Coffee anyone ?

[Mini Horses]

Good morning everyone

Mowed most of the yard late yesterday. Later, when dried off, I'll do the rest. Was losing light, so I quit. Short days...boooo! It's the fall/winter doldrums.

Not much planned. I'll empty DW, fold a load of clothes, putter around. Might clean out the car & truck for a change of pace Yeah, doesn't happen often. Have half day of job work tomorrow, then nothing until following week. Guess I'll finish any winter prep I see outside this week, like double ck water lines, etc.

My newly laying pullets put all their eggs in a nest yesterday I've had some squat & drops as they're learning. At least these are coop/run contained for now.

 

[Blue Sky]

Cool, clear morning here. House wrens and some kind of flycatcher serenading on the porch. The two little chicks are happy and healthy in the coop with mom and dad. I think they’ll just have time to feather out before chilly weather sets in. The older birds don’t seem too bothered by being confined. No rain in the forecast so roses and fruit trees will need water. Have a great day everyone.

 

[greybeard]

Good Morning. Long time no see. I do hope everyone here is well and thriving. It took me some time to find my old list of usernames/passwords but I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the cards and letter you fine folks sent in support of my recent Honor Flight to our nation's capitol. It was both a very wonderful, but emotionally hard trip. It was certainly a complete surprise to get all the pieces of mail from Cattle Today and then, when I started seeing familiar names from BYH, I have to admit tears came. I was not the only one on the plane thus affected...



Especially FarmerJan, who evidently spearheaded the 'mail call' effort here at BYH.

I no longer farm/ranch in any capacity, having 'sold the farm' in it's entirety in 2022 and moved to Central Texas and into a subdivision but I do miss farm life and cattle terribly. I posted a rather long 'play by play' of the trip on Cattle today, and you can view it there, but I do want to post here, a segment that I want you all to think about because it also concerns you, the small farmer.

On the return trip, the weather was just partly cloudy and I could see the landscape spread out before me and I always have tried as i flew, to pick out towns and cities as I flew along. We had dropped down some over Tenn and began what seemed a very long final over Mississippi. I could see what I knew were businesses or factories because of the big parking lots, and some cities took shape, but by far, mostly what I saw were squares and rectangles and other sharp cornered geometric shapes, bordered by what I knew to be fencelines.
Some, were YOUR geometric shapes and fencelines. As we slowly descended, I could make out hay fields, some with what I knew were round bales and eventually even littler shapes I knew were cows. I was struck by the fact, that in spite of the growing urban population, this country is still mostly farms and ranches and I thought all of you here, still toiling, worrying, enduring the heat, braving the storms, the ice, the snow, the floods, bouncing back from the bad weather and doing it all again. I thought again of that huge multi story Dept of Ag building in DC too...do we really need that many offices to raise crops and protein? Judging from all those little shapes on the ground, maybe it isn't such a big waste after all.
I fought in the first American war where there there were no front lines but you folks ARE on the front lines. Big 5000 acre ranches and row crops, little backyard gardens, maybe a dozen chickens, or a few goats or single milk cow or freezer steer, you are feeding yourselves, people like me that can no longer do it, people that never have done it and, the world. We now import a bunch of metal and plastic crap that we used to make here and i don't like it much, but we (you) still feed this nation. Might think it's not important and it's not...it's CRITICALLY important! We (you)stop doing this, and we're done, as a people and as a nation. It's just that simple. It all adds up & it's cumulatively all-important. You aren't oiling this economy, you ARE the economy!

Again, thank you and God Bless each and every one of you!!!

 

[Weldman]

Good Morning. Long time no see. I do hope everyone here is well and thriving. It took me some time to find my old list of usernames/passwords but I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the cards and letter you fine folks sent in support of my recent Honor Flight to our nation's capitol. It was both a very wonderful, but emotionally hard trip. It was certainly a complete surprise to get all the pieces of mail from Cattle Today and then, when I started seeing familiar names from BYH, I have to admit tears came. I was not the only one on the plane thus affected...



Especially FarmerJan, who evidently spearheaded the 'mail call' effort here at BYH.

View attachment 121881
I no longer farm/ranch in any capacity, having 'sold the farm' in it's entirety in 2022 and moved to Central Texas and into a subdivision but I do miss farm life and cattle terribly. I posted a rather long 'play by play' of the trip on Cattle today, and you can view it there, but I do want to post here, a segment that I want you all to think about because it also concerns you, the small farmer.

On the return trip, the weather was just partly cloudy and I could see the landscape spread out before me and I always have tried as i flew, to pick out towns and cities as I flew along. We had dropped down some over Tenn and began what seemed a very long final over Mississippi. I could see what I knew were businesses or factories because of the big parking lots, and some cities took shape, but by far, mostly what I saw were squares and rectangles and other sharp cornered geometric shapes, bordered by what I knew to be fencelines.
Some, were YOUR geometric shapes and fencelines. As we slowly descended, I could make out hay fields, some with what I knew were round bales and eventually even littler shapes I knew were cows. I was struck by the fact, that in spite of the growing urban population, this country is still mostly farms and ranches and I thought all of you here, still toiling, worrying, enduring the heat, braving the storms, the ice, the snow, the floods, bouncing back from the bad weather and doing it all again. I thought again of that huge multi story Dept of Ag building in DC too...do we really need that many offices to raise crops and protein? Judging from all those little shapes on the ground, maybe it isn't such a big waste after all.
I fought in the first American war where there there were no front lines but you folks ARE on the front lines. Big 5000 acre ranches and row crops, little backyard gardens, maybe a dozen chickens, or a few goats or single milk cow or freezer steer, you are feeding yourselves, people like me that can no longer do it, people that never have done it and, the world. We now import a bunch of metal and plastic crap that we used to make here and i don't like it much, but we (you) still feed this nation. Might think it's not important and it's not...it's CRITICALLY important! We (you)stop doing this, and we're done, as a people and as a nation. It's just that simple. It all adds up & it's cumulatively all-important. You aren't oiling this economy, you ARE the economy!

Again, thank you and God Bless each and every one of you!!!

I hear and read daily of ranches/farms always closing down selling out larger than my puny 185 acres and think to myself, is it really worth trying when the industry is dying. Seems the only ones that aren't going down are the large conglomerates and everyone else is just buying time. Though unlike most, I won't make it primary income is where I think will hold the place up along with running exotic animal that will more likely lead to court battles cause they are afraid of change.
With a multifaceted business and retirement income is what will hold the place together.

 

[Mini Horses]

@greybeard we so miss your input and still remember you & your gracious sharing . So glad you posted! Maybe make it at least an annual event

I believe we here try to provide for ourselves, one another and folks unknown to us -- at least in some small way. Farmers do that -- no matter the farm size -- it's just built in, like a heartbeat. You have done years of that and it's still part of you! It's important to know that even a small amount counts, be it the knowledge to help or a dz eggs for another.

Glad to hear from you.

 

[SageHill]

@greybeard - so nice to see you here. While I joined in here it was about the time you left. You are a legend here.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

@greybeard it is a treat to have you back even briefly. We've missed your wisdom, and were so excited to hear of your Honor flight.

 

[Baymule]

@greybeard im thrilled that you went on the Honor Flight. Small reward for your service and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Weldman]

Oops
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1421116050019488&set=pcb.1421116640019429

 

[fuzzi]

Good Morning. Long time no see. I do hope everyone here is well and thriving. It took me some time to find my old list of usernames/passwords but I want to thank, from the bottom of my heart, the cards and letter you fine folks sent in support of my recent Honor Flight to our nation's capitol. It was both a very wonderful, but emotionally hard trip. It was certainly a complete surprise to get all the pieces of mail from Cattle Today and then, when I started seeing familiar names from BYH, I have to admit tears came. I was not the only one on the plane thus affected...



Especially FarmerJan, who evidently spearheaded the 'mail call' effort here at BYH.

View attachment 121881
I no longer farm/ranch in any capacity, having 'sold the farm' in it's entirety in 2022 and moved to Central Texas and into a subdivision but I do miss farm life and cattle terribly. I posted a rather long 'play by play' of the trip on Cattle today, and you can view it there, but I do want to post here, a segment that I want you all to think about because it also concerns you, the small farmer.

On the return trip, the weather was just partly cloudy and I could see the landscape spread out before me and I always have tried as i flew, to pick out towns and cities as I flew along. We had dropped down some over Tenn and began what seemed a very long final over Mississippi. I could see what I knew were businesses or factories because of the big parking lots, and some cities took shape, but by far, mostly what I saw were squares and rectangles and other sharp cornered geometric shapes, bordered by what I knew to be fencelines.
Some, were YOUR geometric shapes and fencelines. As we slowly descended, I could make out hay fields, some with what I knew were round bales and eventually even littler shapes I knew were cows. I was struck by the fact, that in spite of the growing urban population, this country is still mostly farms and ranches and I thought all of you here, still toiling, worrying, enduring the heat, braving the storms, the ice, the snow, the floods, bouncing back from the bad weather and doing it all again. I thought again of that huge multi story Dept of Ag building in DC too...do we really need that many offices to raise crops and protein? Judging from all those little shapes on the ground, maybe it isn't such a big waste after all.
I fought in the first American war where there there were no front lines but you folks ARE on the front lines. Big 5000 acre ranches and row crops, little backyard gardens, maybe a dozen chickens, or a few goats or single milk cow or freezer steer, you are feeding yourselves, people like me that can no longer do it, people that never have done it and, the world. We now import a bunch of metal and plastic crap that we used to make here and i don't like it much, but we (you) still feed this nation. Might think it's not important and it's not...it's CRITICALLY important! We (you)stop doing this, and we're done, as a people and as a nation. It's just that simple. It all adds up & it's cumulatively all-important. You aren't oiling this economy, you ARE the economy!

Again, thank you and God Bless each and every one of you!!!

Thank you for taking the time and effort to respond. I'm fairly new here but I love the community. Please stop by again if you want, pull up a chair and have a seat.