Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

I edited my last 2 posts a bit.....

 

[Bruce]

I can't imagine how he can rehab at home right off without someone there 24x7 for a while.

 

[Baymule]

I understand your reservations. You may have to rethink your second income a bit. You can’t do it by yourself and if your son actually gets married, he isn’t going to want to work all day, then come home to cows, hay fields, and working half the night. He is going to want to spend his after work time with his family. It sounds to me that change is on the wind and it’s coming right at you. Take a step back and look things over with a disinterested third party frame of mind. Make Plan B, C, D...... and take it as it comes. You have wanted him to find that right one, maybe she’s here now.

 

[farmerjan]

His girlfriend and her sister have supposedly figured out the 24/7 when he goes home to her house. Wasn't asked, and did express my surprise, thinking that I would be able to go stay with him and split time with the girlfriend at his house. So, let them make the decisions.

I get that he won't want to spend all is time farming, have tried to get him to back off some and have a life TOO.... but I can't see him being happy being a lap dog either.... and he is going to want to do things that he has always taken pride in doing. He has alot of friends in farming, evidence all the offers of help. I just don't like the "attitude to farming" vibes. I have no intention of giving up my milk/nurse cows, and I can just as easily keep a couple of the pastures and pay rent before we got this big. I cannot imagine him giving up the place(s) that belonged(s) to his friend that died of cancer , his widow & the brothers' widow, that we farm both jointly.
You never know. Trying to not borrow trouble and get ahead of myself. Let it play out some. This injury may convince him that we do need to cut back some, and that is fine, it has been working in that direction with the couple places we lost to sales and this other one that wants to make it a deer "haven" . But there is a certain threshold we need to pay the rents on the important places.....
Just let it play out some and see.

 

[Baymule]

Words of wisdom.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Miss @farmerjan,

I was not on the forum yesterday, so just caught up. I am happy that your son's surgery went well. As everyone else said, I hope he follows the doctor's orders and stays off the hip.

Regarding the girlfriend, I have no wise advice. But like Miss @Baymule said, have backup plans in place in case they do get married. As the saying goes, "A son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter for all her life." Let's hope he can make both you and his girlfriend (future wife ?) happy.

Senile Texas Aggie

 

[Mini Horses]

Sex.

Let them work through it all...the 24/7 and all. Bay is right -- do a third party visual. You know that 24/7 time will bring out reality. There may be no issues in a month. Everyone can settle.

While that is happening, you know you have things to handle and line up the friends to help get it done. Look at that Plan B. and know what options you can take....financially & physically. Pro/con list, etc.

Remember, you have your own surgeries coming up & need to be ready for that. NO-- you don't change plans. It will work.

 

[farmerjan]

Had a pretty good day. Caleb and his girlfriend came and we got in the group of cows, and got the big calves weaned off. Then got the cows and small calves in, 12 have small calves that we got in, separated out 6 with no calves, put them in with the ones we took the big calves off that are due to calve soon, worked the small calves (castrated) and black leg shots and the cows got Triangle 10 which has the lepto in it. They are in the field in behind the barn because the diesel truck we use to pull the trailer wasn't plugged in and the glow plugs don't work. It is supposed to be in the 60's tomorrow, so hope it will start and we can get them moved to the winter pasture.
Put out hay for the weaned heifers, another roll in the field with the now (mostly dry) but ready to calve group. There were 3 that had already calved, but 2 had real new calves and wouldn't come down to the lane where we move the cattle to and from the field. I will try to tempt them to come down with some grain a couple times, and if the calves get a little older they usually get less protective about keeping the baby away. and just moved them in there with the others they had been with. They can get worked and moved when the majority of these calve. Also have 1 totally crazy nutcase in there that had a small calf, that we couldn't get in. She has a fairly new calf, and has a "blue eye"...probably a result of pinkeye in the past and is blind on that side and really high strung. She will get to raise this calf and if she doesn't calm down considerably, will get sold after this calf gets raised up. She is a bought cow.

Tomorrow they are coming back after lunch; will get the panels up for the sheep pen division, hopefully get the 2 loads of cows/calves moved to the pasture, and put up a couple of gates there because there were 2 posts that had been hit and broken at the base over a year ago. Got the new posts in but there is ab out 30-40 ft of fence that needs to be rebuilt. We have some older, extra gates, some bent up some, that can go up there to keep the cows in. Maybe next year he will get the fence rebuilt. (?)

That was more than we had anticipated. Got to feed hay in the back field behind the barn tomorrow, and I have to get all my stuff in the truck to go to Winchester late afternoon to test the next morning for the farms that I had to postpone when I had my little dizzy/eye episode. I will be back from there Monday afternoon.

Got a text from his GF that he was home with her and resting about 3 p.m... So I texted back, asked if he was okay and I got one that said he was doing okay and tired.
Guess that's that there.

Perfect difference, Caleb's girlfriend is not a "farm girl", per se, but her father and brother are hunters, and was raised in "the country" , and has been helping him do stuff. He has been managing a farm for a local, but has just given his notice to become a "state grader" meaning he will go to stockyards and such, to "grade the cattle and probably sheep and goats and hogs, that are sold. Some places that hold special state graded sales have to use one that is a state employee, and they have to pass certain qualifications. He will also be "part-time" for awhile, but he wanted the job so is happy to have an "in". If it develops into a full-time position, he will be employed by the State Dept of Ag and will qualify for all the state benefits. He's hoping. He has been FFA and all that, showed cattle and stuff so knows alot of what all that requires.
The good thing, since it will be part-time to start, I will be able to get him to come and help do some of the feeding and stuff. Paid work, as I don't expect him to do all this forever for nothing, like he/they refused to take anything for today. But this is looking like it will be a GODSEND for me that he will be available once he works out his 2 week notice, and gets moved (house they are in comes with current job) as he will only be working 2-4 days a week for awhile as part-time. And it will give him time to better take care of his own cattle which have suffered some benign neglect from this job taking way more than the 40 +/- hours it was supposed to. He used to work at UPS, and got off by noon so could do his own farming stuff. Got offered this job, was almost "too good to be true" and turns out the hours were not anything like he expected. He knew that there would be days that he would work long hours, he knows farming, but not every week.... avg 60 hours a week and very little time off to do any of his own stuff. He will be 1/2 hour away but it is near where he lived when he was living home with his parents as a kid, so not a big deal. Now he is only 10 min away.

Nikki said she enjoys this and said no way was I going to pay them for helping. Today was the first day I had met her. She works for a home health organization and is nice, personable and willing to help. Showed her what to do, she caught on quick, and was very helpful. Likes to do it. It was a nice if somewhat chilly day. Supposed to be warmer tomorrow. Made it so much easier on my ankle and knee. I envied her just because she could walk through the field/lane to help move the cows, and I miss being able to walk without hurting so....

So, things are looking up. I will go to my son's in the morning after I get all my stuff in the truck. Feed and water his chickens, and get things ready for the panels for the sheep. Got to get some t-posts from the barn and figure out where there is a sledge hammer to pound them in. They can come directly there and we can get that done and out of the way first. It's only a couple miles up from the "main farm" so that is handy.

It was down to 22 this morning here, CHILLY WILLY !!!!!! sun and some high clouds, warmed up to about 50 but a light breeze. Gets cold in that barn where we work the cattle. Sun and Mon supposed to be in the mid 60's then a front coming in and back down to the 20's and maybe hit 40 for 2 days. Possible snow flurries but probably not, just cold rain. Be glad to have the cows at the winter pasture, plenty of grass, and good places for the calves to get into cedar thickets.
Then some more "normal like" temps in the 30's -50's .

I'm tired, it was a good, but long day for me. After all the "nerves and worries with Michael, and now him going there, I have just decided that I will see what happens. I will not be running down there alot with all the chores to do. Plus, I have not even been told where she lives..... Hmmmm. Have to get some hay rolls moved off the back field too so they can seed the wheat on the corn ground. I will be busy this week, but that is in a closed cab tractor so won't be too cold. I can probably move them with the automatic bale truck I am driving right now too. It has a great heater..... Got a couple more farms to call to schedule too.

 

[farmerjan]

@Mini Horses , the only way the surgery will get changed is if the bone doesn't knit and he has to have a partial or total hip replacement. Then I will have to postpone, and might have to do it in the spring. But it is going to get done. I want to be able to walk.... then the knee.... But they say they will know within a month if it is healing/knitting back so I have plenty of time to make adjustments.
It is looking like the last week of Jan due to a schedule conflict for the doctor. They are supposed to call me back within a week. I am thinking like the 28th or 29th. About 2 weeks later than originally planned, I was thinking like the 15th or something, but too bad a difference. Still gives me 3 months before most will start spring calving. Even if I can't do alot actually in the field, I still should be fairly mobile and past the worst of the pain and difficulties. And will have the added extra of Caleb working some too... see above.

 

[Mini Horses]

GOOD chilly morning to you! Only 30 here, heavy frost but, it's ok.
Upper 50s later. Yeah Tues into Wed looks like a rough spell with COLD and the rain. BRRRRR.

At least you got those cattle worked, sorted, moved. That will take a whole lot off of your mind, right? Those two are helping you through the "OMG--this is tight" couple of days. It's wonderful! Don't spoil their gift. Thank them and pay them later, when it's a real "hired help" thing goin on. Sounds like much of your immediate issues are done. And that young man's job plans couldn't have worked out for better timing -- for you. He knows how to "read" cattle, that's your bonus. Livestock can be hard or easy to "work" depends on knowing how.

The surgery move for out two weeks may be a better fit for you, also. By then DS will hopefully be mobile and you can then let him be the one to handle work while you recooperate.

Now -- relax & remember that DS is NOT a teen, does NOT have to check in on a personal level for his "at home" life. LOL They haven't kidnapped him & will be sure he is "fed & watered". Looking at the future, I feel the ladies will be more than adamant that he mind dr orders to heal properly....in their best interest also, right?? She will give you her address if you ask, so you can see DS in person. Remember that you wanted him to "find someone" and while this may not be the picture book situation you envisioned, you don't have to live with them. Just try to find a way to like it for now and if it does evolve into a permanent situation, hopefully it will be one that works well for both of you. Once this initial accident is worked thru, he's feeling better, etc., you two can talk -- JUST you two -- about your agreements and past/current farm work and agreements. That way, with only you two, both can feel free to state and listen to each others concerns and true feelings.

I'm thinking it will work out in the long run -- whether they stay together or not. It doesn't sound like your son wants to quit farming, or in any way distance you, cut you out. BUT it does sound like he would truly enjoy a family.....remember how we both say there are days it would be "nice" to have "someone to talk to". Well, we are old and had all the kids/family/etc. already -- now he would like that and no doubt wants to share that. Just try to look at it as a positive until proven otherwise. She will look at farming differently once it settles in that she will still have "we" time with DS. Remember she is jealous of you, at this point.