Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[SageHill]

@CLSranch .... I got to thinking about the frame, and my mind went in the direction of your suggestions. ..... and think I will go with something like PVC pipe to try to get it strengthened and all... I was sitting at the one pasture after I got those cows in, and got to thinking about all the different "hoop houses" that have pvc pipe... it would be worth the expense to just stick all the bending cheap frame right next to pvc pipe and try to strengthen it that way....a frame alongside the existing frame and then might just take the cheap stuff out.... Plus, frame out the bottom in pvc , since there is nothing across the front or back to even help hold it "square".... I can use the connectors that they make for pvc pipe for use with water.... T's and 45's, and 90's and all sorts of things... and they could be taken apart and used for other things if I wanted.... so will do some major measuring tomorrow and go spend some money to make it what I want.... worst case scenario I will be out the cost of the pvc... and we use that sort of stuff on the farm and all.... Thanks for the confirmation of my thoughts...

Calves were very glad to see me... The sun was out so the youngest twins got to stay out with the others. They seem to be doing pretty good... the little girl twins are going to the bunk and eating some now... they go to the flat black fortex pan, but I an seeing them going into the bunk now with the 2 older calves.... YAY.... the 2 youngest ones will be a bit I am sure before learning... but that is fine.

Worked on packing the samples, but time was getting short so I went to the pasture to get the cows/calves in that DS wanted to move... They came in with no big deal.... called DS and said that they were in, and he said he would be leaving work a little early and come get them. It had gotten cloudy when I was there and got colder/more raw feeling... He got there, and we loaded a group... the calves had chewed on a couple of baling strings that I had tied the pen to the posts... so a few got out...back into the field.... DS got all bent out of shape and I told him to just take the ones loaded... and then I would get the rest back in... they all could not go in one trip so he had to make 2 trips, anyway.... so after he left, I opened up 2 panels, put some more grain in the pen, and the ones that got out calmly came back in... and I tied it up better and let him know they were in... So, he came back, there weren't as many so he got them loaded, then he loaded the panels in the trailer along one side, and he brought them back to doug's and put them in the field with the ones that will get preg checked, since they have to get checked and the calves weaned off...

I came home, got the bottles made and went to the calves. It was after 4:30... and really raw.....cold...... went up, got the calves sorted around and fed bottles... the heifer twins were nosing in the bunk with the bigger 2 calves when I was feeding the last set of twins... got them in the hay side for the night. There is a 20% chance of some snow flurries....easier for them to "have to stay in" just in case.... came home, got another gallon of milk ready to warm up for tomorrow.... locked in the chickens and I am in for the night.

I put the split pea soup back on the burner; it was really thick so added some more water and have it heating/cooking again. I just pulled a small bowl and it is a little thin but tastes pretty darn good... it will cook down a little bit again... the ham bone is still in there to cook a bit more... good to get the marrow cooked out into the soup too... I haven't made split pea soup in years.... don't know why not... is sure tastes good... will do another ham on a cold day again , and then make some more again.... Maybe Saturday..... I really like split pea soup so will have enough to get to the "sick of it stage" with another ham done.... and I will freeze some to have to take out and warm up also. I'm going to get another bowl in a bit I think... my stomach got to growling while waiting on him to come back to get the 2nd load of cattle... I was really hungry.

Trying to do like @Mini Horses and eat more out of the freezer... I did get a spiral ham (precooked) from Kroger's on special just before Christmas... $.99 lb (was about 3.99 or something regularly) but only 1 allowed per customer with their card... I didn't get back to get any more another day... but did get 2 decent hams at Walmart marked down to 1.29/lb... have to cook them but that's okay... makes ham for sandwiches too.... I need to make some freezer space so didn't get more hams... I also never found the turkey deal she got... since I have so many chickens in the freezer it wasn't the end of the world.

Temps are already down to 38 at 6:30....

I didn't get the samples sent out since I went to get the cows in, so will finish getting them boxed/strapped up, and send out tomorrow. I have to go get milk replacer so will just swing by and drop them at the UPS store... after I do calves and all in the morning. Need to get grain for the calves too.... Not doing anything else special except the measuring for the PVC pipe for the frame... That will take up a good amount of time when I get it all measured, then pick up what I need and come home to put it together... Then if I need anything else, I can get it on the way home Friday morning from testing and get set for the snow....

One channel is saying 3-5, just heard 6 inches or more....will see what the news says late this evening.

Just a second small bowl... it really is nice and great to help get over this remenant of the cold bug. Still coughing a bit and lots of loose stuff... blowing nose alot still... feel okay overall....

I'm going in to get the last few samples in the box and get them strapped up to go out tomorrow. Making a list of things that need doing....

Oh man - split pea soup. Now you’ve got me drooling. Have to make that soon.

 

[Baymule]

Two inches of snow shuts us down. We have no equipment for snow. Six inches of snow, I’d stay home and not go anywhere. It would have to melt! Hahaha!

 

[Ridgetop]

think I will go with something like PVC pipe to try to get it strengthened and all...

If you use 1" PVC it is really sturdy, but the connectors have gotten really expensive. Can you disassemble the old sturdy frame and use some of those posts to tie on to strengthen the new one?

love split pea soup! Used to make it a lot but kids decided they didn't like it (color?) so stopped making it. Will have to do it again. Really economical meal.

 

[farmerjan]

No, cannot take the old frame apart to reuse...I am going to try to repurpose the old frame for using poly carbonate panels..... but I got some 3/4 inch pvc today and a bunch of different connectors to do some experimenting tomorrow... have to see if I have a hacksaw to cut a couple of the 10 ft pipes. Was going to go with 1 inch but it was ALOT higher than the 3/4... since I want to use it WITH the cheap frame.. hope it will be enough. So I got some to try making a section.... if it does not seem enough, will take back the pieces I don't use and go for 1 inch....and I might try putting a little bit together and decide that the 3/4 inch is not heavy enough... before I even cut anything... I am the kind that needs to actually have it right there in front of me to try it...
I also am going to put a cross piece the length of the 20 ft on the sides to strengthen it also... sure more joints and more expense... but could go with the 3/4 inch ... might work and might not when I get out there on it tomorrow....
I will be coming right by Lowe's in the morning on the way home from testing.... I might just get some 1 inch and some connectors and then have both to try... there are also some reducing connectors... so might be able to use a combination....
And I am going to see about contacting the company.... maybe get some rebate on it as the flimsy metal (it is more like aluminum) frame pieces have had the metal bend and break with the wind/breeze working on it. I see a couple of small tears in the cover now... due to the jagged metal edges... What a disappointment... And I really like the cover.....

Got a calf that does not feel good... the bigger oldest holstein that was on the cow with her calf.... drank his bottle but not wanting to come out to eat...usually he is very enthusiastic about his bottle... have no idea as I have not done anything different EXCEPT adding the whole milk to the bottles.... and he was on the cow in the beginning... so had whole milk before....
He drank his bottle this evening, but not overly enthusiastic... gave him a shot of LA200 since I had it in the car since there was a little snotty nose but not much... I am going to take some probiotics to give him, in the morning... and put him back on just milk replacer.... since that is all I have changed....I will also give him a blackleg shot since he has not had that... usually do not give it to calves until 3 months or so... but don't know if he got any good immunity from the colostrum where I got him from... no blood in any manure I saw, so don't think it is coccidia but at the age it could be... but I might also get some corid in his gut tract in case.... will try to see him actually do some manure in the morning....It's been over 10 days since I got the last set of twins so shouldn't have any big effect at this point......
Always something.

Will pick up milk replacer on the way home tomorrow and some calf grain since I will be coming through town. Want to have plenty of stuff on hand from going through town and not having to make any special trips.

Bottles in the car for the morning. No setting up meters so that is good.

Had to send a picture of some mail that I picked up for Deb since she is not coming out this weekend again... with the forecast "wintery mix" of snow/sleet/ice/rain starting early on Sat morning... she could come out Friday evening but she doesn't get herself going much after work.... anyway... I have this Razor phone (foldable) so it fits in my pockets and can't fall out and get broken and not so awfully big... that was the reason for getting it.... I have had a lot of aggravation with having a "smart phone" as many have probably read... well... I couldn't figure out how to send a pic... DS does not like the phone so NO HELP at all... won't ask as all he does is criticize different things about it.... so I stopped at the Verizon place in town and there was a really nice HELPFUL guy there... he showed me how to send a picture... walked through it with me a couple times... THEN wrote the order of how to do it for me... I told him that I didn't grow up with computers like all "you young people" and I don't like "playing with things".... he said he understood completely, that some of this tech stuff was not "natural" for some people, and that if I had any other problems come by and see him.... This particular Verizon store has not had a very good reputation for being helpful to people... but he is a different person than I saw the last time I was there and aggravated with it seeming to keep erasing the voice mail icon thing.... I was soo thankful.... explained that I went with the foldable so it would fit in my pocket and not get dropped or anything while on the farm.... and he said that we needed more farmers and less electronics... WOW..... but he didn't struggle with it like the last one that "worked on it".... so obviously he had some experience with it even though it is not one of the more popular models...
I am VERY Thankful for his help and taking the extra 5 minutes to walk through it with me twice and then writing down the "directions....order of what to do in what order..."
I sent a couple pictures to @Baymule and @Mini Horses .... and sent a picture of the little twin heifers in the feed dish to the farmer I got them from too.... It finally makes sense to me....
Now to figure out how to send some to BYH.....

Yep, I am DENSE when it comes to electronics....

Going to go get a shower and go to bed early so I can get up with the alarm to go test....

 

[CLSranch]

I don't know how to get pictures from my new phone to the computer/BYH. (and I'm a young pup) Found an older phone the other day and was thinking of using it just for getting some pictures to the computer. Wasn't going to carry around another phone or camera just for that.

 

[farmerjan]

Home from testing.... brought milk in to thaw/warm a little for bottles of all, EXCEPT the calf not feeling very good....
It was 20 here at house when I got up and dressed at 3:45 a.m. Car thermometer said outside temp of 14 and the radio station from just north of there said their overnight low was 11. The ground was hard... I started the car to thaw off frost, ate a piece of toast and went to work.
Things went smoothly as usual there, left and stopped and got milk replacer and feed for the calves.....
Samples in the house to pack and some milk "thawing" a bit... will put in a sink of warm water to warm more then make the bottles and go up to calves.
Sun is out, no wind, so ought to be decent out there. Going to get the calves fed, and then see about working on the "frame" for the reinforcing.... might have to make the run to the Lowe's south of here (10 miles) and get some of the 1 inch... I forgot until 2/3 of the way home... could have stopped after I got the milk replacer and feed... oh well.... not the end of the world if I decide to do some 1 inch and use the 3/4 inch as the extra bracing on the sides.... Have to pack the samples, but only 100+ a few so won't take long.....

I am cold...need to get going up to calves and see how that one feels today... hoping it was just a stomach upset and the possibility of getting a respiratory thing with the little bit of a snotty nose. Since it is one of the older two, it is a bit worrisome... they had both been doing so good.

 

[farmerjan]

Good thing... holstein is looking better. Came out for his bottle... eyes look brighter... acts better. Not 100% but much more positive acting. I feel so relieved he seems to be feeling more like "himself"..... I will keep the milk out of his bottle and then try to add it back in, in a couple days...... maybe.... don't have any idea if that was it..... and he got mixed last night... so don't think it was the "reason".... didn't see any manure this morning that I "knew " was his, and all that I studied in the pen, looked normal.....
He went to the bunk to eat grain with the black one from the cow, "his brother" so to speak..... I put more hay in the bunk and grain, plus grain in the flat pan for the twin heifers... let the youngest twins out in the sunshine again.
It is decent out... only about 40 with a very light breeze.
Samples packed and going to go drop them off to go out and then get serious with the frame situation.... Looks like we are going to get more rain/sleet/ice than actual snow...but I am going to see if I can do something workable.
I hate "construction projects"... I just do not like "making things" or building things. Just not me. I will gladly help people but do not like to get things "going" on my own. Gardening, on the tractor making/raking hay by myself, working/checking cattle, canning, lots of things... by myself is fine... I just do not like "building stuff".... my mom was good at those type of things and I liked helping her. She did not like the "working with" the animals near as much... my DS doesn't like the "boredom" of raking hay and I like the challenge of getting the rows right... and like the solitude that comes with raking.....

Came in to wash bottles, pack the samples, and eat something... time to get outside .

 

[CLSranch]

and like the solitude that comes with raking.....

One thing I like about the new feeder job and brush hogging. Maybe my tractor will be fixed next/this year and I can get some side jobs with the tractors.

 

[farmerjan]

Didn't get too far with the pvc pipes... had some work related issues I had to deal with.... pvc pipes are carried out to the chickens... couldn't find the hacksaw but then finally did... So, it will have to wait until tomorrow.
Does not look like as much snow as they were saying... we will see... I am going to get some of the 1" pipe also... and have to get some connectors and stuff... but that is a project for another day (soon)....
Dropped the samples off at the vineyard to go out UPS.... put the feed out of the car from this morning, into the forester, and brought the milk replacer in the house....

Went up to the calves... holstein drank pretty good, but then acted like he had a "belly ache".... the rest ate fine... he went into the bunk after the grain, for a minute, but then he turned away. I need to watch it closely. No temp or anything though. Not bloated which I was a little worried about... maybe he just ate something in the hay too.... going to make sure he does not get any regular milk, just milk replacer... for the next several days... Luckily, they are close to being weaned... so once I can get him acting normal, they will be getting weaned off sooner rather than later.... At least him and the one born to the nurse cow I lost, are eating grain good. I will get a couple of bales of good orchard grass to take up there for them also....

Got a notice from SS... payment is going up a little again this year...will actually get about $35 month more.... the automatic medicare payment went up about $10 a month or so...but that's part of it. I can live with this. Still better than having to work that many more farms to make this much. I worked over 55 years to get to this point.

Looks like the "weather" will start around 6 a.m.....but should be done and out of here by late afternoon and Sunday looks decent, and Monday is supposed to be sunny....
@Mike CHS should be getting it as rain, right now, according to what I am seeing, looking at the radar.
They are also saying some heavy rain coming in next Tuesday....

Had another bowl of the split pea soup and will freeze the rest... 2-3 more servings I think.
Washed all the dishes and the bottles and all so sink is pretty much cleaned and empty.

Going to go take a shower and wash all the cow sh!t and iodine smell from this morning's herd out of my hair and be clean for a day or 2.

 

[Ridgetop]

Maybe ad water to the milk in the bottle and keep on probiotics and antibiotics?

have to see if I have a hacksaw to cut a couple of the 10 ft pipes.

Buy a pipe cutter for PVC. Easier to use than a hacksaw and you don't have to sand off the ragged edges. They are pretty cheap at Lowes.

DS does not like the phone so NO HELP at all... won't ask as all he does is criticize different things about it

My children have either I-phones or the other kind. Whichever type I had the other would criticize.

Now to figure out how to send some to BYH.....

You enter yourself in the "Contacts" page. Put in your email address. When you want to send a picture to your email (t add to BYH), you send it to your email address. There should be an icon for pix next to the text/email message box. Hit that and select the picture you want to send from the picture library. Attach it to your email. Then you can download the picture into your computer from your email. There are a lot easier ways to do this, but unlike my children I don't know how to do them! LOL I even have to get my son to download all the pictures in my phone onto my computer!