Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

How many live birds do you have now? . I mean, does this mean a second batch out there after this 30? There's that feast or famine thing........work and all. I had about 8 hrs to do, suddenly another 40ish...so every day this week rather than one. It's our life. Do the shuffle.....


We got heavy rain before daybreak, some light stuff mid day and winds -- wow!! -- couple hrs early afternoon. Strange day.

So are your cows recent calves yours, or part of his? Just curious...I know he feeds and gets the milk, he should. IMO that's a good trade for you. On his side, he may want a "share"...some depends on calf care, of course. I bought a bred mare one year and seller wanted foal but, we negotiated. Foal would carry his farm name, we cared for and delivered to him at wean. He sold, we split the sales price. Was a great deal as it turned out. Deals can be fun...or not...but we knew each other's farms, and care, as you do there.

 

[farmerjan]

Monday eve. Getting colder, and breezy. Tomorrow is supposed to be very windy.
@Mini Horses ;
There are over 100 cornish out there right now from the ones I got from the "left-behinds" .... If I do approx 30, I will make 3 trips, but I cannot manage to do any more at one time, with all this trying to move.
I vacuumed and got the one bureau cleaned, and ready to put the drawers in. Got to take the clothes in them, out, and will wash them. Not much in a couple of them. Will try to move the other single bureau maybe in the morning. Then the "double" dresser will have to wait a few days for the truck.
DS said that he hopes to get to it this week... he is going to take a few days off since the boss is back this week. So tomorrow I will get the rest of the stuff out of the 2wd so they can get to the shift lever, and the heater core under the dash. I have to stop and pick up some parts he ordered that were delivered to the store in town. Going right through there so convenient.
I did move the smaller DVD cabinet that I like this afternoon late, threw a half dozen more boxes in there too. Brought the power head for the vacuum up so I could do part of the floor in the bedroom to put the bureau in. Going to see if I can get the table in the back of the car; the legs are off so the big thing is the top.... I think it is too big around but will measure. I'd like to get the computer moved into the DR so that I can rearrange the BR better. Plus, stay off the rug with shoes; the plastic is still on the rug in most spots, but it is a pain and I would like to walk in and straight back to the DR with stuff and have a decent place to sit to do computer work for work or eat a bite and do other stuff. If I can get the other bureau up here, at least it will be up here to get it situated and drawers in it too. Then I can get clothes put away instead of in boxes....and the baskets.

Yeah, shuffle the work schedule.... sometimes it gets to me too, but then when I need to do something I can make it work most times. So you deal....and be thankful for the extra money...

The calves are mine. I offered to split them, told him that I needed to do something for him and he was VERY ADAMANT that no, he would not take anything because the cows were going to be contributing milk into the tank. He wanted to give me a percentage for the milk they make, and I said ABSOLUTELY NOT. That he was doing me a favor to take and milk them so I didn't have to sell them or try to deal with them with additional nurse calves on them since my knees ache so. So we are at a stalemate.... 3 bull calves and 1 heifer so far. I will do my best to convince him to sell the 3 bull calves since I have no way to take care of them with no cows here to put them on, no ability to do so with everything else that is going on. They are 1/2 angus and 1/2 dairy (heifers are all jersey/hol and 2 are straight jersey). No point in them feeding extra bull calves....I am not even in love with the heifer calf..... I don't have any special breedings there, to want to keep her for a special reason. We'll talk about it on Thursday. I am going to take them a few more whole chickens out of the freezer since there will be so many to kill. They are always giving me some sausage or venison or something every time I go there. I wish we were closer neighbors.......

Okay, knees got a little break, time to get up and do something more. I am thinking that I might try to load the other bureau tonight, but there are no outside lights so on second thought, no, will wait for the morning.

 

[farmerjan]

Tuesday. COLD and WINDY !!!!! Was 36 this morning so not freezing but the wind is cold. Chickens are mostly staying in the shelter or in the underbrush around the holly tree and the pines behind the shelter.
Brought up the rocking chair that was my grandparents and a half dozen boxes. Got all unloaded and in the house.

All the paint/stain is in the house and in the under the stairs closet area. Got the baseboard panels on and the switch covers on. Got all the boxes of bottles in the car for the farm this afternoon. Got the list of things that I need to do, including cleaning out the 2wd truck for the heater core replacement. Going to leave about 1 to do the errands and not have to rush. I am going to work on the kitchen cabinets for a little bit before I go. That ought to open up some space to "pile more junk".... I have PT early tomorrow, then the rest of the day I can do house stuff. I do need to get that freezer emptied and cleaned out and repacked so I can find room for the chickens. Maybe this weekend while I am packing more stuff; since I need for it to defrost a little. I can do some, sit and pack some or whatever.... I want to get the other bureaus moved... I think that the double one will fit in the car as it is not real high... so maybe I can get all that moved and then the bed will be left in there. Also noticed I have pictures to take down..... still alot to pack in the other rooms... but I am making progress.
Gotta go get some feed for the chickens for this afternoon and to hold them over for the morning til I get here after PT.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @farmerjan,

I watched a new video on the YouTube channel "Our Wyoming Life" where Mike talked about the cost of ranching in 2020. (I have posted the video past my signature.) You know a whole lot about ranching (and farming and raising chickens and ...). It seems crazy that we in America are letting our small farmers and ranchers fail due to rising costs and falling commodity prices. What do you think we as America as a whole and Americans as individuals could and maybe should be done, if anything?

Senile Texas Aggie

You may not have seen this post on my journal of the Tanya Tucker song, so I will post it again here on your journal:

 

[farmerjan]

@Senile_Texas_Aggie I don't know what else to add to Mike's video. I don't know the answer anymore. As was discussed awhile back, parity would help. But as long as you have a country that has the "cheap food" mentality, it will not change. The big companies that control the processing plants controls the food supply. The regulations that have buried the small processor were looking like they would get more reasonable.... with the new administration that looks to be coming in, gov't control, gov't regulations and the whole mentality of the gov't being better to "manage things", you are not looking at it becoming easier for the small guy to open up a new processing facility.
My advice is to find a local farmer, and start buying direct so that they can put more of the food money in their own pocket while they still can. And develop a relationship with them so you will be able to find food. Support farmer markets. And get a little prepared because if the value of the dollar starts to fall, your money is not going to be worth near what it is right now, and you will not be able to buy what you need. Listen to some of the other of the more radical democrats.... talking about the taxes and what they are going to need to be able to "take care of" and "help" the poor to become equal..... I am not a pessimist.... he// I'm a farmer.... we have to be the ultimate optimist.... to believe that the crops will grow, the weather will work with us, this year will be better than last..... But I am also a realist..... and it is not looking good for our future....we are cruising for a fall.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed eve. Cold breezy making it feel colder. Supposed to get down in the 20's ..... it is DECEMBER..... doesn't mean that I like it though.

Did PT then some errands/shopping. Then back here to do the chickens and pack all the samples. Then I have been working on a few things here in the house. I will go down the hill and maybe pack some more stuff. At least get some more boxes taped back up to I can have them ready.
Have to get all the meters in the truck tomorrow, for testing during the day and then for dropping off at the other farm; plus the hoses for that farm and the longer hoses that the other farm uses; I will drop off meters & hoses for that farm, on my way home so they can do their owner sampler test. I will pick that up on Saturday morning, after I test the farm that I have set up for then. It will be cold again tomorrow, getting the stuff ready that I can tonight. I won't bring anything up the hill in the morning since I will be pushing for time to get the chickens done and all and leave by 10:30 to be at the farm by noon to set up.
Not looking forward to tomorrow ..... getting closer and closer to wanting to retire.... Just don't want to have to deal with all this cold. I want to sit and drink a cup of hot cocoa and stay in and stay warm......

We had 1.6 inches rain the other day. I brought the rain gauge in so it doesn't freeze and crack. If it rains and isn't too cold I may stick it out but for the season it is in.

 

[Mini Horses]

@Senile_Texas_Aggie

I feel the need to have production in the quantities being demanded by stores just puts a small farmer at an almost insurmountable position. Years back there wasn't the cities and communities with density of today. Lifestyles are more elaborate, more expensive and more dependent on mass production and mostly ready to use/eat foods.

So the large orders promote the need for greater production. Most without the regard for taste, nutrition, variety and good stewardship of the lands. Animals, well a lot of the heritage breeds don't work fast enough...genetic diversity...look at CCX chickens. It's a specialized breed for everything...more meat, more milk, more eggs...and so on. If you live in the right areas, where there are no or few really large, commercial ops, farmers like Jan can almost survive, sometimes close to break even but, with added value items helping. Hay, extra grain sales, etc.

I surely believe in supporting your local farmer and small, local businesses. I don't see enough coming from that to resolve the problem. In some communities there are enough small farmers to form a co-op which can combine their "products" to produce a larger quantity to sell. This can help them become more marketable for the larger buyers. The continued rise in the costs of all that is needed to produce is killer!! Equipment, fuel, fertilizer, seed, land, water, feeds, insurance and just keep going -- especially with no discount for the little guy consumer.

Farming is done by and for the love of it. . Maybe a DNA fault of the best kind?

Maybe we could use some of these genetics to improve the politicians.

 

[Mini Horses]

Not looking forward to tomorrow ..... getting closer and closer to wanting to retire.... Just don't want to have to deal with all this cold. I want to sit and drink a cup of hot cocoa and stay in and stay warm....

I can relate!!

 

[Baymule]

If someone isn't raising their own food, then do as @farmerjan said and find a farmer, better yet, find several farmers. Stock up on essentials, when you think you have enough, stock up some more. We are in for a rough ride.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Not looking forward to tomorrow ..... getting closer and closer to wanting to retire.... Just don't want to have to deal with all this cold. I want to sit and drink a cup of hot cocoa and stay in and stay warm......

Miss @farmerjan,

I hope you will be able to do that by this time next year.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[farmerjan]

Thursday eve. Got home from the farm I tested, after dropping off the meters, hoses, and sample bottles for the other farm to owner sampler. Was going to fill waterers for the chickens but they still have one nearly full and it was dark and I said THW it.... tomorrow morning I will fill all them. There's feed in the feeder and they were all settled. I will want to get up here at a decent time to pack samples and do some other stuff.... got a "clothes rack" for hanging stuff on.... have to get the hangers and get some of these clothes hung that were washed and dried on the line.... it will get some of the mess and baskets of laundry sorted out... I will try to bring some stuff up in the morning as it is supposed to rain again Friday aft/eve????? So a load early would be good.
Testing went well. 5 of the 6 heifers I took up to them have calved. 1of the 2 jerseys, is just 2 days fresh.... but the other 4 are milking decent, for only being fresh a month. I am glad they are hitting close to the average of the herd.....not bad for 30-40 days fresh. The one jersey is a little less but that is to be expected. 2 of the others are doing really well and the one is okay... she will probably not be that great a milker. Her udder is not very well put together... and I told them that if she doesn't measure up that she can come back and I will try to put a couple calves on her. She will probably milk decent this time around... but her udder has very little center ligament support, so will probably look more like a "basketball" in a lactation or 2 . Not desireable but she can raise a calf or maybe 2 at a time. They are satisfied with them so far and that is good. No real attitudes or kicking problems thank goodness.
3 bull and 2 heifer calves.... going to try to see if the one neighbor here wants any of them.... I have gotten him some calves in the past. Will sell the 3 bulls at least. They have a calf buyer but he only buys holstein bull calves; no crossbreds. Hoping the other heifer calves soon......If necessary, I will go get them and sell them..... not especially needing the crossbred heifers either... but not going to give them away price wise. Something to deal with in the next few days. I might just pay them to raise the heifer calves up to weaning and then can deal with them just feeding daily in the barn lot at the nurse cow barn.

I am going down the hill and get a shower and get something to eat and go to bed. Got to take the blanket with me and maybe I can get the other single bureau loaded in the morning to come up and a bunch of clothes and hangers for the ones here.