Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Thank you to both @Baymule and @Senile_Texas_Aggie for the compliment. I feel like a slacker compared to some on here that are juggling kids and animals and work and everything. I wouldn't have the energy....

He got the hay baled so everything that was down is rolled, so far. We now REALLY REALLY need some rain.... the sorghum is up about 6 inches and hurting from the heat and lack of rain. Radar shows some going above us again this eve.... those pop up showers. Maybe Monday night into Tuesday.... 60% chance for Tues, Wed, Thurs, and into Friday.... Hope they are right, then it falls off and we will hopefully be able to finish first cutting... about 3 weeks or a month late. There is alot of 2nd growth coming up in the over mature first cutting, so still not so bad. Won't get as much 2nd cutting, but if we start getting some rain, we ought to be okay.
That rain never got this far south last eve that I drove through on the way home from testing. Good for the hay to get finished at that field... but now we really need it.
Spent some time up at the meat birds, put a couple of pieces of hog panels and the 2 wire forms I use on the truck, on top of the chicken pen and bungeed them down. Something could probably get in, but it is a pretty good deterrent. Then I worked on the trap and straightened a few of the wire corners, and got it to where it ought to trip pretty easily and used one of the dead chickens as bait. Hope I get something.... and I will keep setting it until I am pretty sure there is nothing else bothering them. Of course "it" got several of the bigger ones in there.....the only saving grace is that I didn't have alot of feed in them yet.... but they had been looking pretty good overall.

I had a couple of fresh tomato sandwiches for lunch and stayed in for awhile. It hit 98 here this afternoon.... I finally did go out and got almost half of the meters done.... then went up to the chickens and did all that. It has been what we call "close" here today. Tomorrow expected to be the same.... heat advisory today and again tomorrow.
Cooking squash for dinner... just want some butter salt and pepper on it... I like it somewhat plain.... especially the first time of the season. I will get the rest blanched and frozen tomorrow.... inbetween doing the meters. Have PT then the cow then will come home to get this stuff done. Hoping to hear from the bank/lawyer/someone.... about the closing.... too hot to be testing and I am glad to stay off.
10 p.m. and it is still 80 out. It never got below 70 last night. That's hot for here.
Going to eat and then get a shower and wash my hair so I don't smell like the dairy barn or the poultry house or anything. May do some laundry cuz you can't wear jeans more than one day with sweating so much.... was holding out for the house and moving the washer, but I will have to paint and all so may as well do another couple loads. I did buy some clothesline for there.... the T-poles are there but the clothesline is long gone.... at least I will be able to hang clothes again....
Hoping the guys are back for the drive for the tower again, so maybe I can snag the boss after work to go look at the stuff I want done at the house as soon as it closes.....
Guess I better concentrate on first things first for tomorrow.... PT, cow chores, trap at the chickens.... getting the meters done for Tuesday inspection, getting Saturdays samples packed and sent off tomorrow..... getting the squash in the freezer....calling the bank/loan mtg person.....

Pray that I start with catching the VARMINT at the chickens....

 

[Mike CHS]

I just want to let you know that we are enjoying your journey.

 

[farmerjan]

I just want to let you know that we are enjoying your journey.

Thanks Mike.... it is nice to have "someone to talk to " sometimes when there are a zillion things going through my head. Maybe I will see if I can figure out a camera to take before and after pictures..... and even a few of our farming stuff.... time I do some modernizing I guess..... My old 35 mm camera is really my favorite, but digital is the only way to go with the cost of film..... I don't even know how to operate a digital camera..... I am really a dinosaur.

 

[Mike CHS]

We finally got a nice digital last year and it is amazingly easy to learn to use. It had been Teresa's phone for a couple of years but I didn't like their quality. My old flip phone doesn't do pictures.

 

[Mini Horses]

It has been what we call "close" here today. Tomorrow expected to be the same.... heat advisory today and again tomorrow.

Same here!!! Doesn't cool at night either. We were 102 with 108 feel like today. I thought it felt like 150! Stayed inside a lot...pulled out some boxed summer shirts, washed, etc. I did put my sheets on the line. Probably took 30 min to dry but, smell soooo nice. Too hot for rest, dried those.

And worked up squash...again. Blanch & freeze -- I'm tired of it this week, between eating and freezing. This heat and NO rain is destroying plants. The pastures are crunchy in a couple fields....BUT, grass growing in the garden!! OK, I am watering there. Got my first ripened slicer for the years and devoured that tomato sandwich!!

Sure hope you get the chicken varmint I hate a loss like that. It's even worse when they just kill them and leave it. At least they weren't your layers.

You have a nice list for tomorrow --but, easier work than a farm to test or field to rake. Maybe you will get to close the house this week!! I am off tomorrow and only one day later in week is scheduled....so the heat continues here to limit the outside work As you know, some MUST be done, no matter. I mean, animals need feed, water, etc. Hey, left my truck window open tonight -- that should make it rain!! Maybe I should go throw a bag of feed in the back, too. All the scattered stuff has scattered beyond my place.

 

[CntryBoy777]

I would download the owners manual, usually a pdf file....that way ya will always know where it is and can't get misplaced or bumped into the garbage....all I have is my phone, but like most things, the more ya use it...the easier it becomes and the better ya get.... ....right now we are lucky to get into the low to mid 70s at nite....it has been the high 70s and low 80s....with Joyce absent, I really don't think I'd enjoy being by myself....use to could handle the extra chores, but life keeps passing me by and before I can turn around it seems a couple of hours have gone by....my energy level is dropping....it wears me out just thinking about half of your schedule each day.....sure hope the knees hold out for ya and ya can get another injection....

 

[farmerjan]

Taking a break and a sandwich.... yep, tomato sandwich too from the ones from my farm on Sat. Did PT, and ache... got to figure out a way to get more movement in these knees so that I can keep up with the exercises to get the muscles stronger.... they just hurt somedays.... OH WELL....
Then came back to do the cow and she went right in.... there is a little bit of a breeze in the barn so I guess it isn't such a bad place to be. It is more like a long shed that has walls but there are alot of openings/window areas..... no glass or anything... so fairly open. Anyway, they were acting very content so that's good.

I had swung by the chickens, on my way to PT; and there was already a good sized coon in the trap. So I called his GF since they are the ones that run coon hounds and have been getting the coons over the years even before they were dating, they were friends. I really don't care who gets the coons .... I don't have to kill them here. And I take perverse pleasure in the fact that they are getting their comeuppance.....
Unfortunately, after I went back after the cow, I found 6 more dead in the pen. Now, I did put some panels over the top, but I will admit that it wasn't "entry proof although they were bungeed down. I am not sure if there was another coon that got in, or these dumb and "unhealthy bred" birds, that the coon that got caught might have tried getting in and they panicked, and then they got cannibalistic after the sun came up. But it was all in the head and neck, so think there was another one or more. So, the top will get changed/fixed so that nothing can get in, this afternoon after it cools off later on. Trap will be reset and I hope I clean out the whole clan of predators there. I was lucky last year, but there were no problems like this.... this coon was really mean coming after me through the wire trap.... hissing, spitting, attacking the side as I pulled it away from the pen to go in and feed them....

So I have packed the samples, will take them up the hill to the UPS pickup spot when I head in that direction. and am going out to do some of the meters for a bit, now. It is really hot... mid -90's already... but there are clouds and showers and possible storms in the radar for later this afternoon. That would be great..... Looks like the farm might be in more of a position to get these storms than we will here.... hope they do get it but looks like we will be along the edges at least.

Left a message for the lady at the bank concerning the mortgage, checking on the status.....

Too hot for me to work on the squash til later....
I did eat squash last night and it was SSSSOOOOOOOO good... will have more tonight.
It didn't get below 70 last night, and it was sticky this morning. If it clouds over a little, then working on these meters will be easier.... I am still able to do it under a tree so at least have shade....but a little cloudy just makes it feel cooler!!!!

 

[Mini Horses]

You know, that/those coon may have reached through the cage and tried to grab those chickens. They will do that and are very adept with their paws! Suspect with all the heat, those birds were laying out everywhere. Also probably more than one coon as they like to travel together when there's a buffet. At least you got one!

Same heat here -- no rain or clouds in site. Had to come in for a while. Don't know if I can even drink enough water to replace the sweat! And it's pretty still out there, too. Yesterday we did have some breeze to help. I feel like a turkey in the oven.

 

[Ridgetop]

Raccoons will kill rabbits in their cages too that way. They reach through and hook them around the neck and drag them to the wire to suffocate them. Then eat what they can reach through the cage wire. Hope you catch the rest of them. They can be really nasty.

You have been working so hard and in the heat. I really feel for you with your knees. Hope you can hold out until winter when hopefully the workload will relax a bit.

I collected my SS early too. DH wanted me to wait to get more per month, but after doing the math, I realized that I would get more by collecting early, particularly since the SS office backtracked it to when I was first eligible and I got a lump sum back payment. I had to sign up for Medicare as soon as I was eligible or my own insurance would cancel me so I called. Since I had been eligible before then, he asked if I wanted to start taking it. First I thought no, then decided to do it. It has been worth it.

 

[CntryBoy777]

I got a female coon back home one day and a week later her 3 juvenile kits....got them all heading towards the bird house....if memory serves me correctly, coon season starts in Oct, so ya could have a similar situation....and I have seen some squeeze thru 2x4 welded wire....would've never believed it til I witnessed it while shooting at one....