Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

I used to use 15 gallon barrels that the chlorine and stuff comes in on the dairies, that they use in the pipelines to wash and clean and sanitize after milking. Stand 10-12 of them in the back of the truck and then tip them over and pour into the water troughs. Used to get plenty wet too. But now I have those big square plastic "totes" that companies get stuff in. Like molasses, or other food grade stuff. They hold about 275 -300 gallons. Usually have a "metal cage" around them to keep their shape. They are about 4x4 sq and maybe 4 ft high? Like a big cube. I think @Devonviolet has them???? The Hersheys/Little Debbie plants get them with different food stuffs in them, and I have also used them that had Iodine in them after washing out. Most are on a base and the cage is attached; I think they are made to be lifted by pallet forks on a skid loader. I just tip it back, back the truck up close, and can pick it up and shove it on the truck. Fits right between the wheel wells on the little truck. There is a built in outlet on the bottom and a flexible 2 " diameter coupler/ with a reduced side to 1 1/2 ", fits on it and I have it attached to a 1 1/2" diameter pvc pipe that is about 8 -10 ft long. The other end goes into a 2" diam pvc pipe, that is also about 8 ft long, with a 90 degree elbow on the end. Then it will run into the trough and I don't have to worry about it splashing out. I did this so that I don't have to get exactly a certain distance but it will slide in or out with no problem.
I also have to load it at the spring. Years ago, one of the farmers around here put a 2 " pvc pipe into the pool of water, to direct it into the water trough that has been there for many years. The old pipe was "pipe" and it rotted. The water comes out about 8 ft high from the spring. This water trough was built there as a place where they could water the horses that used to travel this road to the mill a few miles away hauling wagon loads of grain. Anyway, so they put this pvc pipe there and so with the flexible coupler, I can slide it over the end of the pipe from the spring. and can slide the outer pipe to feed directly into the top of my tank on the back of the truck. It is higher than the tank on the truck, so gravity fed into the tank. Takes about 10 min to fill the tank about 2/3 full, and this spring has some real output. It takes longer to go there, hook up the pipe, than it takes to fill the tank. Then I can use the pipe at the tanks to unload and I can "get close" and have the telescoping pipe reach the tanks.

 

[farmerjan]

We both posted at the same time, and double posted!

Double

 

[Bruce]

I think they are made to be lifted by pallet forks on a skid loader.

IBC tote. Can also lift them with the pallet forks on a tractor. BUT at 8.34 lb/gal, one would have to be careful just how much water they put in them based on the tractor's lifting capacity.

 

[farmerjan]

We would be able to lift them with our bigger tractors, but we have no reason to lift them full. I do see them with iodine, at a couple of the bigger dairies, and am sure they are brought into where I've seen them with a skid loader of sorts due to height and size constraints.
I get them empty, so lifting is a moot point, and then the water is emptied out of them before they are moved again. We have never tried to move them full because they are simply used for transporting the water and then run into the troughs. The one pasture where we had to use them to fill the troughs, where we had it on a float system, they stayed on the trailer they were on, a hose was run to the float valve on the water trough and they would feed water into the trough until the float automatically shut it off. The gravity flow worked that too. The trailer bed was just a little higher than the tops of the water troughs so it always seemed to work right.
We also have a big 1,000 gal tank that we haul on that trailer, and set it up so that we don't have to go fill it as often. Unfortunately, it won't fit under the spout at the spring, so we get a permit and go fill it at a fire hydrant and pay the town for the water. I am thinking that a small submersible pump in the water trough at the spring would be a possibility, but don't know how long it would take. Something to think about. I can drive that truck and trailer so would be able to do that during the slower time of day.
We haven't had to use it in the last couple of years, but may have to this next year; since one place we have is across from another that we used to have and used to run the water hose across the road to fill the troughs, and that place was sold and the new owner will not let us pay for the water. Turns out he wants to have this place too, and it also has changed hands, but the new owners want us to keep it because we cut the hay off first cutting, and then would like us to put animals to graze. They were considering letting the guy across the road rent it, but then saw how he "isn't taking care of his place" and decided that they would rather stick with us. We had very good recommendations from the previous owners of both this piece, and the place across the road, where the water is located. It's a PITA to have to contemplate hauling water there... In fact we might move some animals there for 2 months since the grass is really grown back...but might go on and make a 2nd cutting of hay since we are going to be short of square bales for our regular horse customers.

On another front, I got all the sorghum raked yesterday, and we only got the "20 drops" of rain that stayed south and went east. A few places like 5 miles south at my son's work, got a short downpour, but it didn't last too long or add up to much. Some is better than none but I was so glad it went around us. He got to baling it this afternoon. The slightly bigger field about 12 acres, made 78 4x5 rolls. Way more than we thought we would get. The slightly smaller field, had over 50 and he said he was about 2/3 rd or 3/4th done so will make probably 65 or more. I will find out tomorrow when I talk to him. That is about half again as much as we were thinking. I thought maybe 50 &40 or there abouts.... so we will have more of that for the cows. Add a little protein for them as it is low in protein, and it will do good. We got it made younger and shorter than last year, so is not near as stalky so will be much more palatable. A plus all the way around.
And he texted me and said, "nice job raking as always, mom". At least I am good for something!!!!. He always gives me credit for the raking jobs, especially when I can take my time and get the rows neat and done right. If you rake too fast, with the side delivery rake, it will throw the "hay" so far over as the underneath will not be turned up but actually rolled all the way over. Then the downside doesn't have a chance to be exposed to the sun and air and it won't dry as fast, unless it was tedded out. If you are careful, and "roll it up" by raking slower, and positioning the rake in the right place on the row, the bottom rolls over and is on top. This is when we don't tedd out the rows from being cut. Saves a trip across the field with another piece of equipment, saves the fuel and time and wear and tear, but adds in at least another day of drying time. Sometimes it is better to tedd out so it dries faster, then rake and bale sooner. But the weather was in our favor, so by turning it up, the "underneath" side was turned up to the sun, it dried and I didn't have to make another trip across the field.
I am a bit picky about my hay raking. I also try very hard to "rake off the rocks" so when the baler travels over the windrow to bale, he is NOT going to be hitting any ledge which can damage the pickup area of the baler. He has baled behind other people and says it is nothing like what I do, they never worry about the rocks or anything and he has bent the teeth and even the "guards" surrounding the pickup teeth. I will rake around an area of rocks if I can't easily rake the hay "off and away from" rocks or ledge. Better to leave a "section or two's worth of hay" than bend or tear up a baler.

The guy, Mike, on Our Wyoming life, doesn't have a rock or piece of ledge in his fields to deal with. Flat and straight.... we don't have a "flat and straight" field that doesn't have at least a few rocks/ledges and hills and curves. We would probably get "bored" making hay on his place ( YEAH RIGHT!!!!)

 

[Baymule]

Water is always a major consideration. When we moved here, we had 2 faucets, 1 in the front and 1 in the back of the house. I had to drag water hoses. We added 2 faucets up front and 1 at the horse barn in the back. Pure luxury!

I like your water hauling set up, at least you can get the livestock watered without a LOT of work and time.

 

[Baymule]

I was just looking at sale reports for auction barns in the northeast Texas area. The auction in Sulphur Springs is discontinuing their Dairy cattle auctions. September 5th will be their last one. Family dairies are dropping like flies over Golden Malrin fly bait.

 

[farmerjan]

There is no answer for the dairyman anymore. Milk prices have come up about 1.00 in the last 2 months. They are now getting about 18.50 a cwt (hundred weight). That is about break even on many farms. So what do you do with the accumulated debt from 14.00 and 15.00 and 16.50 milk from the last couple of years? How do you go about paying that off? The small farms are eating into their equity by borrowing, and for older farmers that is not smart. So they get out. Dairy cow prices are in the ditch, a good cow that 5 years ago would have brought 1800 to 2500 is worth 1000. Cull cows are .50 so a 1200 lb cow is worth 600. Yet getting out and taking the cow money and paying off debt is still smarter. Some are selling the farms, but some are going into beef. That will hurt the beef industry in some ways.

Just heard on the Feeder Flash on DV Auctions, that Corbitt Wall does daily, that they are finding fewer and fewer plants to take the holstein feeder steers; so the baby calves are back to near giveaway prices and the 400-800 lb steers are worth .50 to .65 lb. Those were the prices I was getting in the 1980's. This is fueling the dairy farmers to breed more to beef bulls, and the resulting crossbreds will gain better/QUICKER than a straight holstein, but they are highly discounted at the stockyard sales.

Don't know the answer...except that everyone will be eating the contrived plant based FAKE MEAT burgers.... with all the chemicals and such. New announcement that now McDonalds is coming out with one....the Mc PLT..... Plant lettuce tomato..
Do a little research and the amount of stuff in it is scary....NO THANK YOU.

The dairy/milk companies are alot at fault for keeping prices so low and yes, even manipulating the markets. There are only a few to sell to so they kinda have you by the balls..... I hope that one of these days there are so few dairies around, and they are so big that they send all their milk directly to processing plants like the new one built to service Walmart....that all these milk companies go out of business. They will have no one to blame but themselves when they effectively shut down their own employers and put themselves on the unemployment roles. All the other associated businesses will go out of business too. Where do all these people think they are going to find work? There won't be enough places to employ average everyday people anymore. And let's face it, there are only so many "hi-tech" jobs that can be created, and some of us are just not geared to that sort of work. Granted, I won't be around then, but you can't tell me that there won't be lots of people who just aren't suited for or capable of doing some of this kind of work. So, are they the "deplorables" that wind up on gov't assistance???? or do they go feral, and "underground" to have their own little pockets of "simpler life?"

We are seeing an end of an era, and the end of a way of life that made this country what it was. Is all modernization bad? No, it isn't. But what are we destroying in the process? I am not advocating to go back to horse drawn equipment and buggies and no electricity: I REALLY LIKE my hot shower everyday and my milk cold from the fridge. But bigger just makes for more controlled employment and less innovation in the long run. Power in the hands of a few.....Hmmmm seems like I read somewhere that is the stuff of a dictatorship....

 

[farmerjan]

Was sitting here eating a late lunch earlier, and heard a rumble. Looked outside and it was turning black with clouds and wind. Ran out, got the laundry off the line, put it in the house and ran for the truck windows, jumped in the truck, soaking wet and rolled them up and sat there for about 20 minutes as it poured and the wind blew and the thunder cracked like it was next door. It went through, cleared off and sun came out again. Great thing is we got over .45 inches.... definitely enough to soak in and not enough for runoff. Not going to solve the drought conditions, but it sure helped a bit. They had hail about an hour south, saw some pictures it was bigger than a quarter. Glad we didn't get it. Lesser chance of some tomorrow, temps still near 90, all through the week until next weekend when it is supposed to drop to more normal of 70's.
SO GLAD all the sorghum is baled. This might perk up the orchard grass a bit.

Sure hope the guy calls me to do the chickens sooner rather than later. There is one that is having leg trouble now; they are too big. The "smaller ones" are really starting to get some size to them too. Might get them all done if he can take them and then will deal with any left behinds if there are any in mid-Oct.

 

[Baymule]

Glad that you at least got a little rain. After the big companies choke out the small dairy farms, then what? Mega farms? Industrial milk? Aren't we there already?

 

[Bruce]

Quarter size hail is seriously dangerous!