Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Well, we are fortunate that today was also very clear, sunny and dry. I went up and raked the larger of the 2 fields that we are custom making that had not been tedded. There were a few greener spots, but not like it was going to take alot of drying. Then I raked the tedded field and it was dry dry. I quit right at 1 p.m. in order to go home and get all my stuff to go to work. Hour away from me and had to be there to set up by 3 or so. Turns out the farmer was late getting back from his errands, and we didn't start til after 4 but I got really sweaty just setting up so that was okay. My son got home from his therapy appt and took the tractor and the rake to the last field that is about 5 acres I guess and got it raked then came back and started baling the custom stuff. He had already baled the one other field that I had raked that I was a little concerned about, but it had longer to dry and he said it was okay. So this place we use the "smaller" round baler, makes 4x5 bales and net wrapped. They usually get 100-120 bale averages, off these 2 fields. He texted me after he got done with the first - smaller field. The one I tedded. He said it is about 7-8 acres. 60 4x5 rolls. It has never made this many. Then the upper field that is 10-12 acres I guess..... 95 rolls. total 155 came out of the baler. And even with getting wet, the hay was not junk. A bit bleached out, some loss of protein, but not terrible. Landowner was tickled pink. Michael was headed to the last field to get it up. Weather changed to 30+ % chance of afternoon showers Tuesday afternoon. So he was determined to get it all done today. We still have 4 more fields that need first cutting, but 30-50% chance for the next full week. Everyone is fine with it except the one....The thing is, we fertilize, and get all the hay. They have nothing invested in whether it is good hay or not. But it is "dead looking" so makes the place look "bad".......

I am beat after the last couple of days, so am headed to the shower and bed.

 

[Baymule]

4 more fields! And the land owners don't want hay on the ground because it looks bad? That has to be frustrating for you. Morons.

 

[Mini Horses]

PEOPLE. One gal uproad had a neighbor (newbie) complain that she needed to cut the grass -- complained to the county. Of course, they came out, looked at the fenced PASTURE and advised the complainer that pastures in agriculture do not have to be cut down to 2" like a lawn, they are NOT lawns.

I had same one complain about the taller growth along my fence line next to a cropped field. The farmer & I had already discussed this and the REASON we let it get taller, on this 15' buffer zone, was to help stop chemical drift from him spraying his field, getting onto my pasture. Once sprayed, we then cut If you do not understand what is happening around you -- learn or don't move there! Stay in the city.

 

[farmerjan]

4 more fields! And the land owners don't want hay on the ground because it looks bad? That has to be frustrating for you. Morons.

No, it is "dead looking" right now, still standing because we wouldn't cut it while the weather was so iffy. With all the rest we had that got wet, Michael decided that we didn't need to put more down, because we needed to get all this up and the weather was calling for more showers to come in by Wed. So it looks bad standing all "brown".

 

[farmerjan]

PEOPLE. One gal uproad had a neighbor (newbie) complain that she needed to cut the grass -- complained to the county. Of course, they came out, looked at the fenced PASTURE and advised the complainer that pastures in agriculture do not have to be cut down to 2" like a lawn, they are NOT lawns.

I had same one complain about the taller growth along my fence line next to a cropped field. The farmer & I had already discussed this and the REASON we let it get taller, on this 15' buffer zone, was to help stop chemical drift from him spraying his field, getting onto my pasture. Once sprayed, we then cut If you do not understand what is happening around you -- learn or don't move there! Stay in the city.

Yeah, they all need to stay where they belong cuz they obviously don't know what the HE// they are talking about. This one that was so gung ho about wanting us to come cut usually hasn't been so pushy about it. Guess it was cuz they were up for awhile. Normally they are only up a couple times between memorial day and mid July and we have gotten it cut by then, But we are both honestly getting tired of the pushy people. My feelings are, if you want these places in the country, then you need to buy and maintain the equipment needed to keep the place looking the way you want it. Or else, don't buy a farm. Not my responsibility to "take care of your country estate". We sure aren't getting paid to do your upkeep. Not only that some of them want you to pay them for the "valuable hay" that we are getting. Often it is nothin more than just mixed pasture grass and we spend the money on the fertilizer to make the yield at least worth the time and trouble to run the equipment over it a minimum of 3 trips if we can get it made without tedding.

 

[greybeard]

Uninformed people tend to look at hay prices like they do at meat and produce prices in the grocery stores and think the ones producing it all are getting rich.
Time, labor, breakdowns and just general upkeep makes the profit margins razor thin. Doesn't even begin to take into account the original equipment purchase prices.

 

[Bruce]

learn or don't move there! Stay in the city.

That's for sure!

 

[Baymule]

Our hay guy's Dad cut a field across the road from us today, it is raining now.

 

[farmerjan]

Ah, @Baymule ...... it turned around here again. A friend cut a very over mature field yesterday morning. Tedded it out late afternoon and the plan was to rake it and my son was going to bale it this late this aft. Today about 2 pm it got dark and we got another downpour. Weather forecast is calling for 40-60% chance every day until next monday. We are very glad to have all ours that was down, up now. And will wait for the next "window" that might give us a better chance of it not getting wet again. If it is anything like this last window..... but it happens. You try to stack the odds in your favor, but these pop up t-storms just can't be predicted....they literally do just pop up. And you might get rain here and a mile down the road, get a drop or nothing at all. It is very frustrating though. The heat and humidity has been one of the reasons we are getting all these pop up storms. 90's and sunny, and the humidity are just the recipe for getting rain. Didn't look in the rain gauge this evening, it was getting dark again, but then went around and the sun came back out for a little bit. Possibility of another cloud or two coming over, will check and dump it in the morning.

Got a big - slow milking - farm scheduled for Thursday morning as it is the farmers morning to milk, not the hired guy. Farmer knows the cow numbers better ad I don't have to struggle to try to see them as they come in the barn; So I said okay. 250 cow in a parlor designed for 150, 6 on a side, so goes slow. I won't get out of there before 10 a.m. UGH. Got another Sat aft., one Sun aft., next wed will do the 2 that are 125 miles away in Winchester. I go up the night before and stay over to be in the barn at 2 a.m. for the first farm then go to the small farm by 7:30. Got to call my 550 cow herd in the morning that my son goes with me to help test. Maybe try to get them in on Friday????? Been famine, now it will be "feast" ... or better, known as kill myself this coming week. Getting like @Mini Horses , getting tired of it. Mostly because I hurt being in the barn on the concrete. And just don't want to have to get up and go to work at 2 and 3 a.m..
Course, being on a tractor seat for hours raking hay sure makes the joints stiff when I do get off too..... Just the "getting old" crap.

 

[Baymule]

Pop up showers are what we are getting too. While it is good for my new grass, it sure is frustrating to people cutting hay.

Hang in there, your day is coming when you won't have to be out before the butt crack of dawn and can do what you want to, when you want to. We seldom set an alarm clock any more, it sure is nice.