Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

Hope you're feeling better!!!

 

[farmerjan]

Today is a much better day. Kept the gingerale down and not feeling sick. Have been very cautious of eating but did eat some vanilla pudding that I had made the other day. I do believe it was either food poisoning or just my reaction to the grease in the KFC. I find I do not do much "fried food" anymore.... onion rings which I love do not often set well either... I make them at home in the oven and it is much better. Cannot do Long John Silver's fish anymore either...

So, getting ready to go to the farm for a bit. DS was wanting to castrate (band) those bull calves so hope he is planning that. I hold tails so he can do them in the chute, and give the shots. They will get eartags also so will be identifiable out there in WVa.

Sun is out but we had 32 this morning and looked like a light frost. Possible freeze tonight.

Got the leanto greenhouse I ordered delivered Friday, but I was too sick yesterday to care. Since we still have another 4-6 weeks before last frost date, I think I will try to get it up for the house plants and then I can also pick up some tomato plants and such and have a place to keep them so I do not have to move them all inside and outside with the temps.
Here's hoping for a better, uneventful day.

 

[farmerjan]

Went to the farm and met DS; he had been putting up the posts for the electric fence to keep the cows off the driveway at the nurse cow pasture, so there is no chance of manure... for the b#@ch DIL. He says it won't take much to finish it...
He got the bulls in and we ran them through the chute. Banded and tetanus, blackleg and triangle -10 vaccines.
Eartagged and there were 4 we treated as 2 had runny, congested looking eyes, and 2 just were very mopey... "shipping fever" type symptoms... Also, one he could only find one nut so will have the vet check on that when they come to do the spays on Wed.
The one good thing is the ground is fairly dry, and there is sun and warmer forecast for the next few days, so it ought to help the ones feeling not so good. They will stay at the barn field they have been in, until they make the trip to WVa... will have the couple that he wants the vet to look at in there for them to check over including the one that has one one nut descended.
Got done and I came home. Stomach has been pretty much okay... Thank goodness. Ate some mashed potatoes, and they seem to be fine. Going to be careful for a few days just in case.
Brought the gallon of sun tea in, added the lemonade etc, and it is in the fridge.

Got to pack the samples from the Friday eve herd, and get all the meters and hoses out of the car for the 500+ cow herd on Tuesday morning...and all the boxes in there.
Temps hit 62 today so was comfortable... up from a low of 32. Supposed to be colder tonight. Freeze warning.
Did not put plants out today, so will see about getting that 1/2 greenhouse together tomorrow also. I will try to get them out anyway, but it would be nice to not have to drag them all in and out. I will put a little heater in there if I have to for the nights to keep it above 50...

Got the red potatoes cut, and might try to get some of planted tomorrow also... Got lots of white Kennebecs to plant. Haven't gotten the other ones I ordered yet... then to go through the seeds and see what I have to get planted... Can't do much for a bit except some broccoli and cabbage. Still waiting on the onion plants.

Going to bed early....

 

[murphysranch]

The last time I had KFC, years ago, I got sick - dia for almost 24 hours. Not Food poisoning, but a very different diet that this gal who LOVED extra crispy KFC, so that I could no longer tolerate the amount of grease. Like you.

 

[farmerjan]

Plans changed some but got a few things done. DS wanted me to see if I could get some electric fence wire... the kind with the plastic/wire together... untangled that someone had given him to try to make the fence more "seeable" as well as be able to charge it.... seems there is going to be a birthday party there this summer... think it is one of the grand children..... and they are expecting 100 people... and need places to park everyone... plus no cow patties to deal with... so DS got most of the posts in.... I told him I would see what I could do... Some one wound this plastic twine/wire up on a stick which was good except it has come off both ends and gotten tangled and whoever did it wound 2 strands together... so have to not only untangle but separate 2 strands.... SO.... I spent some time this afternoon working on that. Had several phone calls to make, then packed the samples and had to mark the samples they wanted the milk pregnancy test done on...then dropped them off.

I got all the plants out to take advantage of the nicer weather but it was not as warm as I thought it might be. Breezy so kept the temp down. Got the box moved out onto the back deck but did not get the 1/2 greenhouse assembled. Then it started to cool off so they are all back in the house. Maybe tomorrow.

Got the meters and hoses out of the car, boxes all loaded and ready to go. Have to leave here about 3-3:15 a.m., to go test. Then will go by and get milk sample from that farm that sends in a tank sample and leave a meter for them to try to figure out a way to hang them so he can test each cow and not tank samples... there hasn't been any info shared by the farmer, but I have heard round about that the cell count must be high as a couple of people have quit getting raw milk from their "herd share"... due to it not keeping in the fridge... The milk I get from my farmer friend with the couple cows that he tests, will keep in my fridge for 2 weeks most times... although it seldom ever lasts that long... but once there was some in the fridge when we went north and all... and it was nearly 2 weeks from when I got it and it was still fine when I got home. Sometimes I will have a qt left and it is over a week-10 days and it has always been good. The farm that is doing the herd shares made the comment once that he wasn't happy with the tank sample being over 400,000.... my better herds have cell counts in the 75,000 to 200,000..... so that over 400,000 is NOT GOOD.... another reason to test individual cows... I am not impressed with the farm.... my other friend farmer has an old barn and his cell count was always one of the lowest at the yearly DHIA meetings we used to have.... because he paid attention to the little things... not fancy new equipment, but cow udder health.... and he milked 50-75 at one time...

So, I am headed to bed so I can get a few hours sleep....

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday morning. 53 for a low and back up into the 80's again today. It has been almost too warm too fast again this week. Yesterday was saved with a light breeze again.

Laundry in the machine and going out on the line shortly. I am going to do a second load and hang since it is going to be so warm. Today is the last of the sunny days, some clouds and possible chance of some showers tomorrow.... unsettled into the weekend with more chance on Saunday for some rain. We actually need some, we are getting quite dryfor this time of year. I think I saw where we are 3 inches short for moisture so far this year.

Tested the 500+ cow herd on Tuesday morning. They actually have 559 going through the parlor right now... most I've ever tested there. Things were okay, they are having trouble with the "bar lift" so that all the cows can go straight out the side, when the group is done, so they now have to walk all the way to the end of the parlor and go out the small gate one at a time.... takes an extra couple minutes so added and extra 1/2 hour to milking but not that bad overall.

Stopped at the owner sampler farm and dropped off bottles for testing....then came down towards me and swung by and got the other sample, left the meters at the "herd share dairy" and picked up my bucket of milk (2 gallons) at my other former farm and came home. Finally got them packed later inbetween all sorts of interruptions.

Started working on unravelling the electric fence, going to do in fits and starts as I work a little bit on it inbetween things the next couple of days. Would like to get it done by the weekend so we can get it up.

Went yesterday and worked on a few fence posts while waiting for the vet to come. They did the spays... it is interesting as the retired vet friend explained it and our current vet did it.... Took about 2 hours to do the 17 since he is not experienced at it but it was going faster as he got a feel for it. Then DS was in a hurry to go help coach the softball team of xgf daughter.... so I was left to change gates around and came on home.

I have to text DS and find out if we are definitely shipping the heifers tomorrow so I know how to plan.

What is it with the mice? Have caught an odd one or 2 over the last month-6 weeks... Now I am catching 1-2 a day for the last week. 2 small ones together on the same sticky trap, then another small one then a big one then had another small one this morning... took the trap out and flipped into tub of water, set out another one and just now when I walked by to go to the washing machine, there is ANOTHER one on the fresh sticky trap...like 45 minutes later if that????? I thought the DA#@ed things were supposed to move into the house in the cold, and OUT OF THE HOUSE when the weather got warmer....


Second load of clothes in the machine... making a "shopping list" for the next time I am out..... might be tomorrow. Definitely need some more sticky traps... GRRRRR.... guess it is good I am at least catching them...

Got a farm set up for next week... 2 more texts out and think I am going to test another one this Sat. Waiting for them to call back... that's the farm I just "forgot" to do that Sunday afternoon... . Whoops, just talked to them and it is Sunday morning test... so I will go to the farm... got it WRITTEN DOWN in CAPS.....and then that afternoon will go to the bridal shower for Geneva. Going to be a crazy busy next week - 10 days....

Time to get clothes on line....

 

[Mini Horses]

Sounds like ONE preg mouse liked inside for her babes. . Ooops. Hope you catch the rest that was in the nest.

 

[farmerjan]

I might think it was a "family", but the bigger one had the big ears and eyes of the deer mouse look and the small ones had little heads and eyes... I have seen some of the young deer mice and they still have those big eyes... so I can't help but think that these are 2 different "varieties."..... I just want them GONE..... I will keep on setting sticky traps and trying to catch them... A couple of some sort of outside cats is going to be seriously considered even with the road situation.... got to stop some of them from even getting in here.....found where they got into a couple of packages of rice I somehow didn't get put into glass containers... and have eaten off part of the labels on some canned goods.

Was a very nice day. Got both loads of clothes out and brought them in late this evening before dark. Went to the barn this afternoon as DS wanted to bring in the heifers down and look them over... he picked out 3 to keep back, out of the ones that were going to go to WVa and now are going to the sale as he will put the steers we just worked out there in WV instead. One is my black longhorn twin born last year... the other 2 are his. There are 27 to go tomorrow so we will have to take 2 trailers. He is also taking 1 or 2 cull cows... one is in with the heifers but the other one was not in the barn so don't know if he will get it in. He had to leave to go to the softball game in the middle of this evening... so he was coming back to hook up the other trailer to the truck, and finish the brake he was finally doing on the blue truck we normally use with the one trailer...

So, I made a list of the ones going tomorrow, and then let them out into the small barn lot there. He said he was coming back to feed in the barn and do what he needed to do. But I have no idea when.... I am not "in the loop" .... so I just texted him to see if there was anything he needed me to help do at this point....

 

[farmerjan]

Sat..... got the heifers loaded Fri 6 a.m. hauled to town, came home did a few things, went back around 3 as they had a huge run of cattle and normally start at 2... said it would be 3 at least.... didn't start til after 5..... Long day
27 heifers and a cull cow went. 11 did real good... 527 lb avg @ 2.07..... 14 smaller were not as good but still okay... 451 avg @1.75......1 odd one 370 lbs @ 2.20 ..... 1 not very good one 410 @ 1.65.... cow was nothing special and showing her age .... 910 @ .50.... real good slick fat cull cows were .85 to 1.05 lb. A little disappointed with the group of 14 smaller ones... but they weren't that bad... had thought they would bring closer to 1.90... but that gets us way down in numbers. Now all we have to do is deliver the ones to VT and get paid for them and we will be done with the spring selling and get into moving cows with spring/new calves to pastures and then making hay.... Then weaning off the 2022 fall born calves and preg checking those cows and starting over....

I went to the Walmart when they were selling steers and got more sticky traps and a couple things on the list. Got back and they hadn't even finished the steers. DS was there, brought the truck and trailer back... always, "in case".... and he borrowed my car to go to his father's with some chickens that his father has a buyer for.... since his father didn't want to drive into town... DS said that he doesn't like to drive at night at all anymore... Understandable as some nights the headlights bother me. So I sat at the sale and watched steers sell... and then DS came back not long after they started selling the heifers.

Left the stockyards at 2 a.m. DS had bought 2 steers for 1.77 and that was good... decent ones... starting to put together another group I guess.... although he knows someone who was looking for a couple so might sell them to him.... make a little....

Got the 1/2 greenhouse kit put together and it is up on the back deck. A little lighter weight than I had thought... but overall pretty satisfied with it. Was interesting to get the cover up and over it by myself... used a 3 ft piece of board to help work it up over... It is 6'5" it says at the high side... a foot taller than me... and awkward.. but it is up and covered and ready to use. Got to anchor it so it won't blow over/away..... but it will be nice to just put the spider plants and stuff in there and not haul in and out of the house and in the way on the floor etc. Cannot hang anything on the framework so will have to find some sort of hanging rack to use... but they can sit on the "floor" too for now...

Deb finally got back out to the farm for the weekend... we are doing Tacos tonight so I took h'burger out of freezer to thaw.... got to see if I need anything else... thinking lettuce and a tomato or 2... I know there are onions and sour cream and some sauces here....

We had some showers then a nice rain for a bit late yesterday aft and into the night. Had just over 1/2 inch in the rain gauge ... NICE.... some more possible scattered showers this aft and eve... then more likely some rain for Sunday although that looks to be staying more south and heading east so we will probably be on the western edge. We could use some more but that was a good one yesterday. Was down to 54 last night and a pleasant 75 now... very little breeze so comfortable.

Gotta go work on that electric fence wire stuff...

 

[Ridgetop]

Less cows, less work until haying season. Then . . . .