Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Loooong day. 47 overnight, up to 74 on the recording thermometer. Sunny out with a very slight breeze so really nice. Got Nothing done here since I was gone all day.

Went to meet the insurance guy at 9... he spent 2 hours with me and we talked about all sorts of insurance. He got info on the current vehicle policy, and the info on the forester that I want to add. Said if he were me, since the agent told me that she could not add the forester without breaking this block price... to call the company directly. Tell them what I wanted to do, taking off the collision on the explorer since it no longer has a lien, and that I want to add the forester that I had a new engine put in so I could drive it again, and that I wanted to put it on the policy since I am advertising the explorer for sale and don't know how fast I will get it sold, but want to put the plates back on the forester, have done all the work to get it ready for inspection, and drive it while I am waiting to sell the explorer... He said that the company might go for it BECAUSE I want to take the collision OFF the explorer since it is paid for and that is the most expensive part of "full coverage"... so that the difference in price might make it possible to not change the "rate structure" too much. Like he said, what can they say????

He said he has a friend that is an expert in vehicle policies, that he will throw this out to, and should hear back by the middle of next week since he is going to be gone Thurs through Mon....
That works...

He took info on the current house ins and will do some comparisons with a different company he now represents...

And then we talked Medicare and the new plans and the new plans on the "Medicare Advantage" side... as opposed to the Medicare plus supplement I currently have... and the differences in cost and what they provide. @Mini Horses and I talked about them, as her ins friend went over her stuff a couple years ago, and she switched to the Advantage plans since she does not have any "medical issues" that a supplement plan might be better for, and the vision and dental that she gets now that she did not have before; for little/no costs compared to what she had. He agreed that what I have now is probably best since I am thinking/talking possibility of the shoulder replacement... what the new deductibles for the Advantage plans are... ( up to around MAX of 4,000) and what they offer for hospitalization etc and so on. I am right near the tipping/balance point.... considering what I pay in monthly total for regular medicare and a supplement...... adding up to the difference in the possible max out of pocket costs for the advantage plans.... still a little better for me to stay with what I have now... but something to think about in the future once I get all the "bionic parts" put in my body....

So, the house ins renewed in Aug, and it went up so I expect my monthly "mtg payment" will go up a little once they adjust it; as it is paid to the mtg company and put in escrow that they pay every 6 months. I kind of expect it to go up every year as insurance gets higher and higher...

So, I left there, went by the Verizon store and I couldn't get the text messages font size to get smaller... after going in the settings and making sure the font size was right and all that... well, guess what... this electronic DUMMY didn't realize that I somehow had expanded the screen... just on the actual text messages, to the largest size it could go... and so he just used his fingers to scrunch it back down..... I had no idea when/how I did that, and since it was only on the text messages screen, it never occurred to me that it was that...It was not even on the screen that shows all the previous text messages, just on the screen that each and every individual text "conversation" I pulled up.... I was aggravated that I was doing everything I knew and it wasn't happening...
I told the guy that I was really sorry to bother him... that I just wished that they gave a "learning class seminar" for people like me that I could take to ask questions like this, and take notes so that when something like this came up, I would know what to try first.... he said they had been thinking of offering something like that.... especially for people that had switched from flip phones to "smart phones" and there were all these multitude of things they did that many people had no clue how to access or what they were for, therefore did not utilize the phone because they were frustrated with it... I said, yeah, for many like me that did not grow up with all these electronics and didn't have time to spend hours "playing with the phone" to try things out. Just wanted to do xyz on it and know how to "fix" little things like my size of font issue that I was trying to fix since it was only happening in the actual conversations.... I said, I know it is more likely that us "seniors" had these problems, and he said well, yes to some extent, but alot of 40-50 year olds have alot of problems with it too.... so not to feel bad about it.

 

[farmerjan]

Anyway, left there, got home, called DS because he wanted to leave at 12:30 and it was Noon, I changed from a long sleeved T-shirt, to a short sleeved shirt and headed up the road to his house... He got there about 12:15 and we left a few minutes later... Drove down to this specialist, that his main DR wanted him to look at DS's stuff, and do a consult with. He went over everything with DS, and the Workman's comp lady was there... she is really pretty nice even if we do not reveal DS's thoughts, to much... about not wanting to go back to work... so they will explore ALL these avenues of possible treatments... this DR was 1 hr 15 minutes LATE to see DS.... he runs late for all appts we found out... BUT part of this is because he really SPENDS THE TIME with a patient... and does not rush to get them in and out... he wants DS to see another colleague of his that is the "head, skull, trauma" expert there... as he is more for the neck and spine and he thinks DS's problems are 2 fold... and he thinks he can maybe help him with the neck/spine area... but that his accident, and all the head trauma and concussion did more damage than anyone realized back then, causing all these headaches that are from damage to the brain back in 2017.... and whether they can help alleviate it and maybe "fix" some of it... So they are going to have that dr's office call DS and set up an appt.... and because they are referring him from this office, he ought to get in sooner rather than later... Plus this dr wants him to try an epidermal type block on the spine area that is damaged, with some arthritis and damage to a couple of vertebrae... if the block works on thi specific area for the numbness and tingling and loss of strength in his hand and arm and leg, then it is unlikely this is directly related to the headaches, and they will treat it as 2 separate but related situations due to the accident, that caused this simultaneously, but to different areas of the body, in different forms so to speak...

We didn't get out of there until, after 4.... so stopped on the way home and ate and got gas... $2.75/ gallon.... and then came home. We were supposed to move the cows this evening, but I never mentioned it as DS had a bad headache all day.... and he was aggravated that they were so far behind at the Dr clinic... so he went home and said he was going to go check the tire on the rake, since we needed to get the tractor and rake down to the field at my house. Next thing I hear is the tractor coming down the road... looked out and it was him... he said he decided to just bring it down since the tire was good... and we looked at the rye/wheat/orchard grass mixed stuff, and decided that it is drying pretty good, and that I will try raking a couple rows and if they don't rake good, then I will go get the tedder and use it first. But this stuff is drying pretty good because there is no humidity so it is aspirating good and the moisture is being pulled out... I think it will be good to go. I have to test tomorrow and will have to leave here pretty early... BUT.... I will try a couple rows in the late morning... after I go get some fuel since it is about empty.... if it rakes okay, then I will get on it Wed and get it all done then.
Then I took him back to the truck where he had parked it at the tractor and rake.... and finally came home. It was getting pretty dark at that point.
DS is leaving tomorrow morning with Doc, to go to WV and won't be home until 2-3 Wed aft... so I ought to have it all done on Wed... then can go rake the other places Wed or Thursday since they are alot thinner/lighter and are pretty close to dry already. I have to test Wed aft but don't have to leave until 3:30 or so... I can get alot done in 4-5 hours... and can finish up the lighter fields Thursday. If I take the tractor and rake down to another field, I can ask one of a couple people to come get me and run me back up the road to my house, and leave the equipment there at a different field, instead of running them back up the road... if I don't get it all done on Wed.
The forecast is mixed... one place has less than 10% chance of "slight chance of spotty showers" Friday... one still says 20% chance Thursday eve , Friday into Sat...
This will depend on the tropical storm that is formed over the gulf, going to come ashore in 24-48 hours, then work it's way up the Mississippi valley area and probably stay well west of us... but spread out... so it's still a chance.
He is going to roll all this, so not quite as big a rush as if it was going to be sq baled.

So, I am going in to go to bed early... get up and get a few things done in the morning that I thought I might do this afternoon when we got back... Guess the cows will get moved end of the week...

 

[Ridgetop]

Hopefully this new doctor will be able to do something for DS. Having the injuries divided into 2 separate claims might be a good thing.

 

[farmerjan]

Tuesday... cool 50 this morning, up to 82.... Sunny and really nice out there actually.
Had the bottles in the racks for testing, put them and everything else I needed including the computer, in the car so I wouldn't have to rush to leave for work.

I spent several hours for "hay making"... Had to go get fuel as DS said tractor was empty.... then came back, got my "kerosene squeezy thing" to run it in the fuel tank because I cannot even think about lifting the cans up to pour them in. It is all I can do to lift them on the hood of the tractor... then I can use the "squeezy siphon thing" and get the fuel to run right in the tank. Then, got on the tractor and rake and got the 10+ acre field across from my house done in time to leave and go to work... It was a little slow going as it was pretty thick and DS had to cut it from 2 directions to get all the stuff that was laid over "down". But the good thing is, it was drier than I thought it would be so it raked up pretty nice, overall.

So left the field at 1:30, and headed for work. Did not get to go by any pastures or feed anywhere this aft/eve... It was near dark by the time I was getting home... Left the farm after 7 and it is dark by 8 now. Testing/milking went fine, a little better as they are keeping up with the paper work a little better. This farmer had been talking about cutting back.... of course they never seem to make the decisions to sell when the prices are higher... He did sell 9 or 10 cull cows which is good... 5 of them brought him over $8,000... so you'd think it would give him incentive to ship more like he said... but I guess selling 9 since last months' test is better than none. Thing is he had 10, come back in the barn, so numbers didn't change there.... AND he has 12 heifers and 4 cows to come fresh before Oct 10th.... so I guess he had better be culling some cows... Last month he was threatening to get down to 80 in the barn... YEAH right; like that is going to happen. . Nice guy, but another of those farmers that just can't make changes and then bit#@ about it later... like losing those 2 cows a couple months ago... I guess for him it was a real "step up " to sell those 5 all at once. At least that paid his diesel fuel bill from one month.... from having to irrigate all that corn earlier this year.

We'll see what happens in another month... they had a cow calving this afternoon, and had to pull a set of twins that were trying to both come at once... bulls and both out alive so that was good...

Got all the computer work done there , came home and printed the reports and stuff, got the racking list and will go in and pack the samples tonight. Then I can just throw them in the car and drop them when I go to test tomorrow afternoon/eve. Will drop off the reports, I'm headed back in the general direction so will make a small detour west on the trip north. Also will try to allow enough time to drop off the little jump drive that the other tester had the reports copied on that today's herd likes and I got them into my computer.
Speaking of which, it has been acting a little funny lately, not wanting to go full screen a few times.. and now the locking mechanism is not working right... guess I am going to have to do something different pretty soon. Been thinking of it.... guess I am going to have to do more than think of it...

So, in the morning I need to go to the barn, and to pastures to feed, run up to the pasture to let the cows into pasture 2, while there is still dew on the hay, if any, and then get on the tractor and go rake at several of the other smaller places he mowed. See how much I can get done once the dew dries off. It is supposed to be sunny and nice again, so the hay needs to be "turned up", to dry the underneath stuff so he can bale it. I will have to leave no later than 3:30 to drop samples and the reports and such...At least I don't need to put more fuel in it... I put 2 cans worth in today... and it is very good on fuel and it is not far for me to go up the road to the smaller fields. Just alot of maneuvering with the smaller fields and tighter "quarters" to work in with the big rake... but the raking will go alot faster than if I was on the old Farmall H and the single row side delivery (roller bar type) rake.

He//, it is 11:30 already... time to quit....

 

[farmerjan]

DS did go to WV and he said the heifers look pretty good. Grass is holding better than he thought, considering they are as dry or even drier, than we are. They are supposed to get some of the precip from that storm in the gulf coast that is coming ashore and up the Miss River valley... looks like it will stay west of us... at least until he has the hay done I hope.

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday. Nice sun 58 up to 80. Had some high clouds come in later in the day.

Been a couple interesting days. Wed. it was also nice. Temps like 56 to 84. I got up and went to feed at the barn in the 2 lots and the back lot. Went to the nurse cow pasture and fed the calves, checked the water which is still running pretty good. The cows must've just drank it down some the 2 times it was real low and I was getting concerned. Hol bull calf is looking a little better, still kind of "puny" , but comes right in for the grain with no one around in the mornings. So that is a plus.

Came back and got the bottles in the car and all the hoses etc I needed for testing. Then got on the tractor parked across the road from my house, and headed for the different lots/fields that DS had mowed. Got it all raked... took about 4 hours total. Met and talked to a retired couple that built a house on the 4 acre place directly behind the piece of land that DS has the contract on... very nice people but no practical understanding of farming... so got into a discussion about things like free range chickens and how their life is not necessarily better when they are subjected to being picked off out in the "freedom" of being loose... the whole thing of "antibiotics" in milk..... NONE or the farmer can lose his license to produce milk.... organic and what it can mean for an animal to suffer, when an antibiotic can cure something...... just all sorts of things...anyway... we had a good discussion, they had brought me out a glass of ice water when I was raking in front of their house...
So got back, got the reports to take to the farm on the way, and left to test.
Set up is a pain because it is hard to work around all their pipes and such...Got there 5, milked 37 and got done and everything washed and I was out of there by 9 which is like a miracle.... Dropped the reports and DS called and wanted to know if I wanted to take a ride Thurs (this) morning to look at a truck that he was interested in for hauling silage this fall... some other stuff... it was 2-3 hours away... big online equipment auction.... So I said sure... he said, I'd like to leave at 5:30 A.M..... REALLY.... but I said okay. Got home at 11 or so finally.
So, got up and left at 5:30... there was quite a bit of stuff there... he had a list of the stuff he had seen online that he was interested in looking at... He had bid on several things but wanted to see them "in person".... A few things were what he expected, a couple not what he liked in person, a couple better than he expected.... Bidding was to end this evening... So he made note of what he was going to continue to watch ..... and then on the way home, dropped off the samples at a UPS store.... and we stopped at a local place that also has an online auction going on, and there were a couple of things he was definitely interested in... some silage/feed wagons.... that is over tomorrow eve I think. We ate at a local place, it was okay but nothing to write home about.... then came down. Dropped him at his house... he was going to mow a little more since the rain from the hurricane looks to stay well west of us until next Mon/Tues when we might get some rain from another storm forming along the Fl/Ga/SC coast and coming inland... I don't think he was going to mow alot but a few more places that should dry in a couple days. Then he said he was going to bale... but I haven't seen him since dropping him off.

Haven't talked to him either, so I guess he is getting something done. He was having some headache issues again... I sure hope the brain/head trauma dr that the other one (we went to the other day), wanted him to see; that his office calls him with an appt...

Sent a text to Lindsay about testing the 500+ cow herd on Sat.... she said she was off 1/2 day Friday and weekends, but had an appt Fri aft....... so expect to hear back for Sat.... Got another farm that wants to test soon, now... and have to make some more calls... will be pretty busy next week I guess.
DS's knee was starting to hurt today after being on it for a few hours walking around looking at the auction lots... But overall it is doing pretty good I think... It will only be 3 weeks tomorrow that he had the surgery.... and he does use the single crutch like the dr advised if it was hurting...

Talked to my car ins person today... I was in a "rate lock" and this was the last of the 3 yr lock... got my new amounts... went from $850/yr to $1200/ yr with the same coverage... WHAT..... and I wanted to add the forester and other stuff... I can ADD the other 3 vehicles for a total of $600 more.... so ONLY $200 per vehicle more for liability on them.... of course I will be taking off the collision on the Explorer... BUT HOLY COW..... 50% increase on the 2 vehicles if I change absolutely NOTHING.......Price is locked for 3 years.... IF......IF.... I make no changes to the policy for the 3 years... if I sell the Explorer and take it off,,, that constitutes a policy change "event" ... adding or removing a vehicle, a driver, or change of ADDRESS.... I can change the "coverage" (like take off collision) as long as I do not take off a vehicle. Sure if I sell something and remove it... it will drop the cost of covering that vehicle... BUT it will constitute a change of event, so the price lock will be re-worked at that point...

OMG... what a racket. I may go with just liability, and only add comp on the Explorer now... so that they are all on the policy... and then just see what happens with the Explorer... Don't dare drop it off and take the plates off, then I can't take it out for a prospective buyer to drive....

That has given me a headache.... The thing with the comp... it will give me coverage for replacement value if I hit a deer or the vehicle is stolen... like DS's truck situation several years ago... Going to have to do some searching and see what they list for, as to what I can get if there is an issue with deer hitting it or it getting stolen or something else. I could salvage them if they get smooshed with a deer.... at least the engines and stuff would be worth something used....
I have until the end of the month so make some decisions on the vehicles .... my policy runs out the 30th; so the explorer and the outback are covered until then just like they have been. I will hopefully hear from the other guy mid week next week... But I was figuring the $850 with maybe a little increase... so $1,000 was what I thought ought to cover it...

I am going to go out and get the gal of tea I put out when we got back, to make sun tea... just remembered it was out on the table.

I didn't get alot of sleep last night, so will fall into bed in awhile....

 

[murphysranch]

I hear ya on the insurance rate hikes. I forgot to change my address with USAA for the auto insurance. I changed everything else two years ago when we moved. Why the auto policy didn't change, I don't know. I woulda thought it was automatic. Anyhoo, did that yesterday and the cost went up $400 a year - two vehicles, a 2015 and a 2019 Ram. Just for moving to a different state!! Racket for sure...

 

[Baymule]

My insurance is $130 a month for full coverage on a 2004 F250 diesel truck and a 2022 Hyundai Accent roller skate. It jumped up last year from $98 per month. Nothing changed.

 

[farmerjan]

@Baymule you might want to look at your vehicle ins and see if it would not be a good move to take the "full coverage" off the truck... the collision part is what costs so much, Keep the comp and liability of course.... and if it is not financed, it is sorta a waste of money on a vehicle over 10 years old... so my insurance guys are all telling me. Comprehensive covers anything like you hitting a deer or something like that, it getting stolen, catching on fire, or other things... The car being new it is probably good to keep it on, but nothing is going to cover buying a new truck at today's prices if something happens to yours.... We keep looking at things like that with all the vehicles on the farm... They do not offer "replacement value" on vehicles like they do with your household stuff.... They couldn't afford it believe me, with the cost of a new truck today.... But that would maybe be worth paying for in my opinion... new 4x4 trucks in the $75-100,000 range... now...

 

[Mini Horses]

Also, compare 1) same CO that has your home...normally a package gives discount between those. 2) shop a lesser "known" company. Some larger ones cover so many that the ratio of overall claims to overall covered allows them to give a better rate. Don't tie it in for multi years. Re-rate for adding or dropping a vehicle -- bad.