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- #171
canesisters
Herd Master
Thanks! 
Canesisters 2024 journal
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Baymule
Herd Master
Fire, hot dogs, s'mores and a good friend. What a wonderful evening.
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- #173
canesisters
Herd Master
Oh my gosh... it's been a while!!
Work update
Things are still going good. I STILL haven't finalized my Creel training.
I have to show 3 skills, 1 of which is being able to spot a particular issue between moving lines of fiber .... which will require a little experience ... which would require TIME in the creel - which I have not gotten.
I THINK that I MIGHT be staying on day shift
. They are keeping me on the Beamer almost exclusively for training & I've heard that it's because the usual Beamer operator on my crew is moving to nights. Which would leave a day opening for an operator 
.
We did a preventive maintenance day. There were several tasks that the whole team had to work together on to get the whole machine taken apart, cleaned & back together so that the crew working today could start a new product this morning.
BUT... I was tasked with getting 1 particular roller that had been giving us trouble cleaned enough so that we could attach a new set of flaps. They gave me a scraper, a box of magic erasers & access to a drum of acetone. It had spots of up to 1/4" deep baked on resins. 3hrs later ... the supervisor was taking pictures of the sparkling, shiney bare metal! And me (probably a little high) running my hands over it Vanna White style saying My Precious... my Precious
Little interesting or new happening on the farm. Birdie & the cats are all doing well. Eva & Blossom are too.
Pretty much just keeping the grass mowed & playing around with flower beds.
I DID start the seeds from that 1 little Trash Tomato that grew last summer out of pavement at the dump. They should be ready to go outside by June - which is really when we're safely past cold nights.
Oh! And "Suprise!" My asparagus died off last year. Grubs or moles I thought. But guess what I noticed in the weeds the other evening!
Enjoyed a nice serving of butter fried asparagus & rice for dinner. 
Work update
Things are still going good. I STILL haven't finalized my Creel training.
I have to show 3 skills, 1 of which is being able to spot a particular issue between moving lines of fiber .... which will require a little experience ... which would require TIME in the creel - which I have not gotten.I THINK that I MIGHT be staying on day shift
. They are keeping me on the Beamer almost exclusively for training & I've heard that it's because the usual Beamer operator on my crew is moving to nights. Which would leave a day opening for an operator .We did a preventive maintenance day. There were several tasks that the whole team had to work together on to get the whole machine taken apart, cleaned & back together so that the crew working today could start a new product this morning.
BUT... I was tasked with getting 1 particular roller that had been giving us trouble cleaned enough so that we could attach a new set of flaps. They gave me a scraper, a box of magic erasers & access to a drum of acetone. It had spots of up to 1/4" deep baked on resins. 3hrs later ... the supervisor was taking pictures of the sparkling, shiney bare metal! And me (probably a little high) running my hands over it Vanna White style saying My Precious... my Precious
Little interesting or new happening on the farm. Birdie & the cats are all doing well. Eva & Blossom are too.
Pretty much just keeping the grass mowed & playing around with flower beds.
I DID start the seeds from that 1 little Trash Tomato that grew last summer out of pavement at the dump. They should be ready to go outside by June - which is really when we're safely past cold nights.
Oh! And "Suprise!" My asparagus died off last year. Grubs or moles I thought. But guess what I noticed in the weeds the other evening!
Enjoyed a nice serving of butter fried asparagus & rice for dinner.
Baymule
Herd Master
I’m so happy that your new job is going so well and that you are enjoying it.
SageHill
Herd Master
That's great news on all fronts!! Big Smile!
murphysranch
Herd Master
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So good to hear from you!! I'm sure your Dad and the critters would like you to stay on Day shift!!
- Thread starter
- #177
canesisters
Herd Master
It's May. 
Weird how time can fly & drag at the same time.
In many ways it seems like it was JUST January. And in others I keep thinking things like HOW is it not July yet.
Work is good. Finding ways to deal with the heat.
Had a bizarre mystery the other day. We had some mild storms come through at work. When I got home, we had had very little rain, but I noticed a few things in the yard knocked over. I assumed that we had gotten winds instead of rain.
But then I noticed some evidence that something (a cow) had been in the yard.
Stacked tomato cages knocked over. Bushes bent, trampled, chewed on. Plants eaten. A cow pie on the path in the woods.
But - both girls were in the pasture. No fences down. All gates locked. And - oddest of all - a single line of electric fence that had been a temp fence for yard grazing last week had been moved from being stretched across the yard to neatly doubled (on the ground) & around a set of planters & some scrap lumber.
I called Dad, he had no knowledge of anyone being up there. I called Amy, a nearby neighbor who walks to my house now & then (exactly 1 mile) but she was out of town.
But from what I can tell..... SOMEHOW at least 1 of the cows got in the yard, did a little munching & running over things, moved a line of fence wire out of her way, then either went back into the pasture the way she came out OR went back via the gate & locked it behind herself.
OR.... someone found a cow in the yard, chased it around a little, moved a line of wire out of the way, chased it through the gate & locked it back. But left no note or anything to let me know why they were there to begin with.
Regardless, this has confirmed for me that it's unrealistic for me to keep both cows. My pasture just can't support them both & I don't want to feed hay year round.
Contacted my hay guy to get a last delivery & told him I want to agree on a price & set a date for her to go if he still wants her.
Oh, and in the "Am I really that stupid" category.... I came home Fri night to find Birdie lame. Not unusual since she breaks nails often fighting the kennel. Found & treated a broken nail. Sat she was no longer limping but there was swelling in the leg & some fluidy swelling along her side/chest. I assumed an infection was setting in & started at-home treatments & watching ... she was acting completely normal. Until Sunday when she didn't eat. The swelling was down some but she didn't want breakfast or dinner.
So Monday AM we headed to the vet fearing the worst. Full blood work, steroids, antibiotics... $$$ all to find out that she had a tick in her 'arm pit' & a bit if irritation around it.
I can't believe that I went to the vet for a tick bite
Weird how time can fly & drag at the same time.
In many ways it seems like it was JUST January. And in others I keep thinking things like HOW is it not July yet.
Work is good. Finding ways to deal with the heat.
Had a bizarre mystery the other day. We had some mild storms come through at work. When I got home, we had had very little rain, but I noticed a few things in the yard knocked over. I assumed that we had gotten winds instead of rain.
But then I noticed some evidence that something (a cow) had been in the yard.
Stacked tomato cages knocked over. Bushes bent, trampled, chewed on. Plants eaten. A cow pie on the path in the woods.
But - both girls were in the pasture. No fences down. All gates locked. And - oddest of all - a single line of electric fence that had been a temp fence for yard grazing last week had been moved from being stretched across the yard to neatly doubled (on the ground) & around a set of planters & some scrap lumber.
I called Dad, he had no knowledge of anyone being up there. I called Amy, a nearby neighbor who walks to my house now & then (exactly 1 mile) but she was out of town.
But from what I can tell..... SOMEHOW at least 1 of the cows got in the yard, did a little munching & running over things, moved a line of fence wire out of her way, then either went back into the pasture the way she came out OR went back via the gate & locked it behind herself.
OR.... someone found a cow in the yard, chased it around a little, moved a line of wire out of the way, chased it through the gate & locked it back. But left no note or anything to let me know why they were there to begin with.
Regardless, this has confirmed for me that it's unrealistic for me to keep both cows. My pasture just can't support them both & I don't want to feed hay year round.
Contacted my hay guy to get a last delivery & told him I want to agree on a price & set a date for her to go if he still wants her.
Oh, and in the "Am I really that stupid" category.... I came home Fri night to find Birdie lame. Not unusual since she breaks nails often fighting the kennel. Found & treated a broken nail. Sat she was no longer limping but there was swelling in the leg & some fluidy swelling along her side/chest. I assumed an infection was setting in & started at-home treatments & watching ... she was acting completely normal. Until Sunday when she didn't eat. The swelling was down some but she didn't want breakfast or dinner.
So Monday AM we headed to the vet fearing the worst. Full blood work, steroids, antibiotics... $$$ all to find out that she had a tick in her 'arm pit' & a bit if irritation around it.
I can't believe that I went to the vet for a tick bite
farmerjan
Herd Master
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Good to hear from you and so glad that the job is still going well... I think it is more "tiring" and you are more physically tired with the 12 hr days, and then you play catch up on the days off and try to catch on your sleep. But not so mentally stressful.
Yes, time for the heifer to go... I thought you were going to put her in the freezer? Cattle prices are UP more... we just got 1.35/lb for a 1600 lb bull for kill... $2100+ check after the commission. He had a damaged intestinal loop that had slipped into one side of the scrotal sack and couldn't pass a breeding soundness exam (BSE)... although he did manage to breed and settle some of the cows he had been with so a blessing that all 20+ weren't open....
850 lb heifers were bringing in the $2.00 to 2.35 PER POUND range, this past Friday.... I know it is your hay guy, and you will be fair... but do not give her away either.... She is worth $14-1900 easily......She may have been in heat also... they tend to wind up any where they want when they are coming into heat.
Sorry for the trip and money on Birdie... but the idea of antibiotics is not so bad because of the tick bite maybe causing more problems than might be obvious right now... The blood work might show up something that is not something you can see right now. Hope that the blood work comes back okay....
Yes, time for the heifer to go... I thought you were going to put her in the freezer? Cattle prices are UP more... we just got 1.35/lb for a 1600 lb bull for kill... $2100+ check after the commission. He had a damaged intestinal loop that had slipped into one side of the scrotal sack and couldn't pass a breeding soundness exam (BSE)... although he did manage to breed and settle some of the cows he had been with so a blessing that all 20+ weren't open....
850 lb heifers were bringing in the $2.00 to 2.35 PER POUND range, this past Friday.... I know it is your hay guy, and you will be fair... but do not give her away either.... She is worth $14-1900 easily......She may have been in heat also... they tend to wind up any where they want when they are coming into heat.
Sorry for the trip and money on Birdie... but the idea of antibiotics is not so bad because of the tick bite maybe causing more problems than might be obvious right now... The blood work might show up something that is not something you can see right now. Hope that the blood work comes back okay....
Baymule
Herd Master
What @farmerjan said.
You are a good doggie momma. You took her to the vet and the vet found the tick.
You are a good doggie momma. You took her to the vet and the vet found the tick.
- Thread starter
- #180
canesisters
Herd Master
Big Doings & little note-worthy bits & stuff.
4.5" of rain yesterday! Will be muddy for days & days. Some of the storms must've been pretty good because there are lots of branches down.
Ripped a couple lines of fence loose. Easy enough to fix.
Had a MYSTERY here last week. We had a midday storm come through while I was at work. When I pulled into the drive I noticed a couple of things knocked over (stacked tomato cages, empty barrel) & figured we'd had some good wind too. But then I noticed that some plants had been bitten/ chewed & some bushes had been bent/ broken.... and "something" had left a cow pie on the path through the Piney woods garden
Both cows were in the paddock. All the gates were chained just like I'd left them. No fences down anywhere. And - weirdest I all - a temp line that I had put across the yard the week before so the girls could graze what I didn't want to mow had been fairly neatly doubled up around a pile of old fence boards.
The way the yard & gates were set up at the time, IF a cow had been out - like OUT in the driveway - the fastest & most obvious way to get her back in would've been to get her in the yard & then into the paddock. I called Dad & my barn-cleaning friend who sometimes walks up the drive to make her route exactly 2 miles - neither had been over.
My only other ideas would be that a cow jumped into the yard (the back pasture & yard share a small section), nibbled a few things, moved the line of wire (???) & jumped BACK into the pasture.
Or that someone came up here for some reason, saw a cow loose in the yard, chased her around for a bit & moved the wire out of the way, then eventually got her into the paddock. But didn't leave anything (note, text, etc) about any of it.
Never DID find out what really happened. Kinda freaked me out though. Got batteries for the game camera! Need to pick up a couple more.
Speaking of the cows; finally agreed on a price with my hay guy for Blossom. She's been the best calf ever raised here & I'm happy to see her go off to become a professional beef making Mama instead of hamburger. He said he'd let me know about arrangements to pick her up in a week or so.
Does anyone else think I'm crazy to be considering training Eva to harness???
Birdie & the cats are doing great. Days off almost always start with a long, slow morning snuggled on the sofa.
I am now officially fully certified as a fiber tech in the creel ! Which came in mighty handy the last 2 days. We were super short-handed & since I can now work the creel without supervision, we were able to have myself, 1 other certified tech from another crew in the creel & helping the 2 new trainees while the supervisor ran the Beamer. Otherwise we would've had to shutdown production & do maintenance instead 
.
The seeds from that tough little trash tomato got flooded off the porch in a rain storm. I found 2 but they have stalled & are still just tiny sprouts. Maybe they'll take off once we get some steady warm weather. I'll keep checking under the porch in case any happen to take root under there.
@farmerjan I saw your post about iris. Mine did great this year but are just about done now. I've got 'orders' for several colors from folks at work & I HAVE to thin some this year. I can send you pictures if you'd like some rhizomes too.
Next on the list is to clean out the fridge. I swear.... there are things in the I don't remember putting in there. And a few that will likely get tossed container & all!!
4.5" of rain yesterday! Will be muddy for days & days. Some of the storms must've been pretty good because there are lots of branches down.
Ripped a couple lines of fence loose. Easy enough to fix.
Had a MYSTERY here last week. We had a midday storm come through while I was at work. When I pulled into the drive I noticed a couple of things knocked over (stacked tomato cages, empty barrel) & figured we'd had some good wind too. But then I noticed that some plants had been bitten/ chewed & some bushes had been bent/ broken.... and "something" had left a cow pie on the path through the Piney woods garden
Both cows were in the paddock. All the gates were chained just like I'd left them. No fences down anywhere. And - weirdest I all - a temp line that I had put across the yard the week before so the girls could graze what I didn't want to mow had been fairly neatly doubled up around a pile of old fence boards.
The way the yard & gates were set up at the time, IF a cow had been out - like OUT in the driveway - the fastest & most obvious way to get her back in would've been to get her in the yard & then into the paddock. I called Dad & my barn-cleaning friend who sometimes walks up the drive to make her route exactly 2 miles - neither had been over.
My only other ideas would be that a cow jumped into the yard (the back pasture & yard share a small section), nibbled a few things, moved the line of wire (???) & jumped BACK into the pasture.
Or that someone came up here for some reason, saw a cow loose in the yard, chased her around for a bit & moved the wire out of the way, then eventually got her into the paddock. But didn't leave anything (note, text, etc) about any of it.
Never DID find out what really happened. Kinda freaked me out though. Got batteries for the game camera! Need to pick up a couple more.
Speaking of the cows; finally agreed on a price with my hay guy for Blossom. She's been the best calf ever raised here & I'm happy to see her go off to become a professional beef making Mama instead of hamburger. He said he'd let me know about arrangements to pick her up in a week or so.
Does anyone else think I'm crazy to be considering training Eva to harness???
Birdie & the cats are doing great. Days off almost always start with a long, slow morning snuggled on the sofa.
I am now officially fully certified as a fiber tech in the creel !
Which came in mighty handy the last 2 days. We were super short-handed & since I can now work the creel without supervision, we were able to have myself, 1 other certified tech from another crew in the creel & helping the 2 new trainees while the supervisor ran the Beamer. Otherwise we would've had to shutdown production & do maintenance instead .The seeds from that tough little trash tomato got flooded off the porch in a rain storm. I found 2 but they have stalled & are still just tiny sprouts. Maybe they'll take off once we get some steady warm weather. I'll keep checking under the porch in case any happen to take root under there.
@farmerjan I saw your post about iris. Mine did great this year but are just about done now. I've got 'orders' for several colors from folks at work & I HAVE to thin some this year. I can send you pictures if you'd like some rhizomes too.
Next on the list is to clean out the fridge. I swear.... there are things in the I don't remember putting in there. And a few that will likely get tossed container & all!!
