Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

I don't know if it is true for all of them but at least some portable ones can be converted to cabinet mounts. You might want to ensure that feature on any you short list.

Thanks, I will consider that. Been looking in craigslist in case someone got a new one for in cabinet for Christmas....

 

[thistlebloom]

If you have Habitat for Humanity Restore in your area that would be a good place to check also. My sis in MO found an all stainless steel interior one at her loacal restore for real cheap. It was barely used. She's in the KC, MO area though and her Restores get much nicer stuff than our local one does. Whenever I have checked ours out it just seems like a lot of garage sale rejects. So I guess a lot depends on the area.

 

[Mini Horses]

That's all I want, just to market the surplus so that it gives me a little income without becoming an overwhelming "JOB".

We have the same goal. LOL.

I do have a customer who buys for her "pet". Don't tell me that pet is on the other end of your phone call!! I'm on board with the deposits, control times to pick-up, etc. I'd do a "herd share" agreement & all that. While that type of "ownership" is an area the regulators generally "skirt" if no complaints, you still want it in writing. Hey, I drink this milk. I want clean, well handled.

When I was a kid there used to be ice cream trucks in the neighborhoods all summer AND a veggie truck!! Yep, came thru with a small trailer on a pick-up and had fresh produce. Of course, back then, we didn't have the situations we do now.

I've looked into a few farmer markets but, one is too slack to use....little traffic....and one is so big they demand more than I want to commit to. There is a small but active shopping center about 20 miles out that is in an area with a LOT of housing, extra parking and at a corner with a traffic light. It is privately owned and I have spoken with owner in past about setting up there on set days. BUT you can only do if you have the goods to offer. Last year garden was rained out before planted. He's open to the set-up, however, so it's a possible. Before this happens I will still need to check into cottage laws, on/off farm sales & regs, licenses, sales taxes, etc., for my location.

Another option here is a weekly sale all summer, Thurs nights, run by the Ag Dept. An auction for any individual or farm to buy/sell produce, plants, processed grown items...pickles, breads, etc. While 98% is raw fruit/vegs, you get some good deals. Anything from a 5# box of tomatoes or cukes, to bushels of...…. Fun. I've bought there and see a number of individuals who buy for THEIR own stand at some large, established farmer's markets 50 miles out in Va Beach. They buy truck loads of stuff to sell . So, no commitment to seller in the sense of "every" week. If you have 3 bushel of green beans -- good. 10 melons -- good. 50 dozen corn --good. Sell one week, nothing the next. All OK. Some locals have a couple acres in growth, others are farms with 100 acres. It's pretty cool.

 

[farmerjan]

I keep thinking that it is too bad we aren't closer @Mini Horses . We could combine some things and make better use of our time and efforts.
One of my dairy farmers is branching out into the buying produce wholesale and selling at a farmers market. They started with butchering a cow that was not productive on the dairy. Had some people that wanted some meat,,,,and it has absolutely gone nuts since then. A dairy cow that is in good flesh, will be more tender than a beef cow of the same condition due to eating the silage and all. He has been selling the equivalent of one cow a month now. Then started with a small "booth" at a farmers market, and then got into some produce when they had an opportunity to buy some really good sweet corn but had to take a couple hundred ears, then some cantalopes..... and now has actually got a store and are going into it with a real plan to have this be their future. He is the son of the farmer actually, and family dynamics makes it a smart move for him to "find his own" niche, because there is a very good chance he will never "get the farm". His wife is a hairdresser, and they are really doing a great job so far. She is very into "healthy" food, so they are trying to carry stuff that is more natural and healthy, but not being fanatical about it. I hope that they do well with it. Have found a retired person who wants to work some, and will have limited hours so thinking that will work out good. Since they already have a following for the beef, from nearly a year of selling in a smaller way, I sure hope that it will carry over for them.

Being able to sell at a "wholesale" type produce market might not get you all you could get for something, but when there is a big "glut" of something out of your garden, it is a good way to get it gone while in the prime of its' usefulness. And if you are looking for stuff, and don't have the space to grow it or your own crop failed, it gives a buyer a chance to add to what he might already have to be able to offer more variety in his own booth.
I used to consign produce to the food co-op and couldn't keep them supplied with enough green beans. I was already selling eggs there, and was able to turn my surplus garden stuff into money without having to sit at a farmers market for hours. It was a win-win for me. I took in a few things, and most all sold. I also made sure that I had labels for what I took in, namely the variety of green bean. People were funny about only wanting to eat certain varieties of things. But it did help sell some of them too as people would talk about how their grandmother grew this variety or that they liked this new improved variety over the old one they used to grow....

Supposed to be sunny today and tomorrow with some possible rain/snow mix on Tuesday. Temps still staying in the 30-50 range for days and nights so not too bad.

 

[Mini Horses]

I keep thinking that it is too bad we aren't closer @Mini Horses . We could combine some things and make better use of our time and efforts

I agree. Two old gals kickin' butt! We'd have fun!

Wanted to add -- the weekly Ag sale is an auction.....yep buy by bid. It's well run.

 

[Bruce]

As far as raw milk goes, is it possible and reasonable for a person to test for things that shouldn't be in the milk right at the farm or does it have to get sent somewhere? Seems like if you can do it yourself you are assured that every bottle that goes out is safe rather than assuming that if it was OK last month it is OK this month and only needs to be tested a few times a year.

 

[farmerjan]

None of the tests that I am aware of can be performed at home. But things like scc and bacteria can be done at the state lab or can be sent to a company like I work for. You could send it in more often than the once a month. I would think that a person could get with FTCLDF and as they are up on all the laws for every state concerning raw milk sales, they might have an insight on other things like testing. You might also be able to pay a milk company to do it as they do it for every tank load of milk that goes in to be unloaded for processing. But not in a state like Va since they do not like or allow raw milk sales. It is something that I would have to look into if I were to get into it more. Vermont allows raw milk sales and that would be one state that I would talk to about what is required and what testing would be available.

 

[Bruce]

Just curious since I don't have anything to milk. Yep here you can sell raw milk but only directly from the farm or a store owned by the farm. I imagine in that case you can be assured the milk has been tested. Not those specific bottles of course but they likely just pull that off of the stuff going into the tanker and as you said, that gets tested by the milk company. The farm would know ASAP if something was awry with the load.

 

[farmerjan]

Started out about 37 this morning, beautiful sunny day. Got up to the low 60's but a bit of a breeze so still not too bad. Boy it really cooled off after dark. We are supposed to be getting some "wintry mix" starting tomorrow morning. @Mike CHS will be getting something first, don't know if they are saying his will be rain or what. Going to be a fast moving storm.... snow, maybe some sleet/ice whatever..... Starting about dawn, gone by mid-late afternoon. I have to go back to the farm I tested this evening, it is a 2x (2 time) herd. But they are only about 10 miles from me. So if I get there by 5:30 for milking, might be there by the time it starts. Coming home about 10 or so. Then I can stay in the house the rest of the afternoon. I went up to my son's and made sure the chickens had plenty of feed and water. Unless it gets real cold, they won't freeze up too much. Filled my chickens feed today and they still had half a waterer full.

Took 2 new protein/molasses tubs to the pasture where the first calf heifers are as they aren't doing as good as I like on the hay. This will help supplement them. It is cheaper to feed feed than to use the tubs, but there is the convenience. I have a hard time putting out feed in the troughs because they want to push me around and cannot take the pain in the ankle, or the chance of them shoving me over in their haste to get in to eat. The calves aren't so bad in the barn lot coming in the creep gates. Started feeding them some grain so they will start coming in. I am going to start taking extra buckets of feed up and get the 2 cans full up there so my son will have feed there if he takes hay and does not take feed with him. Want to get at least the 4 smaller yearling heifers out in the next couple of days, so we can get the bull in there to get the rest bred back. Might take out a few more. Got to decide who I want to get bred for fall calves next year. There are several jersey crosses in there... 4 that are jersey/hol and maybe 4 that are jersey/angus or jersey/simmental. They will get bred to an easy calving angus bull that throws small calves. Then I may be in a better place to breed some A.I. next year.... a couple back to jersey or guernsey. But if we put the bull in now, they will have calves in Oct and I can get some extra calves grafted on the dairy heifers so they can raise at least 2. Then if the ankle goes good this year, and I get the knee(s) done next winter, they will be well situated with calves, before I do anything. Son was putting hay in there again today. There are about 30 head in there now, about 15 with calves to get bred back and about 15 without calves. A couple are my nurse cows that I did not want spring calves coming because of not being able to get around to graft calves on them with the ankle....
WOW, I will have a "barn full" to be grafting calves on in the fall......

Time to get some sleep to be back in the barn at 5:30 tomorrow morning....

 

[Mike CHS]

We have some light rain forecast but the cold stuff should be closer to Nashville. It is usually 4-5 degrees warmer where we are although it is only 60 miles.

I want to ask your advice about a loading area that I plan on building for the cows but I need to get some pictures first to make it simpler to explain what I have in mind from where I want to build it.