Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

With all the strange weather patterns everywhere, it's a challenge! Actually where I am our worst snow events have been the first week of March! Like what's happening now, moisture from S or SW, meets with deep N front of extreme cold. Already more snow than last 5-6 yrs combined. Hoping it's over! Twice in 21 yrs I've been here we have had over a foot...both in March.

 

[Baymule]

Twice in 21 yrs I've been here we have had over a foot...both in March.

You keep YOUR March up there!

 

[farmerjan]

Here's hoping that we do not get @Mini Horses "march" weather this year too. But yeah, snow in March seems to be more common.

It was down to 16 this morning.... BRRRR. Was not thinking it would get that cold. It also was very still so the air temps really dropped... no clouds or anything. At least no wind either...
Sun most all day. Got up to 38 so not particularly warm but not that bad. DS was moving cattle to the barn from the pasture down near GF house... called to make sure of the number of cows/calves there. He also said he moved a couple other animals around at the barn. Moved a couple heifers out back as "keepers" and said that we need to look through the rest after we do this next preg check and pull off these calves on Tuesday. He wants to take another group of heifers to the guy maybe next weekend. Works for me. I don't think I have too many more heifer calves on cows.... and there are maybe 2-3 steer calves at the last pasture... they will go in with the steers that he has had on feed to be sold probably in March. Then we will be starting the spring calving in March/April. I still have 3 to pull out of the nurse cow pasture.... one steer and 2 heifers that will probably be kept. I figure next week after we get this big group preg checked and cattle moved around.

Deb did come out and we went out to eat last night. Chili's... okay but was not overly impressed. This sinus drip I have had is wearing me down... coughing and all. Today I have no real ambition to do anything.
We did talk about my wanting to do something different with this kitchen sink and having to replace the formica countertops. She has a sink that is "molded" in with the counter top at her house and I like that there is no edges to have to clean around or under and stuff. I have been looking at undermount sinks. I am thinking about a hard water proof counter top for the counter next to the sink rather than the butcher block that I really like. If it is molded all in one piece then there will be no water leaks or anything and be easier to clean/maintain.
Plus she finally got the drawer done and all, and I told her today that I wasn't feeling all that energetic, and she is coming out next weekend she said, so I said I would get it then. We then talked about other options for the kitchen... I really don't want to spend a fortune since I still want to get the upstairs ceilings torn down and get that done by next winter.... so may just go with new countertops and the sink... I just have not had much "umph" to do it the last couple of weeks. Need to get my rear in gear and make some decisions and then when the weather gets a little warmer can open up the upstairs windows and all to start tearing down the ceilings.

Trying to get a list of phone calls to make tomorrow... have to take the meters and all to that farm that wants to do their owner sampler. I can go and do some looking at the kitchen counter tops then too. Ankle has been swelling alot and is achy along with the knees. I think it is somewhat due to the cold. Plus, I have been cold all day. Not sick, just chilled.

Everything else is quiet. Going to sort clothes to do some laundry with the nicer days coming. I have to get after a couple of herds to test, and I really am not wanting to go do them.

 

[Baymule]

It’s no surprise that you have run out of energy. You are still recovering and taking physical therapy from a double knee replacement! Your body is telling you it is tired. Take a day or two to do as much of nothing that you can. You deserve it.

Corian is the name brand for that molded sink and countertop. It’s real nice, comes in a multitude of colors and looks good.

 

[farmerjan]

Chilly start to the morning but not quite as cold as it has been. 20 earlier but up to 30 already at 9:30. Today is supposed to be upper 40's or low 50's. We had a chance of some showers/spit of snow flurries but not likely. @Mini Horses is getting rain/"stuff" over on the coast. Rest of the week is supposed to be nicer..... 50's and sun most all week.
Since I have to take the meters to that farm today, I am going to make it a "day out" and do some more looking at countertops and sinks. Tomorrow is the vet preg checks... then down to one place to get moved to the barn, and checked out. And possibly selling one more group of heifers to the private buyer the end of the week. I guess tomorrow we will go through the heifer calves and see which ones we like and vaccinate them. The guy wants them with a vaccination and it costs about $1-2 each... so not a problem...we can use the killed virus vaccine that I prefer so that is good.
I was going through the paperwork and there are only 2 heifers at the last place. They are both mine and I am not worried about selling them so this should be the last group of heifers to sell. Then he says with the steers to come home from that place, 30 +/-, and the couple of groups at the barn he has been putting together, of about 15-20 and there are some steers in the group he brought home yesterday... there will be 50-60 steers to sell. That is going to towards the mortgage payments on the farm down near her and the big farm payment here.

DS is also looking at the fertilizer costs and might not be growing much or any corn this year. It will cost in the neighborhood of $700 AN ACRE, to put corn in.....that is nearly double from the $400 an acre it cost last year. That is NOT counting the cost of harvesting. Seed corn runs about $200+ an acre just for the seed. Then there is fertilizer and the cost of planting. Fertlilizer is more than double the cost. He is talking putting in roundup ready alfalfa because we are still fighting the johnson grass in those 2 fields... that was the reason for the corn, we could spray to kill the johnson grass. I don't like the reviews I have seen on roundup ready alfalfa, and mentioned it to him. Cattle supposedly don't like to eat it and there have been some reviews of health problems that have been suggested to have been caused by the alfalfa. But nothing I can put my hands on right this minute. I hate using the chemicals, but we cannot get rid of the johnson grass and it takes over the fields and then we cannot sell the orchard grass hay when we put it back in those fields after the normal corn plantings for 2 years. I don't know the answer. Of course, we would not use the amount of chemicals as some places because it does not have to be "pristine" alfalfa with no other stuff in it.... and it would make into hay so we would have some good protein hay for them... if they eat it. I am going to get on a couple of the sites and look into it more.

So, I am getting on the phone and calling some farms. I have a meeting Wed eve and PT on Thursday... late in the day. Going to call them to see if they have anything earlier that day so I could test afterwards. Then sort some clothes so I can do the laundry with the nice sunny days.

Guess I better get up and going.....

 

[Mini Horses]

Rained most of the day. . Didn't need it.

 

[farmerjan]

It is later than I thought... had a decent day. BUT..... we had some snow and the road temps were in the 26-30 degree range and DS said they had to put a couple trucks out. They were all going to work until 6 and then at 4 the boss decides there has to be a night crew so DS got off and went home and laid down for 1 1/2 hrs and was back to work at 8.... and he went to the barn before being back at work, and loaded 3 scoops of silage on a truck for a guy who has been getting it.... REALLY.... and tomorrow he has the dr appt in Blaksburg... 2 hours south.... then come back to get the heifers in at the pasture to move since there was no way he could do them this afternoon with working longer... then having to go back in.... There were some icy spots this afternoon since the road temps did not warm up.... It stayed cloudy and some light precip..... and the forecast was it was all supposed to be gone by 10-12 noon..... WRONG..... He said he was going to go over the roads and then find a spot to get a nap and that all the guys were also going to have alot of "slack" cut so they could get a few naps in too.... DS said he has been getting into bed before 10 so he was really feeling it at 10:30 when he texted me to see if I was up.... then he called and talked a little bit. I HATE IT when they do this......

I did take the meters to the farm and left him a note that I would be back on Wed to get the samples since I will be too busy tomorrow with the vet preg checks and all.

Went by Lowes and talked to a lady there but she was not very positive about redoing the "corner".... so I also went to the Lowe's south of here as I wanted to go by the bank and make a deposit so I can pay the mtg tomorrow... and the young guy there was REALLY GREAT. He said that I did not want the "corian" sink.... because it says you are not supposed to pour boiling water in them... and they are not as "heavy duty" for plopping a bucket in them or anything.. that I wanted cast iron or maybe a granite .... absolutely not to get acrylic and to watch some of the other ones as there are some chipping issues... And if I went with stainless to get the heaviest gauge... which I don't want anyway. Then we talked about the corner sink thing and the cabinets and he said there were ways to make it work. Talked about custom tops and then looked at the premade ones they have there... they are formica... but the front edge is molded so no seam along the edge like I have now... definite improvement. Said that a complete redo with cabinets would cost in the 9-12,000 range and the other lady said 15-20,000. No, I am not going to do all new cabinets... but he really spent some time with me going over possibilities. He will get my business unless I find something way better at Home Depot.... And he agreed that those in the corner sinks are pretty useless and he got it when I said about wanting to be able to get the pressure canner in there to wash and all.... Talked single and double sinks.... and he knew exactly what I was referring to about the sink with the drainboard that I had in the old house in CT.... said he wished he still had the one that had been in his grandma's house...
And he said to go by the Habitat RESTORE.... and that I might find a sink out of a renovation.... probably wouldn't find the counter tops but that you never know....
He also suggested that I stick with a drop in... if it is cast iron white enamel, then there will just be the one edge all the way around.... an undermount would be more likely to have water get inbetween the sink top and the countertop....and it would cost alot more to get it "finished", and the drop in (top mount) would be stronger.....
He said to measure all the spaces I had, and then draw up a couple of possibilities.... sink in the counter space next to the stove so I would be able to look out part of the window on the left.... sink in the counter space on the right of the corner... and having a counter there next to the stove.... The custom counter tops would run in the $45-75 sq foot all according to what kind I might like.... the other premade ones were limited in available colors, but they come in premeasured sizes... 4-6-8-10 ft long. and there would not be a corner seam or a "front seam" if I used one long piece.... and I could even take out the cabinet part between the sink and the stove if I put it to the right side window, and give me more "moving space....
Also suggested to have a single long sink on one side and then go with a smaller single sink on the other cabinet side.... would still have the back "v" part of the corner for the plants and such but the sinks could be used independently and get the bigger sink I want with a smaller one to function as a "double sink".... something to think about. And this corner sink is over 250 new in the book and he said they really are pretty useless for anyone who had a family or did things like canning and such.... I don't feel so "weird" about it anymore. And this guy is probably in his 30's.... yet he really listened to me. I do want to go by the Restore store... there are 2 or 3 that are pretty close.... and just see what is available.... Never know.....

So I got home after 8 finally.... and ate the leftovers from Chili's ... and ready to go to bed.

 

[farmerjan]

Also got a farm set up for Saturday afternoon, and one for next Tuesday. Need to see if there is an earlier PT appt on Thursday and then do a farm in the afternoon. Phone calls tomorrow....

 

[Ridgetop]

I did 6 of the 7 apartment kitchens using cabinets from the reStore here. That was when oak cabinets were going out of style and white pressboard was coming in. I like oak since you can buy oak lumber to cut and finish to customize the stock cabinets. Sometimes they have good stuff. If you make a habit of dropping in and talking to the managers, you will get to know them and can call to see if they got anything you want. Don't forget to ask if that is the best price they can give you in Habitat. Also on any closeouts at Lowes you can get the price down a bit more by asking the manager. And if they are closing out a lot of one style of cabinets and you take most of them, you can get the price down considerably. Since you want to redo your tub, and maybe install a second bathroom upstairs, watch Lowes and Home Depot for parking lot sales. Sometimes they will have a lot of closeout pieces and you can get really good deals. I got several bathroom cabinets, wooden frame medicine chests, etc. that way for the apartments. Also got a huge lot of closeout laminate light oak flooring that I used in our house here in the 4 bedrooms. Got it for about 25% of what it would have cost normally. Some waste, but still a great deal.

DH's question is "What is the best you can do for me?" It usually works.

 

[Baymule]

WOW! A guy that listened and actually could give advice! A lot of Lowes employees are just warm bodies. I like the old guys, they are usually retired, work part time and know lots of stuff. You struck it lucky with this guy.