Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

These poultry companies don't like for anyone to get the "cull" birds at all. To them they are just "collateral damage" and no good for anything. It is frowned upon for anyone to get them except for the farmer where the houses are. Believe me, I am as sick of some of them as anyone, and do feel it is a waste but these field reps only see that the farmer is not following the established protocol. Was always that they needed to be gone within 24 hours so the houses could be tilled or cleaned out, and all the sanitizing or whatever done to get ready for the next flock. Oh well, one less thing to do this fall.

Yeah, I'm not going to move my purebreds yet but it is a thought. I want to move the pen up further into the 2 acre lot, have clean dirt under it and all that. I actually have a TSC type house and run, in a box, I bought at a reduced price at the end of the season back a few years ago, and might actually get it set up there for the birds. I got it to be able to set up another breeding pen and then the landlord got so pissy about the chickens that I didn't set it up here. The Verizon people are going to use this entrance that I use for their road into the tower, so might be better to wait til they get all the "roadwork" done before setting anything up. So might just move the meat bird pen and let the purebreds use it eventually. Not on my immediate priority list.

 

[Baymule]

So the Verizon deal finally went through? When do they start?

 

[Mini Horses]

Thinking like Bay, when to start?

Cull chickens -- well, you have plenty in the freezer so that isn't an issue BUT -- shame the farmer can't/doesn't have a cage to contain & move to "undisclosed" location. Yeah, heck of a shame that they have such time limits on "removal". I know the houses have strict time issues to prep for the next batch but 10 hrs?? And they pick up at night, right? If he has more than one house, 30 leftovers is a small amount!!! So be the rules. They truly want him to just grab & axe. Maybe THEY should do it while there...surprised they don't. Oh, well.

Cooling off there? Is here. "May" get some showers Monday -- like you, only a tiny amount from the days of mist. Need a good rain here for the reservoirs. Oh, and my pastures!

 

[Bruce]

I suppose if the farmer wanted to he could put up a small coop away from the main growing area and move the leftovers there until they could be picked up (with a reasonable time limit). Probably not worth his time and money though since he is giving them away.

 

[farmerjan]

Okay, first. Yeah, the previous guy who worked here on this farm would catch them and call me, if there weren't very many. This guy is a bit lazier in that respect. He will call me, but is always "unavailable" to help catch them. But, I am just past it this time around. There are 2 houses there so not that many, I think he said like 13 in one and 14 in the other.
The last time the house "went out" I got there that afternoon and it wasn't a problem. I just had things to do yesterday morning and planned to go up after lunch. Yes the birds went out at 3:30 a.m. , so were probably all gone by 6 a.m..
This guy could have just told her (the field rep) they would be gone by that afternoon because he had other things to do before then. But he is sometimes a little bit of a pain to deal with. Not going to catch them up for me or anyone else.

The next batch of birds won't be coming in for maybe 2 weeks, which is about normal, 10 days-2 week turnaround.

The farm is actually owned by someone else and these guys are farm managers.... and the owner is tied up with his other farm which is bigger and more demanding. He knows that I get them so it isn't a problem there.

So, done deal, I am not going to lose any sleep over it. Could've used them for cat food but I am not having to deal with them and getting them killed in early Jan before the surgery. I won't be getting any again until at least April, all according to how the whole ankle thing goes, then when the next time the birds go out.

The Verizon tower deal went through, but the neighbor keeps taking us back to court to try to stop it and mostly to see if she can just wear us down enough to quit, money wise.
It was approved by planning and zoning, it was approved by the board of supervisors. So it is approved, no time limit to start according to the county. Then she took us back to court and the judge basically threw it out again, saying that if the tower is built, and it can be ascertained that the tower has lowered her property values when she puts it on the market, then she has cause to come back before the court. Then there could be a possible fine for us, or even an injunction to have the tower removed????? Get real.
But the best part is that we know now, FOR SURE, that she did not file for an appeal of the county board of supervisors' ruling (approval) and the time limit has expired to file for an appeal. That is a good PLUS in our favor.... if she was so worried, upset, bent out of shape, etc., she would have filed an appeal of their decision.
So, that said, it is tenatively a go, Verizon is reviewing it and may even "help" with some of the legal fees we have occurred. The possible scheduled date for starting is late winter, they have to put in the road/driveway and such for starters. That is when we look for another problem with her to come up of some sort.... but I said to go on and get it built and we will deal with her after the fact. Every real estate person we have talked to just blows off the "damage, degradation" idea of it causing her property values to decrease. Tough tomatoes about her "view". I'd like to win a smallish lottery, so that when she decides to sell, we could just buy her house which is adjacent, to the barn and field there, and send them the he// back to somewhere else.

Yes it cooled down here some @Mini Horses , and we are looking at days in the 70's and nights in the low 50's or even a little cooler. Definitely a nice slide into fall now, except that it is still so dry. No precip in the forecast until next Tuesday at the earliest. Had a farm just test me to test either fri or sat morning, no one else has answered my messages. Going to call a couple others and then whoever calls back gets their choice first....

Heard from my little 20 cow herd up in the Winchester area. She was selling to a small cheese making company, and had "cow shares" for milk. Said she was going to sell out. Well, the cows are gone as of the first. But she is happy, they went all together to another small "farm" that is going to be doing what she was doing. They are in WVa, so doubtful I will see them again. But glad that she sounds happy about the situation. Sad though, that another is gone. 8 sold out, 2 off test, and 1 that I gave to the other tester last year.... all in the last 2 years. Have 2 that only test every 2-3 months , 1 that only tests 3-4 times a year, and only 2 that test every month religiously, with the rest testing every 4-8 weeks as it suits them. Got everyone pretty well set that they will skip their test in jan/feb all according to exactly when I go in and who I can get done before I go in. Have 2 that are not wanting to skip, so I am going to have to see what I can do about that. Worry about it later....
Got to go get the chickens and do a few errands while I am out.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

I am very happy to read that you have won "the battle of the tower" with your unpleasnt neighbor .

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

I am very happy to read that you have won "the battle of the tower" with your unpleasnt neighbor .

Amen to that!

 

[Bruce]

Not going to catch them up for me or anyone else.

Doesn't he have to catch them to kill them? Or does he just blast a shotgun around until they are all dead.

 

[Baymule]

 

[AmberLops]

I am very happy to read that you have won "the battle of the tower" with your unpleasnt neighbor .

x1000