Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

67 out now & actually feels chilly....misty, sprinkly rains going on. Jeans & long sleeves needed out there. Way different than yesterday! They're saying some rains Sat thru Tue -- somewhere in there -- so they'll be 2nd cuts late July, most likely.

Hope you get some rains out that weather system coming up, Jan. I know it would be welcome!! Not sure where it's originating tho -- from south or from west...systems moving from both.

 

[Ridgetop]

so this year with him off work on disability

Did I miss him getting disability? He got a good lawyer?

to the spring fed trough...

Something on my wish list for the ranch - LOL Too bad I can't order a spring on Amazon! Sure can't put one in where it doesn't exist. LOL

We have a1/3 acre fenced garden. Looking forward to planting in it but will start small. Also, this year Larry said his garden got washed out 2 times. He built raised beds and that helped. Talked to DH about raised beds at least 24" tall with a ledge to sit on so he can garden since he can't get down on his knees. Will plant most things in the ground though. Be glad to let you come and share ours.

DH watches the weather channel and always tells me to tell you and Bay about any storm systems approaching. The next hurricane is probably going to blow out over eastern Mexico though. But DH is thinking of you guys.

 

[farmerjan]

@Ridgetop ; DS is on short term disability... after the "situation" with the bosses... over the supposed illegal use of the work truck, and the demotion and all that BS.... and them not allowing him to drive any VDOT vehicle... even on the lot... his dr said he needed to be off on short term disability for the hard hat induced severe headaches... he had to go back to work for 3 weeks, after the "time off with no pay punishment", in order to reestablish his status or some such BS ..... but now, it gets him out of there... they cannot fire him, they have to hold his job for the duration of the short term disability, which is just under 6 months....he still is eligible for his accruing vacation and sick days and all that stuff... and he is not there or dealing with any of the higher up bosses.... he is getting a paycheck, and not dealing with their crap....
He is much easier to get along with most of the time... no stress.... and when the headaches get to be too much, he quits for a few hours and goes home and lays down...
Now if he would get rid of the other "stress" in his life... permanently.... but as long as the kids are "a part of things", he will be there..... although she must be in one of her "I need some space" moods since he is staying at his house more again.....
If he goes on long term disability there are things he has to adhere to.... cannot "work" ANYWHERE..... EXCEPT for himself.... and some other things he is exploring... they do not have to hold his job for him... but he will still keep going to the dr and all that due to the workman's comp... it is complicated... and a lot of jumping through hoops.... will have to pay some for the medical ins I think.... and he has to have another almost 5 years to be eligible for his full retirement of 30 years... that is quite a bit more money... and that is the goal at this point... to get the time in ..... ONE WAY or ANOTHER... to get his increased retirement by making the 30 years....
So for now, he is on short term disability... off work.... and out from under the stress of the BS.... his boss, that he thought they were such good friends and "tight"... has not made one bit of effort to talk to him or anything...and the word is out that this boss actually "set him up" with the work truck situation.....and I think that several of them were threatened with their jobs if they "were on his side".... but still, it is wrong the way they treated him...

Even funnier... he still has some very good friends that work there, other area headquarters... friends from before, several farmers on the side also... that he talks to quite a bit... and they have kept him up on some of the fall out.... seems they had the area "roadeo" that he always competed in, and won all the time here locally.... that he was "grounded from 2 years ago"... just before the event... and again it happened this year just before the event also... and we now KNOW.... through some overheard conversations.... that it was ordered by that same SOB this time, to "stop him" from competing... and when another of the "clique" asked one of the guys at the competition a couple weeks ago... how things looked for the state competition in Sept... the guy looked right at him and said we don't have a chance, and this sob said why not, and the guy said, because you made sure we lost our edge with taking so and so (DS) out..... he said the sob got all huffy and walked off...

And to add to that, 1 guy competed in the roadeo... won his division... and quit the next day so they lost him, and another put his notice in and left after 2 weeks... and 2 other guys are job hunting they told DS to his face...
Not that DS is perfect, but they had a pretty okay group that mostly worked together there... and it has fallen apart with the new boss... that has 2 years experience... and they over looked 2 of the guys with over 15 years experience; right from their own group... one that has already left, the other is looking... said that the practices they see are not where they want to work....

There are other types of state jobs that he is checking on that he might be able to do that don't require the hard hat/headaches..... instead of going on long term disablility... it is mostly in the drs hands right now... and he will make some decisions when it gets closer and he sees what he can/can't do.

 

[Baymule]

SOBs in positions of power sure screw up the workplace.

 

[farmerjan]

So, I am in for a few minutes... Been a busy day...
BEAUTIFUL 57 degrees this morning... the front came through... unfortunately , we did not get any rain here, like @Mini Horses got in the east... it was more widespread but still spotty if that makes sense...
It did bring in cooler air and we will have cooler temps tomorrow again... then heating back up after Wed....
Went to the chiropractor... found lots of sore spots and feel better after the adjustment...
Came home and then took the radiator that they took out of the big Allis-Chalmers tractor that was leaking... to the radiator place ... that guy is really hurting... said that everything is plastic nowadays, and people are not replacing even the older metal radiators with metal but going to plastic... throwaway stuff... and he has not hardly worked in 2 months... he is also getting retirement age... so don't know how long he is going to keep doing it... but anyway... he is going to call DS and let him know what he finds after he does the pressure tests and all that they do... He fixed one a couple years ago for us and does a real good job... another thing that is going to become a "lost art".....

Had a real "disaster"... something got my last hen yesterday.... I was SOOOO PI$$ED off... feathers, nothing else.. just like the last one... I saw a possum the other day, so know that there is one around... but last night I got a coon in the trap.... disposed of it this afternoon after I got back... The trap will get set every single day from now on....

Then got a call that there were cows out... at the smaller pasture where the 3 are that have calves, that are slated to be sold... went up there, but the owner and the lady that lives there in the house.. (she rents the house, was the mother's house who passed several years ago) they had gotten them back in... So I told DS as he was hauling the hay he bought from the friend... and he went up there... after he got back... said there were about 7-8 trees on the fence that had come down in the last 2 wind storms... they had gone over it just before we put the cows in there... so DS said there were several places they could have come out.... he did some fixing... hopefully that will take care of it for now. Because there are only 3 with calves they still have grass... and they are looking better.... They might get sold the end of July... I want to keep one of the 2 calves that are mine... it is a heifer and a pretty nice one... all 3 cows are open, one is old(DS's) the other 2 are mine...., one is a poor producer and she is getting a hump back for a young cow, the 3rd one is just a witch and will go over fences too... so I am not keeping her or giving her another chance.. it is her heifer that is pretty nice. The other 2 are steers... his steer is pretty decent, and the one on the hump backed cow is filling out better... he was a dink looking thing....

So finally got back home here... brought some feed back from the barn and am going up to take water to the calves in the lot in a few minutes, and feed them... will feed them separate from the other ones... really thinking about moving them here with electric netting....got several hog and cattle panels to use and then set up some netting for them to graze... got some areas that would be good for them to work on that we don't cut.... DS is going to take 3 heifers up there to breed in the next couple days... might get him to just bring the calves here... or I might just put them in the little "cage" on the back of the pickup and bring them here....
We are discussing who else might need to get sold... poor producers.... stuff like that.... to make sure we have enough to feed this winter.
That hay he is hauling home is REAL NICE.... 6x6 bales... BIGGER than we make; our baler makes 5 ft wide...

So, I am going to go do the water... have got several farms to answer me so planning to do some testing this week... DS and I are doing the 500+ cow herd Thursday morning... ugh... Rake the hay Tues daytime... test one Tues aft; work neighbors cows Wed morning; test 500 cow herd Thurs morn; test 200 cow herd Fri aft... and drop off bottles for the owner sampler herd tomorrow on my way since I will be close to them... they want to test Wed/Thurs... I can pick them up Thurs when we leave the 500 cow herd... and do the paperwork at home and drop reports back on Fri since I will be within 1 mile of them... and samples will go out UPS on Friday....and I won't have to haul my printer with me either...

It was nice to not deal with it, but guess I need to get back in the swing of things... good thing is this is 4 herds in one week....

Heading up to the calves... would like to get in the garden, but will probably do it tomorrow morning... supposed to be nice and cooler tomorrow too... get working on the mulching...

 

[farmerjan]

SOBs in positions of power sure screw up the workplace.

yeah, no joke....

 

[SageHill]

Sorry about the hen.
As for the roadeo- is there a lot of $$ in winning or more bragging rights? The whole thing either was is a bunch of bs. Seems like this all started or was the straw that broke the camels back that he was winning it all the time.

 

[farmerjan]

The roadeo is bragging rights... for your area headquarters, then your district... then your state ... then going to the regionals and bringing home the "kudos" for your state by winning and the more from the state that win, gives an overall score so the top state... I think they get like a day or 2 compensation pay extra... plus they pay the winning participants expenses to go to the regionals.. DS has been to NC, TN, Myrtle beach SC, New Orleans LA, as a guest of his buddy when he was "tagged" 2 years ago and wasn't "allowed" to compete, Arkansas, Georgia... and I got to go to the regionals last year in WV.... a couple of them twice now I think.... and FL was joining it this next year and so was Texas. Va is supposed to host the regionals, again, in 2 years I think...maybe KY and MD were in there too???
Anyway... it is a "show off" of the skills of the operators... Single Axle dump truck, Tandem Axle, Tractor (like the ones that mow the sides of the roads etc) , motor grader (grades the dirt roads) Low boy (tractor trailer with the long trailer that hauls equipment), Backhoe ( with the bucket that digs ditches/pipes all that)... You can only compete in one category at the state and the regional... the local you can compete in whatever you want... DS always competed in Tandem at the bigger competitions... but he did single/ tandem/ tractor at the local competition just for fun... then you have to pick if you win in more than one... he usually won tandem and often single... but his specialty is the tandem... road course/obstacles, parallel parking, all sorts of things..
You know how guys like to brag, and show off... and it is fun and you meet alot of nice people and get to see alot of the same faces as the good ones often win and come back year after year... Kinda like "reunion" week... It had given DS a big network of guys he got to know and has seen several outside of the competitions over the years...
I know he missed going but he has also said he is perversely glad that his district pretty much "fell on it's face" except for his one good friend winning the backhoe again... because the sob that didn't want him to be able to compete was just a sore loser, wanted "his area guys" to win, and they aren't very good and can't beat other ones in other districts either...so they didn't win again...

Just rewards.... Karma is a B#@%H....

So enough of that... it is what it is ... and he is trying to deal with the raw deal he got handed to him... on top of the headaches and all...

So, I did come home and got the weeding done around the butternut squash, the striped crenshaws, the 2 kinds of cantaloupes... all I have to do is add some more mulch right up around the plants now... By that time it was getting too dark to see... so tomorrow is another day..
On top of that, I have a flat tire tonight on the car... noticed it when I came home... so got it somewhere from when I went up to see about getting the cows in... will have to go get the air tank in the morning, come home and get it pumped up enough to go to the farm bureau and see if they can pull it and patch it or whatever.... DS has a Dr appt I think in the morning... he just said he would be busy when I had asked when it work to test the 500 cow herd and he said not Tuesday morning... or she has a dr appt or something... I have to rake that hay tomorrow and I need the car to go to work tomorrow afternoon...

Trap set again... I will clean out all the wildlife around here... See where the deer have been in the garden... so time to get serious about getting the netting up now that it is mostly planted... was hoping to get the one roll of mulch all unwound and put down so I didn't have to deal with the "in and out" of the netting...
Always something.

 

[Ridgetop]

I am glad that DS is able to be on disability -even short term - for several months and maybe get back to feeling better. Also less stress and able to concentrate on just being a farmer. As to the GF, it is what t is and nothing is going to change there. You have to hand it to him for wanting to be a role model and "dad" to the kids. Even with his short temper he is a good person.

 

[farmerjan]

Long day again.... but at least it started out at a nice 56 degrees... sun and not much humidity... that is due in here the latter part of the week, along with temps well into the 90's....

Got up with an ACHING shoulder, probably slept wrong.... and got the bottles in the trays for the farm that will do owner sample, and the farm scheduled for today. Then took the truck down, and got the air tank, filled it and put it in the back of the truck and went to the tractor and raked the hay. Took about 1 1/2 to 2 hours... it was mostly dry except for the usual green along the one side where there are thick trees and it does not get much sun. Then went home, aired up the tire and went to the co-op to see about him finding the leak. He had a couple in front of me, inspections and then said he would do me before he left for lunch. There were a couple more there for inspections, that they had left and would come get later, and he said he could do them after lunch. Plus he had fixed a tire for another guy and had an oil change in there in the other bay, that he would get done by tomorrow...
Seems I had a small "slice" in the tread of the tire... that was enough to let out air to go flat. He took it off the rim. put a patch and a "boot" in it... and after the glue dried, it held air so got it back on the car... I brought it home, got the sample bottles... and headed out. Planned to replace these tires this fall, hope I can get these to last until then.... but at least then I will have a couple spares if I need them in an emergency... No extras/spares here at the house...

Stopped and went to the bank with a check from DS for my animals sold the last couple times,... dropped some stuff at the P.O. , went to the farm and dropped the bottles and went to the other farm to test. They started at 3, had 125 go through and we were done at about 6... owner got another lady to come in to help, with the regular milker, that milks some relief milkings for him occasionally. He had just finally given in and got the irrigation system out and had started irrigating today... said after the rain they got last Wed... they got .6 when we got .8 .... and the forecast to get more this past Sunday... which neither of us got, he was holding out for the forecast rain and when it didn't come, he decided he needed to irrigate or he would not have any corn to chop for silage for the dairy cows this fall....
So, I didn't take my computer, I forgot it... and said I would get the reports back to him in a day or 2 when I was back up that way (Thursday) and he said that was fine...
I left and came home. Changed shoes as that pair of sneakers is making my left foot, (replaced ankle) with the area of numbness that has been there since the replacement; actually painful now across the bottom of the foot. Like I am walking on something thin and hard, and hurting it badly. Going to have to find a different brand of sneakers.. my older style does not cause the same pain... so put them on after sitting for about 15-30 minutes... and went out in the garden. Planted 3 - six foot rows of the wax (yellow) beans and laid down some newspaper and got some mulch hay on it between 2 of them. Then it was getting dark and I quit. Brought the samples in the house, and will work on the computer work tomorrow.........
AFTER, we get in Fred's cows, get the calves moved to our barn and chute, get them worked for him... and then take them back. Meeting them at 7:30/7:45 there... will take a couple hours all told, I think...

Put a load of clothes in the washer, soaking, will get them hung out tomorrow after I get back. It is supposed to be hotter... it was up to 91 today on the recording thermometer... and then I will work on the testing stuff...

Probably going to put some water out on something in the garden... maybe seeds I just planted... There is a possibility of storms/rain/severe weather Thursday and maybe Friday... but it looked so good for this past Sunday and they formed to the east of the blue ridge mtns here... so we missed out on. it... Tomatoes look good but the peppers looked a little stressed... and the squash looks good but not a blossom yet... It won't hurt them if I water some.... even if we do get a good rain or 2... Need to get on the mulching while it is dry, and the weeds have not tried to grow in the newly tilled area of the recently planted potatoes... Then get that patch of spiney weeds pulled and get that mulched. The potatoes are starting to come up so that rain last week did help but I need to get the walkways between them covered to conserve the moisture that is still in the ground. It is drying out pretty fast where there is no mulch of any kind. Not too bad under the cardboard and mulch around the tomatoes and beans and all that I got planted and mulched earlier...

Got the possum last night in the trap and "dispatched it " this morning after I got the hay done.... going to set the trap again... keep setting it until I don't get anything for awhile.... Might be able to get the grass mowed down (scalped) along the garden so I can get that netting up... there are not enough hours for when I can work out there and not melt from the heat....
Oh Well... it will get done...

I'm tired... going to get a shower, wash off the cow sheet... and go to bed.... took some stuff for the shoulder since it is really aching....
Tomorrow will be a BETTER DAY..... today could have been worse... so got something to look forward to with tomorrow being better !!!!!