Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

The duals are running about $1100-1700 for something in 9-11 range. Also push button starts! But, I was looking at cost of propane tanks & refills, also. Found a set of 2 40# with connections & carts to move them....so could move easily to use or refill at a supplier if need be. Thinking about this vice deliveries if was needed. All adds to about $3k

Then it's on opposite sideof house than propane tank for my heater... ... So would have DS build a little house for it, so I'd not be moving so much crap to use. Easy to do with removable sides when in use. The cord plugs to unit and special plug on meter....so no backflow to lines when power restores, etc. the size let's me basically run whole house, just can't run oven, well pump, water tank ... All at once. No problem, if you know it.

 

[farmerjan]

Heading for the shower. Bottles in racks for tomorrow morning's herd. Have to get up and leave by 4 or so...

Wound up with a total of .3 inch rain... not much really. It was humid all day... and a little breeze this evening. Deb had called DS to tell him about the power still off, and he got a generator from a friend because his was not working from several years ago... and came to her house and hooked the 2 freezers up and ran it for about 1-1 1/2 hours. I got there with the food and she fired up the grill and we had hamburgers and baked beans and deviled eggs. DS came back after mowing that patch of fenced off grass at the nurse cow pasture, to make them happy, and he is going to mow more tomorrow... We are supposed to have several days of sun, 70's and low 80's....
He found out that there were 4 without power, right there around her, and a pine tree had taken down a wire between the poles and these 4 houses were "fed off" this one pole and transformer....a buddy of his works for the electric company and said they were headed that way and thought they could get it back on this evening.. she finally got power back about 8:30....
There were power outages all over the state with the crazy winds... alot of hard rain and some hail in some places.

Found the calf coats, in the tall grass in the back of the yard area, so that was good.

Got another farm wanting to test... GRRRR

 

[Ridgetop]

Got another farm wanting to test... GRRRR

You will never be able to "retire". Glad the power came back on for Deb.

DS3 got a generator from Harbor Freight that will run his freezers, etc. in case of power outages. But he lives on the central coast of California where a day over 85 degrees is a "heat wave". LOL Here in Texas and with the warnings about storms and bad heat this summer we wanted to be prepared for the worst.

The Generac 26KV was $6223 and that includes the transfer switch which a lot of companies charge extra for. Our friend Larry got it with his contractor discount and his electrician will hook it up for about $2000. The electric installation would be cheaper but DH insisted on copper wiring which added another $600. The propane tank installation and plumbing will be about $1200 but that would have been on top of the generator cost from Lowes anyway. We got 2 estimates, one from Lowes and one from a Generator guy and both were around $11-12,000 without the propane hookup or tank. We will rent the tank. The benefit is that if we are gone and the power goes out, the generator comes on automatically.

 

[farmerjan]

Not a bad morning until I got home from work... I opened the crate door before I left so the chickens did not have to stay in until after noon... and I had left it open a few nights when I just forgot to shut it... and things have been fine.... NOPE.... pile of feathers on the lawn and another bunch in the driveway, near the road... Nothing in the ditches, not finding any more anywhere else... Fox, coyote or dog; carried off; possibly a hawk but it was the bigger hen....so I doubt it... She has survived all the hawks before... been here over 2 years....

I am totally PI$$ED off.... Cats will get shut in tonight and the traps will all get set with meat....and everynight until I see and shoot, or catch and dispose of, whatever it is....

Samples to pack.... it is partly cloudy and cooler and breezy... hope to get into the garden later... I am just SOOO mad....

 

[Mini Horses]

About like my bad day.....knock on door. Sheriff from animal control. Goats out 2 days ago and across street on neighbors property. At the street edge mind you and their house is about 800' back. So I get a written warning, as they've called before...same deal, on ditch bank. Damn!! Jumpers, fence hole makers. I'm talking 4.5' easy jump. I agree my responsibility to keep in but, trying!! And, it's a select couple of them. I'll might just sell them at next auction. Not like they're actually "doing" or "harming" anything there. . So.......bite the bullet.

Been working fences even before he came. Nice guy. Asked him if I'd be in trouble if I tied them out as they have collars.....with dogs there's a law, 30 min. . He says "nope. That's fine". . Well may need to until auction. .

They have NEVER said to me -- goats are out & I do NOT want them to step onto our land. Or anything else ever said. He'll, I've caught my other neighbors horses & dogs & walked them home . Geesh....it's sad.

When the SHTF....don't ask for milk, eggs, meat or veggies, dear neighbor!

 

[SageHill]

Not sure to or . A simple phone call or text "your goats are out". Neighborly sort of thing to do. The sheriff - Geeze. Thank goodness he was a good guy.
Kind of makes you want SHTF so you can turn them down.
Are they city relocates?

 

[Mini Horses]

Are they city relocates?

Yep. Don't have my number but, knock on my door and tell me... I don't like your goats! Nope our animal control is part of sheriff's deptmt...so, that's fine but, I'm a neighbor -- speak to me first, please . Not like they damaged anything. People!

 

[SageHill]

Someone needs to 'splain country livin' to them. Probably came from a neighborhood where if the guy next to you mowed over the lot line a few inches they'd have a hissy fit.

 

[Margali]

Luckily I've only had one sheep escape before. This is when I first got started and didn't know any of the neighbors. She did call sheriff but was also trying to lure ewe out of middle of road with a head of lettuce. Deputy got some free entertainment of me and kids with leashes and feed scoops plus old lady with a head of lettuce trying to convince Dash to get out of the dang road. I finally lunged and got her in a bear hug to get halter on.

Great way to meet the neighbors, LOL.

 

[farmerjan]

Just to put a fly in the ointment... how far off the road??? There are right of ways along roads that the "owners" of property do not control.... these goats are doing vegetation control along the DOT right of ways....

Seriously though, we have had some that just like to get out on occasion and usually they either go to a different pasture and sometimes that stops it... but often they take a one way trip to town....
Don't have any other suggestions except a different "newly refenced" field??? Or as you say, collar and tie out....

I'm with you on the "don't look for any help if SHTF" and these neighbors get hungry... But the bad thing is that it is getting like this so many places as the "citidiots" move into more suburb/country surroundings...
Do they have a dog??? They better hope it NEVER gets in with the goats....