Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Chilly 41 this morning.... a bunch of clouds out there... they will pass and sun again today. Tonight is supposed to be colder..... Forecast now has a 20% chance of possible stray scattered showers on Friday.... but not much they say... The good thing is , the temps are going to be colder tonight and then another warming trend and Thursday might hit upper 70's/low 80's for Halloween for the kids... Of course, not many do the trick or treating anymore except in the places they do the neighborhood stuff and the malls that have had it this weekend... Not like it used to be... but they have to consider the safety and all that nowadays that we never even thought about back when I was a kid... you got together in groups and everyone went to every house and even things like homemade candy apples and all were offered.
Sad how it has become....

Guess I will find out about moving those other cows whenever DS calls... he has something he is taking her daughter to tonight that he got tickets for awhile back... of course everything else is going on this week now with the vet and the fence guy coming.... but it is what it is...

Didn't get the clothes out on line, yesterday, so that will happen in a bit. Sun is coming up over the hill across the road...

 

[farmerjan]

Seems like 3 pm and after gets to be lunch time around here !!!! The sun came up over the hill. Breeze out and it has been chilly. Pretty but chilly. Sweatshirt weather for me...
Got the clothes on the line and started some vacuuming... DS texted... he was at the pasture getting the panels set up... there is a little catch pen adjacent to the field the cows are in... and the fence is pretty iffy so we put an old gate up there years ago... so we just open the old gate and with a couple of fence panels can run the cows right over in their little catch pen, then load out there as there is a gate and "drive way lane" into that neighbors field... They said it was fine years ago, we use if for about 1-2 hours maybe so not like we are tying up their pen or anything...
So he calls, said they are in... he will stop by my house, trade the r&w bale truck and take my car down to the barn to get the truck and trailer and I can take this truck back to the cows... baby sit them until he gets back... and then once loaded we can load the panels right back up on the truck and we can take both to the barn...
Went like clockwork... this is a very laid back group of 7 cows and the bull is really nice and quiet.... older bull... but easy going... I was there about 10 min and then DS came and he got the trailer backed up and we rearranged the panels to easily funnel the cows... bull was right there... walked right up into the trailer and the cows followed... had to "push" a couple of calves but they did go on without a big deal... then he pulled the truck/trailer up and I was unhooking the panels and he backed the r&w truck up and loaded them and off we went to the barn... unloaded the 7 pair of cows/calves... managed to keep the bull in the alley so put him right back on the trailer so we could drop him off at the bull lot...
DS got all the cows/calves/heifers/steers in the barn and then we turned these 7 out in the lower barn lot... and then proceded to sort the others since they all had gotten together... He wanted to sort them "mostly out" today, so that there are less to sort tomorrow... and he wants to separate some "sizes"... So we sorted out the steers we didn't need.... have 4 "stags"? that we want the vet to check for retained nuts in the body cavity?...... and some heifers, and ran them out in the back into lot near the barn... he put up some of the panels we had on the truck around the hay barn to keep them in... where he is eventually going to put a side shed roof on the barn to store even more hay under roof... and they had taken down the fence last year... to start putting in post holes and then it never got done.....
Sorted off 4 smaller ones he put in the lot across the driveway where we had the blind ones last year that we butchered... and then had to leave some of the bigger heifers (6 or 7) that were not with the bull, don't need to be preg checked... but we don't have a separate lot for them with all the fences being taken down for the fence guy coming to drive posts... We have another 6 heifers of that size, at a other neighbors field that they want us to have them there for the summer so they don't have to mow... They might even be big enough to breed... can't remember how big they are... and there are a few in the back in the one other field along the interstate, that he wants to get in tomorrow and sort out if we have time before the vet comes.

So, for right now, everyone we need for the vet plus a few we won't need, are in the barn lot and field... all the calves are with their momma's including the ones we worked through the chute yesterday. Of course this morning there were 4 that had gone over that fence again into the other lot... and we did not put anybody out there to want to go across the fence for... so they were just being stupid....

I opened and shut a couple of gates so he could feed some hay...

DS took the bull around the corner and I went down and blocked the lower part of the drive alley so he would come down and go in the bull field... then I fixed the gates in the barn so that the cows would not go in around the manure spreader and tractor that he is going to have to jump to get started to get it out of the barn for the vet check. Don't need them in there bothering the wires or getting scrunched in where they don't need to be... but you know they would go back there .... JUST BECAUSE.....

Then I came home a little bit ago... DS was going to get cleaned up and get M to go to this thing. It is an interactive "Harry Potter" in the woods... I gather quite a "thing"... have to wait for dark for it.. starts at 8 but it is 3 hours north... they are going to get some supper first...so she ought to enjoy it.... It will be late when they get back... her father said it was no big deal if she missed school Monday...

It is cool out... hit 62 and the sun is nice. BUT... chilly feeling.... I thought I might do a little mowing, but not going to. Going to be warmer in a couple days so will do it then. I want to make 1 pass all the way around the property where I can mow... and look things over a little more.... make it easier to work around... and I want to be able to maybe use the lawn sweeper and gather up some of this grass once it is dried, for the chickens I am getting in Nov....

I am going to go up and feed the 3 holsteins, and the black steer we turned back with the longhorn....feed usage will be way down now with the other 7 calves out out of there... but I will feed about half of what I was for the benefit of the holsteins to grow better now. Plus 5 of those calves were on the cows, so getting milk as well as the grain....
The poor little baby on 270 heifer that was just born won't have any "playmates" his size.... I don't want her to get stuck with the bigger cows for the winter... that have just calved now... she will get pushed around too much... she is pretty friendly and I can feed her a little extra up there.... there is the calf on the longhorn but he was born in April so 6 months older... and the holstein bull calf just doesn't "play" much...maybe the new calf will learn to come in the creep gate and learn what feed is before the holsteins come out of there... And you never know, we might have another "bred too soon heifer"; due "now" instead of in the coming spring.... in the preg checks tomorrow... or a cow that has a little calf this fall that might need a little TLC...

I am going to go up there in just a little bit, so I can get in the house before it gets too cold tonight. Going to cover the spider plants and all again... Need to find some time to do some serious repotting of stuff... get them moved inside pretty soon....

All my Thanksgiving/Christmas cactus's are blooming since I brought them in... they are pretty... too early but pretty... they had a lot of buds and bringing them in to the warmer house and more "light" has forced the buds and they opened up in the last week...but it doesn't look like the white ones are blooming... maybe they were the ones that also did not do very good this summer... the red, the fuschia, and the salmon colored ones are pretty... Had something go through alot of my african violets this year and lost a bunch... so will pick up some at "Lowe's " and wherever to fill in the empty spots... start over with the few I have and get some more... like I need more... .

Have pretty much decided to sell the 2 red angus heifers... bred or not... they still do not like coming in the barn or in the pens... they come in for the feed and then run right back out the gate when DS comes out of the barn....I was lucky they were up at the catch pen at snyder's and came in without a big deal..... they're not going to change after all this time... they have not grown out like they should have either... disappointing.... will get my money back out of them, considering that we lost the third one... pneumonia we think... but won't get the feed money back.... they can go have an attitude problem somewhere else... or wind up on a feedlot somewhere if open. Really don't care, I have no affection for them at all.... could not get them to want to cooperate..... kinda had to catch them off guard, like the other day, when I got them in because they were right there at the catch pen when I was getting them all in... some there that came in, then had to shut the dividing gate and got more in.... like the one real standoffish bwf cow of DS's.... her and her calf both would not come when called for grain... but if at the pen/feeder... would eat and no big deal... at least they wouldn't run back out like the red ones...

Headed to the calves...

 

[farmerjan]

Done and back home and in for the night. Must've been a wreck or something on the interstate... traffic is terrible on my road heading north. I hate all the traffic that uses this as an alternative to the interstate and main route 11, when there is a backup on the interstate. Checked all the numbers of the heifers that were moved to snyder's... had one we missed... so now I can make an accurate list for there...

Fed the 3 holsteins; and the black "newly made into a steer" calf on Jess, was walking around with that "burrrr" .... throaty low sounds.... like a bull.... he'll get over it once his "parts" dry up and fall off.... he did not go in the pen as I think there was a heifer coming in heat so he was all "into that".... I also spread a sq bale of the hay DS put in the barn for the calves in the bunk feeder in there... Getting to be slimmer pickings out there for the calves that need to be growing.

Bull will be going in there in another week or so... get through the vet ck, hay on the ground, some of the fencing stuff... then will put the bull in for the heifers... start them calving first of Aug so their calves have a good start on growing before the cold and winter weather sets in. Then bulls will go in with the cows that will get bred for fall calves next year... the ones that are calving/ have already calved, now... I want to try to get fall calves on the ground before Dec 1st... preferably in Sept/Oct and early Nov.... Hopefully get them to "back up" a month and calve a little earlier than they are now...

I am going to make up a list for the vet check... so have that already done... start getting the lists of who is where as we get them moved to more "permanent winter pastures/fields".....

Got to get some farms scheduled and get those 2 fields of hay, that he cut the other day, raked... so he can bale after they get started on the post driving and stuff... fit it in, inbetween things... needs to be raked so he can get to it as he can. Maybe Tuesday.... we will move some cattle around after the vet check, tomorrow, I am sure... then he will be concentrating on the fencing... and maybe mowing in the mornings.... I just want to get this hay finished before it turns cold...

I'm making the lists and going to bed.

 

[farmerjan]

BRRRR chilly morning... 39 to start. Supposed to warm up to 60 today.

Lists made up for preg check... new "inventory list" for nurse cow pasture with the heifers we moved there to be bred.

Sun is coming over hill. See on weather forecast that they have upped it to a 30% chance of showers on Friday... so got to get that hay raked so he can get it baled before then.

Guess I better get my rear in gear... waiting on DS to let me know what/when he needs me at the barn to do whatever sorting we need to do.

 

[Ridgetop]

You exhaust me with all you get done! I wish DS could stop working at that DOT job and just stay home to do the farm work. He sounds more calm when he can rest as he needs and without the mental pressure from that place.

I want to try to get fall calves on the ground before Dec 1st... preferably in Sept/Oct and early Nov.... Hopefully get them to "back up" a month and calve a little earlier than they are now...

We need to get the breeding dates adjusted in Texas for next year too. Luckily they are a little easier since they will breed 3 months after lambing.

 

[SageHill]

You exhaust me with all you get done! I wish DS could stop working at that DOT job and just stay home to do the farm work. He sounds more calm when he can rest as he needs and without the mental pressure from that place.


We need to get the breeding dates adjusted in Texas for next year too. Luckily they are a little easier since they will breed 3 months after lambing.

Ditto what @Ridgetop said!

 

[farmerjan]

Monday night. Dark out and I am in for the night.

DS texted earlier and said to come to the barn when I could. I left about 10 minutes later and went down to the barn... He had gotten all the calves in out of the back that he wanted to sort into groups sizes.... only 1 small one to go with the other 4 out front in the lot where the blind ones were last year. So 5 smaller calves there... they will get fed separately now, and will get sold whenever he takes a notion... Have 1 more small one still on a cow that was preg checked today.... that will most likely go out there when they get weaned off in a couple months. She was 4 months bred, so not going to sell her...but this next calf will be her last "chance"....

Preg check went pretty good... 2 open from snyder's... nurse cow pasture... one of the red angus heifers is open... one is 3 months bred.... The one that is bred is the more "idiot" acting... they will both get sold. I have had enough of them... they just don't "work" with the rest of the cows. Thought they might get friendlier and calmer but not.... The other open one is the one I thought I saw in heat after the bull was taken out... and she obviously was... She will get sold since she is out of one of the group of cows that we bought that have had LOUSY calves and breed backs... since she was open we are not even going to put her back with the bull.... not keeping a possible problem breeder.

Unfortunately there were 2 of the 7 from the other place that were open... One has had trouble breeding back in the past... has gone 18 months between calves previously... so she will get sold.... the other is an older cow that is out of a family that DS likes... so she got moved on the hill with her calf, and will get one more chance... bull will be going in with them within a month... she should breed right back since her calf is about 5 months... She has a "solid mouth"... getting a little short so probably in the 8 + year old range...
If she does not breed back this time she will get sold also. She has a heifer on her now, so he can keep it as a replacement. He said he guessed one cow won't make or break him.

One quiet cow was an absolute stupid idiot in the catch pen and chute... he could not get her to go up the chute... have no idea what her problem was but she ought to be pretty sore from getting hit so many times after the around and around BS.... then she started to dare DS.... finally got her to follow the last 3 calves that up the chute...when she wouldn't follow some of the other cows up it... She is of course 4 months bred... and is a first calf heifer... has a huge bull (now steer) calf on her... first calf... her dam does a bang up job raising a calf also... but what a miserable b#@ch she was...

Had the vet check out the couple of calves DS had bought... one had both nuts up in the body cavity... and the other had one up and one descended... The one was what he called cryptorchid... which is seen in horses more often... where the one testicle does not descend... and the other he said it looked like they had banded it and the "nuts" actually had been pulled back up into the body... which anyone with male "babies" knows can happen... especially when very young.... Turns out there is a "tube" with a "ring" at each end... inguinal (groin) area and tube... sometimes is what is known as men getting a hernia in their groin..... there the testicle and the cord etc descends down through... sometimes the nut doesn't come down and the ring is fairly small... like a muscle type thing.... and then it is too big to descend... so is a cryptorchid.. seems this can be hereditary... and is more common in some cattle... but anyway... he sedated them, did some cuts... got them all out and should be good to go... Gave them LA200 and will give them a 2nd dose in 3 days... keeping them in the barn lot to watch .... so successful afternoon.

So we got the 2 heifers to sell that were open, the one bred red one, and 2 cows in the lot to hold...and the 2 "cut" calves the vet did, so they can come in the barn for some feed for the next couple of days, get a 2nd set of shots... and then they will go out with the rest of the steers...
One is the idiot acting cow with her BIG steer calf... and the other was the open cow with her big steer calf... DS said the calves will be too big if he feeds them through the winter so is going to probably sell them in 2-3 weeks.... he will ship the open cow when he takes the rest, and the "idiot acting" one will go out with the rest of the cows that were checked preg. without her calf . They will all have their calves weaned off in 2-3 months anyway... since the cows are mostly all 3-4 months preg now...
Plus we need to get the one older cow of mine, that had the dead calf... off the hill in the "calving field" so she can get sold too.

2 of the bred heifers are mine... (not counting the 2 red ones that were bought and will be sold) and one of the cows is mine.. that are pregnant. That is good. The heifers will "add back" in numbers a few to replace the cows that I have been selling that were old and didn't settle.

Before the vet got there... we put the second layer of plastic on the silage pile... DS had gotten the initial "new sheet" of plastic on it... but we put a second layer of old plastic on it to help stop the birds from pecking through it and letting air into it... and discourages raccoons and possums and such from tearing it open to get to the corn grain mixed in the chopped silage.

Then we took the 7 bred heifers, no calves, to the pasture where we took the other 7, so they can utilize the grass for another few weeks....

We also discussed his mowing the last 2 hay fields... with the 30% chance of showers on Friday... and I said, no, he had enough to do with them coming to start the fencing... just get the stuff baled that is already down..work on getting the rest of the stuff done for the fencing guys... he's got other projects there at the barn to do... needs to get the sq baler all cleaned off and such... taken to the one shed, to store until next year. He is done with small sq bales... Has to get the drill ready to put the cover crops in... kinda hope we do get some moisture here soon as it is way too dry to try to run the drill on the hard ground. Going to plant all the corn fields and the weedy sorghum-sudan section in winter cover crop... probably wheat...
I will go rake tomorrow what he cut the other day... and he can get it baled...

So that is where things are... Overall a decent day with the cattle... sadly, he will have to move some around as they do the fencing... because we have several lots with cattle... and he had to put 2 groups together and then will bring them in once the fences are done and sort them back out into similar size groups for feeding.

I took some flounder filets out of the freezer when I got home, so as soon as they are thawed a little more so I can separate them... will broil a couple with some butter and lemon pepper seasoning on them for a late supper...

Tomorrow will be a trip to rake the hay he cut, down the road from me at the subdivision along the interstate... he has some guys coming to help take down more wire off posts so that will help... he has done alot.. leaving a couple staples along the top of the wire to keep it up right so the animals do not get out... then will work on removing them as they go along... This was just not a good time of year to do it... when we are sorting and moving cattle... oh, well,,, you do what you have to do..... some posts will not be getting replaced... and he is putting some some crossfencing also... so they will have alot of work to do...

 

[farmerjan]

Tuesday.... 51 overnight.. up to 71 today. Started out cloudy, but sun came over the hill. Quite the breeze early, but it did warm up decently.

Went to the farm and DS had the tractor battery on the charger???? Seems he had backed ip up the lane the other day after I parked it... and forgot to turn off the key.... sooooo.... his fault... He was not right there at the barn.... I went and put some antifreeze in it as it was needing water, so did about 1/2 and 1/2 ... had almost a 1/3+ gal of concentrate in the car so put that in then put in about a 1/2 gal of water to fill.... don't know when the last time it got antifreeze... it had a very slow leak..... so I try to check the water every couple of times I use it... DS came back with the tractor and round baler... he had taken the sq baler over to the other shed at one of the pastures we rent... and brought back the net wrap round baler he had used down at dennis's... then I took him back down there and he had a wagon loaded with round bales, and another on the bale truck, and I followed him up the hill to the barn.
Had to put some air in the one tire on the rake, he added some hydraulic fluid.... and then I headed to the fields in the subdivision along the interstate.

It was nice enough that I took off the sweat shirt and was in just a short sleeved shirt...

Some of it was very thin.... lots of weedy stuff... but it gets cut twice a year. Some of that was from the drought conditions though...
Sad thing is the lady that used to live there, in the house on the hill, passed away... and so have no idea what next year will bring. Don't know if there were any kids, husband had passed about 5 years ago DS said... That field is steep and there are some really rough spots in it... not my favorite place to rake....she had a stroke last year and then came home... talked to her once, she kept to herself alot, foreign born accent... but seemed nice...Had a huge peach tree by driveway... deer were there at noontime eating peaches a couple years ago... I went and got alot that year from her, she said they would go to waste...

The field below it had the most weeds... and it is really rough.... People had bought 2 big "lots " (like 5-10 acres each) and built a house... then "re-split" it again, and built another house on the other piece, and sold the first one to someone that is going to retire in a few years.... she told DS to just keep doing what he is doing for the time being. The other "part" they built the house on is so rough from them burying the lines and other stuff... company that did that stuff, did not fill it in and grade it out like they were supposed to... and it has more weeds than anything after all the land disturbance and not reseeding it , on top of the drought this year.

But it is done. And DS worked on finishing the bull lot fence... oak fence board above the guard rail piece to finish it off... then he went out back and baled the hay/sorghum-sudan/weeds I had raked the other day, and then came down and baled what I raked earlier... it is all so "dried out"...

Rain forecast is 20-30% so dropped a little... I told him to go on and cut if he wanted... fence guy called and said he didn't know if they were going to get there tomorrow.... I am not surprised... so we will just wait and see.

Tomorrow is a funeral at 11, for a friend who raised poultry and showed for probably 50-60 years... and had fox hounds and had some really really good ones... sold them all over the world back in the day. Cecil was 96 or 98.... DS and his father had gone by to see him the other evening... and he passed the next day... I knew him from the poultry shows... master breeder.... knew genetics inside out..... Founding member of the Virginia Poultry Breeders Assn.....I will go with them to the funeral... no sense in taking separate cars... have to be at DS's at 9:15.... get him, go to his father's to get him, to go....

We are losing all the old ones.... neighbor farmer passed away.... 90 something... he and his brother farmed for years... brother passed a few years ago...DS went to that funeral yesterday....

Another friend just down the road, his dad passed away a couple days ago.... 96 I think.... memorial service planned for later on.

Going in to take a shower and see what I have to wear...