Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

@Mini Horses , I remember that DD was talking moving and you were considering downsizing to her place and renting your house... or renting hers.... yeah, things change... and maybe just being closer to family and feeling safer with the insanity going on out there....

Having a CLOSEBY tractor fixer would be absolutely wonderful.... and could probably make "house calls"....

I really would like to just not be obligated to a job anymore... but like you, don't want to just not have that extra income with things being what they are. And mine is somewhat flexible just like yours, mine might be more flexible.... but it still a nice extra in the bank account. So, I might grump a bit but probably won't get completely out. Just having one of those days that I would like to hibernate away from EVERYONE....
DS called, done with the dentist, finished mowing Deb's, will mow mine after work and contemplating the other 16 acres down the road since now the rain for Friday is down to 10% also. I think that he ought to get it done. But he said he will look at the weather when he is getting off work and make a decision. I may have to do a little tedding so it dries enough. But that would get us done in this area.... and get the hay baled at the 2 places that like it done by 4th of July....
Of course I have to test Friday afternoon, so will have to work my butt off tomorrow and Friday morning to get it all ready for him to bale. But, that would be about the schedule for having it ready anyway.
Going to go out and take the weedeater around the well casing and the stone marker near the clothesline so he doesn't hit it with the discbine. There is a "driveway marker" at each one so he can mow around them. The one at the clothes line I mowed around with the mower but that is getting grown up. The other I hadn't mowed around. It is easy to see with the marker there.
If I get the place fenced next year he won't be mowing it. I hope to have the rest of the fruit trees here... and will graze calves amongst them to keep the grass down... as well as have it fenced for the garden and the calves on the other side of the property. And to have some chickens in the orchard area too and maybe keep down some of the bugs that plague the fruit trees. Years ago, keeping turkeys in orchards to take care of pests was a popular thing to do...they cleaned up the fruit that fell, ate the larvae of fruit tree pests too. Kinda do a "mini" rotational grazing here. It's only a total of 2 acres with the house and all, so he only mows about an acre of it.

I may have to "upgrade" my mower if it can't get up and running soon. I need something to keep this grass mowed.

Going out to do the weed eating before it gets too hot. It is still a nice 77 out there.

 

[Baymule]

77 and too hot. I just can’t feel sorry for you!

 

[farmerjan]

10:30 p.m. Had a busier day than I planned but then I would be bored if things didn't unexpectedly pop up that needed doing.

Went out and did the weed eating around the well casing and the concrete marker near the clothesline. At least he could see where they are so wouldn't hit them. Then, had a farm with computer problems... had to go there for a bit. Then came home and wound up on the tractor raking hay for about 3 1/2 hours.
DS called and said he was going to go on and mow the rest of the hay at the other "subdivision" so we would be done in this area. Chances for showers keep changing from 0 to 30%.... Now there is a very slight chance of a pop up shower in the area on Thursday, but they say it is very spotty... who knows.
So I started raking the stuff he mowed Tuesday aft/eve. Then moved to the other place and the fields there are very cut up and difficult to maneuver in, so I only used the big rake for some of the "straight rows" and left the outsides and the tight turns to use the old Farmall H and the side delivery rake which I can easily swing in and out and around trees and into and out of tight corners without getting the rake in a bind or anything. I completely raked one field that is pretty "squared up and only a few spots that are a pain.

Then I went into the bigger field that he had just finished mowing this morning after he got out of the dentist... did the straight "runs... it was a little green but it will be turned up for the sun to hit it early tomorrow. I will go in and do the outside rows with the H and flip the other rows over a turn if they still look green.

DS got the H ready this evening after he came back with the tractor and mower... Called me about 10 and said it was gassed up and ready... just have to check one tire that seems to be going flat. They are old tires, and he said that it is going to have to be replaced. I think he has a "newer" one to go on it. But we don't use this tractor and rake as much since more of the fields are bigger, straighter than all the smaller ones we used to do. Anyway, if I get all that done then I will take the other tractor and rake to the 2 bigger fields that he finished cutting this evening... Either to rake, or to tedd out to dry more then rake Friday morning. It will all depend on how they look by early afternoon. It is supposed to be hotter tomorrow, 90 or so, and that will help to dry it out faster. Humidity is supposed to be up some too... just have to wait and see.

I am getting ready to quit for the night. Ate a tuna fish sandwich for supper... just don't eat much in this heat. Got to stop and get some feed for the cow tomorrow too...
Calves did not come in the barn today, but it wasn't as hot out and they might have been a little wary. Still, they most all came up around the car so they aren't really upset. Give 'em a day or 2 and they will be back to normal.

 

[farmerjan]

77 and too hot. I just can’t feel sorry for you!

No, I said it was a "nice 77" out there and I wanted to do the weed eating BEFORE it got too hot !!!!

And no, 77 isn't too hot.... until the humidity is 90% and then 60 is too hot!!!.
I don't envy you down there in TX @Baymule . I could not do those kind of temps. Just couldn't . Bless any and all of you that live with those kind of temps.
I don't like all the winter that they get in the "north" and especially in the upper midwest and all... I will gladly deal with the cold and winter we get here to get the break in the summer temps. Another reason to live here near the mountains rather than the eastern seaboard where @Mini Horses lives... we run 10-20 degrees cooler on average, and we don't get the oppressive heat and humidity she gets either. Trade offs, shorter growing season most times, later spring frost and earlier fall frost..... but I like less heat in the summer on average and less humidity most times too. I will take more snow and cold because it doesn't last for weeks on end like up north.... We get winter, but less of it than up north. And we don't normally bake to the dried out stage during the summer.

 

[Baymule]

We are getting a break this week. Temperatures will stay under 100. Its 94% humidity right now and it’s not raining.

 

[Mini Horses]

Your right about the weather! Gets hot & humid here. Almost bought a farm outside of Staunton many, many years back. Now. Couldn't afford most of them. But I do love the area. There are some advantages here for me, as I continue with life. I'm good.

The 15 acres of corn right next to me will be tasseling real soon. Touch of curling leaf last week but the rain fixed that for them. 😁. Not sure what's on other side of me...soybeans or cotton? Haven't looked hard. The hayfields across the street are green.

I did get my yard mowed!! Ahead of you...used DD mower. Gas was cheaper than a new mower, or mine in the shop. It's old but was running fine. Now not. 🤷 Haven't given it much thought. I've used the tractor a couple times to mow, just can't get to some spots. Trying to get those things under control this next week...weather permitting. Some order back into my life? Maybe. Things look good from the porch. 🤣

 

[Bruce]

It's old but was running fine. Now not.

DD2 said the garden tractor kicked off a couple of times when she was mowing the other day. It was fine the time before. I'm thinking maybe it is time for a new fuel filter, I'm not real good about changing it on any schedule.

 

[farmerjan]

I thought of the fuel filter, but when he took the line off, after the fuel filter, it was pumping gas good while it was cranking. So not that.
We are so busy in hay that it will have to wait for a day or 2 more. This weekend there is 50% chance of rain/showers/storms Sat Sun and into next week. So it is important to get the hay rolled.

Waiting for DS to call me to come get him at the field, he is still baling. Had a bearing go out in the PTO shaft so he went and got the other baler... very thankful that we have an older "backup baler"....
I got everything raked except a small 2 acre piece that he cut for a guy where we used to cut. The place got sold, the guy has some horses, and he asked DS if he would cut the "lot" that is not fenced... He cut it, I need to rake it in the morning and he will bale it. EVERYTHING else is raked... Deb's is all baled, baled my little piece here, he is working on the 2 places we cut every year in a subdivision. They like it done by july 4th and it worked to get it done.

Then we will be done down this direction and can concentrate on doing the custom piece, and 2 lots close to it, then go do the other place that we do for the hay. And just down the road is the 9 acres at the one pasture...no fences around this 9 acres and it makes some good hay..... and I think he is going to cut the "bottom" of the 3rd field we rotate cattle into. We have to bush hog this place by the end of July. Since the grass has been really good once we got over the cold late spring warmup, there is no point in bush hogging it if we are there with the mower.... May as well get a few extra bales out of it. Cattle are not making much of a dent in the grass there. Last year they had grass until after Christmas.....Rotating the cows into the middle field, now, and they will be nowheres near to needing the 3rd section for awhile. We will have to bush hog the steeper parts and the rocky parts, but may as well make some hay in the flat "bottom".
Going to pick up DS and take him to the truck so he can come back and finish baling the field tomorrow.

 

[farmerjan]

Got back after taking DS to the truck and he left the baler at the field to do more tomorrow.

Would you believe that we FORGOT about a field that he had mowed???? It is near the other ones I raked last week. Down the back side of the subdivision there.... he mowed it the same day he mowed Debs and all... but it is "out of sight" ... He said to me tonight... hey, did you rake the field down in the back of doug's subdivision???? (Doug used to own this farm and sold it for a subdivision several years before he passed away)....
I said HE// NO, I forgot you had mowed it... he said , yeah, I forgot too; and then tonight I was thinking that there was something I forgot.... and then I wondered if you had raked it before you did Debs and forgot to say anything.....
SO SH!T... I have to do that little 2 acre piece, and then come back and go rake that lot... is is several acres... I cannot believe we both forgot about it... But that is because he didn't cut it when he cut the rest in that subdivision.... and it cannot be seen in our trips back and forth.
At least he remembered.... I have to work tomorrow so I will have to get my butt in gear in the morning.... and get it done.

I'm beat, 8 hours on the tractor and rake today....

 

[Mini Horses]

It happens!! Especially when so many "places".....oops! 🙃.

I have to double check self if I've got several hoses going at once, to get them all turned off! Yep. I've had some big overfills . At least not miles away!