Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Baymule]

Broken equipment. $$$$ I don’t blame your son for being angry. Maybe that’s a field to let go and not bale anymore.

 

[farmerjan]

Quickie post as I have to get a shower and fall into bed... I hurt/ache beyond belief with doing the 500 + cow herd this morning and the 240 cow herd this afternoon and have to go back to that herd in the morning.... got splattered something good this evening at this herd... yuck.... shirt back looks like I stood there as they threw cow sh$t on it....

Went down to the stone house and got the table top and a couple of boards and stuff and a few things to go to the dumpster while I was there.... because it made sense to swing by that way.... although I was tired...
I am taking the truck in the morning.... it is only 6-8 miles to this farm.... put the 2 large cooler chests on the truck, and will go by the fairgrounds and fill them with the chickens to bring home. Talked to Bonnie today about it... all is good... will call her when I am getting done testing... they are working at the fairgrounds as the fair starts on the 15th or something... Then, all according to time and her schedule, so I don't inconvenience her... will get the rest out hopefully within a day or 2.....

So a few things on the list are getting close to being crossed off.

I will try to take some time tomorrow to post. I did get all the samples packed and sent off today too before I went to test this afternoon.... 67 early and up to 93 late today. Supposed to be hot again tomorrow.... then the remnants of the storm... looks like @Mini Horses is going to get a good bit of rain from it... us.... not so much

It was hot and muggy today.... at least tomorrow won't be so rushed.... although it looks to be pretty darn uncomfortable. Hope DS got most all the hay baled today. He texted me at 4 a.m.; he had just finished working on the baler and got it back fixed and together..... got about 2 hours sleep before he had to go to work today... I bet he crashes into the bed tonight.....I used to do those hours too.... getting too darned old to do it anymore....

 

[Mini Horses]

Well, "cow splatter" is one issue I do not have on my job!

I am not wanting to go to work today after so many days I've managed to have off. But I'll get there...will be ok once in the truck and driving. You know the feeling.

We are supposed to get the rains Thur evening. Need the rain again and prob 1.5-2".

Early mornings are not fun anymore. Used to be standard but, so easy to drift into later get ups the older I get. Part has to do with erratic sleep now. 5 am up is nicer at 7am now ... Of course, milking is always closer to a 4am start, right? Well, with a herd. A single can be much later.....like my goats.

 

[farmerjan]

Yes, @Mini Horses I know EXACTLY what you are feeling.... once I get out the door I can manage.... and make myself even somewhat positive about going to work.... most days anyway.
Yes!!!! 5 a.m. is so much nicer at 6 or 7 a.m..... like you with not always going to sleep as easily... partly that is because I am not as tired some nights.... and these knees are a real source of aggravation.... I so hope that I will get the relief I am wanting once the replacements are done and they are healed.

This mornings' herd that I went back to has run the gamut of different milking times in the mornings. Used to be 3:30... then 4 then 4:30.... now they are lucky to get started by 5 a.m. . Many times the help doesn't show up on time... and the one brother is notorious for not getting there until 4:30 or 5. This morning I was there at 4:15 because you never know....got the samples from last night sorted into numerical order to make finding the bottles easier to take the 2nd sample.... they are the only herd that still takes 2 samples....Pain in the butt.....they claim it is more accurate but multitudes of studies over the years have proven that not true... but you can't force them to change....

It was a long morning.... I hurt ALOT now. Got to get the computer stuff done... he won't give me the jump drive in the evening when I am there, so now have to do all the milk weights etc.....for both milkings on "my time" here.... Yes, I get to sit... and right now I am on the couch with the left leg/knee/ankle up but I hurt.
Got my share of "covered" again this morning.... this is the worst barn for getting really dirty and cow splattered..... I really hate it. Makes me think more and more about just quitting for good.....
Going to take the clothes and put in the wash before I get it all over the furniture..... I did not change jeans but did put on a clean work shirt this morning.... it is all splattered....and stinks. Think I will take a shower and wash my hair too....

So, I will do the computer work in a bit... I am actually contemplating laying down for a bit... this place just makes me feel crappy.

I also did stop and got 2 cooler chests full of the frozen chickens out of the fairground freezer on the way home. Called her when we were about done, and then got them in the chest freezer here, and with the big turkeys in there, it is pretty full. So will put the rest in the upright... about 2 more cooler chests full to get. Alot of chicken..... lots of meals.... money in the freezer....

So I am going to get going on this work stuff....It is sunny and getting hotter... was 70 when I went to work.... and is supposed to get back into the 90's ahead of the remnants of tropical storm Elsa hitting here. We are far enough north and west that it will probably not be much. Won't hurt to get some moisture though.

I think that an hour out flat with these knees is what the doctor ordered.... I really ache.... nothing is hitting it either. Too much on them for the last 2 days....

Tomorrow have a dentist appt at 9... cleaning and such... then will leave and go to the herd 125 miles away. He called and said if I still could, tomorrow would work for them. I will do them because they are always good to work with me and my schedules..... That will not be so bad after taking off the rest of today.....they start at around 1 p.m.... said they are milking fewer cows... will swing by and get milk from my farmer on the way home but should not be home so terrible late.

I think I will go get the rest of the chickens on Friday... she said whenever it suited me, she has some sewing she is doing today... and I am not sure I can stand another trip with my knees.... We'll see, I might feel up to another trip later... have to see how hot it gets too. Mornings are better for doing them as the shed is in the shade too in the morning, so not miserable to unload either.... tomorrow is out....The food for the fair is ordered... and will be picked up next Mon... so I'm good for time....

I would like to see if maybe later I can get some weed eating done here and maybe get on the mower.

At this point, I plan on Friday to go down to the stone house to get the stuff that needs to go to the dumpster... out of the fridge, so DS can move the fridge. Few odds and ends on the front porch, and get stuff out of the building that can go to the dumpster too. Then the fish tanks and whatever all else there might be....some tires and stuff that I need to bring up here.... Plans are to be done this weekend there... for good. I am ready to not go down there anymore.

 

[Baymule]

Farmerjan you get sh!t at and hit more than anybody I know.

 

[farmerjan]

Well, got my break....... for nearly 3 hours!!!! Fell asleep and woke up around 3.... Knees still really really aching. DS came by after work and got the tractor and baler... went to get the upper field I had raked Monday, baled.... then raked and got the 2 little weedy fields baled. The truck is gone and I assume he took the tractor and baler back to the barn, so must have gotten a ride back here to get his truck.
I did go out with Deb to eat....and just got home a little bit ago. Had a good meal, and brought home enough for a good lunch....

Got most of the computer work done for the farm, will print out the "racking list" so I can pack the samples... will drop them off in the morning on the way to the dentist. Have to get the bottles in the racks for testing tomorrow afternoon.... have it all in the car ready to go when I leave in the morning; so I can go from the dentist and head north to test.

Just about the time DS got here after work, it got dark and heard thunder in the distance.... looked like we might get wet... but it stayed north and east of us and didn't get any rain here. Looks like they got hit pretty good in Staunton again.... We are supposed to get rain starting in the morning... 7-8 a.m. that will be okay. We can use a good rain, again. It will keep the temps down in the barn too for testing.

I am beat even though I got that long nap today. Going to go to bed after I get everything ready to go in the car.

 

[farmerjan]

Thurs night. Got up this morning, and got the rest of the samples packed, boxes strapped. Put a couple boxes of bottles in the car to take and put the samples in the racks when I got to farm as I expected to be early. Left and went and dropped off samples to go out UPS, went to dentist appt. Got done and stopped at Goodwill as I haven't been in there in awhile... got a couple of books. Looked at the jeans and they have gone up from the 4.00 to 4.50 to 5.50 to now 6.99 a pair.... Didn't find any for me but I always look. Then left there and headed up. Stopped and got a sub at Jimmy John's.... and stopped at the feed and farm and garden place right there near the farm. DS was looking for some 10cc darts to treat a neighbors' cattle for some pinkeye and all we can seem to get here are 6 cc... a full sized cow needs 10 at least or you have to use 2 - 6's.... and they cost over $6 a piece now..... It seems this place has started ordering them for some of their customers.... and had just gotten in 4 pkgs of 10 cc that were not "spoken for" but just to have in the store.... I asked how many I could have and they said,,,,, well, all if I wanted them. So I got all 4 pkgs.... there are 5 darts per package....$33 /pkg..... but they don't go bad so I was lucky to get them.
Then I went a mile to the farm. Started milking at 1:15... done at 3:15.... they are down to 95 cows from about 180+.... this is where the 72 yr old farmer broke his ankle and just now is out of the boot.... it looks like the 2 brothers are going to go their separate way... the cattle sold were 90% of the other brother's.... and his GF said it was by choice they are mostly all went to a farm in PA.....there are some serious family dynamics there.....
OH WELL..... it went pretty well but by the end of the 2 hours my knees were saying....hey.... not another long day or you will be sorry..... did the computer work and headed home around 4 or so....

Get down the road a bit and get a call from DS...... cow 1850 had a dead bull calf, where is the best place to get a calf to try to graft on her.... so I told him 3 farms there close.... none had a calf..... didn't want to get a calf off 2 other places as they are never very healthy.... no need to get one and have it die too.... so I thought of a farm on my way down as they also breed quite a few to black bulls..... we would rather have a black half beef calf.... and called and he didn't have a black calf but did have a 24 hr old holstein bull calf, and they hadn't fed it yet.... and so I asked to stop and buy it and he said sure.... So I got there, moved stuff around in the car, and put the back seat up so it was smaller in the hatch part ( it is a subaru legacy station wagon type thing)..... got the calf, tied it's legs, and home I came. Put it in the barnyard as DS wasn't there. He said he would be back in a bit and get the cow down out of the field... drag the dead calf so she would follow it to the barn.... I said to call me if he needed me.

So he called a little bit ago, was on the way to the barn. I said that the calf ought to be hungry since they hadn't fed it... he asked if he should leave them together and I said see how she acts... if she butts it, then separate, but if she seems to accept it then leave them together in the lot....she is a pretty good dispositioned cow.

He just texted me and said she/they did really good. Calf went right on the cow, she stood there and never picked up a foot. He was really pleased... so left them together. So, hopefully she will just accept it with no big deal... and in a day or 2, she can go back out with the rest of the group again....
Sometimes you hit a home run.....She is not the best cow, but pretty quiet.... she only has one eye, born with a shriveled up eye, so you have to be a little careful working around her since she cannot see on the one side.... but not mean or spooky... we kept her because she would not have brought diddley squat at the sale as a heifer.... this is her 3rd calf maybe... can't fault her for a dead one... he said she had licked it and it was all cleaned up... just dead.... if she raises this graft calf I have no complaints....

So I just ate my leftover shrimp fajita.... and am going to go to bed shortly. Will pack the samples in the morning and call Bonnie and see what her morning looks like and go get the rest of the chickens when it suits her. B called and left a message to call her.... about the cleaning I guess. I was in the barn testing and when I called back got her voice mail... so left her a message. Will call her in the morning. Plan to go down there and get the fridge emptied and stuff to the dump.... all depending on the weather, bringing stuff out of the building up.... will need help with the couple of big fish tanks.... but can get a few of the smaller ones myself... get the couple of pieces of furniture out and to the dumpster too.... I will be done this weekend......

We only got .1 inch of rain here at the house. Looks like it stayed east... mostly all to the east of the Blue Ridge mtns... central and south central Va getting the most. We could have used a good steady rain on the hayfields.... radar shows some more maybe early in the wee hours of the morning tomorrow; so we shall see.

I'm tired so time to hit the sack....

 

[Mini Horses]

Lucky on cow/calf deal. Not the lost one, of course but, the bought one. Sounds like it will work. Goats not so easy to convert. Did have a hen steal a chick from another!

We got Elsa. Rains began about 5 hrs early, outer bands. When center got here a lot of tornado warnings, tracking etc. Winds picked up and rain increased. Still some steady 20ish mph but rains seem done. Last check right at 2". Needed. Nothing major thankfully.

 

[farmerjan]

Cloudy, not too hot but a little muggy. Supposed to clear out later on... slight possibility of showers, but radar looks like they will stay south if they even make it over the alleghanies to the west.

Woke up with another headache.... Time to get an appt at the chiropractor.... might just be sleeping wrong.

Samples to pack yet and then out the door. No major disasters that I have heard....

 

[farmerjan]

Saturday afternoon. Got up and went down to the house and took stuff to the dump. Came back and got the shelving boards, the 250 lb "feed bin" made by high country plastics that I used for the cat food and a few other things in the truck..... stopped at the mill and dropped off some styrofoam peanuts that he can use when he ships stuff.... came up and got it unloaded.
Had talked to B last evening, she came by as I was going out to the building to rearrange some stuff... told me how many hours and what all was left and how much more so far. She said she would be there saturday (today) for about 2 hours.... and I said that today would have to be it because this has gone over budget . I had gotten an estimate from a "professional cleaning company" and was going by that.... figuring she would be a little cheaper and could use the work. But it has gotten way too expensive.... so I told her that I would give her some if we were at the house at the same time, or leave her a check, and then get her the rest the end of next week.... that it was just over what I had budgeted and that I didn't have a big cash flow with not working when we had to go north for the funeral.
So today, She got there when I was loading the stuff on the truck... and gave her a check for 2/3 of what I would owe after todays' work... the total... and told her I would text her as soon as I had the rest, this week coming. Ordinarily I would have had no problem but all the bills came due and I didn't work but 3 farms in 3 weeks.... and everything else has been paid automatically for the first of the month....
She has done a good job, no complaints, but it took more time and she wanted more per hour because it required some serious cleaning.... plus she did more than I would have had done, washing down the walls and stuff that I would have only had vacuumed..... extra time that I don't feel like I owed landlord.... but it is done.
Talked to the landlord and he said well, today was the tenth so that he guessed that a third of the rent would be okay, and I looked at him and said , what.... I thought that when we had to go for the funeral that he said not to worry about it and that we would have the extra week's grace.... so a few minutes later he said that I didn't owe him anything.... I said that I would have the rest done this weekend outside....
The storage building is going to be a problem.... and he said that he didn't want me to go in there and get stung as there is a nest of yellow jackets in one of the big boxes in there and when you go in the door they go beserk.... that it might have to wait for cold weather....he doesn't want me to get stung and there is nothing in there he needs to worry about.... I would like to figure out a way to maybe get it moved at night... put a bigger box over top of it in the dark maybe.... but that is that.... so I am not going to panic over it. I will offer him a little bit to leave the stuff there since he said it is safer to not get stung.... There is just a few boxes, mostly empty that I used to transport live chickens in, some with returnable bottles to go north. the couple of pieces of furniture and the fish tanks.

He has had the roof worked on and there is an electrician there working on the bad outlets.... and put in a new toilet and is putting in a new overhead kitchen light, and working on all the lights that don't work... and the outlets that don't work..... and asked about the furnace because even after he had the chimney cleaned after 10+ years and the furnace serviced after nothing for 10 years... it still doesn't always work....have to go down and hit the reset button..... and I told him that he really needed to make sure that they closed the back door tight because it will get wet and the water drips off the roof and gutter there and it will start to come apart.... and that I was careful after having the new one put in last year.... and he said oh, you should have told me,,,, and I said I had told him that the water was dripping on it and it was getting in to the door.... it is one of those storm doors that is metal over the presswood composite stuff..... and the water had gotten down into the stuff and it started to get spongy and come apart.... and since I had someone else put it in, I have proof that I did it ... just told him that I had had it done before I had my ankle replaced.....So it is not like I have not done a few things there.....

But, he is having to spend some money now before he rents it.... and I feel sorry for whoever gets in there with the costs of heating it in the winter.....Oh well... I am leaving on as good a note as I can.... could have done some of this when I was there..... but he won't put the stairs back in or open up the upstairs....

DS said they will get the refridge either tomorrow or Monday..... so I will make sure it is emptied by tomorrow morning. I forgot the strapping tape to put the cardboard boxes together so I can take the stuff to the dumpster....and landlord said to take "my" swing set base... it was there on the other side of the garage I was not allowed to use...I told him.... so he said oh, well he was going to get rid of it so I think DS will get it for the metal.... I am thinking it would be good for using in the garden for pole beans and such.....

So, When I was here, DS texted me and asked if I wanted to rake the hay that he had cut yesterday... which he never told me about..... he took the rake there and I said yeah, I could go rake it... It is mostly dry.... but looking at the radar, we may very well get hit with some showers/storms after 7 or so by what is coming across from WVa.... I told him about the chance of showers on the radar.... don't know if he is going to try to bale it or not. He said he has not felt good all day. Then he asked if I had been to the cow... and I said no, he usually goes to the barn on Saturday mornings....so I went up to the barn made sure the calf ate when I gave her some grain, then went and raked the hay..... didn't take an hour or so.... Alot of weeds in part of the field... it is a free field and we do it because it is right there close and we are going by it .... plus NO ROCKS.... It makes a decent amount and he does fertilize it.....

So, am done with that... he was going to haul round bales... and brought me one crappy bale and we got it partially unrolled... big sections, so I will have to go out and pull it apart.... need the pitchfork.... and then get the potatoes put on it and covered.... won't be great but ought to give me some and at least the seed potatoes won't be totally wasted this year. Plus it will kill the grass underneath, and provide organic matter for the trees to get planted this winter after the potatoes are long gone....I will work on it when it is cooler....maybe later, maybe tomorrow morning. Told him I would like one more crummy bale out there to unroll next to that one and then just leave the rest for me to use to put overtop as they sprout. I need to go get the pitchfork... it is in the building down at the stone house.... got bee spray, but would prefer to go in there after they have settled down for the night.

There are about a dozen peaches on the tree here that are actually going to get big enough to ripen and eat... got to check the trees down at his other place.... and see... they ought to be getting close to ripe soon too...there were alot on the trees there.

Don't like the looks of the sky.... him and GF are moving round bales..... and he is having to plug in the charger to get the truck started.... so I wasn't crazy or being ridiculous about it.....when it was totally dead the other day... almost funny that he said he couldn't understand why it was dead and I told him the key was not all the way off.... and I think that one of the 2 batteries is bad.... so it won't hold a charge now.....

Going to see about going down and getting the pitchfork and maybe getting the stuff out of the fridge.....