Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Cold start... 26 but the wind chill is in the teens... and it is gusty out there... Glad it worked out to get the shelter frame laid over and the rest of the cover off the end so it didn't get twisted around or anything. There is a wind chill and wind advisory in effect most all day with gusts in the 20-30 mph.... and some higher on the ridgelines...
Dark high clouds, looking like snow which they said we could get a few flurries... but sun is coming through now. clouds will be blown apart and to the east. It is not going to get much above mid 30's by the looks of the forecast and tonight is going down to the teens...

SO GLAD I got the potatoes all moved into the entry hall yesterday.

Time to get up and feed the calves so they can get a supplemental feeding around noon or so.

WVa is getting some snow, Snowshoe Mtn is opening the ski resort this weekend... they have been making some snow, will go at it 24/7 for the next day or 2 as temps don't go above freezing... then make it at nights when it warms. Hope they do not get much of the rain that is forecast. We are have a 50% chance of some rain on Friday and again on Sunday/Monday. We need the moisture...
The big fire south of here is 100% contained and will burn its self out now... The rain we got just before Thanksgiving really made the difference to tamp it down.... it would be a disaster if it was still going strong and then these winds got ahold of it. More than half of Va is still in a burn ban and will be for quite some time though. I read where we need upwards of 8 inches to get us back to near normal for the year... never going to happen. It will be sometime in Jan or Feb before I even think about burning all this brush in the garden...

Time to brave the wind and get up to the barn. I will go in and feed the calves in the barn so they are not out in the cold gusts.

 

[Ridgetop]

could even put in a small pond to capture the water and then the ground surrounding it would be better drained...

That sounds like a good plan. No need to carry or run water when the pond is full and draining the low-lying land should improve the rest of the grazing.

 

[farmerjan]

It is COLD out there. 15 on the recording thermometer... Up to 24 now.... sun is coming up across the hill, across the road. It is a hazy sun though, some high clouds.
It was 19 on the car thermometer when I got home last night. At least the wind dropped off.
The farm had a new gas heater... never noticed they had an old one and the farmer told me that he had been meaning to replace it and it was one of those, don't need it now will do it one day... type of deals. He said that he does not believe in being cold while milking cows... That surprised me and I was very appreciative of the heat. Not that it was shirt sleeve temps but at least it was not "frosty" in the barn. They got started at 6 and we were done milking at 8:15... they have alot of cows out dry... due in Feb? had one calve yesterday..... poor little calf.... getting dropped from 100 degree warm cushioned temps to 30 outside cold temps!!!! Then did computer work, and meters had to wash and left there before 10 and was home by 11or so....
Made myself a cup of hot cocoa when I got home (forgot to take the packages with me); with a little amaretto, got on the computer to check the last forecast, checked on here, and took a shower and went to bed.

Got to get going and go do the calves although I think they will still be in the barn... there's hay that the cow had pulled out of the bunk feeder; one bale I think she just did not like as she pulled most of it out, the first time I left her in with them, and so it was in piles and I left it for the calves to lay in. Then she ate most of the other ones I had fed her the couple times I had left her in.... I will take up an extra 1/2 gallon of milk replacer and then give them each another 1/2 bottle after they finish their regular bottle to give them some extra for this cold. want to get them to start eating grain which will help the nutrition/growing and will give them some added calories for this cold.
It is supposed to be in the 40's today, then back into the 50's and nights only down in the 30's... with some rain and showers Friday, Sunday and Monday/Tuesday. We need to start replenishing the ground water levels.

 

[farmerjan]

In for a sandwich.... Calves were laying in the sun in the lot that they can go out in, from their side of the barn. Were very happy to see me and ate good. I fed grain in the other side of the barn for the calves that are going in and out of the creep gate.... and gave a 5 gal bucket to the cows in the 2 troughs. DS had rolled out a roll of hay for them the day before... so they were very full and happy. There was some open water in the concrete water trough down the hill... but I broke the ice on the several water troughs in the lot so the calves coming in could drink and broke the ice on the baby calf side also. The troughs are black, and they collect the heat and it will be more thawed as the day progresses.
The sun is out and there is a breeze but nothing like it was... still cold. The thermometer hit 43 when the sun was on it but is back down to 37 now that the sun has moved (actually the earth moves I know...)

Stopped and checked Deb's feed room and it was fine... I had set it just a little warmer than the lowest setting and glad I did with the very cold last night.
The 1/2 greenhouse against the house on the deck stayed above 44 last night so that is good. The big spider plants have not come back... the couple that had some healthy green are starting to look a little better... I can just leave them in there and so whatever happens, happens... That was soooo dumb on my part to forget them... goes to show how tired I was getting stuff done outside and working all those farms several days in a row... the smaller ones hanging are doing okay...

Got to run the samples up to the vineyard....

Saw some new mole tunnels going out to the chickens... hope the cats find them. So far they have gotten 2 rats, I think one or 2 mice, and at least 5 moles have been brought to me.... in the house... had to chase them out with their catches... but it is so great they are going for the moles.... there were soooo many tunnels...
Need to see about getting them fixed too....

Going to take the shovel out there and see about getting the 2x6's uncovered and see if I can move them around by myself...then slide the frame around? might need 2 people to do that though... I want to get this thing up and covered.....

Time to get back at it...

 

[farmerjan]

Got some more done but not the cleaning off the 2x6's... took all the meters and hoses out of the car and put in their respective totes in the carport. put some recyclables in the back of the car. Got a bucket and the reports on the farmer's cows where I get milk, all together to go to the farm yesterday... FORGOT to drop off reports from the farm last week...on my way to test yesterday... so have to make a trip up there.... .... dumb..... and DS wants me to go by and pay the bill for the Oxygen/acetylene tanks tomorrow since it has to be done by the end of the month (tomorrow)... so I will be doing a bunch of errands tomorrow. Think I will get on them as soon as the calves are fed so if it does get sunnier and warmer tomorrow afternoon I can maybe get a few things done here.
Calves fed... boy it is getting dark by 5:30 now... chickens locked in for the night. Really want to get that frame moved and cover on it.....
Just ate leftovers and ate too much... Going in to wash my hair, it was too late last night, and then go from there...
Boy these flannel lined jeans have been the ticket the last 2 days.....

 

[Baymule]

I have a couple of flannel lined jeans. They really stop the cold wind. Yeah, I break them out, I’m like @Mini Horses and cold weather. It doesn’t have to be in the 20’s or teens for me to be cold! 30’s does it for me. LOL

 

[Ridgetop]

It is COLD out there. 15 on the recording thermometer... Up to 24 now.... sun is coming up across the hill,

Boy these flannel lined jeans have been the ticket the last 2 days

It doesn’t have to be in the 20’s or teens for me to be cold! 30’s does it for me. LOL

I hate cold weather. I bought a pair of flannel lined jeans last year and they are in Texas with my long underwear. LOL I will pack some sweatshirts for this trip, my down vest, and heavy gloves. I bought a pair of flannel lined work gloves a year or so ago and I think they are in the toolbox in Texas.

DS1 says he checked the weather and it is supposed to be sunny and in the 60's. My phone said that a big rainstorm is due to hit east Texas tomorrow. With luck, leaving on Friday, we will avoid that. I think my winter boots are in Texas, but I will bring my muck boots just in case. I hope we don't have to put up the corrals in the rain.

DH was watching Hallmark yesterday and the story was set in North Carlina. The characters were talking about a white Christmas and DH laughed and said that was wrong - it never snowed in North Carolina. I told him that FarmerJan gets plenty of snow in Virginia which is right above NC! He didn't care because in Hallmark Christmas movies it always snows at the happy ending no matter what state they are in! LOL

 

[farmerjan]

Hate to tell your DH but they had more snow in NC than we saw last year. The Appalachian mountains in the western part of the state see a fair amount of snow. In fact, snow is not a rare in the mountains in north Ga either... not real common, but they have gotten it. It never lasts long though.
We used to get a fair amount of snow here in the western side of the state but haven't in several years... we are due...

 

[farmerjan]

NICE morning... when you think 29 is cold, you rethink it after a morning at 15 degrees... Sun is out, temp climbing nicely.
Heading up to feed the bottle babies... Then on to get some of these things on the lists done so I can get home to work outside...

 

[Mini Horses]

We used to get a fair amount of snow here in the western side of the state but haven't in several years... we are due.

We used to get occasional couple inches BUT every 10-12 yrs we've seen a heavy, heavy snow. You're right, "we are due". It's been over 10 yrs

I dread that possibility each yr.