Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

10 p.m..... BEOOOTIFUL DAY... but a LONG one.
Went out to go do the cow and FLAT TIRE on the forester.... probably picked up something in the pasture yesterday. So got the buckets of grain for her and the one I take to put grain in for the calves in the bunk feeder when they come in the creep gate....then went and did the cow. Came back and put clothes in to soak. DS wanted me to go look at the hay as to whether I thought it needed tedding or just raking.... I said I thought just raking. Took the ranger and got a load of old hay/mulch stuff and then he texted and said that if I thought it only needed to be raked then go ahead. So I came back to the house with the mulch and got the headphones/ear protectors and my cap and went to the back field at Doug's.... Got on the tractor and raked.

DS came by and I said it would be ready to bale in a couple hours as it was drying fast.... the few green spots that I turned up with the rake exposed to the sun and wind.... he said that he thought that the hay at his barn might need tedding around the outside along the trees....he was going to the thing for her father... it was 1. Said I was invited and I said that I wasn't in the mood for people and wanted to keep going on the hay since it was a good day.
He hooked the tedder to the big Deutz tractor so I could go tedd the outside 2 -4 rows at his barn. I can't get on this tractor without a block as there is only 1 step and it is too high for the knees to deal with and there is no strength for me push with... there should be 2 steps instead of only one... spaced better... It is all I can do to pull myself up from the step to the platform....
I did take that into consideration at the barn and fixed it so the tedder was not hooked into transport position as we have to get off and unlock it to let the sides down... BUT I forgot to angle the tedder so it would catch the rows of hay to fluff them out behind it... Used some wood 2x6's stacked to get up on it... but when I got to the field realized I could not get off and angle the tedder better so the tedding/fluffing throwing the hay spread out, was not as effective as it did not get all the way down almost to the ground... but it did spread some so that was the best I could do... there was no where I felt like I could get off the tractor and then get back on.

So I took it back to doug's and got the tractor and the rake, went back to his barn field and started raking. Then DS came and brought me a c'burger and a hot dog... the c'burger tasted like sawdust... really awful... the hot dog was good.
Took a couple of hours to rake that field, his GF brought me a bottle of water when she left her parents when I was about 2/3 done... and she was going to help DS.... and then talked to DS and we decided that I was going to take the tractor and rake down the hill to "dennis's field"... where the thinner hay was and there are 4 different fields there...

This was getting to be about 4 or so and I said that I might just take it down and be done for the day. But when I got down there, it was still pretty nice, sun still out and not hot so I started raking. That field is completely dry....I got about 3/4 done and picked up some hi-tensile fence wire somewhere in the field... I was not near the 6 outside rows.... and it got all tangled up in 2 of the "wheels" on the wheel rake and even tangled around the axle... I spent over an hour trying to get it undone and called DS to see where he was, and he said to call Dennis and see if he was home and could bring out a pair of fence pliers or wire cutters..... he came out and cut the stuff so that I didn't have to keep trying to feed it around to get it untangled. He said he was sure he had gotten it all picked up... but you could see where I had not been near the perimeter where the old fence used to be. Nothing got torn up or anything... but I would have been done with the field if not for that. So he took me up by his house where DS had parked his truck when he came up the hill with the tractor, this morning, after finishing mowing the upper field this morning... and I drove DS truck up to the farm, where my car was.

Needless to say, it was by now, nearly dark... so I got my car and came home... and did not get into the garden. Tomorrow morning maybe for a little bit????

All together I raked nearly 30 acres, between the 3 places.... The weather was PERFECT for drying hay... like we used to do in CT... cut one day, rake the next, bale the 3rd day.... NO HUMIDITY.... it dried so fast and good.
He has another 25-30 acres already cut between the 3 fields left down @ dennis's, and another place he cut today. If we could have 7-10 days of weather like this we could pretty much do all the rest of our first cutting... and we have 25-30 acres that belongs to the guy we work the calves... we make his hay.... and then we will have about 40 more acres to make.....we make somewhere in the neighborhood of 100+ acres 1st cutting, and then about 60-75 for 2nd cutting... for us. Fred's only gets cut once then he turns his cows in on the hayfields for later grazing... but that is all his, we get paid to make his hay. Don't know what i hit to get bold letters. Not going to mess with it. Oh, just figured it out... I hit the ctrl key instead of the shift key when I went to type the "b" in but....

Tomorrow is supposed to be about the same but maybe some more clouds. Then Tuesday it is supposed to get hot and be in the 90's and then 40-50% chance showers on Wed and Thursday....

I need a shower and some sleep. The knees ache big time from being on the tractor for so long. I did take a break when I got down to the last field I was in... got off that tractor and walked around for a few minutes... then of course, spent an hour on my feet trying to get that wire all untangled from around the 2 "wheels" that rake the hay and the axle...
But I am tired...
Came home and ate a hamburger as I had already thawed the meat... what a difference to eat one that is not overcooked and tasteless.... drank a glass of milk and ready to call it a day!!!!!

 

[Mini Horses]

We're having similar weather here...they re-tedded yesterday across the street. I suspect they'll row this morning. May bale late, or tomorrow for sure. Thick over there!

You've got great hay making now....shame Wed rains. 🤷 If DS can bale hard, you should get it up before rains. Winds down here today! They were about 15mph all weekend....good for hay if you had that and lower humidity. 😁

Can DS install a fold up step on that tractor? If not, you may want to get a mounting block that can be pulled up onto tractor with you -- something along the lines of horse mounting. Glad the tensile wire only damaged your time and attitude. 👍🤭

 

[farmerjan]

58 this morning and cloudy....WTH... they said partly cloudy... No sun in sight and by now it is usually pretty sunny coming over the hill. Radar showing some possible passing showers????? REALLY ???? NOT starting out to make my day.
Hoping this passes and misses us.
Ate a bowl of cereal and going up to the cow... Going to need to tedd out the last few fields he cut so that they get a chance to dry better since there is no nice dry crisp weather and no breeze this morning, either. It is looking like the clouds/showers will pass and be gone by 11 or a little earlier.
DS is planning to get it all baled by Tuesday night... At this point hot temps would be better than not if we are not going to get the sun and breeze today.
Going to text him and tell him to go on and tedd the last field he cut that is up closer to the barn, while it is still hooked to the Deutz... then bring just the tedder down the hill; we will hook it up to the tractor I have there, and I will go up and tedd 2 of the 3 fields... he said one is not quite as heavy and it is out in full sun... no trees around the perimeter for "green spots". Then come back and rehook up the rake. I have to test this afternoon... but the tedded fields will probably not be ready to rake until tomorrow.
Let's hope these clouds just stay clouds and pass through like the radar is showing. I am going to go down and finish raking the field where I stopped last night with the wire problem, just as soon as it looks like it is "safe" to do so.

 

[murphysranch]

You work amazingly hard. I can hardly believe it. Wonderful job, both you and your son.

 

[Baymule]

Ringo’s front teeth, bottom only like a cow, are long and crooked. I’ll do whatever I need to do.
Clearly you need to take him to the goat orthodontist!


ya know, there's Invisalign now! DIY Ortho.

SHEEP!!! SHEEP ORTHODONTIST!!!

 

[farmerjan]

Monday night... it is after 10.... wow...

Got cow done, Talked to DS, went down hill and finished raking the little bit of the field I didn't get done because of the hi tensile wire problem. Raked a little spot of about 2 acres behind the barn there... I hate this cutting pieces of this pasture, as so much has so much rock... but DS managed to get around without any real rock problems this year... DS brought the tedder and hooked it up and I went up to the "top field" and it was thick and quite a bit of green.... took about an hour to get it all tedded it out... about 6-8 acres I think he said. It never would have dried at all without being tedded out. Then tried out a row in 2 different spots on the way back down but they were quite dry.
The couple of sprinkles had pretty well stopped... it cleared off some of the clouds and could see a few peeks through of blue, but not really sun. It did warm up to 78 on my thermometer....
I went to test and got that all done. Talked to DS on the way home... he got all 3 different places baled today, and the little spot above the barn down there too. He unhooked the tedder and hooked up the rake so I can rake tomorrow. I have the other little patch of pasture, the "long field" that is about 4 acres, the tedded out field up top that is like 7-8 acres I think, and then down across the creek as we call it for another 5-6 acres. He said that did not need tedding either. Then back up the hill to the last piece he mowed that he said did not need tedding... about 4-5 acres I guess. I will be on the tractor for many hours all together...
He said he is going to work a half day...which means 6-10 a.m.... and hopes that I get started a bit ahead, so that he can do a few things at the barn then come down and start baling. I need to keep ahead of him which usually isn't too hard if I get an hour or 2 head start. I figure to be on the tractor by about 9 a.m. if all goes well.

I am praying that there are no "little sprinkles" to cause us to have to question raking or baling like this morning... we want to get it all "up" tomorrow -Tuesday- Rain/showers/storms forecast for Wed eve and Thursday...

I am going to get the samples packed to drop off in the morning... I have to go by and get some feed for the cow... and I have to take the meters out of the outback, since I have not had the time to see about the tire on the forester that is flat. I will probably just get the air tank, and hopefully it will get me down to the co-op farm bureau (3 miles away) so they can pull it off and see if there is something in it. I don't see any other tires here at the house for this car.... 14's for the ranger... there might be a couple at doug's barn... but if it is just a piece of wire or nail or something they can patch it... but in the meantime, I will get the meters put away, get some feed in the outback so it won't get wet...
And maybe be able to get the rest of the mulch hay and stuff off the ranger before it rains too.
Worry about the tire the end of the week after the friends have been here and left to continue on their trip to Cass, WVa and ride on the steam train that goes up the mountain there... it is a narrow gauge train that was originally for timbering the mountain off.... we've been there a few times over the years... nice to go on.

So that is my day looking at me... Oh and I forgot to put the clothes out with the sprinkles and then the hay work... so would really like to get them out in the morning so they will dry. Forecast is for the heat to come back in and hit 90's tomorrow... partly sun I think... Hot and sticky Wed then drop off to the 80's for a few days....

 

[Baymule]

Your son got the baling done and it didn’t get rained on! Super! More baling today, then rain coming. The rain will be good for the grass that has just been cut. Only going to be 99F here today. Then back to the 100’s for the rest of the week. I put up the electro-netting and put Ringo and his girls in the yard. By 2-3 they are bawling to go back home to their shady pen. It’s hot there too, but they flop down, pant and ruminate. I moved the netting last night, got to raise and stake it this morning. Ground is hard. We need rain.

 

[farmerjan]

7 hours solid on the tractor, raking. I just came in, got another cold drink and a 1/2 egg salad sandwich... going out to the garden for a little bit. Temps went from 60 to 88 and it was hot out in the sun. Thankfully, no rain on any of it... and with the heat it was drying what few "green spots" there were, FAST.... DS worked til 1 then brought me Wendy's lunch and then went to baling as I finished raking the "across the creek" field, after doing the long field then the top field... then left and came up the hill and did the 2 lots in the subdivision that were very dry without ever being tedded. This is the way we like to make hay... 95% not needing tedding due to the dry air and sunny weather... Going outside... be back later if I don't fall asleep in the shower.

 

[farmerjan]

Back in, shower, hair washed... all the cow manure from yesterday and the sweat today... away down the drain... sorta like the Roto-Rooter jingle !!!!
Worked in the garden until I couldn't see. Got the mulch/old hay stuff unloaded off the truck. Put down along the new green bean plants that came up.
Took a bale of straw and mulched more along the potatoes until I could not see what I was doing... Will try to do the rest of the potatoes tomorrow.
The old watermelon seeds did not come up but the cucumbers and the butternut squash did. Got some of the cardboard down and old mulch stuff on top to keep them from getting blown around or anything. Got to get some more and get it around the cucumbers... and then the cantaloupes that were already up before I left and the green striped crenshaw melon plants.
The grass is taking over the garden where I did not get it mulched earlier... It does pull up pretty easy though. There is quite a bit in some of the rows with the plants... I just have not had the time to get in there like I should. Hopefully we are done with hay for a few days... and no more trips up north except when I go get the other truck and bring it home... so if it is not sweltering out, I hope that I can spend an hour or 2 most evenings in there and get it caught up. The yellow squash plants are really growing, there are green tomatoes that I can see. Peppers on some plants too. The first green bean plants are getting some size and the ones I just planted before we went, are up.
The lawn mower won't start... just keeps cranking this time. DS said he has a friend that has one for sale... Maybe I need a "better" one... The grass DESPERATELY needs mowing too....

Today was a nice but "warmer day"... At least the clouds and sprinkles from yesterday went away... DS got everything baled this afternoon... he was at the last field that I had raked when I went back up to get my hearing protectors so they did not get wet... they were on the steering wheel of the tractor which is where I put them when I got off and shut it down.
Sadly, we still have several more places to do and there is a 20-30% chance of some storms....through the next few days...one day of 10% chance..... then up to 40-50% chance right through NEXT Friday... Unless it changes I guess we are done for a week or so.
I sure hope I get the lawn mowed before I can't find the clothesline....
I even got the clothes hung today but forgot to bring them in this evening when I got in the garden. Should be fine as it is supposed to be partly sunny and HOT tomorrow until late afternoon.
Going to put another gallon of sun tea out in the morning.
Got to run down and get some feed in the morning for the cow and calves.....
And try to make the house a little presentable for the company that is coming from CT to visit... Hoping we can take them around to the farms and all since they are farm raised....

I noticed that the african violet leaves that I had stuck in soil to try to get to grow have FINALLY got some little baby plants coming along. Several of the leaves did not make it but there are a bunch that did. There is a new round of flowers coming on the mature plants and some of the ones that I got from the violet barn mail order are showing buds too.
Remember all the bargain ones I got for next to nothing this winter on clearance from Lowes? They all look really good and many are flowering too. I have several duplicates so have some that I can give away or sell... Still hoping for a yard sale this summer... Thought maybe June but hay making has to take preference right now after the trips north and all...plus dealing with the weather.... Maybe in July????
Need to get some stuff more organized in the kitchen so that once it is time to start picking vegs.. I can get them processed and into the freezers.

Right now I am going to head for a soft spot to put this aching body....

 

[Mini Horses]

The lawn mower won't start... just keeps cranking this time.

DD had same on hers. Took to shop last week and it was a solenoid and connection wire. $14. Parts. Hers was right under carb. May want to check that ....🤞