Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

They say 25 here tonight Brrrrr! Water tubs all full...might have light ice in morn plenty of good hay tonight -- full tummies make body heat!

How'd the calves like snow?

 

[Baymule]

It was 29 here this morning! Supposed to be 30 tonight and 36 tomorrow night

 

[farmerjan]

Calves came right out for their bottles and they had been out in the snow so I guess they didn't get too upset... The "kittens" were a riot... they ran out the door onto the deck and skidded to a halt... then jumped to a drier spot under the table there... then they ran down the steps and out... I laughed at them... DS had fed a roll of hay earlier this morning at the nurse cow pasture so that was good. They had cleaned up the other 2 rolls pretty good... Cannot get the cow with the limp up near the catch pen either... going to have to get a whole bunch up there and in to get her in with a group... .

DS came by just as I was getting ready to leave for work... he had to go in at 8 last night so was really tired... was wanting to go to the stock sale south of here if I was available... wanted me to drive so he could catch an hour sleep down... then he figured he could manage staying up until night so he would sleep through... if he went to bed at 12-1 pm... he figured he would sleep several hours then be up in the middle of the night... but since I was going to work... that was out and he was going to go home and would probably fall asleep....

Picked up the milk samples at the farm I get my milk, and got a 2 gallon bucket... and we talked for about 5 minutes... and I mentioned having to go by and get the racking list and all at the farm from Sat eve... and he said, the least they could do was meet me part way... I was so P.O.ed that I never thought of that... so I called him and he was actually going to be coming fairly close to feed some cattle they have so got him to bring the papers and I saved half hour or more and at least 25 miles round trip....
Went to the other farm, had to change brackets for this farm, set up and we tested... it was getting cold when the sun went down... everything went well... meters washed, and I left and got home around 7:30-8 pm... locked in the chickens, brought the samples in the house, and done for the night.

Plan to take the truck down in the morning... will get up early enough to get it warmed up as there is still snow on the windshield... it is parked opposite of what I usually do so no direct sun on it during the day today.

I will unload the meters into the carport tomorrow since I will not use them for about a week....

It is down to 28... supposed to go lower, then warming back into the upper 40's - low 50's during the day and sun again for the rest of the week.

Brought in the rain gauges as they were already starting to freeze... We got a total of 1 inch of water in them from the rain then whatever snow went in them and melted today... so a total of 1.9 inches for the 2 days... BEAUTIFULLY slow soaking in stuff.. About half of the snow melted here today so I expect it will be pretty much gone by tomorrow... that works for me. We did not get more than a bit of a breeze, instead of the gusty wind they were calling for... I am very thankful for that...
These flannel lined jeans were really, really nice in the barn this afternoon.....

 

[farmerjan]

A real CHILLY morning... down to 22 last night. Heavy white frost on the vehicle windshields this morning.

Went out and started the truck about 7:10.... it warmed up and the defroster got the snow softened on the windshield that was still there... so it was easy to use the wipers and get the rest off... went down about 7:30 and JR came in a few minutes later... brought me home, and dropped me off at the house. They had a couple of vehicles there already in line to go in the shop... I told him that it was not essential to get it done today... so whatever he could get it in was fine in the next few days... I don't need it right now...

Need to check on the Explorer again... hate to be a PITA, but I really am pushing to get it done.... just want it done... and GONE.....

Going to go in and eat some eggs for breakfast.... kittens went right out this morning... I try to put them out in the morning, then get their "canned food" into the dishes so I am not tripping over them... and then let them back in after a bit when I go back out the door, like to let the chickens out or when I go up to feed calves. Today they seemed to want to go out...
Found where they must have been "digging" into another mole tunnel... Gotta love this determination to dig up these moles... there are so many places they have taken over....
Got to see about getting them "fixed", before they start with the "tom catting" nonsense.... pretty sure the long tailed one is a male and the smaller bob-tailed one is a female...

After it warms up a bit, sun on the driveway and vehicles, I will get the meters out of the car and put into the carport....Let the chickens out and take some water out to them since anything they have is frozen and will take time to thaw...
Then calves need to be fed extra milk again this morning... later getting home again this evening...

Going to pack the samples here from both farms too... then can put all the shipping boxes in the back of the emptied out car... to drop off at the vineyard to go out UPS before I go to work. I need to get another bag of milk replacer for the calves when I go through town today.... used up all the milk I brought home from the farm, and have a couple of clean buckets in the car with lids for any future milk I can get. Still have enough replacer for a couple of days, but don't want to get down to the OMG I am out ....position.

It is pretty out and already up to 32... sun looks good out there even though it is not "warm".... yet.

 

[SageHill]

Ya' know, we had a weasel this year (back in the spring I think) and it hung out for awhile up here at the house. We were having a large gopher problem and the weasel was in and out of those tunnels like a well, "Pop goes the weasel" toy has it's name for a reason ). Fast forward to about a month ago when I went to a park opening/dedication and chatted with the wild life rehab person here. I told her about the weasel and she said that I probably won't have gophers for a long time (she was talking year-ish at least) because of the weasel scent in the tunnels. Kind of makes one think that the gopher gasser (wonder if that would work on moles?? - but you've got great kittens for that anyway) should have weasel pheromones!

 

[Ridgetop]

she said that I probably won't have gophers for a long time (she was talking year-ish at least) because of the weasel scent in the tunnels.

There used to be granules that you sprinkled about plants to keep rabbits (and possibly deer) from eating your landscaping. It was made with cougar urine and worked really well. A few years ago I tried to get some more and couldn't - the animal lobbyists had the stuff outlawed because it was "cruel" to terrorize the cute bunnies with the smell of cougars!

 

[SageHill]

There used to be granules that you sprinkled about plants to keep rabbits (and possibly deer) from eating your landscaping. It was made with cougar urine and worked really well. A few years ago I tried to get some more and couldn't - the animal lobbyists had the stuff outlawed because it was "cruel" to terrorize the cute bunnies with the smell of cougars!

GRRRRR. Probably also why they don't "take care of" the coyote problem. The 'they were here first' mentality on that one. In the suburban and urban areas they are actually snatching little dogs that are on lead for walk.

 

[Baymule]

Former Texas governor (when he actually was governor) Rick Perry was taking his Labrador puppy for a jog, coyote tried to snatch it. The Governor pulled his 45 pistol and shot coyote dead.
THAT’S what we do in TEXAS.

 

[farmerjan]

Former Texas governor (when he actually was governor) Rick Perry was taking his Labrador puppy for a jog, coyote tried to snatch it. The Governor pulled his 45 pistol and shot coyote dead.
THAT’S what we do in TEXAS.

 

[Ridgetop]

GRRRRR. Probably also why they don't "take care of" the coyote problem. The 'they were here first' mentality on that one. In the suburban and urban areas they are actually snatching little dogs that are on lead for walk.

We have signs posted in the parks warning people about "Coyote Danger". Took a picture but can't find it in the computer.