Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

We've talked about it when we meet up. There's positives to both of us working, beyond $. Yeah, familiar people, active mind, diversion from scooping poop, socialization -- living alone it gives you time to stay active with reality. In person, live people! There are days you want to retire, then you wake up.

 

[farmerjan]

48 to start, sun coming over the hill. Light breeze out there.

Got the bottles in the trays for testing this afternoon. There was a line at the co-op so not going to worry about getting the car inspected today. Will try to leave in plenty of time to go to the DMV though, and see about getting new plates for it...

I am assuming that DS will be getting the rest of the hay that I raked at dennis's baled in the next day or 2. Plus to mow the last couple of places so we can get done with it for the year. I guess I will see about getting the rake and tractor up the hill to rake the sorghum-sudan/grass/weeds raked so he can roll it; Tomorrow. There is just the one section to rake at doug's farm.... 6-8 acres I guess. Won't take that long to do it.

Breeze is cool... day looks nice. I need to eat something... forgot to do that earlier.

Hope everyone has a nice day.

 

[Ridgetop]

Don't you love it when (city) people talk about the relaxing oife farmer and ranchers have?!

Most farmers and ranchers I know have a town job as well as working into the night doing their ranch work. My friend in Utah is usually out in the fields until midnight moving wheel lines (he irrigates). He raises and bales 3 or 4 types of hay and grain for sale as well as using on his sheep He also runs a large commercial flock as well as his registered White Dorper flock.

I feel that all politicians should have to spend several years farming for a living. No extra income either. Might see some good legislation for the food producers of America.

 

[fuzzi]

Don't you love it when (city) people talk about the relaxing oife farmer and ranchers have?!

Most farmers and ranchers I know have a town job as well as working into the night doing their ranch work. My friend in Utah is usually out in the fields until midnight moving wheel lines (he irrigates). He raises and bales 3 or 4 types of hay and grain for sale as well as using on his sheep He also runs a large commercial flock as well as his registered White Dorper flock.

I feel that all politicians should have to spend several years farming for a living. No extra income either. Might see some good legislation for the food producers of America.

I think every person should have to do a stint in food service, fast food, waiting tables. It teaches teens how to MOVE. And clean.

 

[SageHill]

I feel that all politicians should have to spend several years farming for a living. No extra income either. Might see some good legislation for the food producers of America.

YES! THIS!!!

I'll add that there should be required time for school age children to visit and do some work on a farm/ranch. Heck at least so required field trips. Perish the thought that they might get dirty . Suburban and city kids today have absolutely no idea what farming or ranching is, let alone that's where their food comes from.

 

[Ridgetop]

Some states have (used to have?) an introductin to AG and food production in their curriculum.

California doesn't. California used to supply over 50% of the nation's fruits and vegetables, along with beef, and cotton. Ever since the Sacramento legislators decided that a tiny fish was more important than farmers, the San Joaquin Valley is a desert. Unsurprisingly there seems to be plenty of water for golf courses and new developments.

About 35+ years ago teachers in some large cities gave high school and middle school students a picture test where they had to connect the items (clothing, packaged food, milk, meat, etc.) with the animal or plant that provided it. There was a 99% fail rate on that easy picture quiz! Most kids believe that eggs, milk, and meat come from factories. Many kids don't know that factories are necessary to make the goods we buy - clothing, paper, toiletries, video games, cars, etc.

So sad - no wonder young voters think they can get rid of fossil fuels, machinery, ranching and frming with no problems to their life style!

 

[farmerjan]

Friday evening. Seems I have not been keeping up as good as I should.
41 overnight... Up to 72 this afternoon. It was chilly and breezy this morning.. some clouds to the south and west. Forecast said there were a few scattered showers but nothing much. Didn't feel like any rain... They passed and it got sunny again later on.

Went down to the co-op and one of the 2 guys had taken a vacation day today, so JR was by himself and busy. Said it would be at least 2 hours and I said , not that big a deal... So I came on home.

Yesterday I got up and put some clothes in the wash to soak. Then I went down the hill to get the tractor and rake and brought it up to doug's farm to rake the sorghum-sudan/grass/weeds stuff he had cut to get it off the field. It was pretty thick so there will be some good in it for the cows... they will just pick through it.

Got done and DS had taken the tractor and mower and cut the 2 bigger fields down at the other subdivision along the interstate... he was on his way back to the farm so I went back and followed him so he could take me down the hill to get my car.
He was not feeling good, the "air ride" tractor seat is not holding so he is getting some of the "rough" ground jarring and it is hurting his back. He said he had a headache from it too... So he took me down to get my car and there were about 20 sq bales he had dropped on the ground and I drove the truck and he put them on it so that was done. Then I got my car and came on home. He said he was feeling pretty rough and was going home to his house for a bit...

So, I had gotten the samples that I had packed and dropped them off at the vineyard earlier to go out UPS. Then I got all the reports printed off and although it was a bit of a wasted trip so to speak... I took them to the farm and stopped at Sharp Shopper on the way home... Picked up some stuff... DS liked the "international coffee drink " that was peanut butter flavored... and they had gotten a pallet in so I got him 5 cases... they may not have it again for months, if ever...They had some that was "caramel" flavored and he liked it but it was gone the next time I went in there and haven't seen it since. One of the problems with it being a "discount overstock type store"... Still haven't gotten any more of the "New England Coffee" iced coffee drink I liked in Mocha flavor...... At $.50 a bottle... it is pretty cheap and since I don't make hot coffee here... it is sure alot better than the "Starbucks" brand ones that cost over $2.00 a bottle... so it is a splurge that I feel is well worth it. Plus already bottled like that it is great to take when I go to test and such.

Anyway..... talked to DS and he said he was feeling a little better. We talked about what was getting moved to the barn and such... preg check on Monday... I said that I ought to be able to get the cows and calves and the heifers in at the nurse cow pasture without a big deal... So the plan was for me to get them in this afternoon... and he could come get them and move them to the barn... so no rushing on Monday... AND... then once they are preg checked... we can move the heifers with the other 7 already back out to another pasture for a month or 2... may as well be out eating grass.... and the ones with calves he is trying to decide where to put them.... they are not going back to the nurse cow pasture. The only calf that will go back there, once it gets "worked through the chute" is the bull calf on Jess... my longhorn. No sense in pulling him off yet... she does not get preg checked anyway... because not going to try to transport her and have her try to negotiate the chute since it is too narrow. But he is still a bull... and needs to get banded NOW.... getting a little bullish looking... he is about 6 months...
The other bull calves also need to get worked and they all need eartags too... and all according to the status of their dams, will be going somewhere on the cows for another couple of months. Then will get weaned off and put on feed.... decisions to make on who to keep and who to sell.... feed for the winter, etc.
We have the ones that are coming home tomorrow... or Sunday..... also... 7 cows and calves, that will be bred about the same stage... so he can put all them together... be about 12-14 all together... to then pull all the calves later on this fall/early winter.
There are 30 at another pasture... with calves, that will also need to get preg checked but won't do that until after Thanksgiving... Then all these cows will have calves weaned off... all will go in the barn lots, on feed... silage and some grain.... and then see what the markets are doing and all that to make selling decisions... There will be some we will probably cull sooner than later... but it will help to have them all together at the barn to sort and be able to put together even small groups of 2-4 instead of selling just singles.

So, since I got in all the cows at snyders (nurse cow pasture) and calves... we sorted through the big heifers that came home from WV... including my "idiot" and his high strung one... and moved them to snyder's... to get bred... with the bull going to go in with them in about 2 weeks... Whoever had been in heat when the bulls got over the other day... will either be bred a little ahead... or might come back in heat... I think there are 15 we moved up there... We took the first load from snyder's and left the rest in the barn lot.... then unloaded them at doug's... and then sorted out the bigger heifers to breed, loaded them on the trailer and brought them back up to snyder's then loaded the 2nd load to go to doug's... Trying to utilize the trips... since we had to go back for the 2nd load...

OF COURSE... when he turned the heifers out... they had to go running and 2 went over/through the top hot wire... and were in the yard... went out the gate at the road since we leave it open because with the hot wire the cows don't have access to the driveway and the gate to get out... and then came back in... and were running around by the house... DS discovered that when he went down the hill with the 2nd load to go to doug's... as I was fixing gates and such back the way I have them at the barn for the creep gates etc.... so I saw them running around the house and then of course they wanted back in... but it was getting dark so could not seem to find the opening when we have the "gates" to take the wire down to drive through... so in the process, I was out in the car trying to get them to come back through the gate... and managed to run over a board with a screwnail and got a flat on the car... drove down to the gate and called DS.... that is when he told me they had gone out the gate then back in when he left with the trailer... and where they had gone over/through the top strand of electric... So, I asked to please bring me the air tank so I could air it up to get home and will deal with it tomorrow... and I fixed the strand of wire back in the insulators... rubber coated pliers are GREAT..... bent the post over a bit and manipulated the wire back into the insulator and then bent the post back up straight... the wire is HOT... I got "bit" twice not being careful... and then he came and aired up the tire... and I drove straight to the house to deal with it tomorrow...it is about .3 mile on the road I guess; he came by after shutting the gates... and said he will see if he can plug them tomorrow.... I said that was fine. I would go up and see if the stupid heifers had gone over the fence back in with the rest in the morning... The gate to the road is closed so they can only go so far there... might still be in the front section/around the house... but I was not going to try to chase them in the dark...

This is why I HATE moving them late in the evening when it is getting dark... they get acting silly enough in a new place... and then they can't see where things are ... granted there are still a couple there... Jess, and my older cow that was short bred we put there when she was needing some weight.... Grey Smoke.... and the 3 holsteins are still there...plus the heifer that was way along bred and just had a nice little bull calf, we kept her there too.... that know the fencelines... but these heifers to be bred are your typical "silly teenager" types....18- 20 months or so... "dumb acting".... have to run and all that in a new place... and they just came from WV pasture so not exactly quiet and sedate... They will calm down in a few days, but I would have preferred to move them in the morning where they had all day to get used to the fence and such. Oh well.... could have been worse.

SO..... we will get the other 7 c/cf pairs moved to the barn... and the bull in with them put out in the bull lot... their grass is about gone DS said... so time anyway.

I want to get the younger beef heifers bangs vaccinated... along with the 2 holstein heifers... so waiting for them all to be gotten together in one place... once we get this bunch of cows moved around... couple of weeks....Got to get them done by the first part of Dec... some will be pushing the 12 month mark... but I want the buttons in their ears. if they get sold for breeding down the road, they will have that as an added bonus selling point.

DS has next got to concentrate on getting fences torn down and stuff for the guy coming to drive new posts and such.... after Wed... hoping it will be more like the end of the week like he said.... this is hampering where we can move all these bred cows with calves still on them, and the smaller heifers; around to also... because there won't be any fences around some places... and he is dividing 2 of the fields into 4 smaller lots from the 2... more flexibility for sorting and keeping groups together... and also running some more fencing to split the "peterbilt field" out front into at least 2 sections... this is all that cost share stuff that the gov't was pushing to fence them out of creeks and implement all this "rotational grazing practices".... They are paying like 75% of the costs... and some of this fence is over 25 years old and alot of the posts are broken off and the fence was 12 inch stays when doug put it up and it is crap .....such big spacing that the calves put their heads through it... cows have stretched it out... bent it over... all this crap.... so needs replacing anyway... they will pay for interior fences... not perimeter... but it works for along the creeks and such too.... been trying to get it done for over a year... he got a year extension to do it... has to be completed by next June or July I think.

Nope, not going to cover any of mine.... which is fine. I already have wire for starters... and plenty of electric netting... to section it... Planning to bring the holsteins here for the winter to eat my "2nd cutting" hay and all that... plus be easier to feed them a little better I think.... so I will have the 3 here for the winter if all goes well. The bull will grow better...will make him a steer in the spring, as they grow better as bulls for about 6 months unless they are nursing on a cow... the heifers will get more "human exposure" and then hopefully be more tractable for AI breeding ... calving for late spring of 2026 is the plan... breeding them in June/July of 2025, AI to a guernsey... then they can go with the angus bull for cleanup. These are the tiny twin heifers I got from that farm last year at Christmas...They will be 2 1/2 when they calve but that is okay.... if I have sexed-semen, I will use it to increase the chances of them having heifer calves....
And I will be back in the nurse cow business... hope calves aren't quite so terribly high by then...

So, he is going to let me know about moving the other ones to the barn tomorrow or Sunday...

Not supposed to get quite as cold tonight... then dropping to the upper 30's Sat and Sun nights... days only it around 60 or so... then another warm up to the 40's/low 70's next week. Very slight chance of a scattered sprinkle... no real rain in the forecast still...

I made some ramen noodles for supper... not real hungry and did not feel like cooking after the flat tire BS. Will have to go up to the nurse cow pasture and see if I can find those 2 stupid heifers... and if they are back in the "pasture part" .... then will have to go over the fence to make sure it is still working... not torn down or anything...
Going in to take a shower and go to bed...

 

[murphysranch]

Holey Moley! What a day you've had!!!

 

[Ridgetop]

It never ends!

 

[farmerjan]

Came in for a rather late lunch. It was 56 overnight so not so cold... hit 73 today. The sun has been playing with some clouds that keep passing through but that is okay .

Got up and went up to snyder's..... the 2 silly heifers had gotten back over the wire back in with the rest... and of course broke off 2 insulators on the t-posts... but I got things straightened out... AFTER .... turning off the fence to work on it. Stretched the wire back out and then hooked everything back up and it is registering all the lights on the 9 light tester I have. So.... they will probably stay off it....
Jess... the longhorn was walking around hollering for her calf... he was taken to the barn since he needed banding.... really not happy.... plan was to bring him back after working him in the next day or 2.

DS came by the house just as I got home and put air in the front tire that had also gotten a nail/board in it... found 2 air leaks actually. Put the plugs in the 2 spots and it is still holding air now. Could not find the leak in the back tire... It took some air (what he had left in the air tank) and he sprayed water and all and still could not find it... So, I told him that I would bring the air tank home, fill it and drive immediately down to the co-op and get them to pull it and find the leak and get it fixed. Will do that probably Tuesday, because of the vet coming Monday.
DS's dr appt was cancelled Tuesday, as he had to go do blood work Friday morning... and one of the things they were going to do at the appt on Tues was already done... so no "wasting" half the day Tuesday and he can work on stuff for the fence situation...

So, he asked if I could go to the "texaco" which isn't a texaco anymore but was forever and everyone still calls it that.... and get some non-ethanol gas because he had a guy at the farm that has been wanting some extra work, working on taking down some fence ahead of the work planned next mid-week... and he was going to sharpen the posts for them to drive them... so was using the chain saw alot...
Said if I brought it to the farm, we could get in the bull calf to get him banded and he could go back up to go back with Jess... he could hear her hollering at my house....

So got the gas, went down to the farm.... got 4 buckets of feed... and it seems that some of the heifers got over the stretch of fence they are going to be replacing... that we had sorted out... to get in with the cattle we brought down from snyders for the preg check... so he called them all in the barn and fed them in the bunk. He was working on a chainsaw so said as soon as he got the chain sharpened and he took it out to the guy working out there taking down fence, he would come back up to the barn and we could just work all the calves that came from snyder's... and then take back the one to go back with Jess... So, as soon as he got them all in, I went in there, and started sorting and got the 8 calves separated out... got them around the other gate and got them down the one alley, into the pen that will feed them up the alley into the chute. (tractor with the manure spreader, that had the dead battery is still in the way). It will have to get started and moved out before Monday for the vet. Got it all ready and when he came to the barn, said what do we need to do to get them sorted... and I said they are all in the pen in the back ready to come up the chute... no getting mad, no noise, just got them moved around myself.... ready to go.

So, as things that sometimes go right... the one that was going back to Jess came first... so we banded him, shots and out the gate, up the outside loading alley and right on the trailer... and then we did the rest of them since I had them all sorted.... 2 more bull calves to tag and band... 3 heifers to tag and 2 weaned heifers already tagged... all got needed blackleg shots and the bulls got tetanus... All done and we brought the calf back to the snyder's (nurse cow pasture) and Jess came running right up to the trailer.,... and he came off and went right with her and they went across the field...

We turned the ones from snyder's and the heifers all together so they weren't making a mess of the wire that is there.... no sense in bending it all over... we will have to sort them out Monday morning... and it will take a little longer... but that's better than them tearing things up worse. I think DS is planning to reuse some of this wire... there are several broken fence posts... but he might be going to reuse some of this in some of the "woods" where there isn't alot of "pressure" on it from cattle on both sides or anything...

Anyway... went and filled the car up with gas... and came home.

Realized that my stomach was growling... so made a sandwich and just sat down for a few. I also watered all the spider plants and everything out there since it is so dry and no rain. Just checked the forecast and nothing in the forecast for another 10 day stretch... Through Nov 4th.... hard to believe.

I'm going to go out and walk where they are going to drive posts... make the final "plans"... gates etc.... so at least there will be openings where I want them,....

Leaves on the trees are really turning fast and very pretty... but with the dry conditions they won't last long... Have tried to send some to @Mini Horses but don't know if I am successful... took a couple of pictures of some real pretty trees... Why can't they just have a "send " button on this phone...

Got another load of clothes to go out on line and the jeans are dry and ready to come in... suns going down fast and it will be dark in less than 2 hours...