Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[CntryBoy777]

Glad it worked out for ya to get that all done....and hope the trend continues for ya!!.....as Mom would say....it's about time something change to your favor.........if I could, I'd come for a visit and help ya with those chickens at the right time, but would have to do them in a couple of sessions....that many at one time would be a bit much for just 2-3 people....if 1 of them was me anyway....

 

[greybeard]

Make hay while the sun shines...
Glad to see there is hay being rolled this early...last year was a terrible year for hay and price and availability reflected that over much of the Southern and Eastern US.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @farmerjan,

I agree with @CntryBoy777 -- I am glad to see some things going your way for a change. It seems like you and a few others were battling one setback after another. But now with your hay baling progress you might be able to take a breather (in you case, probably 10 minutes) before you go onto the next thing. Hang in there -- we are all rooting for you.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @farmerjan,

I ran across this YouTube video from a guy who I think lives in Virginia as well:

I wish you would do videos like that. You would certainly be as interesting as this guy is, and almost certainly better looking!

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @farmerjan,

I forgot to post this video, just so you can feel cooler:

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Mini Horses]

I like "riding" with the farmer baling. makes me appreciate the cost more.

So, FarmerJan, what's the stuff he's spraying to dry it? How does it affect the hay & livestock? We learn....

 

[Baymule]

@farmerjan i sure would help you with the Cornish if I was closer. We have 40 in the new chicken tractor I built. I bed them with dead hay, it got wet. I spread hay the 2nd morning, the 3rd morning I move it over and rebed with hay. We won’t do them all at once, we do the biggest first, usually 6 a day.

 

[farmerjan]

@Mini Horses ; if I'm reading this right, the farmer is adding something to the hay as he is baling it? It might be "propionic acid (sp?). It is used to control mold and yeasts that can grow when hay has a "higher" moisture content. Have never used it, don't know alot about it, except that it inhibits mold and yeast growth at a higher than normal moisture content if you are pushing to get hay baled due to weather. There is also something like calcium carbonate or maybe sodium carbonate, that is used to get hay drier quicker..... again, never have used it. The one tractor we bought off our friend's estate, was equipped with a "moisture meter" that when hooked to the baler, would tell you the moisture content of the hay going into the baler. I think it was equipped to add the "propionic acid" to the hay if the moisture content was too high. We have never used it, not sure if it was even working when we acquired the tractor.
Have no idea of the effect to animals or people but if I remember rightly, it is something that is created in the gut tract of mammals, and actually is "good" for the gut tract...? Honestly, you would have to look it up as to the pros and cons of it. I do think it also helps to preserve color, but doesn't make mediocre hay better.

 

[farmerjan]

@Baymule; yeah, they don't all have to be done at once, but the biggest ones are 5-6 lbs probably now. There were a few that they must have missed when they caught them all up. I lost 2 when the temp hit the 90's, probably heat stroke/heart attack. It happens. But I really would like to just find someone that does the whole butchering process because I just don't have the time, especially at this time of year. And the standing on my feet and knees for any length of time is tough.
Wish I had gotten them a month earlier; they would have sold good at the big poultry swap and I wouldn't have to be dealing with them right now. I certainly can't pick and choose when the house "goes out" nor do I have any idea of how many I might get.
The next big poultry swap is the 3rd Sat in Sept.... they have it twice a year. It is close to Richmond Va and there are tons of people who come to it and many different ethnic backgrounds that buy up the "killing size" birds. I probably keep them as long as they are in the houses, 6 weeks, but they grow a little slower here and get out on the grass and stuff.
I'd love to do a trade off though. I can't eat them all.

 

[farmerjan]

@Senile_Texas_Aggie ; thanks for the link to the video. Explain to me why I can watch the one about tedding, but when it comes to the baling, it says it will not support my video.... some quirk for sure. I tried my work computer which is a bit newer than my old home one, but won't work on it either. I am going to get my own "newer" one for work, set up next week when I am in Raleigh; I will be stopping by our processing center for the dairy records. Maybe it will work on that one.

Took my son back up to the hayfields this eve to get the tractor with the discbine that he cut with. We did a quick count and figure there are right at 95-100 round bales. 5x6 which will weigh in the neighborhood of 1200 lbs. +/-. Figure about 25 to 30 sq bales @ about 50 lbs each. Anyway, there was about 40 acres total more or less, and only 2 places were fertilized, about 20 acres. Had right at 30 on the one 10 acre field so 3 per acre. Decent enough for just mixed grass that has a little of everything in it. The unfertilized fields did about 2 per acre. Not great but not terrible. They are all "lots" in what used to be a big farm. Some was probably in pasture, there is some rough and steep ground. But since they are all right in the "subdivision" it is convenient to do them all while there.
So thankful we got it all done last night. Today started out real nice, bright sun, 80's. And I thought, boy, we killed ourselves last night for this? About 3 p.m. it went from blue sunny skies, to grey, then nearly black clouds and thunder and lightning, and RAIN !!!!!! I had gone to town for a few errands, and put a couple of 50 lb bags of feed in the front seat of the little truck before I ran into Walmart.... thank goodness. When I got home, we had had 6 tenths (.6) at the house. Some clouds still but clearing out. Radar shows them to build back in early morning hours, then more again Sunday and maybe Wed.
Sure am glad we did push yesterday. And the rain was very welcome on the just cut hayfields, and the corn is about 6-8 inches tall and it will shoot up from that drink after the 1/2 inch it got last Sat.
After last year, this has been an exceptional start to hay season. A couple more "rains" like this and we will get a 2nd cutting of the orchard grass sooner than later. That will set us up for a possible third cutting if it gets any decent moisture. Won't hold our breath, but by the time we get all the other places done, the first good orchard grass field will be ready for 2nd. We are ahead by about 2 weeks by what we normally have done by the first of June. The one place I normally can pick the wild black raspberries when we get in there to cut. They are not even fully filled out and just as green as can be in the fence rows.
The mulberry trees are ripening. Saw a bunch at one place. It is a little bit early for them. Have to go check the one tree at the pasture we moved the cows out of. It is our "winter pasture, and the tree there usually has a pretty good crop. Also has a cherry tree, it's an old farmstead. One of those that is a yellow/blush cherry. Maybe something like a royal ann or something? I never seem to get to it to get them picked.... have to check it tomorrow if possible.
Oh yeah, all this in my spare time.....