it was muddy on top and just hard to back it out. Hard underneath from the old railroad bed (it was a spur line years ago). With the ice and melting and all, no way to turn the truck and trailer around without getting hung up in the field and tearing up the hayfield .... and that is not going to happen. So anyway... that is done. We will move a few more around... he is going to have to decide what he wants to do with the 4 opens... the other 2 will go to the stockyard when we take a load.... one is mine, a bought cow; and the other is a 2009 (year born) cow we raised up from a heifer, out of a cow we bought years ago. She has raised some decent calves... She is in good shape, raised a decent calf, open, and NO TEETH.... bye......
We will get more moved ... because he is going to bring in the other calves that should have been weaned and he put across the drive way for "a couple weeks" and then haven't gotten brought back in so the cows can get a rest. Most of them were checked preg and will go out back with the rest. There ought to be between 50-60 breds all together.... once they all get moved around where they need to be. Plus there are a few with new calves that will go with this bunch.... too late to want them to get bred now... we are trying to get away from calves in this crappy cold weather.... so will hold the ones with new calves back with these pregnants and then they will go with the bulls in June and should get bred back quick since their calves will be a little bit older and they should be in good shape.... June breeding means calving starting in March....
There will be about 8-10 that I don't know if he is going to hold and put with the bull in June or just put a little weight on and sell... My preference is for most of them to just feed for a month, get some weight on them with the silage we have to feed... and ship 'em....
The one that he thought had that baby calf, that wasn't really "right" and I lost; was open, so she is the one that calved... and never really acted like it was hers... just a very passing interest... she is going along with the high headed one and the 2 from the nurse cow pasture if I can get them in when it is dry enough to get the trailer up there.... since he was talking about cutting back a bit on cows and trying to do more steers, this is the best way to do it.... cull the ones that need to be gone....
Then I went to the meeting but he was just too tired and went home to get some sleep.... It was on managing weeds... and of course was based on using herbicides and timing to control weeds and such.... just made me aggravated that they(Va Tech and the whole extension service) spend so much time and studies on chemical control and not doing studies on how to try to manage the pastures to control them in other ways... although they did say that one of the best was to manage weeds in pastures and hayfields, was to run goats in a rotational grazing system.... but when I asked about any studies on how to maybe manage the soil fertility to make it less "attractive" to weed growth... they said that we needed to manage the soil for optimal growth of the desired species instead.... WHY can't they be a little more of a combined management rather than manage for the desired species and kill off the undesired with chemicals....
I did find out that it is against the law to sell or move any hay treated with Grazon (widespread application for killing weeds) off the farm (or off the fields where it was made) to other property that has not been treated due to the toxicity of the Grazon in the hay (straw etc.) that lasts for at LEAST 18 MONTHS.......because it will contaminate the soil.... so make sure that if you use old hay or something for mulch it is off fields that are NOT treated with Grazon..... there are other chemicals that do not have such a long life and can be used within 4-6 months... so any of last years hay could be safely used for mulch the next year... but not with anything treated with Grazon... or a newer class called Dura-Cor ....for anyone interested the chemical names are : picloram and aminopyralid and clopyralid.... these are "Pyridines" and it can go through the animals system and be present in the manure and urine.... it affects all broadleaf crops which most of the vegetables we grow fall into that category....
Surprisingly, the 2-4-D classes are target specific, and very short lasting as it is degraded by ultraviolet light.... does not do as good a job on some weeds, and is not known for the lasting effect....but over all, a better one to use for some weed control on stuff it will target.
Manure and spoiled hay from fields treated with the Grazon type herbicides can be used on pastures and hayfields since it does not affect "grasses"... just broadleaf plants.
Tested this evening.... going back in the morning.
Took car down to the co-op..... after inflating tire up with air tank...had a small rock between the treads punched right up into the tire.... looks like a mini sized arrowhead.... 4th time this particular tire has had something in it.... a piece of wire; a big screw another time... cannot remember the other.... REALLY ?????
Gotta get some sleep.....
Baymule
Herd Master
Sorting out and culling the unproductive is a smart thing to do with the feed and hay prices what they are. Even though y’all make your own hay, it ain’t free. Cull prices being up, got to take advantage of that.
That’s interesting about the poisons. I’m pretty much anti poison, but I sure won’t let my fence rows grow up in the mess they are now-if I ever get them cleaned and new fence put up. Had no idea that Grazon would last so long. 18 months to decompose is a long time. I have a lot of weeds and forbs that the sheep like, I don’t want to poison them. Then there’s pigweed, nasty stuff with stickers all over them. I’ve got some bodacious big thistles coming up. Been too wet to get out in the field, gonna chop them off at the ground with a hoe, toss in back of the mule and put on the burn pile. So much to do!
That’s interesting about the poisons. I’m pretty much anti poison, but I sure won’t let my fence rows grow up in the mess they are now-if I ever get them cleaned and new fence put up. Had no idea that Grazon would last so long. 18 months to decompose is a long time. I have a lot of weeds and forbs that the sheep like, I don’t want to poison them. Then there’s pigweed, nasty stuff with stickers all over them. I’ve got some bodacious big thistles coming up. Been too wet to get out in the field, gonna chop them off at the ground with a hoe, toss in back of the mule and put on the burn pile. So much to do!
SageHill
Herd Master
Learn something new everyday - Grazon - huh - learning learning learning.
Mike CHS
Herd Master
The only thing I have used is 2-4-D but even that I spot sprayed and haven't done it but a couple of times.
Ridgetop
Herd Master
What a pain about the relatives and the estate. Can your son get his own lawyer to petition the probate court to administer the estate according to the will? or will that just cost him more money and not benefit him? The more time it takes, the more the lawyer will charge - and frankly if he is trying to deal with those troublemaking cousins, who can blame him?!
Culling is always a good idea. I sent 2 ewe lambs to the auction because I was not impressed by them. Probably would have held them if hay wasn't so expensive. They were undersized at birth but lively and were catching up to the others but decided that I didn't want to continue to feed them until the next auction run in July. I don't have to dispose of any old favorites yet. Already culled several that had problems or I didn't like for various reasons. The old ones that you have loved are the hardest to cull. I try not to love too many.
I really want to take the Dorper judging course in April. I really think it will help me with deciding which animals to keep for breeding and which to take to auction. DS1 and I are fairly good at choosing, but the judging course will be good for me. I called one of the people trying to organize it and she said that DH could probably go for free with me since he wouldn't be taking the tests. He likes to go and talk to other breeders so it would be fun to go together. We could drop DS1 off at his friend's place to spend some time with him. Apparently, the friend has some repairs he wants help with. DS1 is usually up for that. He can learn to operate some of the large tractor equipment that Leen has.
The weather sounds horrible back there with the problems with ice and then mud. Too bad that DS is getting so exhausted. Any updates on whether he is considering early retirement due to disability? Hopefully GF is not having problems with the cancer returning. Health problems are really good at causing bad tempers.
Culling is always a good idea. I sent 2 ewe lambs to the auction because I was not impressed by them. Probably would have held them if hay wasn't so expensive. They were undersized at birth but lively and were catching up to the others but decided that I didn't want to continue to feed them until the next auction run in July. I don't have to dispose of any old favorites yet. Already culled several that had problems or I didn't like for various reasons. The old ones that you have loved are the hardest to cull. I try not to love too many.
I really want to take the Dorper judging course in April. I really think it will help me with deciding which animals to keep for breeding and which to take to auction. DS1 and I are fairly good at choosing, but the judging course will be good for me. I called one of the people trying to organize it and she said that DH could probably go for free with me since he wouldn't be taking the tests. He likes to go and talk to other breeders so it would be fun to go together. We could drop DS1 off at his friend's place to spend some time with him. Apparently, the friend has some repairs he wants help with. DS1 is usually up for that. He can learn to operate some of the large tractor equipment that Leen has.
The weather sounds horrible back there with the problems with ice and then mud. Too bad that DS is getting so exhausted. Any updates on whether he is considering early retirement due to disability? Hopefully GF is not having problems with the cancer returning. Health problems are really good at causing bad tempers.
Bruce
Herd Master
I doubt Vermont is unique ... a lot of the dairy farms employ illegals because no one else will do the work. We REALLY need to update the "guest worker visa" process.
DD1 had that happen. I couldn't believe how a small sliver of driveway stone could get shoved up between the treads and cause the tire to leak. My eyes were looking for a screw or nail. Seeing nothing i took it to the local (now moved to MA
) mechanic and he found the stone, then plugged the tire.
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Ridgetop
Herd Master
The guest worker visa program should be revamped, and immigration keep track of those workers on it. The program was good for farmers, ranchers, and farm workers from south of the border who could make enough in a season to support their families in Mexico.
BUT that program doesn't work anymore since a lot of those who would have been "guest workers" no longer need to work when the government will give them handouts. As all former Californians know, most of our seasonal agricultural workers came up from Mexico, worked for the season, then went home to families in Mexico. In fact, many of our other working "illegals" did that too. The US allows taxpayers here to claim dependents living in Mexico on their taxes for deductions (when taxes are paid). Mexico is the only country for which that is allowed. Many years ago, illegals realized that if they brought their families with them, children could go to school, collect medical benefits, children born here would be citizens, etc. Now that Biden and his cronies have allowed everyone to pour into our country the "immigrants" are not even making a pretense of coming here to work. Just witness the way those housed in New York hotels have trashed the hotels, complained that the food is not good enough and dumped it in the trash, and made the area unsafe. The majority of illegals pouring over the border these days are not families, but young single men.
In addition, residents of the US who bring their relatives here to live from other countries can take them to file for Social Security. I got this direct from a SS employee. These persons can also get Medicaid and Medicare without them ever paying into the program. If the government is handing out money from Social Security and Medicare for non-nationals and persons who have never paid into it, it is no wonder it is going broke. In case you think this is wrong, when Kassy came to us she was eligible for Medicaid through Social Security since her mother (who had paid into it) was dead. I had problems getting it arranged for her since her adopted father would not forward me the documents I needed. I was told by the Social Security and Medicaid personnel that if she was an "illegal" they could just issue it immediately since they would not be allowed to require all the official documents! So a citizen child of a citizen that had paid into the system was prevented from getting Medicaid while an illegal would have been handed the OK immediately! What kind of system is that?
The loss of water to the San Joaquin Valley (The Big Valley) in California by lawmakers in Sacramento concerned with the "preservation" of a tiny fish (Delta Smelt) has resulted in the loss of most of those agricultural jobs, and has turned that wonderful food production area of orchards, vineyards, vegetables, cotton, and dairies, into a desert. There is no longer a need for migrant workers there since the resident workers cannot even find jobs due to the lack of water while ranchers and dairy farmers go broke.
Those wanting to work that come over the border should be welcome, but they are very few considering even wealthy people from many countries around the world are hiring coyotes to bring them across the border in order to claim "sanctuary".
Just look at the 73 yar old rancher in Arizona living on the Mexican border who was threatened by a group of men in camo with assault rifles who threatened him and his wife. He fired his rifle fired at them. He is now in jail on ONE MILLION DOLLAR BAIL and charged with First Degree Murder! In spite of the make My Day Law in Arizona. Between the illegals, cartel members, homeless, druggies, gang members, and plain old bad guys on every side, we are in trouble in our homes and on our own properties. When you can't defend yourself or your property without getting thrown in jail, what are you supposed to do?
Sorry about the rant.
Baymule
Herd Master
That’s not a rant, that’s truth.
SageHill
Herd Master
Standing on the soapbox with you. 
