Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

Mowing will be done. With some mooing.

No extra tax on the booze? We whack a huge tax on the booze, and cigarettes

In VA all the ABC stores are state owned!! Nothing beyond beer & wine can be sold beyond those stores. It's been proposed many times but, state won't give up that cash cow. Cigs, yep state and locally taxed heavy. I've never smoked but do audit prices for work jobs...appalling. . It should make you quit if a smoker! Up north they are several dollars a pack more, I'm told.

 

[farmerjan]

Noon Thursday. Been a busy morning. Got up and tested again. Went and did the computer work and the farmer's son came back after they had blown a tire on the big dump truck, so had help to load the 2 calves. Ran them to the barn... of course one got away from me at the barn so ran around but finally came back close so I was able to catch it and shove it through the gate. Then I went across the pasture to where the new calf on 801 was laying and got the back of the forester open and managed to get the calf up , started walking it to the car and it decided that she didn't want to go. Jumped and bucked and I lost balance and down on the ground and away goes the calf. OUCH.... 801 had come down to the car and wanted to know what I was doing... I mollified her with some grain... got the behind the calf and managed to get it in the back and shut the hatch. It was NOT HAPPY.... but I took it up to the barn and in the little lot/pen. Finally 801 came when I kept calling her and I put her in the pen with the calves and some grain in the bunk. She was pushing the new calves away but not mean kicking. Finally they went and laid down.
I went to the house and got another bucket of grain for the calves as several were in the other side that had come in through the creep gate. So I wanted to feed them a little to reinforce that there was "good stuff " for them in the barn. I then turned 801 out loose as she had finished the small pile of grain I had given her. Left the calf locked in the pen with the 2 new ones. They had already eaten this morning so not a big deal for them to nurse. I will go up and put her in late this afternoon and then see about getting the calves on her with hers.... She was being a little grumpy this morning, but I haven't been working with her for the past several months... she will get back with it, I'm sure.... she likes her grain.....

Went from there down to farm bureau and got a couple bags of grain so that I can tempt the bigger calves back in the pen, and give her something to eat later when I put her in with "her" calves. I will have to get the grain I normally give her when she is milking when I go to town tomorrow.

I have to go back and get the meters and hoses at the farm. I will do that when I take the samples up to drop off and go look at the stuff at the auction....

Called Miss Utility to make sure there are no wires and stuff when we do the garden... and going to have them check out the other side where I plan to put the rest of the fruit trees... HOPEFULLY this fall....Figure to kill 2 birds with one stone and find it all out in one trip. I am pretty confident there are no wires or lines of any type, but better safe than sorry. I know where the elec company came in with the internet lines and everything else stops at the pole in the back yard... They will be here in 2-3 days... will be done before Tuesday morning she said.

Just ate a little lunch and going to pack the samples and head up to the auction field to look at stuff and get the meters...

It is partly sunny, more clouds supposed to work in and showers for the next 2-3 days. Temps are decent, 44 earlier, 70 now... watered the plants and moved the spider plants out from under the table where I put them to protect them from the direct sun when it was nice the last couple of days.

 

[Ridgetop]

Finally got the stupid pool cleaned up and ready for whenever DW might want to use it.

Ran them to the barn... of course one got away from me at the barn so ran around but finally came back close so I was able to catch it and shove it through the gate. Then I went across the pasture to where the new calf on 801 was laying and got the back of the forester open and managed to get the calf up , started walking it to the car and it decided that she didn't want to go. Jumped and bucked and I lost balance and down on the ground and away goes the calf.

That is a Ridgetop way of doing things! Are you sure we are not related?

 

[Baymule]

Hope you didn’t hurt your knees. You have so much opportunity for getting knocked down.

 

[farmerjan]

Nope, I don't think I can really hurt them except for the landing on the ground and them not liking to be "knelt on"... but maybe this is good so that I do "get down on them" more... by accident but still, don't have time to think about them hurting... too fast to even worry about it.
I need to do more of this "overextending" myself to get me to move and flex more... I have been taking it easy and think it is past time I do more... and make myself even ache a bit more... no pain no gain type of thing without doing stupid somethings....

It is now after 7 p.m. I am home and in.
Went up to the auction site and looked at some stuff... Definitely want DS to watch the calf hutches... There is also a brand new 13 cu ft frigidaire freezer there... DS needs a place to keep a half or so if people do not take one or back out or something. I am still planning on replacing the older one in the house with a new bigger one...and for him to take it to the barn to have for reserve.... but right now it is full and there is too much stuff piled up in the hallway and all.... compliments of parents house that has just added to all the other stuff still in boxes ....to try to get a new one in the house. I want to try to get some stuff out of it so there is less to put into freezer chests to empty it and then take it out and put in the new bigger one. Lowe's didn't have the one I wanted, it has been on back order here... I want one the same as I got last year. I like it and it runs quiet. Anyway, it might be a good buy for him at the auction...
He is going to think I am nuts but there are several big, probably heavy as he//, solid pallets that I would like to use for a future pig house... yes, I want a couple of pigs again.... and a few that are not as long that would be great to make a compost spot out at the garden. Lots of possibilities to use them... even a couple to make a short (heightwise) set of walls for a shelter... for calves.... You never know.... He will be there so maybe I can get him to consider it if they are not expensive.
I dropped off the samples on the way and then came back and got the meters and hoses out of the parlor at the dairy to bring home. DS called and wanted to know if I was going to be busy, he decided to go to WVa with the last 11 calves... it is not too wet out there, and we are supposed to get more rain and it is supposed to start out there late Friday night or Saturday... That means waiting again.. so he said he wanted to make the trip this afternoon. He wanted me to come to the barn to help him run the last group in the barn, sort them, and give the long range wormer shots in the chute. So, I said yeah, I could help. So I went right to the barn, and we sorted and he picked and chose and we ran them through the chute. So, he loaded them and said I was welcome to go and I said okay... but as we went by the nurse cow pasture I said, oh sh!t, I can't go... I have to work with the cow and the new calves... I could have done it when we got back but it would be 10-11 p.m..... there's no electricity there... and I said no way could I do them in the dark for the first time... Luckily, he just stopped at my house and dropped me off. I could take the truck up to the pasture and I can get the other vehicle tomorrow. That was lucky that I thought of the calves... I haven't had to worry about babies and nurse cows for a long time.
I went up to the pasture a bit ago, and it is a good thing. First time for the 2 new calves, and they were not being "gentle" so 801 was not liking getting butted so hard . Plus, she had some dirt/crap on one teat, I thought at first it was cut, but it peeled off so that was good. It was a little bit hilarious... I talked to DS and said it was like 3 blind clowns trying to juggle balls in the air... and 801 was not being as cooperative as she normally is... I am not overly worried though, she will calm down after a few days of a new routine... plus I think her calf must have not been new yesterday, but maybe 2 days old... so she got things the way she wanted a little bit and now I have to convince her that she needs to be my favorite nurse cow again... and do it my way. She is not nasty but wanted to keep taking her head and shoving the new calves off her when her calf was next to her... but not bad as long as she had her head in the grain... so it will get better in a few days. Better that the new calves don't get overly full for a couple days while they transition to her milk... And once their manure smells like her milk and not like something strange, she will get better. PLUS, once they figure out where to go and not be trying to suck her legs and stuff, she will be fine.
She has a nice udder and will feed these 3 real well... I really appreciate Lee letting me have them. They are nice calves.

Guess what didn't get done yet??? The mowing...
Guess it will still be there when I get to it...

 

[Bruce]

Oh no...just decals. We pay 33 to state on pptx ea yr, then fees for decals/ tags are apprx 24 a yr

Ah, yes, we too pay registration annually. Can get 2 years for less than twice a one year. But we only get one decal now for the back plate. Used to get one for each and we are REQUIRED to have a front plate. I guess the state makes more money if they get to charge the same but print only 1 sticker.

No extra tax on the booze? We whack a huge tax on the booze, and cigarettes

Sin taxes!!

I have the other key, I will take it out and drive it one day on the interstate here, and see if it is restricted on the 2nd key

Officer: Ma'am, I pulled you over for doing 95 on 95. The posted limit is 65.
Jan: But officer, I'm just checking to see if this key has a governor on it!
Officer: Here's your speeding ticket

Excited about the amount the Explorer is worth! About time for something to go right! Don't tell the nieces though! LOL

I am surprised no one ran it through KBB online before setting a price. 48K vs 78K wouldn't make that much difference.

Consider it a small payment for all the cr@p the niece put you through.

In VA all the ABC stores are state owned!! Nothing beyond beer & wine can be sold beyond those stores.

Same here though they mentioned on the radio yesterday that "someone" is talking about allowing privately owned liquor stores.

Guess what didn't get done yet??? The mowing

It is "No Mow May"! We are supposed to let the weeds grow so the insects have something to eat after their long winter

 

[farmerjan]

Cull cows did pretty good. The one that was at the neighbors for 3 years and who never called us when they got them in to pull the calves, as they promised... and then said she wasn't still there and then DS saw her and walked her back through the bad fence, with the other 2 that got over there this summer... she weighed over 1400 lbs... fat witch.... and brought $.77 /lb... she brought over $1100... at least we got her back to get that salvage value.... my 4 brought near $2900 before sale charges...that will go a long way towards paying for the electric netting and all.... DS's 2 brought a little over 1500... one of mine was older and she was smaller, less than 900 lbs...brought less, but better to be gone. I am satisfied.

So, I guess we are going to get the ones he wants to send to the stockyard sale on Saturday, all into the one lot tomorrow so I can get them loaded by myself on Sat while he is at the equipment auction...I am hoping to get the one cow and calf out of the nurse cow field to go also... but I don't know if we will be able to get in there if it gets too wet, if we get much rain....I will deal with it tomorrow... If I can't get them in tomorrow, I will another day....

Hay is starting to top out and put up seed heads... short... already heading out... . Need to start cutting as soon as the weather cooperates... Hope that we will get some better 2nd cutting, this first is off in volume, not looking very promising.
DS is going to haul home another load of hay tomorrow... need to get the cows out to pastures on the grass...
There's always more to do this time of year than we have daylight hours to do.
The corn got planted yesterday... perfect with the rain coming as long as it doesn't pour down buckets.
Weather is supposed to stay warmer, so that will be perfect for germination. Hope that the garden gets plowed and then have to get it rototilled out smooth......get it all planted and mulched...

Wheat is looking good. Hope that it will make some good yield, which will make a good little extra income.... then plant back in soybeans which can be used either as a crop to combine for the seed... OR if it gets too dry or doesn't make good seed, we can make it into hay. Double cropping that field...and soybeans are a nitrogen fixing legume, so it will boost the nitrogen in the soil.

We are getting a very light misty sprinkle out there. Good if it lasts...

 

[farmerjan]

Explorer was run through 2 different used car .... KBB and JB something ?... and the difference in 48 and 78,000 is quite a bit., better than 4,000.... I asked the guy at the used car part of the Ford dealership. And the low end is 11,000.... average condition, at 78,000 miles..... I think that they were priced low so that the family members could buy them if wanted... yeah, maybe, just desserts for the niece being so ridiculous.... but the thing is this vehicle is almost showroom condition... inside... Let's face it, how much could they do to "wear and tear" it... at 75 yrs old, buying it...and not driving it hardly at all because the town isn't that far... and then in less than 5 years, my mom wasn't capable of doing any driving with the Alzheimers...
It's like one of those "barn finds" where someone bought a vehicle and went to war and 20 years later the family decides to sell it because it is just sitting there...
I drove it today, and still don't have that "thrill" with driving a nearly new vehicle... OH WELL.....

@Bruce ......HA HA on the speeding scenario... all I am going to do is see if it will stop accelerating at 80... there is no mistaking it, you can feel the accelerating just quits.... so if it hits a couple over 80... then I know that one key is the administrator key.... won't be hard to do it on the interstate here with the traffic that cruises at 75-80 now... and yep, speed limit is 70..
Speaking of that, and there is talk around that we might be going back to even/odd gas rationing... or limits on # of gallons allowed...sure couldn't limit it to $10 since that won't buy enough to get back home from the gas station.... also, heard a rumor they are talking imposing the 55 mph limit again to cut back on gas usage...

 

[Mike CHS]

I got one of those barn finds in 1993. I got a 1982 Lincoln that had 4,000 miles on it for $3000. I had to replace a lot of hoses and belts because of it sitting in a hot barn for 10 years but I drove that car for 10 years. I loved that car but the AC went out and it was going to cost more than the value of the car to get it replaced.

 

[farmerjan]

@Mike, just think what a cream puff car like that would be worth today... and I will bet it got better gas mileage than alot of these electronic nightmares they call cars too... I had an eagle Talon... considered a sports car. Got it from a friend whose daughter parked it and left it at the father's house and just finally said get rid of it...paid like $300 for it because scrap wasn't worth much at the time, and there was just some stuff like hoses and minor things to replace.... It ran like a scared rabbit... not all the electronic garbage on it... and it got an AVERAGE 34 mpg.....low to the ground and finally started needing some work and my knees were starting to get sore getting in and out of it..... so I sold it...