Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Okay, watched the video and since it has been about 5 years since we wrapped anything, it did bring back some things that I didn't really describe very well. So thank you @Senile_Texas_Aggie for that video. A couple of things, we put our hay right along the edges of fields or along the edge of where the fields break for different crops as he mentioned. When I was helping to haul bales, I would place them along the "route" so the person loading did not have to go back and forward so far with each bale. I had forgotten about the "push" to keep them tight but yes, it is imperative that they sit tight to each other so the wrap doesn't have gaps or breaks. It helps to have the bales as uniform as possible in size, they wrap more uniformly that way and there is less of the up and down edges to get torn or whatever. We also put our second rows as close to the first row so that we are not losing any more of the field than we have to. The number of wraps is by the farmer's choice and what they are wrapping as he said too. I think most of ours is 6 or more.... the sorghum is more stemmy than normal hay so you have to wrap enough to seal it.

 

[farmerjan]

Now to things from a couple of days ago.

I got the hay raked the first afternoon, only about an hour for the mixed hay strip. Son had tedded out the sorghum and I went to work Mon aft. Tuesday was a marathon type day. It was beautiful weather, sunny and got rather hot, over 90. I raked the one field next to the hay, and it took about 2 1/2 hours, then went up the road to the bigger field and spent over 4 more hours. In between, I went and got another 5 gal can of fuel before going to the 2nd field. The rotary rake is not real fast as it will throw the sorghum without the shield, which my son didn't bother to bring. I could have raked faster if he had. I also didn't realize that the "spacers" were there so every time I picked up the rake at the end of a row, I had to find the "sweet spot" where the rake wasn't digging into the dirt, but was down enough to pick it all up. The spacers on the hydraulic cylinder would have only allowed me to let it down and it wouldn't have gone so far. My mistake on that. It would have cut my time by about a half an hour probably.
But, I was done about 5:30. DS baled the hay part first, then about 50 + bales of the sorghum at the one place. He tried to keep them a little smaller since they do better in the wrapper if they are not monsters. Then he came to the 10+ acre field that is across from my "new house".... baled the 2 outside rows, broke a belt and it got dark and he said I quit for the night. So to day, with the cloudy skies and threats of rain, and a little shower early, he got out of work and baled more. He had called a neighbor to see if they could come bale some; we baled some for them a few weeks back when they had a breakdown.... and they called him back this morning and said they could come for a bit until their last field was raked... DS broke another belt on the baler so he had to quit as he was supposed to be going back to work and they finished up the field for us then went to do theirs that their hired guy had finished raking. I think they managed to get theirs all up too. I had to go to test, so I had stopped at the new house and got the meters out of the new plastic storage "bin" I had bought off ebay a couple months back.... and then left to go test.

The guys were there at the house making the new doors for the existing storage shed. There were a few other things I asked them about doing, and he looked at the couple of really bad boards on the deck to be replaced.... and will get them and do it in the next couple days he said. He is also going to get the pipes under the crawl space "reconnected" with this thing called "shark bite" which he says is absolutely the best for putting together pipe.... can connect copper, galvanized, plastic... but the nice thing with the copper, no sweating of joints. My son asked what they were doing at the house when I stopped at the hay field on my way to get the "slow leak tire" fixed and change out a front one.... and I told him. He looked at me kinda funny, and I said ....well, you don't seem to have time to get to this stuff and I want to get it done so I can start moving some things up there.... and he never said anything. I said if you want to do some more of this that is great..... but when are you not too busy..... I told you what all I want to get done and.................
He never offered to do anything else..... and I am tired of asking. So in 4 hours they had framed and made the 2 new doors for the existing shed and got the end caps off a couple of baseboard heaters I couldn't get off due to the molding being put up against them. This way I can get them sanded down to paint. When he got done in the hayfield and came across the road because he needed a ride down to the barn to get his truck last eve (Tues), he asked me and I said I would since I was still at the house, DS did move the one door laying in the DR because I was afraid to try to lay it up against the wall.... he even said that it was really heavy.... and I didn't want to mar the wall. But I couldn't get it out of the way for the section of baseboard heater to get it off so I can get the ones in the DR off and sanded. So that was done, but he was in a rush to get down to get his truck.... so he could go "home" to her house. I am still waiting on him to get the 4 drawers from the vanity shaved off the end so I can put them back in..... He just never thinks of doing anything after he says he will.... and I am tired of asking.... I mean, take a little initiative and make an effort to do something you offer to get done.


So, the lawn saga.... seems that jim is feeling better, he had some sort of a stomach bug for a few days. But now he is feeling better.... but I am just not very happy. However my son said to just let him get the belt back on the mower, and then the coil wouldn't fire or something.... but then he got the one off my old mower.... and so today he was up there and wanting to mow..... so after all this "fixing" he was mowing when I went by to get my stuff for work after getting the tire fixed.... and when I got done testing I went directly to the house to see the doors.... he was still there.... he said he had just gotten done washing off the mower because of all the grass.... now mind you, he said it took him 3 times around to get it mowed down since it was so high.... and then he says he will get the other side done tomorrow.... and I said, well, it is supposed to rain off and on.... and since you told me that was what caused the problem with burning up the belt the last time because the grass was high and wet, I don't think that you need to be mowing it if it is wet..... I am not going to say much, but if he thinks I am going to pay him to wash off the mower when he is only going to get it all grass covered again tomorrow.... or when ever he can mow again.... he has another think coming. Plus, there was no reason to have to mow over it 3 times.... just get it mostly knocked down, as it will need mowing again in a few days.... and get it better the 2nd time around.....
And he put it in the shed, with the water dripping as there is a wet floor now.... it is a wood floor.... the whole idea of the doors was to keep the floor drier.... So after tomorrow, the mower is going in the carport on the end... under roof but not in the shed.
He will not be doing anything after this fall for me.... I am going to get through whatever this fall brings.... but that will be it. I am not going to be a b#$@h or anything.... just let it sorta fizzle out. I expect that he will "get over" this newest "burst of doing" and I will be mowing it myself anyway. I will either do it myself or get someone else to do it next year. Maybe I will have some of it fenced.... even with panels.... and graze it. I might get serious with some electric netting and have some calves there.... and I keep thinking about some pigs again....and the idea of the raspberries keeps creeping into my mind....
There is a wasp nest in the shed that I have to get spray for tomorrow.... then I am going to get a broom and a shovel and get out all the accumulation of dust and dirt.... and then I will start moving up things like my tires and oil and all sorts of other things. There is a decent work bench and a pegboard thing on the wall to hang things on.... I intend to start moving some of that stuff up there on my trips.... But I am not going to be tripping over the mower in there at this point; or dealing with it being put in there wet....
I had them leave the old doors and wood, and I will take off the couple of hinges that still were working to keep for whatever... I do scrounge stuff...

So tomorrow is PT in the pool, then I will go to the house. I have to pack the samples yet but will do that after I get out of PT. My friend, and fellow "helper tester" that comes to help me with the big herd; was milking at the herd I tested today.... and she might come down tomorrow to see the house.... I said I would be there after lunchtime for sure. That was nice of her to say she wanted to come see it. Nice "kid" .... she is the one that has a good eye for co-ordinating.... she helped her friend with her wedding this past weekend so that is why she couldn't help me test the big 500+ cow herd that DS came and helped me do... It will be nice to just get her reaction and thoughts.... if she is not babysitting for another friend's 2 yr old.... I said that it would be great and if not, anytime she has a free couple of hours to just let me know and if I am there, she was welcome to come down.

I am thinking that I might see about taking my bred heifers to the farmer that is going to milk them for me.... just looking at my schedule...in the next few days.. I have the big 250 cow herd to do on Saturday afternoon.... with the double 6 parlor, that takes a fairly long time to do.... I left the meters on the truck from today's herd since I will need them on Saturday. I am thinking I will take the 4x4 ranger and unload the water tank up there at the house.... it needs to be under some cover so the sun doesn't deteriorate the plastic anymore, so the carport is a good place at the end off to one side.... next to where I am going to put the mower.... and then it will be empty so I can load some of the truck's spare tires and some stuff to go up there on my next trip....

I also plan to leave plenty early on Sat since the outdoor furnace place is not too far from this herd. I want to go check it out and get some prices.... if I am going to be close this is the perfect time. Not saying I have to do anything about it.... and I got all the brochures I could find that I have, about the storage buildings... to sit and make a comparison list.... so I can make a decision. Cell tower guys still haven't called me.... and I didn't have time to see if they were there the last 2 days. I will go by there tomorrow and see if they are there, if they are interested and if not, going to call another guy to see about getting these boxwoods and stuff out of there. I also am looking at the places I could put the peach trees, may as well have them dig some holes to put them in when I get ready to move them. Son has a backhoe that I will shame him into digging them up at the current house and then can put them in the already dug holes up there at my house. Be easier to have the holes already dug to set them into.... and they are going to have to smooth out the spot where the boxwoods come out of so that I can get a storage building in there leveled and all ready for it. If they aren't interested or whatever, I will call another guy to do it and then I can get him to also help get the site ready for the storage building.... wanting the boxwoods out of there so I can look the space over and figure out exactly the way I want it set.....

Time to go to bed so I can get things going in the morning.

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday eve....
Had the PT in the pool.... it always feels good but only getting it once a week is not giving me the benefit I think I would get if I could go more often.... But anyway....
Got done and headed for the house. Geneva texted and wondered if I was going to be there.... So she came down. She walked through the house, we talked about some possibilities. She also agrees with the possibility of the "sliding barn door" , for the bathroom. A friend of hers has one and showed me a picture.... she said some do it just for the "decor" but that this friend has if for a practical door. So Now I have to see if there is any way it will slide behind the toilet seat. We talked about the pocket door, but that is a major tear out of the sheetrock and all to frame it in.... She had a few ideas about the kitchen cabinets... the one where the doors don't match, that pulls out and it is for hanging some pots on, she said would be really good for a pull out trash bin.... or a recycling type thing. She agreed that the sink was pretty silly.... useless for a practical canning/homesteading kitchen. And taking out that tall sliding pantry set of shelves next to the fridge and having room for a normal size fridge and getting rid of that little "breakfast bar" thing that sticks out into the kitchen.... making the cabinet back to a normal one.... and a possible "island" that is on wheels so it can be moved easily.
She was totally in agreement with the purple being WAY TOO MUCH.... there is one place I haven't painted over it yet because I have to get the plaster fixed around the "thimble" to the chimney there under the mantle. She liked the green in the LR and said the blue was a little bright but not too overwhelming and with furniture would make the room seem bigger. Liked the built in china cabinet and agreed that they should have put in another door and utilized the space better where it is built into the wall next to the chimney that is there.... They left over 18" space that is behind the wall that you can get to from the china cabinet.... like storage space.... but another door would have made it more functional. It looks to be some major work to put one in, so will just tuck extra plates and things back in there for now. If I thought this was going to be my forever home, I would get it opened up.
She liked the deck and the guy who worked there yesterday came while she was there and we were talking about the floor sanding and that no one seems available.... she agrees that to move stuff up there before it is sanded is just making double work to clean it after.... He was working on replacing some of the deck boards that were pretty bad and the one railing that was half rotten. He said he would be back in a couple days to finish that and do a few little things in the house and get the pipes reconnected under the house.
Then jim came up and was going to try to get the rest of the mowing done. I told him to just leave it, that I would get it with the bushhog when I go and do the pasture across the road. I said there is no point in him burning off another belt and that part of the rest he hadn't done was going to be garden next year so to just leave it. I also said that I did not want the mower back in the shed because the whole reason I put the doors on it was to keep it dry with the wood floor so I could start to move some stuff up there to store. He looked at me kinda funny and said he would go get more gas and just do the little piece in front of the house he hadn't gotten done and I said fine. He had walked right in the house when I was talking to geneva and I really didn't like that at all. I would never just walk in anyone's house without a "holler.... Hey it's me, are you there????" that type of thing.
So she was getting ready to go, and then I said I had to go home and get the samples packed from yesterday's test and she left. Then I went in the house, used the bathroom and went out the kitchen door to talk to Eric for a few minutes, and then was coming back in the door and I heard some noise and I turned around and there he is, with the freezer door open on the fridge.... He says, it's only me, I wanted to see if you had any ice.....I said, no, I don't have any ice in the freezer.... I was really put off..... but am trying to keep the peace for now. So, I said well, I have to get down to the house and get the milk samples packed from yesterday.... and he said well, I will go get the gas and get that little bit done. I just left.

I did get the problem with the email from the farm I tested on Monday, straightened out finally, and got samples from both farms packed and went up to take them to the business that I drop them off at to be picked up UPS. Then I went back to the house and DS was across the road moving the rolls of sorghum and picking up some that had fallen apart and taking it to a couple of different pastures for the cows to eat....he was helping DS and that was the end of it for the day.
I asked DS if I should come over and help and he said he was good.... then I realized that she was in the tractor moving the bales as he was hauling the loose stuff off. I was not happy about that either.... seems like I am being replaced at all the "easy jobs" that are the gravy..... so I just stayed at the house and sanded a couple more of the baseboard heater sections. Got one more to do in the utility room... and the very little one in the bathroom. I will take them out into the yard and hit them with the hose and get them all washed off good, then let them dry good. We were supposed to have showers and stuff today, but it cleared off and got up to 91 this afternoon with sun. Tomorrow and Sat look like more showery stuff.... then maybe a few drier days. So if I get them all washed off of the dust and stuff, they might be good and dry and I might be able to paint next week. I'm going to take the vacuum and clean all the fins along the pipes and all so that when I do put them back they will be clean to start with.

 

[farmerjan]

Hit the post sign... so here's more.

Called the elec company to get the internet set up and all.... appt on Mon the 21st.... then I should have internet there. Then I can cancel it at the rental as soon as I know it is going to work. Can't leave the computer there though until the floor sanding is done and the dust is done.....

Oh, geneva agreed that the boxwoods need to go, to open up the yard and it will really "improve" the looks..... Thank you!! DS is definitely in the minority.... and we talked about the possible placing of the peach trees, and other fruit trees, and even some raspberry plants for possible income.
We tried to figure out a way to put in a door into the utility room from the outside, like with a small porch entrance.... but the washer and sink are in the one corner, and the whole electrical meter/internet and all that stuff is on the other wall... in the corner area where the door would be most practical.... I guess I could do it next to the washer where the dryer would go.... then it would be convenient to the carport... but it might be where the carport is close to the house.... I will have to measure that.....Really would like a convenient to the driveway/carport "mud room type of entrance"..... something to think about for future....

Anyway. That was my day. I am thinking I will go up and finish the last baseboard heater in the morning.... my arm was getting tired this evening....and if it is not pouring down rain, might even take some of them out and wash them off and leave on the front porch on the concrete to dry..... and maybe do a load of clothes. If the weather does what it did today, then it makes sense to wash some clothes while I am there, since I have to turn off the water when I am done, or it drips. Got barn/work clothes that need doing again....
I also want to vacuum up some of the dust from the sanding and all the dirt from traipsing in and out the past week. And take the broom to the deck since he got grass all over it while mowing. I will take the 4x4 up with the water tank and get that unloaded off so I can take a load of "truck/car stuff up to go in the building. I forgot to get the can of bee spray so will do that tomorrow, then I can clean that out and load all the dirt and garbage in the truck and drop off at the dumpster with some bags of stuff from the stone house I have gotten together. I also want to get the trailer, with the chicken pens I had bought at TSC on clearance a year or two ago, up there so I can get one together and get my show birds moved up there, from my son's house. The 3 meat birds at his barn property, are doing fine and I haven't caught or had any more problems so I must have gotten all the predators taken care of for now.... I will leave them where they are for now....
No word from the tower guys... I think they are too busy to even remember... so I think I will call the local friend that has equipment and see if he can get the boxwoods taken out.....dig a couple holes for the peach trees.... maybe relocate the forsythia I hate along the road to the other dirt road side for some "privacy fence"/bushes. They block the line of sight where they are.... I don't hate forsythia... just where it is.
It's coming... just slow.... the floor sanding is really the sticking point for me right now. Then it will be the bathroom...

 

[Mike CHS]

Even if it's slow, it is still moving forward. There is absolutely no moisture in the air coming your way until at least Saturday.

 

[farmerjan]

But we have a 50% chance of pop up showers both Friday and Saturday.... I don't think they know. It sure got nice out today. That is why I am probably going to do some laundry tomorrow and hang it....

 

[Mini Horses]

Lowe's has lists of people they use for installs....ask if they have anyone who refinishes floors. You may be able to find a licensed person that way. Maybe? That is a real hold up, all things considered.

Has your friend said when he can re-work the bathroom?

Seems those two things are all that is keeping you from moving. Other things can be inconvenient but workable.

 

[Baymule]

When I put down floors here in our doublewide, I rented a sander. It was a lot of work, but I had the time to do it. Maybe take what @Mini Horses said and go to a flooring store and ask about someone to do the sanding and refinishing.

 

[farmerjan]

I checked at Lowe's and there weren't any names on the board and there weren't any at the other home center that I went into either. Seems like it is becoming another of the "dying arts".... the one guy in this area is so covered up with work that he can't see straight. GRRRRR

Well, I will check at the Lowe's north of me in Staunton, it is not that much farther to come south to me than it is from Lex to come north. Maybe there is someone up there.

Bathroom is still in the air.....
I'm heading up in a few minutes to do some laundry and get the last baseboard in the utility room sanded off. Then take the different sets out to wash off. Give them a day or so to dry as the chances of rain are going up for tomorrow and into Sunday.... I'll leave them outside for awhile today and then move them back in the house. Gotta do as @Ridgetop suggested and mark the backs with which room.... or I will mess up with where they are supposed to go!!!!! Then the first of the week I should be able to bring them out in the dry yard, and paint the 2 sets in the LR and BR the darker brown to match the existing baseboards. Will stick with the white that is in the DR and probably do the Utility room ones in brown too. Can't even remember what color the baseboard paint is in there.... But brown would show less dirt and knicks and scratches. I am going to do some serious looking at the outside carport as the idea of an entrance into the utility room has me really interested.
But first things first, wash some clothes, get the last set sanded.....vacuum and sweep to keep the mess "under control". Get the "cotton picking bee spray" so I can get in there and clean it out and sweep down the dust/walls and all. Then I can start moving something....
Partly cloudy and humid out this morning. Was a little sunny earlier, and the radar doesn't show any cloudiness or anything much before tonight.

 

[farmerjan]

Talked to Eric, the guy doing the doors and such. He said that by the time he rented the sander and all, with his time, that a professional could do it faster and cheaper. Plus, these are older floors and it is very easy for someone to get the floors not smooth and level.... slight cups in the boards and such. He even said that it is a talent and he really doesn't want to do it. He was sure this other guy that they have do stuff would be able to do it but he is just sooooo busy. I can do the finishing.... have done that in Ct on my wood floors in the house up there.... just need the sanding.
I realize that there will be some mess from the widening the door in the BR/Bath but not like the sanding... so that is why I really had hoped to get it done right off the bat.
Also talked to Eric about the kitchen when he was looking at the switches and plugs I wanted changed.... and he agrees that the pull out tall "pantry" is not very practical and that it wouldn't take alot to get the changes done with the cabinets. And he said that the fronts of most of them are maple and the ones that don't match on the other side could easily be replaced and then matching the color.... that would be the problem since the others are over 20 years old....
I am thinking that maybe I ought to go on and do that change in there now. Not the sink or counter tops, but just the little changes in that fridge opening, and all.... so that then I could do the countertops without a big deal since that side of the fridge would be done (& take out the breakfast bar thing). Then maybe next year get a sensible sink in there and do the countertops and get rid of the peeling off formica tops.
Geneva also agreed that the one wide door in the lower cabinet would be a perfect place for a dishwasher.... it is right next to the "corner sink" that is there....and there are always lots of second hand dishwashers where people do remodels and take out perfectly good ones.... so could maybe find one that way... But that is for a later project.