Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[fuzzi]

Only continued dark clouds, occasional sprinkles but looked worse was possible in other nearby areas, about an hr or so. It's just cooler & some overcast now. Maybe you'll get just a fast, hard cell of a storm, also. Prob a fast quarter inch of actual rain.

It passed fairly quickly, but we had a deluge.

Part two is coming in about an hour. And we need the rain.

 

[RR Homestead]

@farmerjan Just a heads up. We're selling some more cull stock this week. I can tell you from experience that we tend to crash the markets when we sell. We seem to always decide to sell when the markets come down after a high. If you're going to sell your culls get them in before we do.
Seriously though I hope you get your culls sold at the high's right now.

 

[drstratton]

For every person that has AGS... there is an exception to the tolerance. It is unbelievable that one person can tolerate one thing, another cannot but can tolerate something else. Then there are those that seem to be "super sensitive" and things like gelatin and even the capsules their meds are encased in cause problems. The one thing that I am finding out is that it does not affect any 2 people exactly the same. Like the xantham gum used as an emulsifier in bread : I can not tolerate the "good" kinds of bread like country style pepperidge farm but can eat plain italian bread baked at Walmart... and had some store bought bread from Food Lion that seemed to be fine....
I have found I can eat some semisweet chocolate "morsel's"... cocoa butter is not the same as "dairy butter"...I am going to make some cookies... and I used to use shortening rather than butter and will go back to doing that in my cookie recipes... my mom always used Crisco shortening and they were "crispier" rather than soft and chewy....

Plus, perhaps these tincture sprays are ramping up my immune system and I am getting more tolerant of some things... like she said she hoped would happen. That is the whole idea of spraying them under the tongue several times a day...

So, on to other things.

It is raining this morning... not hard, more misty than actual "raining down"... we are supposed to get out of this after noontime... I wish it would last all day. Probably not going to get more than a couple tenths again... with days of strong breezes, it does not soak in as much as it should... yes the grass is greening up, but we need a good 1-2 inch soaking all day kind of rain to really get the ground watered better...
For the first 3 months of the year we are already nearly 4 inches behind on moisture.

Went to the bull sale yesterday at the neighbors... about 10 miles north of here. They have been having them for about 25+ years... twice a year, spring and fall. Prices were high overall... there weren't any bulls that really struck either me or DS.... one that was okay, but not like the one that we both liked last fall.... DS came a little after I got there... and he left before they sold the bred heifers... which ranged in the 5,000 to 7,000 range... more than I would pay. Liked 2 more than the others, there were about 20....but not that much. DS actually got a better deal on the 5 he bought sight unseen at the sale a few weeks ago.... with calves already on the ground... Still don't care for the 2 bull calves, both out of the same sire... and one heifer does not seem to be milking the way we would like... but.... again, you give a heifer a chance... they will both get bred back and hopefully, they will do better with their second calf... if not, they will go.

Left when it was done, came to the barn about 2:30-3 to see if DS needed any help as he was going to work on the litter spreading truck...some shims needing replacing or something.... but he had started to work on the 4 wheeler... a bearing had gone out in the back wheel and he told GF not to drive it... she had said it was "clunking".... turned out to be a much bigger project than he had thought... and the race of the old bearing had "welded it'sself" to the inside of the shaft... had to take a torch and then a grinder to get it all out..... so I stayed there helping a little, holding things etc... took about 3 hours... but he got the bearing done, got it put back together.... got the new brake cable for the back brakes on it too, which was a PITA to try to feed down through .... and then I left sbout 6... went to let the jersey's in with the calves... DS had taken the silage cart up with feed so they got to eat their fill out with the rest of the cattle... and he had put the tubs in the pen so they would have it when I put them in. The #28 steer gave me some grief about coming in the barn yesterday... so he was in... and he will stay in. DS said he is going to take the cull cows Wednesday, including the 2 prolapse cows that got moved to the barn the other day with their 2 calves......to the bred cow sale and cull cows and baby calf day.... then he is taking the 2 calves off the prolapse cows, plus the jersey steer on Maggie and the 28 steer , as well as the 4 big red steers and the 2 bigger black steers, all to the sale on Sat... the red steers and hopefully the 2 black steers will go in the graded pens... and the 2 off the cows will get sold earlier... they are probably too small for the 4 wt graded pens...one is a bull and the other is a heifer... plus the 28 steer and the jersey steer will just get sold at the regular part of the sale.... I just want them gone...
That should be everything sold that is possible to sell...until we start weaning calves off cows in July/Aug...when we preg check the cows that had calves last fall.... start the process all over again..... and the barn areas "emptied" and then we can make some decisions about moving some cows out to pasture early. The cows that were all checked preg can go out away from the barn... all but a few do NOT have calves so making milk is not a priority. If grass is a little short it is not going to be that big a deal.... We'll move the couple with calves after the grass gets groing pretty good.

It has been raining lightly this morning... showers off and on....radar showed it started about 6-7... but just a little bit ago we got a downpour ... rain came down in sheets for a few minutes... this is moving east and will be the rain that @Mini Horses gets later in the afternoon...wish it would linger here for a few more hours...

It is cooler... 58 out there . Rain seems to have slowed down to a mist. Anything is better than nothing... and if it does not get too warm, or windy, this will soak in good. Just could use some more...

Banana was fine... guess I just got too much margarine with the broiled fish and sauteed mushrooms... no reactions last night.

DS just stopped with a pretty azalea bush for me , for Easter... GF goes to her parents and her dad does not talk to DS so he just stays away... we talked for a little bit, and he was describing how he is going to have to put the new truck bed on her truck (from when her sister hit it and dented it up) and the stupid way of putting on the hitches once it is on there... not simple like the fords and chevy's... hers is a dodge...
Anyway, he is going to have lunch with his father for Easter... that is good... Then it is supposed to be drying out here this afternoon.... and I am sure he will find stuff to do at the farm. I am going up to let the cows out at snyder's in a little bit.

So, I am going to work in the house for a bit. Did the dishes a little bit ago... ate dry cheerios this morning, as I ate eggs yesterday...they don't last very long but gives me a crunch to eat....

Have to go out and mix feed for the chickens... I got another bucket of chicken feed out of the bin yesterday when I came by.... fill the feeders again this afternoon after the rains have moved east.

Have chicken to eat in the fridge... will warm some up and have over some lettuce and tomato salad I think.

Make sure I ahve everything I need for testing tomorrow and get the bottles in the car. Little stuff...

Happy Easter Jan!

 

[Baymule]

Glad you got some rain. Any amount helps. Last I heard, we are 18" behind. South Texas is out of water, we need a hurricane. I got 3/4" Thursday and 3/4" Saturday. Going to dry lot the sheep a few days to give the grass a little time to grow. I may try to figure out a way to block off the back area of the house so the sheep can graze the yard.

 

[farmerjan]

Monday. It was a very big shock difference... down to 33 last night... LIKE COLD...... Sun is out and breezy... but what a difference.... BRRRRR

DS called last night, had a cow lose a calf... it had been sick they had treated it but it never seemed to come around... Wanted to know if I thought we could graft another on her... I said to get the twin up at snyder's and we can try it... it knows what a cow is for.
So this morning, he got the cow and her calf in the lane... drug the calf and she followed... then went and got the twin. I went down, got the cow in the barn lot and he got her in the chute... I got the calf in the chute behind her and it did go on and suck some... but the cows had been in with the calves overnight so not real hungry. Still it got some of the milk into it's system. So, after it not wanting to suck more... put the cow in the pen and the calf in the smaller pen in front of her, so she doesn't try to hurt it... and this afternoon, will get the cow back in the chute and the calf ought to be hungrier... let it get a good feeding... I want to check the cow for milk also... did not want to do too many "different things" to her this morning and get her more bent out of shape... We'll see how she acts this afternoon... and I will check her milk/udder.
Then went to snyder's and turned out the 2 cows and the 28 steer got out too... there is silage in the wagon and they had eaten all that was in the tubs in the pen... hopefully I will be able to get the 28 calf back in, the pen, in the next couple of days... he is getting sold with the other odd stuff this coming Saturday. Will see how the twin does with this cow, if she will accept it . If so, I may wind up keeping the jersey steer on Maggie for now, so I don't have to milk... and if someone else has a set of twins or something, she will still be making enough milk to take another calf... this twin was going on the heifer, from the back... but she does not want to be a nurse cow... but if we have another calf that needs to be put on the nurse cows, she can still feed another.... hopefully this twin will be accepted by this cow and she can go on and raise it....

I am going out to do the chicken feed here in just a little bit. It is finally warming up... 60 a few minutes ago. There is still a breeze though so does not feel very warm. Went from short sleeve shirts on Saturday... almost too warm... to needing a sweatshirt today... Tonight and tomorrow night are supposed to be below freezing again... JUST CRAZY temperature swings.

Farm cancelled for this afternoon... he does this alot lately.... seems the silage they had been feeding ran out yesterday... so major feed change... and cows were off this morning already some... why am I not surprised anymore... so I have this Thurs/Fri still scheduled... they seldom ever change...

So, today, I will get the chickens situated... feed mixed and filled... waterers... tomorrow we leave at 6 to go to the first dr appt at 8 in Blacksburg..... then Rural King... then the 2nd dr appt is at 2 p.m., an hour north closer to home... then home late afternoon. Couldn't get them closer together time wise... so will have a nice leisurely time to walk through Rural King... got a list of a couple things I want to look at... compare to local co-op.... we often are pushed to get in and get out to be at another appt... will have about 3-4 hours to spend there and get some lunch...drive 45 min north headed towards home.... and then be at other one at 2....

I might get out the mower this afternoon.... grass is getting some growth in clumps and bunches... chickens could use some green stuff too... and since I am not testing, now... kinda throws off my planned schedule.

Well, guess I will go out and get the chickens done... then come in and eat some lunch... Ate eggs and some mushrooms earlier... then maybe go back out and see about getting the lawn tidied up... there are a bunch of dead pieces of branches that need to be picked up and I can take the cart on the back of the lawn tractor... see how windy it is...Have a pile that needs burning... might be able to do it if the wind dies down... or see when the next possible showers/rain is coming and then try to do it then if I have more of it cleaned up.

Cows were still in the catch lot where they had gotten into yesterday... but eating down the grass good. Will get them out either this evening, or maybe tomorrow, if they get it eaten down... got to fix the couple of gates they got knocked down reaching for the green grass... then can lock them out when they go for water or for the hay he put out... this grass will come back fast after this bit of rain and then warming again the end of the week. So it will regrow good for the next time we need to catch them in there, in a few weeks. Normally would not have let them in there for another week or more... but when they want he greener on the other side of the fence... they reach...

Time to get out to do the chicken feed and water...

 

[farmerjan]

Yesterday was another cool one,,, but this morning was COLD... 27 overnight... they had been calling for a freeze warning... cover the tender vegetation... all that... yesterday was only down to 39... and it did not get real warm... but low 70's....

Got up and Met DS at the farm to go to his Dr appt in Blacksburg... he put the calf on the cow early. She seems fine with the calf, not mothering it but not hostile to it... but she HATES being in the barn... so GF was going up to let her out about 9 or so... DS left her with the calf for company. Calf was fine when GF went up but she wanted out. So she was out in the lot with the cull cows for the day.

Had a good day... DS appt and manipulation went good and he said the headache was greatly reduced. Went to a western wear store there to see about getting some inserts for his boots... he has always tried to patronize the "little guy"... and has bought boots from this place several times over the years. She didn't have what he wanted, talked to her about possibly ordering another pair of boots and a couple pair of inserts, and she said she does not deal with that company any longer... and some other comments made makes us think she is in financial trouble... I tried on a pair of shorter zip up western "dress type" boots since I can not bend the ankle enough to get a pair of my regular boots on and off... but she did not have anything wide enough.

So we left and went to Rural King... was able to slowly shop through it, and price comparison some stuff... they did not have the barbed staples I wanted in the big bucket... TSC has them for $139... RK had them on the website for $99... but they were out... next shipment in they will probably be higher... Going to check the co-op today.. they had them for $89 a month or 2, ago... will get them if they have them, as I am going to need them to do my fence here.

One of the guys that works there, was in the hospital... had severe pancreatitis attack??? Anyway... he was just out from the hospital, stopped to get some paperwork to fill out, so got to see him... and DS picked up some stuff for a few friends also. Had the back of the explorer filled with the hydraulic oil, batteries, and my feed.

Came up the road to Chicken Salad Chick, ate lunch and I got some to bring home... some for GF and DS also... I had the cooler bag with a ice pak as I took hard boiled eggs with me too... and then he went to his dr appt... I dropped him off as the parking was HORRIBLE and they were doing a bunch of construction... taking more parking away and building another building... this was a consult dr... that he feels is a waste of time... want to put him on blood pressure meds because it was slightly elevated... normally it runs in the 120-130/ 75-85... was 150/90 in there... and I told him Do't do it.,.. he is taking so much stuff now... one more thing to just mess up all the problems he has.. and they wanted to try to get him to come all the way down there for the botox and he said NO, he was not going to drive over an hour when he could go 20 miles from the house to get them done. He doesn't care for this dr much... it is one of those.....workman's comp says to go to this one.... wants to see him back in 3-4 months... for what??? he doesn't know...but have to play their game.
He slept all the way home. Got here and he got his stuff out. I went and got the feed unloaded at the barn... put the jersey's in and got the black 28 steer in also.

Came home and about dark there was a knock on the door... a couple of calves were out next door... they HAVE TO go through that DA#@ high tensile wire for the greener grass along the road... that is why we don't let them have that "catch lot" to graze except like when they got the couple gate panels knocked down... I had planned to get them out today and fix the gates that we use to "funnel" the cows into the catch pen.... which effectively keeps them out of this catch lot. The grass has a chance to grow, then when we want them, we open the gate at the end, they all come in to eat and then will follow you right into the catch pen to load to get them out... they were reaching for grass I guess, got one panel down and that opened it up to everyone... but then the calves HAVE to go through the high tensile wire... which was never set up for electric... and out in the road.

So, I took the forester... went into the big field and most all the cows followed... thinking they would be getting something to eat... then I quick went back... got the gate between the field and catch lot, shut... opened the gate to the road, went down the road, hazed the 2 calves back up and in the catch lot they went. Shut that gate to the road... and went in and got the panels all stood up before the cows came around that side of the fence, to the outside of the catch pen... then got the calves; the 2 that were out and 2 others were still in the catch lot....got them to follow along the fence, into the catch pen... and shut them in there... There is a board broken and they managed to go through and into the field with their momma's.... this catch pen is VERY OLD... and some of the boards are getting pretty bad... but we only use it a couple times a year so it has worked... but now a few boards need to be replaced... anyway... the calves can get into the catch pen through the broken boards... but the gate into the bigger catch lot is shut now... so they can't get into the catch lot and near the road there. Panels are all back up and tied top and bottom.... think one string broke or the calves had chewed on it... why can you eat grass/hay/silage, and have momma.... chewing on a string is MUCH BETTER..... so it fell over and brought the other 4 panels down with it...

Disaster averted for now. GRRRRR....

The sun is out, warming to over 50 already... going up to let the cows out at snyders so they can eat some more of the silage in the cart.... DS is supposed to do some feeding, then going to the hospital to visit the friend that has the cancer... he went back in last Friday... it is real bad... and for the life of me I will never understand why he did not at least try the ivermectin back when I got the information to him the first of the year... never even gave it a chance and as advanced as it is, I don't think he has a chance for it to help now...... I told DS that if it was him, I would be pouring everything I could think of down him... what can it hurt????? He agrees, but the guy said he had his wife do some research on it because he just doesn't do that sort of thing... and I guess she either didn't bother, or just poo-hooed it as stupid... He didn't have to change anything... just start taking it.... keep doing what he was doing... add it to his routine. It is so upsetting to me that he didn't at least try it. Like DS said, what could it have hurt... not like it is something that is experimental, dangerous or something.

Well, as much as it is soo terrible, to not try something. I cannot change things for him. Sad, but he hasn't got long left I think...

I am going out... talked to DS he was headed to the barn, get the calf on the cow, get the silage in the bunk and then let the cows back in the little barn lot and into the barn to eat. I told him to let the cow and the calf back out with those cows... it will be fine and can mingle a bit... all the cows will be gone this evening... the cow we are trying to graft this calf on might feel a bit more "motherly", with them all out together... she doesn't seem to want to hurt it at all... so good to let her out in the lot with them... told him to use his judgement... but that calf is smart and will go on her from the back if she stands still out there... her dead calf is gone so can't go back to it either...
Then he will be up here to feed some hay and go to the hospital for a bit... back by 2 or 3 to get cows and go to the sale. I'm going out now to do the chickens and then be able to watch the gate so he can get in there to feed hay... I will let the cows out at snyder's to help clean up the silage in the wagon up there for the day.
Got some laundry in the washer to hang in a bit too.

 

[fuzzi]

I have a former coworker who has been on chemo for years. I gave her information about some studies showing positive results, but alternative remedies were pooh poohed by her doctors.

I'm with you, I'd be throwing everything at cancer, no matter what the experts say.

 

[farmerjan]

I have a former coworker who has been on chemo for years. I gave her information about some studies showing positive results, but alternative remedies were pooh poohed by her doctors.

I'm with you, I'd be throwing everything at cancer, no matter what the experts say.

Printed off the article... going to get DS to take it to him... but I really fear it is too late for him.

 

[Baymule]

Ivermectin was vilified during Covid as a horse wormer. All over the news, idiots with no brains condemning ivermectin that was developed for HUMAN use in the 1980's. The cancer machine is a money maker, too much money for something like ivermectin take all that money away.

 

[farmerjan]

32 overnight.. sun coming up, and it is supposed to be starting a warming trend that will really get HOT by mid week next week... temps forecast in the low 90's.... totally crazy. The average daily temp this time of year is like 65-70 ???? Nights 30's and low 40's... Last frost date here is around MAY 10TH... due to the mountains we get a later frost date than areas 1 hr away... and I have seen a killing frost as late as Memorial Day weekend... had 2 nights in a row in the 20's probably 10 years or so ago... KILLED everyone's tomatoes and everything.. I hadn't planted mine yet...

Had a decent day yesterday... got some clothes washed and a load will go on the line today. There is virtually NO RAIN in the forecast for the next 10 days... with the high temps due next week. Going to find the time to take stuff to the big machines at the laundromat and get mattress covers and blankets and other stuff washed in the next few days. Saturday and Sunday afternoons are often a "slow time" there so might see about it this coming Sunday.

Went to the cow sale last evening. DS took 5 cull cows.. 2 old open ones, the 2 that had the prolapses with the calves still on them, and the one open young cow... her second time open... the young cow only weighed 965 or so, and brought over 2100....$2.20 / lb... for a KILL COW..... 3 of them were in the 1.60's the other old cow was 1.40... they all brought $ 9100 + after the commissions. That's over 1800 a head for cull non breeding cows. It costs over $62/hd to sell them now...
The calves are eating silage and all real good, they are at the barn... neither of the cows had much milk anyway. They will holler a little I am sure... but are in with several others.

There were ALOT of cow/calf pairs and quite a few bred cows too... Many brought over 5,000 a pair, some hit 6,000. And there were quite a few that were in the 3-4,000 range too.
DS bought one cow/calf pair for 3400... not a bad looking cow... calf ought to fit right in with the ones we have on the spring born ones that the cows have had/are having this last month or so.
I almost bought another longhorn...she was 8 months bred and brought like 2200....there were several, and there were 2 jersey cross (1/2 angus I think) cows with calves... that brought 1900 each... but I didn't spring for them. They looked like older cows and had low slung udders... calves looked fine but they probably would have been one and done cows... trying to get away from some of the dairy cross cows because the calves usually do not sell as well.. they get long and lanky before they put weight on... and the jersey cross ones often are finer boned... it's one thing to do the cross on my own cows... but not really wanting to add them to the herd.
The dairy cross cows also have more trouble keeping their weight up on just a pasture situation... they are just not designed to feed calves on just pasture grass... they need more "groceries" as the saying goes...we have bred these dairy cows for years and years to have supplemental feed and they often need it... so... I just did not spring for them... still second guessing myself on the longhorn though. Oh well, there will be more and maybe at better prices down the road.
The longhorn that was 8 months... and there were several others; they had gone through the sale about 2-3 months ago... they had calves on them... this one had very distinctive horns... and DS said he recognized them too... the daughter of the stockyard owner had bought them... and she probably sold the calves off them and then got them preg checked and brought them back in for this month's sale. She made money on them... she buys alot of the "lower end" ones and sells some on facebook and other ways and makes some money on them... good for her...

We will take the red steers and the 2 bigger black steers, the 28 black steer that had/has the bummed ankle, and anything else that is at the barns on Saturday.... get it cleaned out... I hope that DS will take the crazy hereford heifer he was keeping to kill... because he has a nice steer to kill and then a second kill date.. but like I told him... he has the old red cow with the broken pelvis that ought to be about ready to go... she will be some filet steaks, and mostly hamburger... but she won't bring much at the stockyard and she deserves better than that. They sold 2 yesterday ... one had a broken leg above the hock joint that brought $1/lb... so she was still worth over 1,000... and a big bull that had broken his leg/foot... below the hock joint near the ankle... back leg... so sad... he was getting around and he brought about 1 or 1.25 lb.... he was fat and probably had broken it very recently.... so he brought over 1700....about half what a "non-injured" bull was worth... but better than shooting him in the field... but our old cow is not going to get run through the ring and loaded on a trailer... she will be hamburger for us and whoever needs some... after she raises this calf. She is milking good, has a small field to get around in, eats and lays down and gets up.... and is content. Her calf looks real good... he may very well be a prospective bull down the road.

So, that was the day/eve at the stockyard. DS was especially pleased with the young cull cow because he did not like her body type much... and she brought so much... she paid for 2/3 of the cow/calf pair he bought. But it was about the normal.. 2-3 cull cows will buy one good cow... in this case 2 would have more than bought the pair... and if the cow works out she will go out with other ones to get bred back in June... she settles then great, she doesn't she will get culled out. We will get her in the chute and see what her teeth look like,,, give them both a couple shots/vaccines... and then in a week or so they will go out with the rest that have calved until we start moving them to pastures for the summer... DS said in about 10days/2 weeks.

He is going to make a fast trip to VT to take the dump truck to that friend up along the canadian border... and look at the calves/heifers he has to sell.. then if he likes them, he will be getting a guy who hauls cattle to PA to dead head to VT, get a tractor trailer load... they figure there are about 30-40... and bring them down to us... One reason the barn needs to be empty..... and then DS will sell them in another month.... might be some bred heifers also that we will either keep for us or sell at the bred sale. There is not the market in VT to sell them... kinda funny how he could not find enough cattle to feed out, to sell meat at his store there... now he has all sorts of cattle after several years of breeding them; we took him a couple of gooseneck trailers of heifers over the years... and his meat business has slacked off with the high prices... he is tired of dealing with the public..... and needs another outlet... which we have here. Plus, he said he knows of several people up there that have some cattle and they have trouble finding buyers sometimes for their calves... so DS is thinking that if this friend buys them, they get them trucked down here, we can market them and make a little and not have anything more than a couple weeks feed tied up in them... because we will not be "fronting the money" for them... we will just be the shipper and back grounder..... not the owner so to speak. We will see how it goes with this friend's cattle first.. then go from there.
So he is leaving next Tuesday... drive up with the dump truck, on the flat bed trailer....get there Tues eve... 12 hr trip... spend wed looking at the cattle and such... drive home Thursday.... The guy with the tractor trailer that goes to Pa will be making another trip in 2 weeks so that is when the cattle will come down... it will be a loaded trip for him which he normally makes empty from PA... so it will pay him... fuel prices being so high it will cost 4-5,000 for the trip... $5.00 loaded mile... maybe more if fuel goes up again... but the cattle ought to make enough to pay for that, plus make a profit. we'll see. They can do one load and see how it goes...

I will be staying here, have the followup appt with the clinic on the alpha gal on April 15th... and will have to feed hay to cattle since they will not be out to pasture yet. We should be about done with the silage in a week or so... GF can run the skid steer so can feed the one group of heifers in the barn while he is gone and the ones at pasture will be done with silage... if it is not all fed out before he goes... I think he says he has a few more days worth to feed. and the pit will be empty.

So, that is what is going on. I am heading to take the meters to the farm so they can set them up for later this afternoon...bottles are all in the trays/racks already.... run by the grocery store for some bread on the way back so I can eat some of this chicken salad as sandwiches... and stop and put the check in the bank... It earns a little interest in the farm account so may as well get all we can... he is going to make some farm payments ahead to save the interest charged on the loans.... and has the one tractor being worked on and that will be something like $5-10,000 when we get it back I guess... nothing is cheap anymore... plus the diesel fuel costs....

Time to get this load of clothes on the line... take the meters and then get home to maybe do a few things here. Need to fill the feeders again... and next thing you know it will be time to go to test...