Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[drstratton]

@drstratton ... I can't even figure out where the 4x4 knob/control is... they have a knob with 4 pictures and none make a lick of sense to me... GOD forbid they use words for us normal people... got to use pictures for those that can't read things....
My NORMAL 4x4 trucks have a simple lever... 4H 2H N 4L... yes, have to go in neutral to go into 4L...
This explorer is just a .......#@%&

I don't know why they have to make things so complicated.

 

[fuzzi]

Well,,, turkeys are gone... DS sent the pics to the guy... he said he wanted them... they made arrangements with DS, this morning.... to come this morning... they came, we haggled a little over the price... the hens were alot smaller... got cash in hand, they loaded them... and are gone!!!!! So next year (only a couple months away) I will hopefully raise a bunch more... and they wanted to know if I had anything else to sell... looked at the chickens, and I said no, that they were all for breeding to get eggs to hatch... so going to raise up a bunch of the NH's as the cull roosters will be good to sell them too.... and they wanted more turkeys.

They bought DS's rams that had broken horns so a good source to sell to for the ones he can't sell to the guy for the hunting preserve...really liked the turkeys... and since I like raising them... a good deal all around... Less on the feed bill, hopefully next year I will have the fields here fenced... and can raise a bunch... and not have them get on the road or attacked by mangy foxes or dogs or anything.... I am getting psyched for it now...
The NH's are so nice and quiet... and now I can actually give the Langshan bantams their own pen so there are no roosters wanting to bother them... they seem to be getting along so for now they can stay together for the ease of feeding and watering... but I intend to get some NH bantams too... like little cornish game hen sized....
AND I have that line on the VorWerks that the guy lives an hour or so south of here... get eggs to hatch... love the red/black contrasting color... kind of similar to the NH colors.... like that red/black contrasting....
The buff leghorns are going to have a short life here I think...

DS said he wants to get the cows across the driveway with the calves to work them in an hour or 2... move them to grants field behind me... get with the bull... and I have to get the 5 pairs in at snyder's.... would be nice to get everyone moved around.... and settled in, in the next few days...

I like my bantams, too. The OEGB are still a little flighty but one has started laying, so that's a win for me.

 

[SageHill]

I hate to tell you Easterners this, but its been chilly here. It almost got down to 49 this morning. We sleep with the bedroom window open about 3".

SHHHHH !!! we should be laying low with our weather and just commiserating.

 

[Baymule]

SHHHHH !!! we should be laying low with our weather and just commiserating.

Oh crap! It’s going to get down to 34 degrees Wednesday night!

 

[drstratton]

Oh crap! It’s going to get down to 34 degrees Wednesday night!

29° here!

 

[farmerjan]

Phew... in for the night... long day but a REAL GOOD ONE ....
DS called and said they were getting the cows/calves across the driveway, could I come down to the farm and bring the clipboard... They had actually gotten them across and into the barn already... had cut a few out that didn't need... So we sorted off the couple that still have not calved... there are 3 left from the one group, and 4 that were short bred from another place... so a total of 7 to calve.
We kicked out the couple that are going to go to snyder's that are old and this is their last calf... to be moved as soon as I get those last 5 c/cf pairs out.
Sorted 3 with older calves that didn't get moved the last time, and worked the calves and they went on the back hill to make 30 cow/ calf pairs up there... The bull was moved in there about 2 weeks ago...
Took 11 with calves, after we worked them...to grant's pasture.... the one behind my house... already 9 first calf heifers in there from snyder's... He put the bull in there yesterday...
Because he was using his buddy's trailer still, he had to make 3 trips... so after loading the 2nd trip, I went to snyder's to see if I could get them in.... he took the 3rd trip and I was up there and finally called him as they were sitting at grant's across the road.... and said I only have a couple in, the "witch" is not cooperating and I do not want to get them all stirred up... so I will keep these in and see if I can get the other 2 in maybe later or tomorrow... He said okay... so they went back to the barn.....
I worked around and moved the 2 cows and 3 of 5 calves (not all matched) into the other side of the rebuilt barn.... SOOO NICE to have doors that shut and such.... and opened up the pen and then the witch went in... so I quick shut the outside gate, got her in the barn, through the dividing gate and in with the other 2....
Then opened the gate wide and got a little more grain and most of the black white faced her/hol heifers I got from the farm, came in and I just walked away a bit.. got in the car and next thing I know, the other 2 went in... I brought the car around and got the last littlest calf in the gate... it did not know about going in the creep gate I don't think... the other calf had gone in with the last cows... so I shut the gate quick... and called DS and asked if he was still at the barn and he said yes... and I said, well I got them all in finally... did he want to do them... and he said yes, let's get them done... so he came up with the truck and trailer... and I said, you know, we could just work the calves here... and he said, I never thought about it... there is a small head catch we use for the calves... he called GF and she was at the barn, so he asked her to bring the vaccine and the bander ... had 1 bull calf and 4 heifer calves.. and an eartag for the little/newest calf... OF COURSE... I forgot that the one other heifer calf didn't have a tag... but I said OH WELL.... she is my heifer... and she got her vacc shot... she will just get a tag sometime if I keep her..
In the meantime, waiting for her to come from the barn, he took 4 cows "across the road" to grant's, then came back... we worked the 5 calves in the barn... banded 1 bull calf and shots for all 5... then loaded the 1 cow and 5 calves and took them across the road... these first calf heifers came running up and were very happy to get their babies back, and everyone went down into the field...

Jess, my longhorn, was very upset... because she is the only adult cow left there... she had Betsy the jersey and one other cow there for a year for consistent company... Her steer is there that is going to get killed in January,,, and her calf from this past spring... but then there are only " the 12".. bwf heifers there and they have been "beneath her notice"... being "kids" .. I feel kinda bad for her... but DS is going to take the couple of prolapse cows and calves up there, and 3 old ones with calves.... and the 3 heifers that were too young to breed... but are bigger than the "12".... and in another month or so will bring the 12 heifers due to calve in March up there so I can calve them out... BUT... all her "buddies" are gone...
Hopefully she will find a couple to be friends with... I am going to pull her steer from April, off her the same time we take the other steer in to get killed...he will go with the weaned calves at the barn and get sold whenever it suits ..... she should be due to calve again in Mar-May time frame... she has already had 6 calves and should be bred back for her 7th in spring 2026... she can use a rest...

So, we are done with getting everyone moved, that should be with a bull, right now... then there are the couple that haven't calved yet...oh, and 2 that had 2 day old calves we did not bring in yet... and might hold them over and wait to breed them in June for spring calves next time... we'll see. They might get put out with these others, and if they don't breed right back then just hold them over... The bulls will get pulled by the 25th of Feb to cut off our last possible calves the first of Dec... so will have a very defined calving season...

All he has to do is move the 5 to snyders that are not going back with a bull, and the 3 heifers that are too young to breed that can hang out with "the 12"...
Then the heifers that are coming off the pasture.... to calve in the spring... he will wait for his trailer as they will fit on it in one trip... it is alot bigger than this trailer...

We got alot done, it went pretty good except me taking more time than I planned to get them in... but I got them and they are moved...

Turkeys are gone.... all those cattle moved and calves banded and vaccinated... I am very well satisfied with that progress...

It was a nice day overall... sun out and very little breeze... warmed up into the middle 40's.... hit 55 with the sun on the recording thermometer... but it was colder and more raw/damp this evening...

SURPRISE... they are calling for sleet or freezing rain or some snow... late tonight into tomorrow mid day... then clearing, then more snow/wintry mix for early Tuesday morning...
Very glad they got moved so that we were not trying to get the trailer backed around up in the field in the wet or icy slick crap tomorrow... Just feels like a really good accomplishment today...

Took a chicken out of the freezer to stuff and roast tomorrow... heat the house in the cold and wet crappy weather... Trying to figure out something tonight... might just be some soup...

I am tired and it is going to be early to bed tonight... a good hot shower, and a couple chapters of a book if I can stay awake that long... Not supposed to be near as cold... maybe around 28-30 tonight. Got 2 buckets of water moved in the house hallway, to thaw; and I won't need near as much water either without the turkeys...

Hope everyone had as good a day as I did.....

 

[fuzzi]

Phew... in for the night... long day but a REAL GOOD ONE ....
DS called and said they were getting the cows/calves across the driveway, could I come down to the farm and bring the clipboard... They had actually gotten them across and into the barn already... had cut a few out that didn't need... So we sorted off the couple that still have not calved... there are 3 left from the one group, and 4 that were short bred from another place... so a total of 7 to calve.
We kicked out the couple that are going to go to snyder's that are old and this is their last calf... to be moved as soon as I get those last 5 c/cf pairs out.
Sorted 3 with older calves that didn't get moved the last time, and worked the calves and they went on the back hill to make 30 cow/ calf pairs up there... The bull was moved in there about 2 weeks ago...
Took 11 with calves, after we worked them...to grant's pasture.... the one behind my house... already 9 first calf heifers in there from snyder's... He put the bull in there yesterday...
Because he was using his buddy's trailer still, he had to make 3 trips... so after loading the 2nd trip, I went to snyder's to see if I could get them in.... he took the 3rd trip and I was up there and finally called him as they were sitting at grant's across the road.... and said I only have a couple in, the "witch" is not cooperating and I do not want to get them all stirred up... so I will keep these in and see if I can get the other 2 in maybe later or tomorrow... He said okay... so they went back to the barn.....
I worked around and moved the 2 cows and 3 of 5 calves (not all matched) into the other side of the rebuilt barn.... SOOO NICE to have doors that shut and such.... and opened up the pen and then the witch went in... so I quick shut the outside gate, got her in the barn, through the dividing gate and in with the other 2....
Then opened the gate wide and got a little more grain and most of the black white faced her/hol heifers I got from the farm, came in and I just walked away a bit.. got in the car and next thing I know, the other 2 went in... I brought the car around and got the last littlest calf in the gate... it did not know about going in the creep gate I don't think... the other calf had gone in with the last cows... so I shut the gate quick... and called DS and asked if he was still at the barn and he said yes... and I said, well I got them all in finally... did he want to do them... and he said yes, let's get them done... so he came up with the truck and trailer... and I said, you know, we could just work the calves here... and he said, I never thought about it... there is a small head catch we use for the calves... he called GF and she was at the barn, so he asked her to bring the vaccine and the bander ... had 1 bull calf and 4 heifer calves.. and an eartag for the little/newest calf... OF COURSE... I forgot that the one other heifer calf didn't have a tag... but I said OH WELL.... she is my heifer... and she got her vacc shot... she will just get a tag sometime if I keep her..
In the meantime, waiting for her to come from the barn, he took 4 cows "across the road" to grant's, then came back... we worked the 5 calves in the barn... banded 1 bull calf and shots for all 5... then loaded the 1 cow and 5 calves and took them across the road... these first calf heifers came running up and were very happy to get their babies back, and everyone went down into the field...

Jess, my longhorn, was very upset... because she is the only adult cow left there... she had Betsy the jersey and one other cow there for a year for consistent company... Her steer is there that is going to get killed in January,,, and her calf from this past spring... but then there are only " the 12".. bwf heifers there and they have been "beneath her notice"... being "kids" .. I feel kinda bad for her... but DS is going to take the couple of prolapse cows and calves up there, and 3 old ones with calves.... and the 3 heifers that were too young to breed... but are bigger than the "12".... and in another month or so will bring the 12 heifers due to calve in March up there so I can calve them out... BUT... all her "buddies" are gone...
Hopefully she will find a couple to be friends with... I am going to pull her steer from April, off her the same time we take the other steer in to get killed...he will go with the weaned calves at the barn and get sold whenever it suits ..... she should be due to calve again in Mar-May time frame... she has already had 6 calves and should be bred back for her 7th in spring 2026... she can use a rest...

So, we are done with getting everyone moved, that should be with a bull, right now... then there are the couple that haven't calved yet...oh, and 2 that had 2 day old calves we did not bring in yet... and might hold them over and wait to breed them in June for spring calves next time... we'll see. They might get put out with these others, and if they don't breed right back then just hold them over... The bulls will get pulled by the 25th of Feb to cut off our last possible calves the first of Dec... so will have a very defined calving season...

All he has to do is move the 5 to snyders that are not going back with a bull, and the 3 heifers that are too young to breed that can hang out with "the 12"...
Then the heifers that are coming off the pasture.... to calve in the spring... he will wait for his trailer as they will fit on it in one trip... it is alot bigger than this trailer...

We got alot done, it went pretty good except me taking more time than I planned to get them in... but I got them and they are moved...

Turkeys are gone.... all those cattle moved and calves banded and vaccinated... I am very well satisfied with that progress...

It was a nice day overall... sun out and very little breeze... warmed up into the middle 40's.... hit 55 with the sun on the recording thermometer... but it was colder and more raw/damp this evening...

SURPRISE... they are calling for sleet or freezing rain or some snow... late tonight into tomorrow mid day... then clearing, then more snow/wintry mix for early Tuesday morning...
Very glad they got moved so that we were not trying to get the trailer backed around up in the field in the wet or icy slick crap tomorrow... Just feels like a really good accomplishment today...

Took a chicken out of the freezer to stuff and roast tomorrow... heat the house in the cold and wet crappy weather... Trying to figure out something tonight... might just be some soup...

I am tired and it is going to be early to bed tonight... a good hot shower, and a couple chapters of a book if I can stay awake that long... Not supposed to be near as cold... maybe around 28-30 tonight. Got 2 buckets of water moved in the house hallway, to thaw; and I won't need near as much water either without the turkeys...

Hope everyone had as good a day as I did.....

That's great! I'm glad everything fell into place for you.

Do you refer back to your journal, to remind yourself of what you did, and when? I do.

 

[Baymule]

Moving my sheep and sorting them is not near the work as your cattle. I planned it that way. LOL I need to work a few of my sheep right now, but just haven't got to it. I've torn down temporary fence across the back of my "yard" and it is open to the unfenced part of my land. I feel vulnerable, a hog could come right up to the house. I don't like it. I use my yard as an extra pasture and in sorting sheep, not now!

 

[fuzzi]

Ouch.

 

[farmerjan]

Yeah, looking interesting.... We are supposed to test in the morning.... 500 cow herd... if it is snow, no big deal.... ICE is a whole nother deal...