Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Got sunnier later in the afternoon. Went to town, got 2 tubs, that have no "clarify" or any kind of feed through for fly control, and no urea... 18% protein so pretty good. I am happy with them. Ran into a friend there, who is actually the general manager, and the feed store was finally "sold" to another feed group, and she stayed on as their gen mgr... which was the best thing that happened to the feed company.... the previous owner... who started this feed company over 50 years ago.... also was a control freak, has lost several real good workers because he would accuse people/office mgrs of stealing from the company... he promised the one for 11 years he would sell it to them, then would renig... real mess.... and she quit and had to bring counter charges against him for slander and such... several of the mill guys quit when she left... anyway.....

This other friend took over the day to day stuff after 2 very "clueless" office people the owner had hired...... about 15 years ago???? and then the owner started accusing her about stealing from the company... this other feed company wanted to buy it because they needed the "pellet mill" capacity.... and this friend had a place in Alaska, so she would go up there for several months... stayed in constant contact with whomever was in the office because some of them were totally clueless... and the owner couldn't keep good help that was familiar with the feed/mineral business....so he couldn't let her go... he tried and a couple of BIG customers threatened to take their business elsewhere unless they could deal with her... owner has always been a bit of a jerk, but as he got older he got worse... He is now in his late 80's I guess... his wife passed away and he has nothing else to do... his daughter lives away, and is estranged from his son....
Anyway, she is back for a week from Alaska, and her daughter in law, who had been working there and owner fired her last year, then was rehired when the new company took it over.... and now her daughter is also working there... Business sale was finally finalized around the first of the year.... and so now she is a "full time" but works remotely much of the time, comes back since her kids are here too... and the new owners are perfectly satisfied... Several customers that had left are coming back she said, since they know that the owner is not there... and are used to her knowledge and all, in the feed and mineral business. I am really glad... So, we spent a bunch of time gabbing, her DIL had the "baby" there and he is about 12-14 months I guess now... her son came in, who makes my DS look "small"....and a couple of calls for mineral orders for the spring... with hi-mag for the beef cattle that go out on green grass ... low mag will cause them major problems... grass tetany.....
So all of this is leading to I didn't get any feed moved to the barn. I went to doug's farm, on the way home from the feed store, because DS is gone for 4 days... found out Sat eve...that they were leaving Monday..... long story....... so I went to feed grain to 2 groups, a friend of DS was going to do the silage feeding with the skid loader and such...and the grain... but on the no silage feeding days, they still need feed/grain... and this guy was not going to be able to feed until late today... and he and I talked and I said I would feed the 2 outside groups, and he could feed in the barn, after dark, because the lights would make it easier for him... we talked about DS going away and the "set up"... and all that... I said I could do them all, but if they were concerned about me carrying feed buckets in there where the cattle were... then I would just do the outside ones that I can feed from outside over the fence... and he wouldn't have to worry about trying to have lights etc out there... and he could do the inside with the heifers in and around....Seems this was all figured out but I was not told about it except DS was telling me all sorts of things but not that I would have to do this,,,, but just for me to know... and to check for calves... but in the meantime, seems gf sister is checking for calves too.... and tagged a couple... which is fine, but then why do I need to go check them too..... which I have started back doing some now... I can get them between my knees and hold them although my hand is not doing good at squeezing the ear tag pliers so have to grip with 2 hands... so whatever....Just tell me that he has gf sister doing this... although the other friend will be doing it the next couple days...the whole right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing... he has people doing stuff, tells me bits and pieces and just expects me to accept things... I also think this is why he was getting things at my house; like the water all of a sudden done... guilt over going away and then not telling me until last minute....has happened before, should have been looking for something sneaky to happen.

BUT, I am left in the dark about who is doing what...but I need to know which pen gets how much grain and all that.... then, I need to go to his house and do the dogs and the chickens... and check the sheep and water them... GRRRRRR .....

Anyway, took the tubs up there and put them out for the heifers etc at the nurse cow pasture and will go get feed off the other truck tomorrow and put some bags in the forester... can transfer them to the barn when it is not raining...

Got the cardboard and junk, off the ranger at the dumpster, and the other 2 boxes covered over for the upcoming rain. I will see about getting "box 1 of 2" with the actual chicken house pieces, put together and see what is missing since there is no "box 2" for that chicken house...... and go from there. Going to leave the first one I put together, whole like it is... and I can then decide how to put together the second and the third poultry runs; one that has all the parts, and the one that is missing the "roof sections".... shorten it up to add some to the chicken house part I have if they will work together...... we'll see when I get that one done.

It was chillier than I thought it would be today... it hit 60 late in the sun, but there was quite a breeze/wind so a hooded sweatshirt was not overly warm....so I did not do as much out there I was thinking to do.... One plus for all this, there were a couple pallets under these boxes, so I will have enough to make the compost "bin" at the garden.

I then got home, and did dishes, have some more to catch up on, doing the buckets that I was hauling water in, and some clothes to go in the washing machine... Brought boxes of bottles in the house, to put bottles in the trays for testing tomorrow afternoon.

Going to be an intersting night with the "state of the union" type speech from the president... and the answers/bebuttal speech from the other party...

Congress has "held up"/stopped, the bill introduced and voted for by all 53 republicans, to prevent biological males from competing in "womens's sports"... all democrats voted against it...this does not meet the criteria of 60 votes, it is not a simple majority type of vote..... their constituents ought to really consider what these people are doing; since by conservative estimates from any and all polls taken, it has anywhere from 67 to 90% of ALL people saying that these "trans men/women" should NOT compete in women's sports...

 

[fuzzi]

I watched the speech, stayed up way past my bedtime. My DS, who has been such a rock for me otherwise, was walking excessively heavily around the house while the speech was on.

He picked up some attitude while he was at the university, but I expect Real Life will eventually tone it down, as it already has. Life is tough, but it's tougher if you don't think.

 

[farmerjan]

Terrible winds and rain in some spurts. About to get some real soaking stuff, according to what the radar looks like. 10-1... Thunderstorms even, and the wind is supposed to get worse. Power has flickered so expect we might lose it before it is all over. Animals will wait til after, hoping they are hunkered down. Only saving grace is the temps are in the mid 50's... was down to 51 last night so quite warm. Assuming I am still testing this afternoon... will go to DS's house after the line of rain goes through and see about doing the feeding there before I go to work and do the chores at the nurse cow pasture.
Part of springtime unstable weather...

 

[farmerjan]

It rained hard for a bit Wed and then stopped about noon, got some sun, and it then rained again late aft like after 5...while we were milking/testing.... with a light show of unbelievable lightning.... Got another downpour that evening... then the clouds blew east and I saw stars around 10... Crazy night...The wind kept up all night.

The temps dropped down to 31, overnight..... and it was windy all day today... biting cold wind.. Temps got up to 47, some clouds and sun all day... but it sure didn't feel like it.

I left early and went to the chiropractor appt... and then went to JoAnn's fabrics.... at first they were going to close 500 stores nationwide, now they are going completely out of business... It was announced last week... and I could not believe how much stuff is already gone off the shelves. Still alot of fabric in there, and I bought some stuff... but alot of the craft type stuff is gone... It is sad, since I really liked going in there... and could find so much stuff when I needed it. They were pricey, but sometimes it is worth a little more to go in somewhere and find what you wanted... Especially the hundreds of bolts of specialty fabrics... holiday prints, for most any holiday you could think. Their variety was very very impressive... and the stores were always very clean and neat.....

Got home about 2.... ate a sandwich instead of eating out today....went to DS's house and fed the dogs, I had fed the chickens plenty and watered them good yesterday.... then went to the nurse cow pasture and did them, cow came right in and calf right on her... I put some hay in the bunk with the calf feed in the one side, and fed the cows... talked to the guy that was feeding the silage for him... he was going to feed some hay there at the pastures where the cows are calving, and I told him that the cows at Grants (behind me) and at snyder's (nurse cow pasture) both needed hay... so, he came up with the truck and I did gates at both places and he fed 2 rolls in grants and 1 in snyders... and then he stopped at my house and picked me up and took me back up the hill at snyder's, to get the little truck as I had brought the forester home once I got it restarted the other day, and then traded the little truck for the outback when I took the little truck with the protein tubs up there for the heifers... I need to get the forester battery charged up here at the house... I will put the charger on it while it is sitting here in the driveway instead of just unhooking the battery ... The battery is getting older... 4 or 5 years I think, and with it getting run down a couple times, it might be getting weak. But get it charged up and see if it will hold longer after getting a good charge... I am wondering if it is charging when running... maybe the alternator isn't working right ???? Maybe it is just getting old.

I'm tired, and going to get a shower, and go to bed early. Seems that the friend that is feeding the silage, said he talked to DS and that DS isn't coming home until tomorrow (friday) night.... so telling me he was going to be gone Mon noon through Thurs night is another bunch of BS...... Typical of things that go on when he is involved with her every time.

 

[Mini Horses]

He sold calves. She's helping spend it -- vacay

 

[Baymule]

Send him an update text and end with Glad y’all are having a good time, see you Thursday night.

The battery is old and done. Go ahead and get a new one so you don’t have to fool with it. My truck needed batteries and a friend was telling me I shouldn’t get new ones and do this…. blah blah blah. Ummmm nope. I didn’t want to be off somewhere with what I KNOW is weak old batteries, and the truck not start. I got the new batteries.

 

[farmerjan]

Friday morning... 30 overnight.. alot of clouds still out there, supposed to mostly clear off today but not real warm, maybe 50? I think the breeze is supposed to calm more, it is not too bad out there now.

@Baymule Yeah, I will get a new battery when the cut off switch gets put in so I don't have to hook and unhook the battery cable for whatever wire is causing the electrical leak. I kinda figured it was getting to the end of it's time... But I am going to take it down to the guy closeby that does alternators and stuff... have him test it to make sure it is charging correctly also... replacing an alternator is not that big a deal in that little forester either...
It will cost a small fortune to rewire the car, partly because everything is in the steering column.... but that is something in the future... I have had the little 4x4 ranger for 6-7 years with the cut off switch and after he finally figured out where the guys at the mechanics shop, had put on a new ground wire, I used it all the time and it has done fine with the switch. Obviously they had no idea what the cut off switch was for... don't know who worked on it as the owner is about as sharp as they come at mechanics... The truck is so much simpler than the forester... much more space to work around the engine compartment too... pull out knob in the dash, to turn the lights on and off... not all the stuff in the steering column.
Oh well.... at least it is back to running, and I can use it for going into the pastures and have the 4wd to get around much safer on some of the hills.

@Mini Horses as long as I got paid for my calves I can't care what he does anymore. Waste it, and when she dumps him this time, I will just tell him that I do not want to hear one word. Unless he does something stupid like marry her, and I can even see that happening... you know what, I won't be around to see the destruction she causes in his life down the road... and I am seriously looking at the options with my house and stuff.. DS will be getting all of his father's estate when it happens, worth way more than me, he doesn't need mine and I have no intentions of having it thrown away on any of that family... all his stuff will go to those kids... that's what he wants, then his deal. I am weighing my options... no grandkids, no nieces, nephews or anyone like that, in the family that can be bothered to even try to keep in touch after my parents passed... Been wanting to find someone who I could mentor; pass on what I have, Want to get a few things done here, and since he is in such a "nice" do for me mood... don't care if it is guilt or what anymore... I will take advantage of it.
In the new generation of people, there is little or no respect for the "old ways" or for SIMPLICITY in life.... especially in areas like this where there is too much technology, and high paying jobs available....people just want more and more...... Sure I am enjoying the returns on the cattle and such, but at the end of the day, it is just a piece of life. I just hope all that will fill their bellies in the future... and keep them safe.... Not all technology is bad... but it is not the do all, end all.....
When I was a kid I used to tell my grandmother that I was born 100 years too late... and I was made fun of by some of the kids in school that were so "hip" and "with it" because I was just not into so much of the posturing and showy lifestyle....even then I preferred being out in the barn with my horse, and the chickens...material things just didn't really show me much.... cars and clothes and the like...
Guess I am still "out of synch" with the times.

Past time to eat something... I have been doing some stuff for work inbetween... phone rings and I stop writing this post to answer... got to go get the rest of the fabric out of the car I didn't carry in yesterday... I wanted to get up to the pasture and all since it was cold, wanted to get done before it was late and colder...

Got a farm already scheduled for next week...

Life goes on....

 

[murphysranch]

hear, hear.
I get you.
And agree.

 

[SageHill]

Right on - I think most of us here would agree born 100 or even 50 yrs too late. With the crazy world I would think, pray, hope there are kids out there that are sick of the constant squabbling of kids and adults (who most are acting like spoiled brat kids).

 

[Baymule]

I’m a member of that shoulda been born in the past, club. I didn’t have many friends at school, the girls were silly, popular garbage and I’d rather go ride my horse.