Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Short entry. Got things I want to try to do before it gets any hotter. 69 overnight, and already 85, sun is out and it is humid.

Went to the farm yesterday and we got all the cows entered in... milking started at 2:30 done 4:30... and got home and brought the samples in the house... worked on some computer stuff since I am having continuing trouble with this.
When I got home, DS called and he misplaced his bank debit card, wondered if it was in the other car? I also have "lost" my monthly planner calendar, with all the trips in and out of dr offices and such, it is possible I left it in one of the offices.... but I went through all the vehicles that DS had been in to look for his card and looked for the calendar also. Cannot find either...

So, I got the milk weights in the computer last evening... and then went back to test this morning. Trying to get things as "put together" for this farm so they can get on their own computer with the producer program and then be able to enter things in and such. They need the results of the samples for the SCC.... and that will get them "in the system".... so a start.
Got all the milk weights in the computer this morning and STILL have issues with the billing system... going to get on the phone here in a few minutes to see if they can get it resolved...
Called the one dr office I had the appt for the shoulder last week... and they keep a lost and found and they were great, but said nothing like the calendar had been turned in and put in the vault where they keep this stuff... very nice and unfortunately not there.
Got to pack the samples, and take them to be shipped so am going to go by the hospital since it is not too far away, and see if I left it there last Friday.

Supposed to be 95 to 100 ACTUAL temps today.... muggy and hot.

Yesterday afternoon, when I was at the farm, it turns out that it rained here at the house... DS said it poured.... and my rain gauge that showed .2 inch.... never rained at that farm.

Need to get things done...

 

[farmerjan]

Was sunny and hot this afternoon. Car temp showed 96... house was 94.... muggy too. Tomorrow is supposed to be up in the low 90's... then 30+% chance of showers and storms in the afternoon.
I will have to leave early since they are supposed to be milking at 5 and 5... I said I would do morning because I do not want to be driving home from there in the middle of the night. Plus, people getting on the road early for the Labor day weekend...
Got to get the bottles in the racks/trays... The one good thing is they do not want milk weights so all I have to do is put the cow's number on the bottle and get a sample... And they have their own samplers, so no set up... I would not be doing morning if I had to set up...
200 +/- cows.....

Still can't find the calendar... starting another one that I had gotten after they went on sale this past winter... HATE that I don't know where the one that I use all the time, is... had not been turned into the lost depts of 2 places... called one that I was at last Mon... and stopped at the hosp where he had the surgery on Friday, and they were also very nice but nothing....Maybe I will get lucky somewhere along the way....

Going to stop at DS's and take him a 1/2 gal of milk, and some ice cream type popsicles.... still none of the coffee drinks at Sharp Shopper... went by there to see on the way home from the errands.
Hung a load of jeans out, hope I get home tomorrow before they get rained on. It is supposed to cool off when it clouds up for the "storms"....hope to get a few things done in the afternoon when I get home.
Sun is still out and it is mid 80's last time I looked.

I turned the holstein bull calf out with the rest of the calves/cows....
Have a headache and I think it is just the heat.

 

[farmerjan]

Went and tested the herd that used to be mine, hasn't tested in 4 years, and is doing just a milk test... no info on the cows... They need a SCC test because of extremely high SCC on the tank.....and have to find out where the problem is.
Left at 3:45.a.m... got there right at 5 a.m....they had problems with the milk pump right off so about 45 minutes late getting things going... but got done and then got home about 11:30 - noon. Went good and after milking talked to the son for a bit. Looking like I will be testing them a couple times to establish any cows that are chronic problems... see a pattern.... but we'll see. The father can be a pita sometimes.
It was down to 70 overnight, and hit 93, but then got cloudy....
It was muggy and then it clouded up, dark clouds, thunder and all that... to the south and east. Radar looks like it is going to stay a little south and east for now, but more coming from the west and will be RAIN/Storms later this afternoon/eve.... We could use some more soaking rain...
Waiting to hear from the lab on packing the samples.... don't know if they need to be in some sort of order since they are just for SCC.... and I have not entered anything into the computer in the way of info....
Sun is trying to come back out, but will be clouding up again... Radar looks like some serious stuff later.
Went out and got jeans in, so we are good to go. I am tired ....

 

[farmerjan]

Friday. Down to 65 last night but back up to 90 today. Mostly sunny today and not as much humidity. It rained last night, and some wind too... there was .8 in the rain gauge which I was very surprised to see. It really helped to soak into the ground.
Packed the samples last night, and had to write them all on the "racking list" ... although they did not have to be in numerical order, still took some time.
Slept late this morning, I was tired. Got the samples into car, and changed to clean clothes and left for the chiropractor. Good thing I had some time as traffic was really heavy... everyone going away for the Labor day holiday I guess... Was going to drop them off on the way, but decided since it was heavy right from the time I left, that I would just wait til I came back. Good thing as it took me over 1 1/2 hours to go down and it normally takes a little over 1 hour.

After the chiropractor, went to the Goodwill I normally do... Got 2 pair of BRAND NEW, still had tags on them, black jeans. They are a brand I do wear, not my very favorite but not bad ones... Also got some dvd's.... and then stopped at Chicken Salad Chic, and got some lunch and some to bring home. I do that occasionally just to be different. Then came up and went to Kroger, groc store, as their web site lists that they carry the brand of Ice Cream that those coffee sherbet bars are. This Kroger is a little smaller than some and they have ALOT crammed in there but none of the ice cream brand. BUT, they did have pineapple sherbet that I like, on sale no less, so got 2 "half gallons" (which they aren't). I did walk by the meat and seafood, and they had some nice bay scallops, so I got some. I had my insulated carry bags to keep them cold. Went from there to the UPS store and dropped them off; Then went to the Verizon store next door as the phone was giving me some problems.. he went in and reset something and it is good for now... Looked at some... they are still so expensive...

Got the stuff in the fridge/freezer... and then got the grain mixed for the calves. Went up there after a bit, and fed and had the fly sprayer and got a good number of the cows sprayed. Most did not have alot of flies, just a few. Did get all the calves sprayed that came in, so that it will help to cut down on any possible pinkeye. The holstein bull calf was out grazing, but closer to the barn and he came right in so got a good portion of grain before the rest came around the hill and in for grain. He looks a little better, but he isn't much. Going to worm him and give him a Multi-Min shot which is vit/min.... He will get sold next spring. At least he is coming out and then followed me right in.
I need to get the ones at the barn in and check their eyes. In case they need to be run through again.

One heifer was in heat up at the nurse cow pasture... and I was thinking they were all bred... so we will see. Planned to take the bull out but then DS got the knee problem, and I am not going to get the trailer for just one animal.. Hope that this was the breeding that caught her... she will be calving 1st of June which is later than I really want... but better than not breeding... hoping she settles.

Then came on home. I brought the boxes in the house to get the sample bottles into the racks...for tomorrow's farm.... I get dirty in this farm, so at least if the bottles get manure splattered, I can take the hose and wash the whole rack. I need to put 2 longer hoses in the car, there are 2 meters that I have to hang up high near the first stalls, so need the longer hoses. The rest are all in the car already. Will carry out the racks of bottles in the morning. 250 cows...

Cannot believe that tomorrow is the last day of AUGUST.....

Sauteed the scallops for supper... nothing else as I was not real hungry since I ate lunch at 2 or so.... Tasted good...

Need to go out and see how the green beans and yellow beans are coming along. Ought to be flowering and some ready to pick soon.

Going to go to bed early... might put the bottles in the trays this evening, so they are ready.

 

[farmerjan]

Read for awhile so slept later than I should have. Also, foggy out and then more clouds so not real "bright" coming in the windows. Supposed to clear off some, but partly cloudy is forecast, then rain coming in later this afternoon. I should be in the barn testing then.
65 to start. light breeze out there too.

Bottles in racks/trays, ready to go out in car. Ate chicken salad sandwich for breakfast.... Going to go out and look at the garden in a bit and get things in car for work. Need to go by barn and refill the fly sprayer so I will have it for next trip to whatever pasture.

Not wanting to get going this morning... really don't want to go test either. But this farm will only be testing maybe a couple more times as they are putting in robots and then I don't go test or sample them... so going to be end of their "testing era".... been doing them ever since I started testing.... I am "outliving/outlasting" many of the farms...

Actually rather cool out there with the breeze. 65 to start and only 72 with mostly all clouds...

 

[farmerjan]

Ready for a shower and bed. Got going, this morning, bottles in the car. Got the longer hoses to take.... Was getting later than I thought so did not get out to garden. Not that big a deal, will get to go out Sunday (tomorrow), to check it out.

Went and tested... 5 hours for 250 cows... they went right along and not much time to waste. That's nice except no sitting for a 2 minute break either... I was more than ready to be done. Going to miss the income, but they don't test real regular so not like I will be missing a regular part of a paycheck. Oh well.
I went into the office and was punching in the milk weights and the sky had gotten darker and darker. Then you heard some thunder, then some lightning that got rather close and it came down pretty hard... then settled in, to a steady rain. It was a lighter rain when I left, but rained all the way home and it had rained here too... Did not dump the rain gauge as it was about dark, but looked like over an inch... and radar is looking like more in the early hours of the morning... we'll see. It will be welcome.

Left the racks of samples in the car since it was raining enough to get wet. Will bring them in, in the morning and get them packed to go out. Probably going to be more of an inside day tomorrow. I am looking forward to going out to check out the yellow squash seeds I planted for a late crop... and see how the yellow and green beans are doing. Ought to be some to pick in the next few days.

Time for bed.

 

[Baymule]

The farm you just did is going to robots, the second generation must be taking over. If they have been your customer for years, I know you’ll miss them. But as you say, they weren’t real regular.

 

[Mini Horses]

Robots....that's a really expensive move!! Guess they're planning to be in it for a while. Are they also going with the mostly inside herd barns?

I realize that's working, efficient, etc. but seems so counter to a cow on pasture can't believe it makes for long term life either....it's like maintaining a plant, to grow, produce fruit and be removed. Cows have feelings -- sadly they are being provided for but not with sensitivity of love.

Ahhh....yes, the old ways are gone. I'm archaic.

 

[farmerjan]

Cows on many farms have very limited access to pasture nowadays. With the robot barns they will be total confinement. But there are several I test that are confinement barns now. The reasoning is that the cows do not have to go look for feed, and they will go eat more at the bunks, so in essence make more milk, because all they are doing is eating and laying around chewing their cud.

There are some farms where they are in their 40's and 50's going to robots because of the help situation. Good help is non-existent and farmers get tired of dealing with the "lower class drama's" all the time. That sounds harsh, but many times all the help that ever apply are ones that cannot get work elsewhere, and they are like a revolving door....in and out, here and gone. Or immigrants, many illegal, that are often good workers but only stay for a year or so and then leave. Anyone with decent work ethics can get jobs that pay more, better hours, don't get covered with cow sh!t, and work in a "controlled environment", where it is neither 100* not 10*....
Farming is not for the faint of heart, or ones fastidious about their "working attire"....and not for people that want their weekends off and all that sort of thing that many jobs offer.
I get it... and yes, the next generation coming along also wants more of the "electronic" era in the barns. There are things that are good and helpful, and gives the farmer alot of information... it cuts down the actual time that farmers used to spend "observing" their animals... because all these fancy programs now will tell you when a cow is in heat, when she is off feed, when she has a temperature, when her milk may not be "quite right" so may be going to have a mastitis flareup..... you name it... and because farms are alot bigger because of the very slim margin, a farmer cannot do but so much in a day. So they have gone to these other "tools" that help them to monitor more cows.
A single milking robot will handle about 60 cows... this farm is putting in 4. Most are put in, in pairs.... if you are going to spend that much for one, 2 is more sensible since there are next to no farms with only 60 cows... a small farm is considered to be 100 cows nowadays.
$250,000 a robot more or less... plus the barn infrastructure to handle them... Most times a farmer will have over $ 1-2 million in a barn with 2 robots... most will put in 4 nowadays..... about 2.5 million.....total since you are not building it totally from the ground up, just extending the size of the barn...... So it is more economy of scale to put in 4 because the barn cost will not be doubled, just increased 1/4 to 1/2 in comparison...
The sons here are in their 40's.... I watched them grow up.... will be interesting to see how things go..... I would never have gone this route in this location. They are right on the edge of the city limits and the land is worth a small fortune now.. and they are spread out some with having bought up parcels over time that are not contiguous to the farm. This is a huge investment that in 20 years the farm will be swallowed into the city limits and probably forced out of business... But that is me... Like I told my son, when he bought doug's farm... the location is the biggest value... right off the interstate, 1/2 mile from the entrance/exit ramps for truck traffic... it is prime for "warehouse" type development that you see happening everywhere... and right next to land that is business/commercial zoned. Sad, but a fact of life. If he had some company want to spend a good chunk to buy it for that type of development, he could go buy something else, all land in one place and "together".... and pay for it with no mtg and get away from the "hustle and bustle" ....

I won't be here to see it most likely... although there is soooooo much development along the interstate now that anything is possible.

 

[farmerjan]

Today is mostly cloudy so far. 64 to start, and not looking like it will get very "hot".... forecast is for 80. We might get a little bit of rain this morning then more serious stuff coming in mid afternoon.
Checked the rain gauge... we had 1.3 inches...
Where was this when we needed it in June???? Oh well, it is replenishing the ground water supplies.

The spring at the nurse cow pasture had slowed way down and I have been monitoring it... thinking I might have to haul them some water as the big concrete trough only had like 6 inches in it, for the last week or so every time I checked on it. The cows did not act stressed, and I did not see them all crowded around it, so I figured they were getting enough..they did not follow me down the hill when I checked it, like I was going to bring them water or anything the calves are getting it in the catch pen lot, in the troughs under the eaves of the barn there, that catch the run off from the roof... But this will make a big difference. It will also get the fall grass to really growing for pastures. I am wondering if maybe it is leaking too... will have to see this fall if it fills up again... It is old and concrete will degrade over time..
Ought to help the butternut and crenshaw squash in the garden and anything that was planted will either come up now or the seeds were no good. Might try some more lettuce seed. I need to take some pictures... I have sunflowers that are at least 10 ft tall or more... Weeds have taken over the potato rows and other places and I am not going to bother with them anymore..

Need to go out and get the samples, and bring in, so they can get packed sometime and I am not having to go out and get them in the rain. Need to make some phone calls/texts for testing too...

Breakfast time...