Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Ridgetop]

No need to buy if you can't make money.

Just heard about this TX fire today. Apparently started the day after DH and DS1 passed through west Texas on their way home. Texas wildfires in northwest panhandle currently burnt/burning 900,000 acres. Terrible for the people there who have lost homes, businesses, and ranches. Some ranchers will be put out of business with this. Some farmers may have lost equipment, but hopefully have not planted yet so may survive. Cattle ranchers are not so lucky.

Per Dallas Morning News:
'Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller told The Dallas Morning News that the fire had killed up to “tens of thousands of head of cattle.”'

Beef and cattle prices are going to soar with this fire. I don't know if it will affect your market in Virginia, but replacement cows and heifers will probably be like gold in Texas, Oklahoma, and surrounding states.

Our prayers are with all the people affected by these fires.

 

[farmerjan]

Home from testing and it is blowing like a banshee out there... gusting and really blowing...

Got some hard rain for a bit, and then it slacked off with just a bit of wind. Since about 6 or so it has blown like all get out. Tomorrow it is supposed to die down some, and be sunny,,,BUT...the TEMP is dropping like rock... hit 61 for a bit today, is now down to 35... and supposed to get down to 20's... wind chill in the teens...

Like, HOLY COW.... tomorrow will be in the 40's and below freezing again Thurs night... then back into the 60's days... CRAZY....

Those cows last night are looking "cheap" with the Texas wildfire situation... calves on the ground might make them a good buy after all... oh well, not going to sit and second guess... there will be more sales coming up...

Made a cheese omelet for supper. Going to update my calendar... because SURPRISE..... changing schedule again...
Contacted the 250 cow herd scheduled for next Wed afternoon, that couldn't do today, because of the vet. They usually give shots and such to bring cows into heat and next week would be the week of heats and breedings... SOOOO... since we are not shipping any cattle Friday, I called and offered them Friday afternoon to test if they wanted it... and that works much better for them so they are very glad to do that... I don't get home too awful late from there... usually by 8... because I have that other herd, on Sat morning... but at least I don't have to be there until just before 5 since there is no set up there...
Good thing I write all my scheduling of farms in PENCIL on my calendar....
I did get the 500 cow herd confirmed for next Thursday... and Deena is going to meet me there... at least get them caught back up.... so this way I will test Mon eve/Tues morning and not have to test on Wed and then do the 500 cow herd on Thursday...

I did not even bring the samples in tonight... did not want the papers to blow away by opening the door in the dark... Will get all that in and pack them in the morning...
The only thing about the 250 cow herd, I have to be there by 12:30 or so to set up 24 meters... they help.... to start milking at 1:30.... so I will have to feed some hay tomorrow I guess since I will not get it done on Friday... and I have to change the brackets on the meters to test Friday... and then change 12 back for Monday... OH WELL.... part of the job...

I am going in to get a shower and go to bed. I have a dull headache and would like to try to sleep if off.... plus who knows what I am going to have to go "looking for" in the morning; that this wind is going to have "relocated" out there...

 

[farmerjan]

Nice "brisk" 24 overnight... YEP ... temps dropped about 40 degrees... didn't bring in the milk for this morning, to warm a little...so has ice all around the insides of the bucket... so it is in the sink in the hot water left from washing the dishes to initially warm up some... I will pour it into the bottles and set them in hot water again, so it is at least warm to mix with the milk replacer, for when I go feed.
Slept hard, last night, still dull ache... oh well...

Bottles, calves to feed, hay to haul and will unroll a roll of the grass hay at the nurse cow pasture and put the core section in the barn with the bigger calf I kept in, so he will not eat all the good hay so fast... I will put some of it in for the smaller calves also, but he will need more bulk than just the 2 sections I am feeding those 4 of the good hay. Going to see if the other real hard to get in one is anywhere around the barn area so I might be able to get him in...
Samples to bring in to pack, and then have to go to the chiropractor... that ought to help the dull headache some too...

Sun is out, breezy but nothing like the WIND last night. Still, it was cold when I went out to get the bucket of milk...

Happy LEAP DAY !!!!!

 

[Mini Horses]

Slept hard, last night, still dull ache... oh well...

Consider -- reaction to spring budding of any fauna, plus your handling of hay...bales & rolls. I almost never have a headache -- until this time of year. Then the old sinuses revolt and remind me they're still there, filtering the air, dust, etc. ain't often, but a couple times a month as spring arrives.

Hope the Chiro helps!

 

[farmerjan]

Chiropractor always helps me... he works on this shoulder, did some on the wrist that still hurts a little... worked on lower back some...

Been a busy day, not all that I planned but good. This morning, calves done here, went to nurse cow pasture, fed them, put a little of the good hay out in the pen since the sun was out for the calves... including the one I managed to get in yesterday. The 3 that were in the barn (2 weaned bottle calves and the orphan) were eating their grain and one of the 2 steers, managed to squeeze his way in through the creep gate .. so I said good, one more to keep in. He has been coming in for the grain... I got him and the 3 into the barn and shut the door and opened the pen and there were a bunch of cows that came in and they got some grain... The steer that never comes around much was up there with the cows, but I could not get him in and didn't want to spook him... So I got in the car and rode around the back side of the barn to look at the hay piles in the field. Came back and he was up near the barn/open gate. So I sat in car and another heifer went in and sorta pushed him a bit and he followed her in.... WOW

So, I worked out a couple of cows, he went into the little corner pen, I think looking for an out but not all nervous... I managed to shut the little gate on that corner pen... got the rest of the cows/heifers out... then opened the door to the barn and let him out of the little corner pen...into the barn lot.... walked calmly around him and he went into the barn... I wanted him to be in there and feel a little bit comfortable just eating in there...
HOLY COW.... could not believe it...... So, all this took about an hour and a half of fiddling with them... but it was sooooo worth it. I fed out about 1/2 bale of the good hay for them, so they would stay put... I did not get the truck to feed hay though, as I had to come back to the house, change and head down for my chiropractor appt.

Still have to get the steer that the longhorn raised, she has weaned it but he needs to come out and one heifer that is about 1 yr and will not get bred this year, if DS decides to keep her; but they shouldn't be too hard, the heifer comes right in for grain and the steer I hope will come in without a big deal...

Had to take all the meters out of the car since I got a text that she had at least 4 / 5gal buckets of milk for me to pick up... got changed and left to go. Got there right at 2...(appt 2:15) one person didn't show so got in without alot of waiting. Got out, headed back towards the farm.... stopped and filled up the car with gas, still 2.96 down there... went to the farm... left 3 / 5gal buckets and got 4 / 5gal buckets and 3 / 2 gal buckets...

Got home, talked to DS on the way, and he was talking about moving the panels to the last pasture where he has cows and calves and all mixed up with some big and some small and all that... said he was thinking about taking a load this friday and/or saturday... I said okay... except I would not be able to help since I had scheduled farms for Friday (tomorrow) since he said that he was not going to send any this week... and I was testing Sat morning also but could help after I got home around 9 or so.... Then he said maybe you can get those steers in at the nurse cow pasture... and I said, well I haven't had a chance to talk to you, but I managed to get them in this morning... it was a fluke, but they are in... I did not get any hay fed, but was on my way home from the chiropractor and was going to take the r/w truck and go feed since I was messing around this morning with the steers... and I was going to unroll a roll of hay and put the "core" of the roll in the pen for them... so he said well, I can get you a couple sq bales of hay for them off the wagon... have to get one for a friend that is going to stop and pick it up... so I said okay, great. He said that we could take a load on Saturday... I said that would work...
So, by the time I got home, he had put 3 sq bales on the back of my ranger, so I could go right up there to feed them... check to make sure they were still in fl)....and didn't have to try to get the center of the roll put over the fence...
I went up, they were in, the one was not real happy but not acting crazy, just hollering some... fed 2 of the sq bales since there are all the calves in there... and the creep gate is closed off so the 3 weaned ones can't go out either right now... and it is supposed to rain Friday eve/into early Sat morning. Then I went and got the truck and fed a roll of hay there to keep them happy... DS brought a feeder wagon of silage up the the ones across from me too. He had fed a roll of hay in there since they were all at the gate and he had to get in to get the wagon out... so that saved me from worrying about it this afternoon.

So, DS said he was going to sell the bigger ones at the graded sale like we did the last ones, in 2 weeks...but he did not like to sell any that do not grade since the buyers don't want them as much... when I got home from feeding the roll; I then fed the 2 calves here, took the buckets out of the car and got them here so they will get good and cold tonight.... and changed the brackets on the meters, got all of them in the car and loaded all the hoses. Then came in and went on the computer and see where the "Sat market" is having a graded sale this Sat... so texted DS and told him. He called me and said "then he was not going to sell any on Sat"... I told DS that the steers could stay at the nurse cow pasture or he can move the bigger ones to the barn... to go with the rest... said we could figure that out. He said, that was probably good, he can get the other group moved in the next few days... he does not feel good, sounds like he is getting a cold/flu bug... and I told him to go home and get a hot shower and get some sleep...

I will figure out the hay situation... got another sq bale to feed tomorrow when I am gone for testing... I will leave here, BY 11 , to be there around 12-12:15 ... so chores are about all I will get done in the morning....But at least all the meters and hoses are ready. Still have to get the bottles in the trays this evening... I will have to go get sweet feed tomorrow morning, I am almost out of my calf feed since I used it to get them all in this morning... I will get the stuff down at the co-op... that I do not like as much for the littler calves... and then get some on the way through town of the kind I prefer from the other feed store. I want to give them a good feeding of feed in the morning so the steers get something "good" out of being "locked in" the barn and barn lot...

I have to get the computer work done on the farm I tested yesterday and drop off the reports on my way to test tomorrow... another thing I didn't get done today with taking so much time up there getting the steer in....

So, time to quit and get some other things done tonight.

 

[farmerjan]

Chilly 28 again last night... Sun is out, I have milk warming for the calves. Will feed the ones here, then head up to the barn and feed them and hopefully the steers are still in and all is status quo.

Bottles are in the trays for testing... Computer work done and pages printed to drop off for the farm on the way to, or from, testing.

I know I must be forgetting something...gotta go get some feed this morning and then stop on my way through town to get the kind I prefer to feed to the little calves... better protein, less filler stuff, and they like it better.
The 2 here at the house are eating grain and hay already...
Time to get going.

 

[farmerjan]

Saturday. I did forget to call about the feed I like, so they naturally didn't read my mind and leave any out for me to pick up on my way through town... so will get a bag of the co-op sweet feed and they will get by until Monday...
Steers were all in yesterday when I went to the nurse cow pasture... and did not seem too worried/upset. Got them all situated, they still had plenty of hay, and then I came home and went to test. It went fine, I like these farmers.... talked about the extremely high prices of the calves and what they got for 8 cull cows they took to the stockyard. 6 brought in the $1.05 to $1.20 per pound and 2 that were not the best brought in the $.70's... which they would not have brought $.25-.30 in the past.

Came home around 8:30 got the samples all in the house, fed the 2 calves here bottles, and got the 120 bottles in trays for testing this morning. Got up with the alarm at 3:30 and went to test. It had started to sprinkle/rain around 5 p.m. and rained off and on all night. Was raining when I left this morning, and raining when I got home. Fed the calves here, and it has just recently stopped raining and the sky is getting lighter... not really sun, but "bright cloudy"... It is supposed to clear off some later. I will check the rain gauge when I go up to the nurse cow pasture. Since they are on once a day bottles, I figured I could take my time and go later today so as not to get soaked. I have to run down to the co-op and get the couple bags of feed. I will maybe go feed hay later after it dries out a bit more... or maybe wait until tomorrow... there is still hay next door at the pasture he took the silage cart into... they need to clean it up.... and the ones at the nurse cow pasture would not be hurting to go without for a day and clean some of that up either... I'll see how the afternoon goes and how slick it is up there when I go in just a little bit.

I'm tired this morning... I will sleep good tonight... Got all these samples to pack to ship out on Monday too...
Oh well, shipping samples means a paycheck.....

Made a cheese omelet when I got home after feeding the calves here... need to get the milk warmed up for those bottles and then go get the feed and go up there.....

 

[farmerjan]

Recipe for the Custard.....
Ethel's Vanilla Custard. From RoseAcre Farms....
Oven set at 350*
12 eggs
1 1/2 c sugar
5 c milk
1 tsp vanilla
optional nutmeg.

Mix (blend well with mixer) all together in a large bowl....

Pour into 8x13 baking dish, sprinkle with nutmeg. Bake 60 minutes or until knife comes out clean. Chill completely and after set and chilled, can cut into squares to serve...
Keep refrigerated.

My preferred method to cook... place bowl of mixture sprinkled with nutmeg if wanted, inside another larger bowl that is filled 2/3 way up with water...so water is up on sides of bowl containing custard mix at least 2/3 of the way...( I think it comes out creamier, does not set up quite as firm... but that is how I learned to make custard years ago.) Bake 60 min until knife comes out clean. cool and then keep refrigerated.

Good way to use excess eggs... You can cut recipe in half...It is simple and easy and takes 5 minutes or so to make and pop in the oven....

I have used lemon extract instead of vanilla on occasion.

RoseAcre farms has a good list of recipes on line....

 

[farmerjan]

I have been tired all day. Went and got a couple bags of feed for the calves/steers in the barn lot... Was going to see if I could get the longhorn's steer in but he was not close enough to mess with today...
Fed the other sq bale in the barn for the calves. Came home and got some clothes in the washer since it went from rain to cloudy to partly sun later this afternoon. They are saying partly cloudy the next few days and temps into the upper 60's... I will hang these jeans and all out tomorrow.

Fed grain to the little calves here and put more hay in there also... they had eaten it all... they are really eating good already.

Did up all the dishes, washed the bottles and a couple of the buckets from the milk. Fed bottles again this evening at the house. Made some shrimp that was in the freezer, a small amount of green beans and I am done. Going to take a shower and wash my hair and go to bed early.

I will feed hay tomorrow... the ground is a little muddy... we had a total of .35 inch of rain last night and into this morning... It was not real bad this afternoon when I got to the barn for the once a day bottles, but will be better tomorrow morning. I wanted them to clean it up a little today too...

Will take some of the meters out of the car tomorrow and change the brackets on the ones I have to use at the next farm. Get the right hoses in there too. Was thinking about burning the brush pile in the garden, but am too tired to stay out there late, to babysit it. Next time it rains some I hope to get it burned... I see where some people were burning brush piles last evening... If this warmer weather keeps up, it will be time to get into the garden sooner than you think.

 

[Ridgetop]

My preferred method to cook... place bowl of mixture sprinkled with nutmeg if wanted, inside another larger bowl that is filled 2/3 way up with water...so water is up on sides of bowl containing custard mix at least 2/3 of the way...( I think it comes out creamier, does not set up quite as firm... but that is how I learned to make custard years ago.)

That is the way my grandmother taught me to make custard too.

I have used lemon extract instead of vanilla on occasion.

I sometimes use almond flavoring too.