C&D Farming..oh what a life!

[Duckfarmerpa1]

A cover crop is one that is usually planted after a row crop has been removed. In other words, if you plant corn, then harvest it for either silage or shell it for the grain, a cover crop is something like rye or wheat that is planted so that it will grow a little before the winter and "COVERS" the ground. The same for something like soybeans that are harvested then a cover crop is planted to cover the ground for the winter. Then in the spring, the cover crop is either cut and harvested for the crop (rye as hay or allowed to head out and the rye seed is harvested) or it is plowed under for what we call a green manure crop and then something like corn or some other "row crop " is planted.
A cover crop usually only lasts for a single season or even for only a "half season" .
Although hay covers the ground, it is not considered a cover crop per se because it will not be plowed up or harvested and the ground left bare after it is harvested. Hay is considered a permanent crop, usually lasting from 5 to 20 years on the ground.
We planted wheat for a cover crop after we harvested the sorghum-sudan as hay last year from one of the fields. Normally we would cut it and make hay early, then kill the stubble to plant something else like corn or the sorghum-sudan again. We use it in our rotation to renovate our hay fields. 2 years of a sorghum-sudan crop, wheat or rye for the winter, then plant back into sorghum-sudan or into corn, then harvest that then plant a cover crop then take it off in the spring and plant a permanent crop of orchard grass for hay.

Ok, I’m going to have to read this a couple tI es, but I’m pretty sure that I get it....Chris understands it, but I wanted to...thanks @farmerjan !!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Ok, without getting in trouble I had a couple people to the farm. The nice girl with her two year old from town. That was great fun!! They have no relatives here, and I think I’ve just adopted them! And, a guy from the next town over came and basically wiped me out of rabbits. Three left! Well, ones that are ready now. Tons that are smaller. We’re getting 3” of snow tonight...ugh!! And, I guess, at least in our state we have a lockdown at 8am....my son just called me...I was outside all day..avoiding the news. Now I’m on here. I’ll look it up in a bit. I didn’t have plans to go anywhere anyways...but, boy this is a horrible thing our country is going through!! Oh..I’ve got the milking down to about 20 minutes!! My hands are much stronger..,they still get sore...and at times I just do one hand at a time. But, it’s definitely moving in the right direction . Thanks everyone. I boxed up the latest milk machine. Gong back. I’m going to look for a better one when I do indeed have 7 does needing milked. For now I’ve got this by hand.

 

[farmerjan]

Well, that's good as you wanted to get rid of rabbits so am glad that you have managed to get down in numbers.

Tried to tell you that milking one by hand was better than all the trouble of using a machine. And yes, I agree that if you are determined to have that many next year that a good milking machine is necessary. So glad that you were able to get help and "tricks and tips" on how to milk by hand so that you could make it a success. It takes time to build up the muscles for milking.....

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Well, that's good as you wanted to get rid of rabbits so am glad that you have managed to get down in numbers.

Tried to tell you that milking one by hand was better than all the trouble of using a machine. And yes, I agree that if you are determined to have that many next year that a good milking machine is necessary. So glad that you were able to get help and "tricks and tips" on how to milk by hand so that you could make it a success. It takes time to build up the muscles for milking.....

Yep, you were right...once again...I think it’s a trend?? Are they still having the auction this week for your sales?

 

[Bruce]

Running out of room due to his number of toys!!

He gets toys and you get animals! Of course you both need the proper infrastructure for your "hobbies".

 

[farmerjan]

As far as I know they are still having the cattle sale this afternoon. Son said that there were alot less people there on Saturday than normal so glad that many stayed home that might only go for the "social aspect".... Which sometimes I go just to get out around fellow cattleman, check to see what prices are doing.....
So glad that things are going so much better with milking for you. You will be surprised how strong your wrists and arms will get. And yes, I managed to go from 2 cows to 4 cows and my arms felt like they were falling off for about 2 weeks until I built up more strength......

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Yes!! I can imagine!! I talked to Chris about the idea of getting an Alpine goat, in milk to have when I breed Busty in the fall and I need to let her dry up. He actually understood the logic! So, we’re looking around, and if we see one, that, we like...maybe? We’ve been talking about sheep for awhile..today the weather was really bad, so we talked more, and looked around at some farms, and prices, etc. All of the lams we called about were sold at a flat rate...one farmer , was...well, not very nice...ad said $150..he said that was a week ago, since then they have eaten so they are $200. Huh? He said they go for $3/lb. I said, ok....anyways, he read me the riot act. So, we saw many sheep, lambs etc at auctions sold for about $2.69/lb.... is it normal for farms to sell by the pound? Im going to talk to the sheep people on here before we do anything, but we were just looking....

We had to run to Walmart today because my phone died!! Ugh!! What horrible timing!! Anyways, Chris is making me wear mask and gloves from here on out. Ugh, but I suppose it’s better safe than sorry. We canceled all our upcoming apts...out governor ordered shut in for 5 more counties today. We’re close...all the schools are closed two more weeks.

i had a rabbit kindle last night..she killed her kits, for the 2nd time. So, I told Chris she needs to go. Our feed store guy feeds them to his dogs? So, I think we’ll call him? Chris doesn’t think it’s worth the time to skin them anymore.

I know Busty seems to like it better when I milk her by hand...but I told Chris, I’m still saving my denero for when we have many goats to milk...he said we’ll see...kind of a regular thing around here... But, I usually get my way...BUT...so does he, basically we like to spoil each other!

 

[SA Farm]

Sorry about your bad mama rabbit. My rule of thumb was always three strikes and you’re out lol. Worked for me, but I didn’t have many who would kill their kits. Most of my bad mamas would have them on the wire or not feed them. Still horrible to find the dead, but at least I could often foster the ones that survived to my better mamas.

 

[purplequeenvt]

What kind of sheep were you looking at?

I would expect to pay $100-150 for a weaned lambed with no special breeding/registration straight off the farm.

$150-250 for a lamb that is purebred registered breeding stock.

$150-250 for unregistered yearling - adult ewes.

$200+ for nice registered breeding ewes a year old or older.

“Speciality” or rare breeds will be more generally expensive.

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

@SA Farm ..this was sort of her third strike..first pregnancy was false...and she is quite mean now that I’ve bred her, which is sad, because she used to be a real sweetheart!!

@purplequeenvt ..as for the lambs...not sure of the breed yet, we were just looking, and I was going to ask all of you. Chris takes his truck seats that he rebuilds to get covered to the Amish..they said they only get $2 per sheep for the wool..so he doesn’t think the shearing is worth it. But I’ve read on here that it can be worth more...it just can also be a lot of work if you card it and ‘spin it’? I might have gotten that wording wrong..what I mean, is how you turn it into yarn? Anyways, I spoke to a guy about Hampshire lambs...they were $150. Chris said he saw some for $100...that was a great price for us, since we are just starting...but he couldn’t remember where he saw them or what kind..we searched..ugh! We don’t want registered, since they will cost more... we would mostly breed to sell..I hate to admit this, but because they bring a good price for the meat? Of course I would get attached and it would be hard, but I’m getting better at this whole deal..and realize that this is supposed to now be...well, more than just a hobby..since we are going biggg. Ok, so we are think about getting 3. I guess 1 needs to be a ram, huh...ugh. Is it like a buck goat, where I don’t bond with him, so he respects me? My goats are free range..is it possI left for sheep to be that way..or are they wanderers? I’ve read on here that they go really far...how much land would I need to fence off? Perhaps I need to start a new thread?...ok...will do...