Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Movie that is supposed to be in theaters... "Common Ground"... mentioned in another forum I frequent... sounds interesting... about not using chemicals and such... Going to have to see if it is available to see here...

 

[Baymule]

Bears playing with round bales! Are they playing soccer? That’s too funny! Maybe not funny to you, but it sure is to me! There are bears here, not many and they stay out of sight, in the National Forest. They are probably protected, but I’m pretty sure of one shows up, some Bubba redneck is going to shoot it.

 

[farmerjan]

The dam$#d bears roll them around, climb on them, scatter the hay around. pull half one side off in sheets... where are they when I need to peel one apart????

Bears are getting to the nuisance stage here... 10 damage permits for one farm and when some of the guys got 2 in the field, tearing up the corn, they were field dressing them and out come 3 MORE.... game commission warden told everyone there to ONLY HUNT IN PAIRS.... because of the bears losing their fear of people...

We know there is a sow that had twin cubs this spring, and another large bear... probably the male... right here at the main farm and travels the woods back and forth to the field across from my house ....

The pasture/hayfield where the rolls of hay are damaged we have seen more than one there in the past...

Getting ready to head to the hayfield in a little bit. Clothes ready to get hung on line....
Beautiful day out

 

[SageHill]

YIKES on the bears. We don't have them any more here. The last one - a Grizzly I think - is stuffed and in our little town's history museum, Just steps away from some of Betty Crocker's kitchen stuff.

 

[Baymule]

Bears playing with round bales would win a prize on America’s Funniest Videos.

You are exposed on the tractors, nowhere to run to. Hope you “carry.”

 

[farmerjan]

Another absolute gorgeous day. Mostly sun, few spells of some clouds passing over. Not too hot but just NICE...
Clothes got hung and I left and went down the hill and got on the tractor. Took it and rake just up the road to the field that is "across the creek"... it is a narrow gateway to get in but I managed with no problems today. Got the field raked... and then headed to the other place. Beautiful day out and took a back road (mostly for less traffic with this long rake) and it was really pretty.
Got to the other field and was raking and as I started to turn, noticed a tire was flat and half off the rim...on the back of the rake ... there are 2 tires/wheels on each side so it will work with only 1 tire if necessary. Called jim and he was just going back to the barn so he came with a jack and we took the wheel off so I didn't damage the rim. I only had 1/3 of the field left to do... Told him I would just finish with the one wheel and bring it back to the barn and then they could get another tire on it... It took a little longer than I planned since I was being more careful to not get it in a spot where it would be turning too tight or drop it ion a groundhog hole or anything.

DS texted me several times to see if I was "all right".... after a short discussion with jim, turns out he had her "helping him" move cattle this morning that I knew nothing about... and then he must have been off doing something else with her and that is why all the texts wondering where I was and how things were going... seems he took the full wagon of hay from the field and brought another one about 1/4 full back to finish baling that field I guess...while I was not there .... it becomes a "guilty conscience, be extra considerate" checking on mom thing... some days I hear nothing from him and I am out and about doing the same type of work.... and this way by him knowing where I was, he didn't have to see or run into me, with her with him....

I finished and went back to the barn. Jim had gotten another tire mounted on the rim so we put it back on the rake. I mentioned there were a couple things that I knew needed checking... it was spitting a little water on the way up the road (it was running pretty wide open in the travel gear) and it will do that when it is getting a little low but the temp gauge was still good... I said it needed to have antifreeze put in it since the last couple of times we have added water... winter is coming. Also to see about the cylinder that is not working right on one side... the piston part does not go all the way into the cylinder and it prevents me from using the pins that will lock it up for road travel... a safety thing... not life or death but I like to use it when traveling any distance on the road... if something should fail in the hydraulics... the rake wheels cannot drop down to the ground if it is "locked " in the up position... and it takes the pressure off the hydraulics to keep them up... get it winterized since DS said this was it for the hay....

Jim took me down to get my forester at the hay field, then I asked him if he didn't have anything else going on would he take me down to the co-op and get the outback from getting the rotors put on... and we could eat at the local little restaurant there.... I got paid for the 8 hours at the mill and he was very generous... $25 hr for 8 hours... I was thinking along the lines of $15 or maybe $20.... so told jim I would treat for supper since I had some "found money"..... so that's what we did. Got the outback.... and the rotors were the problem with the brakes shimmying so bad... don't do it now... so one of the rotors was warped and maybe putting the new calipers and brakes on it made them worse.
I am so glad that was the problem... and we ate supper... and then both left and went our own way... He is pretty upset with DS and this going back with her again... and things he is not doing again... and I told him I am just not going to get into it because I am fed up. Asked him if he would help me move the pen that I used for the meat birds at DS's property next to his barn, and he is going to bring the little trailer that is supposed to be mine, because I do not have a hitch on the little ranger, and we will load it and bring it to my house... instead of taking all the panels apart. No sense in leaving it at DS's property since I have my own place now and can keep and do what I want.

Tomorrow I will get all the laundry off the line and brought in. I did bring in some jeans today when I hung more stuff out.

Of the new jeans, 3 pair fit decently... not as good as the Lee jeans I like, but definitely good enough for being barn/animal/work jeans. Will try on the rest in a day or 2. Think I hit a real deal finding them... I have a couple of older pairs that are getting pretty ragged and 2 pair are not worth trying to patch.....

I plan to have tomorrow (Sunday) and maybe even part of Monday as ME.... work around the yard.....DAY... I want to get some of the electric netting moved/taken down... so I can get into the garden, and maybe get a roll or 2 of old hay from a non-sprayed field moved here for next year... so I don't kill off any plants or earthworms...want to put it up on the end where the soil is not as good and some will be able to just rot down into the ground as I use off the rolls.... really hope to get some of the weeds done with the walk behind weed eater. I want to clean out the scrub growth behind the greenhouse shelter so when I get the new cover, it will not be against any branches etc...
On that subject... there is a delay, so not charged/paid for yet... as they could not give me an approx shipping date... and I got to doing some more searching... found another brand that has the same measurements... AND is all one piece, not 3 sections (two end panels and the overall cover) (might be good idea, might not as it might be more difficult to put on....) BUT... it is on sale for $199.... was $249, and that is less than the shelter logic one I have.... PLUS it has the frame included which I don't need... BUT.. it also has an extended warranty for $30 for 5 YEARS... and the shelter logic one only has a 1 year limited warranty..... Plus the "newer" one has a zipper door in both the front and the back panels, for better ventilation, and some "ventilation windows" in the sides... So I will get a 5 year warranty plus the cover and frame... for less than just the cover.... If it fits then I will not erect the frame... just use the one already put together... and if I like it, I may enquire about just getting the cover and then could have 2.... one for the winter quarters for the chickens... one for using as a greenhouse in the spring for the garden plants and such... or more chickens... or something.... it is 10x20 so NOT an option for the household plants... not heating that...

So about 10 days for shipping.....

Now if they would call me about the explorer and get the stupid screen to communicate so it can GET SOLD...

I am stuffed from supper... had manicotti , salad and garlic bread.... brought half home.... so time for a shower and wash my hair and bed....

 

[farmerjan]

Up to clouds... and radar showing a few light showers.... they said a slight possibility yesterday...

Looks like air has been too dry for it to actually reach the ground. If it had, and the hay had gotten wet ... it would be a very ugly situation around here. The hay is completely dry that I raked. Mostly from the dry air conditions and no rain had it dry on the stem so to speak. It should have been baled yesterday and been done. So, when I saw the possibility ... 30% chance... of showers, I just finished what I was doing and that was it. Figured that if it did get wet, not my problem anymore.
Guess he will get a reprieve since the sun is coming out now... and it is breezy..... wind chime on porch is chiming right along but not crazy. But I am going to get outside here and get a few things done that I want/NEED to do.

It only got down to 64 last night... boy, that was NICE.... it is 73 already... going to be a warm day.

So, like @Mini Horses ... out the door to finish up some of the essential things while it is nice... and enjoy the pretty weather too.

 

[farmerjan]

In to eat the leftovers from last night. Going out to get the clothes next as it is somewhat cloudy again. They need to be in and not worrying about them if it does come up a shower...
The clouds make working out there a little more comfortable as it was nearly 80 at 11 with the sun out. So with the clouds coming and going it is more like mid 70's and comfortable.
Put a gal of tea out to steep since I haven't done any in a few days.

Going to see if I can get weed eater started and clean out near elec netting so I can pull it up but want to have a place to lay it over so I can get it folded up nicely. Got most of the hoses rolled up and going to get the soaker hoses put away . Would be easier to just put all that on the back of the ranger p.u. so getting the fence out of the way would be a help. I really need a bush hog to do the rest of the overgrown stuff. But not the 15 ft batwing on the huge tractor we have.

 

[Mike CHS]

It sounds like our grass is as dry as yours. I have been taking a little over double the amount of water out to the sheep which tells me there is little if any liquid in the grass.

 

[farmerjan]

Yes, @Mike CHS , it is just dry dry grass. And the thing is, it doesn't bale as well when it is that dry, so it should have been baled right behind my raking so it didn't have a chance to settle and then the baler won't pick it up.
The grass in the yard is pretty dried up too... and the leaves are falling fast off the maple tree here in the yard.

The chickens are drinking more water too it seems... not that 3 drink alot... and I guess some is that it is evaporating with it being so warm too.

Can't complain about the warmth though since it will soon be gone... It hit 82 today even with it being cloudy off and on most of the day.

Worked on getting the cattle panels untied from the posts, and all the strings on them where I tied up the tomatoes, untied and off so I can pull the panels out. The T-posts are not going to move without some major muscle... rather wait for the ground to soften up... IF... we get some rain. Moved about a third of the elec netting and got it laid out so I can roll it up unless I use it to "contain" the chickens in the garden area. Need to cut a path all the way around for it if I am going to do that. Get all the high grass/weeds cut down to the dirt so to speak. There won't be any growth this time of year either. Thinking that might be a good thing to do. Enclose the shelter, garden and that whole area and let the chickens work on it for the winter...

Looked at the frame for the shelter/greenhouse... and will have to get behind it and get some of that scrub growth cleaned out. Would like to get the fence up along that side of the property at least... then can come off it with the netting. I would make a pile and burn it all right there in the garden area, so not having to carry it anywhere.

Got the boxes and everything I need for tomorrow's testing the 500 + cow herd, in the car ready to go. Clothes are all in the house. I think I am going to find a movie to put in and start folding them.

It is still 73 out there. Very comfortable. Hate to see it turn all cold all of a sudden. It looks like the rain is going to skirt more north and we may not see much, if any, of it now. Not good.