Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Had a busy enough day... got the water to the pasture and cow was there so I put her back in with the calves so I didn't have to deal with her tonight in the dark. Had a full sq bale of hay in the bunk feeder, and fresh water in 2 of the troughs for her... then put the nearly 200 gallons in the other 2 troughs for the cows. They hung around a little more and some did drink some water... last time they basically took a sip and walked off. I know the spring is running slower... this should help to take a little pressure off it for a day or so. Might try to haul another load tomorrow since I am not working so no push,got to work Friday afternoon and then will be gone to the poultry show on Saturday; and it is supposed to be warmer... might try to run some in the bigger trough inside the catch pen for the calves to drink and then put more out in the 2 other troughs. It will have to "run uphill" out of the bottom of the water tank on the low trailer..up through the pipe into the trough..... but that should work with the pressure of the water to get some in the trough... then I could take the rest out to the other troughs when it quits "pushing" the water out of the tank due to the pressure... PITA to try to back that trailer up to unload it though. We'll see what the troughs look like when I go feed the cow and let her out in the morning.

The forecast was calling for some high clouds...low 60's today .... but we wound up with alot of smoke, and upper 50's... There was a 15 acre fire that started in the Nat'l Forest south and east of here on Monday. Was 150 acres by that night... 1200 acres by yesterday morning and now up to 2500 acres... 0% CONTAINED.... the smoke is unbelieveable.... It is totally in the Nat'l Forest at this time... SCARY.....
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warmer but the smoke is going to change all that.

Nearly half of the Va counties have now issued burn bans.... we are into the extreme drought status here and the new drought maps come out tomorrow... It is pretty serious here.

Going in to take a shower and hit the sack. Got lots I want to try to get done tomorrow.....Making a list...

 

[SageHill]

. Was 150 acres by that night... 1200 acres by yesterday morning and now up to 2500 acres... 0% CONTAINED.... the smoke is unbelieveable.... It is totally in the Nat'l Forest at this time... SCARY.....
Tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and warmer but the smoke is going to change all that.

Nearly half of the Va counties have now issued burn bans.... we are into the extreme drought status here and the new drought maps come out tomorrow... It is pretty serious here.

Yikes on the fire. I know that only too well. I hope they’ve got air tankers and helicopters working on that. Praying for containment numbers.

 

[Baymule]

July, August are our worst drought months, sometimes it starts in June and drought can go into September. This summer we weren’t supposed to even have a BBQ fire. Finally got some rain, grass greened back up, but not for long. Here came a frost. The cool season grasses are trying, but got a late start. Then I get so frustrated with all the grass I do have, and can’t use due to fencing. Sigh…..

I hope y’all get rain soon and I hope it doesn’t all come at once.

 

[farmerjan]

Such a shame that you don't have @SageHill for a next door neighbor @Baymule ... her dogs could get lots of practice with taking the sheep out to graze for an hour or 2 every day ....

Nicer morning. 38 and already up in the low 60's. Getting ready to head up to cow and feed then let her out; check the spring fed water trough and the troughs I filled yesterday. Would be good to haul another load later today since I will be pretty busy with work tomorrow and the poultry show on Sat.

Fire has caused our county schools to be closed as well as the 2 city schools just south of me. Says it is 0% contained still. There are over 80 firefighters, helicopters with water buckets and planes spraying whatever they do, fighting it. It is wilderness area so they cannot even use chainsaws ??? We are Tinder dry here. This is not normal for us.

Sun is out but the air is hazy from the smoke. Not as strong a smell today here. There is a slight northerly air flow so the smoke is drifting in this direction. The new drought monitor comes out on Thursday mornings, and the extreme drought area has crept a little further south again this week on the map.

Time to head to the cow.

 

[farmerjan]

Back in for some lunch... mashed potatoes are looking very good!!!!

It is gorgeous out there... nearly 70 and sunny but there is some smoke haze. Still nice... Going to drop off the samples to go out, and pick up some feed down at the co-op for the cow, then come home and get truck and go get a load of water again.. then see about some leaf raking. I also want to get the final stretch of electric netting folded up.
James came yesterday and did more when I was at work... looks pretty good. HUGE pile in the garden for burning sometime this winter.... we need ALOT of rain before I will attempt it. I see one big vine that is entwined up in the holly tree. Don't know how we both missed seeing it but when ever he comes to get paid, I will try to get him to bring the chainsaw and get it cut , but most other stuff looks pretty good. I haven't gone out back to see if he worked on the old apple tree that needs cleaning up, that he and jim had started to work on awhile back when DS had them doing some cleanup across the road when we had all those branches come down after that one wind storm.

Another dead deer just up the road right across from the driveway into the nurse cow pasture...

 

[SageHill]

I don't know about where you're at, but that smoke makes for pretty sunsets here.

 

[farmerjan]

Sunset was hazy with the sun quite red. More smokey smell later this afternoon. There was a truck fire on the interstate east of here going across the mountain on the interstate, and it spread into the grass/brush. Luckily they got that stopped before it got out of hand.
The fire south of here in Nat'l Forest land is up to 2750 acres... supposedly 2% contained. There are rules for handling fires on Nat'l Forest land and motorized equipment like bulldozers are not allowed except in an emergency. They have now authorized fire personnel to use chainsaws and other forms of equipment to help with the clearing of suppression lines. I am thinking that they are going to do what they have to to prevent it from traveling outside the Nat'l Forest boundary, so it does not escape to houses etc., and let it burn its self out within the forest area. Of course they give these official speeches and updates and talk in circles... and tell you next to nothing in the process... There are 3 helicopters and 2 planes that are using water to help with the suppression... no chemicals from what I can garner from different sources.

I hauled a load of water this afternoon, after dropping off the samples for UPS. By the time I got it unloaded it was getting later... I had to run the last of it into 2 / 20 gallon tubs inside the catch pen where the calves can go in the creep feeder but that is good so they can drink without any grief from the cows either. Troughs outside were filled to the top and cows drank a little as I was filling them but then wandered off so are not "thirsty". Went back to the farm, with the truck and trailer with the tank on it, parked it and then came back with car to feed the cow in the pen. Waited for her to finish so she could go back out for the night. Then I came home and it was time to lock in the chickens and be done. No leaf raking...

Got the bottles ready for tomorrow, I will take the meters and hoses out of the car since I don't need them until Tuesday. I want the car empty to go to the show on Saturday. Plus, I need to change brackets and use totally different hoses for the Tues herd anyway. That will get done in the morning.

Made a steak for supper, sauteed onions, some of the baked beans I had made the other day, and now I am stuffed. Got enough steak and onions for a 2nd meal. Plenty of baked beans and mashed potatoes left too.

I'm going to bed early so I can hopefully get an early start tomorrow. Supposed to be cloudy but looks like we will not get more than a sprinkle tomorrow, if that. Maybe next Tues... So, I will have time to do some leaf raking before hand I hope.

 

[Baymule]

Calling @SageHill !!! Come visit! Bring dogs!!

I hope they can get the fire out. It’s a shame that bureaucracy is letting the forest burn. Stupid rules from stupid people.

 

[rachels.haven]

Wow, I'm so sorry that's happening. I just looked that up. Very scary. Hopefully it does indeed stop at the river and is more contained than it was last night. You need rain!

 

[farmerjan]

Warmer 47 this morning. Up to 57 and the sun is trying to shine through all the hazy smoke. The smoke is thick and heavy. Much worse than yesterday... The fire had spread to 3600 acres with still only 2% contained.... but new report just out says it is over 5100 acres. Pretty bad.
A little bigger than a prescribed burn that's for sure....

The schools were closed yesterday for the smoke concerns... Okay, no outside recess but how are they any worse off in school than at home where you know they are going to go outside some???? Waiting for the bus for a few minutes outside .... when 90% of the kids parents take them to the end of the driveway in the car anyway ???
The fire is still not anywhere near any structures or towns or anything, it is all Nat'l Forest and is very rough terrain... Oh well, not my call.

Got to go out and let the chickens out, They did not lay in the "new hidden nest" yesterday... .
I have to go get feed for the cow. Will feed her late before I go to the farm and leave her in with the calves so I don't have to deal with her late this evening when I get home. I will put another bale of hay in the bunk also and she has a couple of tubs of water that I filled the other day that she can drink some more. Since I plan to leave at 6 or before Sat morning, she will be in until Sat aft when I get home. Luckily I have seen the holstein go on her every time her calf goes on her and she is tolerating him. The calves run around the small outside lot when I turn her out after feeding so they are getting real active and spunky. Hopefully can turn them out with her after Thanksgiving and they will stick with her. Just want to make sure the holstein gets enough to eat once out, and she doesn't shove him away. One of the reasons for leaving her in with them some. 2 calves is going to be enough for her this time around. She will be able to keep her weight up better through the winter months.

So, time to get the stuff out of the car and take the bottles out. Then take the other car down to get the feed. I am glad I hauled that load of water yesterday and am full up at the barn for a day or 2 at least. It will help to take alot of pressure off the spring filling the trough.
Praying for the rain they have forecast for next Tues/Wed... this spring is near the surface so ground water gets into it and recharges it quickly. The temps are supposed to drop once the front comes through, but it is near the end of Nov so got to expect chillier weather. Yesterday was really really nice out.