Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

So DS stayed & you came back home? Thought you'd stay for auction. Of course, may last a looong time

I didn't get the bucklings to auction today. Raining this morn & I wasn't interested in wrestling 4 wet kids into the truck. Probably best, next month will be closer to holidays -- labor day comes soon after, better buyers. I've got grass!! I'll separate them & feed up some for Aug sale.

 

[farmerjan]

No, we both came back home... Broke the "rule" of not selling without one of us there... BECAUSE... there were only the 2 calves that were ours... and they were lightweights... and we were not going to bring them back... The cull cows were going regardless... and Fred's animals were to be sold he said...
If the 2 calves get sold cheap, we will take it with a grain of salt... but according to what the stuff was bringing in Staunton on Friday... I suspect that the selling prices will be good. Because of the graded sale they had alot of "trailer loads" (big tractor trailer/pot loads) and the 2 steers of Fred's graded... the heifer did not. The 2 calves we took to sell, were under 350 lbs and they do not make a grade for them so they will just get sold... If they bring $2.00/lb... they are good ... I hope more... but...
And the cull cows we often do not stay for because there is NO WAY any of them are coming back... and the bull looks as good as he can, not limping much... weighed over 1800 lbs... he ought to bring 2500-3000.... 1.50-2.00 / lb... If the cows bring $1.00/lb they will all bring $11-1200 +.... so it is only our 2 calves that we would have stayed for.
DS was taking the kids to the local fireman's carnival tonight and had to be back by 5 to get a shower... we were both drenched in sweat from the heat... him moreso from sorting some of the cows before I got there. ... He was picking them up around 5:30-6 p.m. SHE is being a B#@%h again... and he said is distancing herself from him... SAME OLD, SAME OLD pattern... but then I am staying out of it this time... I said my piece the other day... told him she is a user, a selfish, self centered, IMMATURE B#@%H... and she keeps playing him when it is to her advantage... and he said , I know, you told me this... it is just so stupid... and I said she wants her cake and eat it too... and you keep falling back into her trap... and all you do is set yourself up to get kicked in the teeth...I told him he keeps doing the same thing and expecting a different result and she is NOT CAPABLE of ... nor does she WANT TO... grow up...
He is getting the sisters 2 kids... the little boy that wants to be with him all the time... and the older daughter so she and GF's daughter can do rides and stuff together... a buddy... I hope they have a good time... but he will be thinking about the "B#@%H and how "they should be doing this together"
Wish she would go fall off a cliff...

 

[Baymule]

It has begun, dumping at auction because of the drought. Sell everything you don’t want because prices will come down in your area because of so many being sold. Take care of your core stock, the rains will come, maybe not soon, but they will come again.

 

[Baymule]

Your DS needs to meet a GOOD woman.

 

[farmerjan]

Your DS needs to meet a GOOD woman....

Yeah, but until he lets go of this one, it is useless because he will not let himself try to find someone and I am so tired of it. Get a life.....

It has begun, dumping at auction because of the drought. Sell everything you don’t want because prices will come down in your area because of so many being sold. Take care of your core stock, the rains will come, maybe not soon, but they will come again.

Yes, and no. Part of it is the dry conditions... people are getting rid of some of the less productive animals... BUT alot of it is the price above the dry conditions. There is no way for us to make a 515 lb steer profitable, putting it on feed to get it to 700 lbs. When we got just about $1700/ head (515 x 3.30) for weaned calves...like 2-3 weeks ago.... and the buyers are still paying high prices because the demand is there.... God only knows why ...... there is NO earthly reason to hold them to 700 lbs and get $2.50 = 1750..... with at least $100-150 worth of feed in them... that is losing money. So regardless of the dry conditions... if there was a ton of grass, it will would barely be a break even proposition to get them to 700-750 lbs... Even if we still had 400 tons of the silage in the pit.... it does NOT PAY for us in this area to keep them to get them up to 700 lb size. Been preaching that to DS for years... 450 to 580 is the "sweet spot " here for best value of the calves. Weaning and on feed for 30 days makes them more attractive... they are not what are called "bawlers"... meaning bawling for their momma's... those are much more likely to get sick, not eat, all that...

Most of the trailers that were in there DS said were not full.... they were like us 5-15 head... mixed of feeder calves and some cull cows.. several dairies with 5-6-8 cull cows on them. ALOT of the trailers had sheep and goats.. they will decimate a pasture quicker than anything since they eat so close when it gets dry....

AND on top of that... all 3 "local" stockyards were closed last week for 4th of JULY....Thurs stockyard, Friday stockyard closer to us, and this "Saturday stockyard"... so like us, when we were going to take these few of Fred's last Sat, but they were closed... So, with all things figured in, this week was just a lot busier.
Because they had those tractor trailer loads come in early, and those cattle were being graded for the "graded sale" that coincided with today, they were not unloading the "little guy" until that was done, and got way behind also...
Yes the drought conditions are adding to the "push" to sell off a "few extras" right now... but it is the prices that are pushing me, to push DS to sell. We will take another load of steers from these bigger calves we have brought home the last couple weeks... might only be 6-8-10... and a few idiot acting heifers... either next Friday or the following week.
They have had some rain out in WV so DS is taking another 10 or so heifers out there in the next few days...heifers we are planning to keep for replacements.....at least for now... there are 14 out there already... last year we ran 32/34? steers out there... Big difference.... half the number of last year so far... so maybe 2/3 of what we had out there last year.
He said we will take 5-6 or so heifers to the pasture where we just pulled those 3 cows/calves out of... there is still grass there...then if it gets dry we can pull them out or sell or whatever. But since they have no "prior history" of being out... and there is grass, hopefully the heifers will stay in...

The holstein bull calf twins looked better this evening... I put their water tub inside the barn and carried a 5 gal bucket in there, tonight. They drank about half of it... but looked perkier... just going to have to baby them. I think they were getting somewhat dehydrated because they would not come in the creep gate with the other calves there, and they were drinking most of the water first... I still want to get them to the house and on some grass/clean pasture.... here along with extra feed... they just will not compete with the bigger calves there... they are too timid... compared to the holstein heifer twins, that were so feisty from the get go...

So they are staying locked in the one side of the barn and the outside attached lot and they will just get fed more until I get them here.

Time to quit... I am tired but have gotten better after the extreme heat in the truck while we were waiting to get around and unloaded.

One of the soaker hoses had a small split, so got that replaced. Looks like my older soaker hoses are starting to deteriorate... but I have the male and female ends to fix so will just cut out the weak/leaking spots and fix them to continue to use for awhile. I guess they get weak spots when they are out in the sun and all that.... degrades them.

Time to quit for the night...

 

[farmerjan]

Nearly 2 pm. I just ate a pbj sandwich because nothing else looked appetizing. It is HOT... yeah, I know, not TEXAS HOT ... but Virginia TOO HOT, for too many days, too early in the summer... It only got down to 71 last night... It is now 95... Sun is out baking the ground some more...

I am on my knees... PLEASE @Mini Horses , send some of that rain this way next time it wants to hang around over there.....
I don't know, they are saying 99 or over 100 the next couple days... then possible rain Wed-Thurs... and then the rest of the month will be cooler than normal????

Hung the jeans and put the whites in... soaking the socks and such. They can go out tomorrow since there is no chance they won't dry in about 15 seconds with those forecast temps. .

Put a gal of tea out to brew... have done very little else. Shoulder aching and I try to not take something all the time... but am getting ready to go in and get some tylenol/advil.... Going to do a sink full of dishes so they can be put away in a bit.

Might try to get in the garden and do some mulching this evening. Did not go out there this morning. Will need to move the soaker hoses to the next rows for this evening....
The watermelons have not come up... some are new seeds this year... not very happy about that. Going to replant one time and then soak the ground so they get settled in and see...
I hope to get out with the weed eater later too, but not going to wind up with heat stroke or anything .... want to do around that edge of the garden where it is too rough to take the mower...
Haven't seen hide nor hair of the groundhog that I saw the first night I was putting up the netting...

Need to load the stuff on the truck this evening and take to the dumpster tomorrow before it gets too awful hot. Empty the cart so I can go out and load up all the "rocks" out of the garden I keep picking...

Will have to soak all the potted plants again tomorrow if this heat keeps up...

Stuff to do, and NO UMPH to do it...

 

[farmerjan]

Hit 96 a little bit ago, now there are dark clouds to the west....
Just heard noise, big fat ploppy drops... shut the car windows... let the clothes stay out there... maybe they will entice it to rain more.... not enough to even get me more than a little bit wet... sure hoping it doesn't pass over but not looking like it will last. Oh well, took temp down to 90 in 5 minutes...

 

[farmerjan]

Noon or so Monday. HOT. 71 was the low, It is up to 93 now. Hazy and humid, but nothing much in sight for today, or tomorrow.

Yesterday afternoon I wound up going to 14th b'day for XGF daughter. DS said I was welcome to come and he said it would be nice if I went. I went last year. and so I said Okay. They had a pizza party, and it was at the father's family place and there is a pool so the kids got to swim after. Her father is a farmer, and his dad I have known for years too. It was okay. The grandfather that I know... his wife died several years ago and he is going with this really nice woman... don't think they got married... it actually was at her place with the pool.... anyway, we got to talking and talking about the replacements and different things... and about the chiropractor, aches and pains, and she had asked about different treatments I have had... got into that I had done prolotherapy and PRP and then stem cell... and she was telling about how she's gotten into yoga and has felt better and such... then I mentioned about starting some massage therapy for the shoulder, and she said she does that occasionally, and has started with some CranioSacral.... I liked to fell over, because that is what I have also done some of with the massage therapist. .... then talked about the different things that some of our "conventional medicine" people will not recognize.... So, I think I am going to try to go to the yoga class... it is at the Y that is just about 15 minutes south... I didn't realize there was a Y there... I only knew about the one north and that is about 25-30 minutes... but the one south is at the north end of the town... so about 10-12 miles, with next to no traffic.... And I have that "silver sneakers" program with my SS and supplemental ins... so should be paid for.... I am going to stop by and talk to them... she (Roseann) said that it is Tues and Thurs mornings... I need to just kinda learn about all this stuff. You would think I would be getting enough exercise, but it is different than exercises that are specifically to work the body more than the repetitive stuff you do as day to day stuff...

So, it was a nice enough evening... came home and it was getting close to dark. Put the soaker hoses on different rows, and found another small split in one... I will fix it since it is a long hose... but might be the beginning of the end of the older soaker hoses. I have a new roll that is 50 or 100 ft... think it is 100 ft... cut to fit length type... and have some extra ends that came with it... so will probably get it out if there are many more splits. But at least I can still cut and add ends to the old ones... takes like 5 minutes to do it... and I have ends to use... It is kinda nice to be able to put put some together to make custom lengths for the different places I have the different stuff... I can put non-soaker hoses inbetween so that I can run the soaker part to a further away section... like the watermelon "patches" I recently planted... so the "cut up pieces" can be put here and there as needed.... gives me flexibility.

I did not get the stuff put on the truck because this morning DS wanted to sort the heifers, so he could take another load to WVa. They have gotten a couple rains out there and the grass is supposedly looking alot better... plus with only the 14 out there so far, it is understocked to start with.
So we sorted out the steers, and put them together so he can feed them on one side of the bunk in the barn... they may very well go next Friday..... then we sorted off a couple of small heifers, and then looked over the rest. Took 4 bigger ones out, to go; one is a very friendly one that will be good to "lead them" to come when called for grain, she is a 1/2 angus 1/2 hol heifer that I grafted on a cow that had a dead calf... so is used to being around me/people, from at the nurse cow farm, the cow bred back and has just had a new calf and was moved out to pasture........cow is also a pita friendly to the point of being right there on top of you... but she will come to a bucket everytime..... and then we pulled out 8 more that are pretty uniform in size... and pretty quiet to work with. There were 2 or 3 that we kept at the barn, that are nutty... and the one that had pinkeye that we treated last week we kept at the barn with the others. There are still about 12 or more heifers, at the barn. DS said we might have to sell a load of heifers... and it might come to that... which we will pick from the ones we kept at the barn.... I have 2 at the nurse cow pasture that need to go with these others at doug's barn... both are long weaned... would do better getting fed a little grain more regularly, with heifers comparable to their size, and the grass is short at the nurse cow pasture too... We are going to put a roll up there so that the cows don't go backwards... there are 6 or so, with 2 month old calves, so they need to get fed good to keep producing more milk for their calves.

So, that's about it. I went down after we got done with the sorting and working the heifers through the chute for vaccines and eartags in both ears etc... to see how busy they were at the co-op .... he said he had several in for inspections and some oil changes etc... so that after lunch would possibly be better... so I am going to head down and see if they are too busy still... It is only 3 miles...
It was after 10:30 when I got back here to the house... watered a bunch of plants out here. Got the clothes run through another rinse so they can get hung... and another load to wash too to have everything caught up.
I am going to run down with the car, and see what's what... DS won't be back until after 5-6 pm this evening... he said he is going to put out some hay for the ones he has there at the barn... a roll for the side for the steers, and then a roll in the other side for the heifers.... he said this morning his stomach was not doing good.... and he didn't sleep good last night.... so won't do much when he gets back.

It is partly cloudy out there.. but the thermometer is on 96 now... so just hot... Tomorrow the same....but there is now a 60 % chance of rain starting Wed... and temps drop to BELOW average into the low 80's.... CRAZY... we'll take any all rain though ....and the cooler than normal would be welcome...

 

[farmerjan]

Just got back... timed perfectly. No one there waiting, and JR had just finished up the last oil change and inspection....so he balanced the tire we put the boot in that had the cut... switched the tires on the back because one side was wearing a little more than the other, so this should help to even them out... and then checked and rebalanced the other front one... it looked like it had lost a weight... so I should have a smoother ride now. Picked up a bag of sweet feed while I was there to add to the pellets I have been feeding the calves in the creep pen at the nurse cow pasture.

Got home and it was getting cloudier... all of a sudden got a couple b ig drops, so closed the windows on DS truck that he left here when he got the explorer... and took a tarp and covered the box on the back as best I could... because I cannot crawl up on the back of the truck on my knees and this is the flat bed "bale" truck.

We got a quick fast shower.... The clothes on the line got rinsed and that is just fine... Maybe they will get another rinse. I will go out and hang the others that I ran through a 2nd rinse while I was down getting the tire situation taken care of a little bit ago. I doubt we got a half of a tenth (.05).... but it did cool it down to 77 on the recording thermometer... Didn't see it coming but thankful for the cool down ......
Sun is coming back out, but it won't get so hot at this hour. Radar not showing anything more, but I didn't see this one coming either...

 

[Baymule]

Even if it wasn’t enough to wet the ground, it cooled down. Sometimes just the cooling effect is a blessing.