Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

It's 18 here... at 6:30 this morning... the wind has laid down so no terrible wind chill. Supposed to be a little warmer, low 40's today..
Thinking a cup of hot cocoa would be a nice way to start. Sky is getting lighter across the road...

Yesterday felt like Sat and I keep thinking today is Sunday...

Now forecasting for freezing rain on Tuesday morning.... Of course, we have the 500+cow herd scheduled.... have to leave here at 3:15 A.M.; just what I needed.... Don't laugh, but I do not know how to put the explorer into 4 wd... going to have to get out the manual and learn.... even DS said he has no idea how to do it... Oh for the SIMPLER DAYS of just locking the hubs and pulling the lever inside....

Going to work on getting the vinyl around the side/back of the 2 pens for the chickens... I am sure they would have liked it before that horrible wind the last couple days....There are some wind breaks but not "snug"..... Been researching what the company suggests for putting it up and they talk about putting grommets through the vinyl and then using a screw with a large washer to hold the grommets against the boards .... if you want to take it down in the warmer weather, like a porch or chicken pens or something, then you use a screw that actually screws into an "anchor".... the anchor stays in the wood and the screw screws into that.. The idea is to NOT keep making holes in the wood.... so that is what I am going to do....

NOW, have got to get the little stuff to do that... maybe in the meantime I can put it up with duct tape so as to not damage it.... wouldn't have to hold forever.... or make a trip to Lowes to see if I can find what I need. Supposedly they have anchor screws and such.... not sure about the grommet tool. Not a huge expense... so got some possibilities... Then I can take down all or part of it in the heat of the summer.... going to make the piece over the top permanent attachment I think... Since I wasn't sure if I would even really like the stuff, I did not go all out to get the "whole nine yards" ... and I just looked and the vinyl company is out of the grommet making stuff.. so I went on Amazon and Ebay... and Ebay is cheaper... then checked out Lowes... more expensive... Will have the stuff from Ebay in a couple days...

And am going to see how much more I need and order it since even the vinyl company is having a "Black Friday" sale on the stuff... irregular ends and all that... SOOOOO, I need to see which weight/gauge I like better for the sides and order it this weekend... A project to get on today...

Inbetween seeing if I can get the 5 c/cf pairs in at snyder's... and DS wanting to work the cow/calves at the barn later today...

SO NICE to NOT have that wind whipping around out there this morning...

Okay, breakfast of some sort is the first order of the day... stomach is growling... There was not alot of spaghetti left last night... so it is well digested according to my stomach just now.... need food....

 

[Baymule]

It was 66 in the house when I got up, 45 outside. Yesterday was clear and sunny, today too. I'm trying to get all I can do outside on days like this. I had on a long sleeved thermal shirt with a flannel shirt over it. Started with my Carhart jacket to block the wind, but took it off once I got moving.

 

[Baymule]

EIGHTEEN DEGREES??? Aw HE// NO! Than would be a full on disaster here. We get temps like that here, thankfully they only last maybe a week and it is awful trying to get animals fed and watered. I generally cut water off, drain pipes and have a large tub full outside to dip water out of. I carry a shovel to bust ice with. Not any fun.

 

[farmerjan]

I filled several 5 gal and a couple 2 gal buckets, from the hose 2 days ago...then drained it.... brought 2 in yesterday to thaw and will use them for water today... so much easier to fill them with the hose outside, since this kitchen sink is too small for 5 gal buckets... the 2 gal barely fits under the faucet.... and it's just a pita to do it in the bathtub... will bring the other ones in today/tonight... they sit in the hallway near the door and can thaw... yesterday there was a good amount of ice on them... today the ones left out there will have more... as long as it doesn't stay too cold for too many days, they don't split.... they started to thaw a little even yesterday in the sun... today the ones out there ought to thaw some in the sun, before they come in for the night... I only use about 2-3 gal for the chickens/turkeys..... so they last a few days... It will warm up more by the end of next week and I will fill them again.... not using the automatic waterers now.... not that big a deal because you just do what has to be done...
Got to stop and fill the 5 gal bucket with chicken feed from the bin and bring it home to mix with the higher protein stuff for them all too...
Turkeys are showing their true "colors"... Got 3 male royal palms, 1 white male, 1 royal palm female and 2 naragansette females I am pretty sure.... males are starting to pick on the females... showing off...They need more space or leave....