Farmerjan's journal - Weather

farmerjan

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There is a feral cat I have seen around so have been hesitant to use bait for the mice. But may put it under the deck as there is lattice all the way around and don't think anything can get in through it... and will get the spots closed up in the kitchen behind the cabinet with the baseboard after I put the foam & stuff in there... planning on this weekend....

DS is going to be back around noon from Dr appt and will get the seed drill hooked up and show me how to use it ... which hydraulics for up and down etc... and then may rake some hay later... trying to not have to tedd it... have a couple days to dry without tedding ... saves money/fuel making less trips across the field... with the rain that is a pretty sure thing coming in on Sat now.... not sure how much but chances are getting more as the front coming up from Ga is looking to head more inland...

Taking a bucket of water out each time, when I do the chickens to give the pepper and tomato plants a drink.... at least until we maybe get some actual rain. Might work on the lawn a little before DS gets back too.

Hazy cloudy out there today... they say it is high smoke clouding the skies from those fires out in western Canada... way up in the air currents....more sun tomorrow maybe....

Down to 54,overnight and only 67 at 10:30... Took my allergy pills a bit ago so I should be okay except for some nose blowing...
 

Ridgetop

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There is a feral cat I have seen around so have been hesitant to use bait for the mice. But may put it under the deck as there is lattice all the way around and don't think anything can get in through it... and will get the spots closed up in the kitchen behind the cabinet with the baseboard after I put the foam & stuff in there...
I would stuff rat poison into the area behind the baseboard, then stuff in the steel wool, then foam it and reattach baseboard. The rats in the walls will eat the poison. You can also out poison behind the lattice too. That feral cat isn't doing you much good if you keep getting mice in the house! LOL
 

farmerjan

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It was a mostly hazy, cloudy day until later this afternoon. Hit 74 but we had a breeze all day so wasn't hot. I wound up on the tractor for nearly 4 1/2 hours... raking hay down at doug's farm where DS had mowed Sunday night then again yesterday before going to the ball field. He had another Dr appt in Blacksburg today... and got home about 11 and I was at dougs farm by noon... had a little problem, seems that there was next no no hydraulic fluid in it, and wouldn't raise the rake up and down, and it needed oil too... jim was supposed to have it ready to go.... but DS went and got fluids at the barn, came back out back and got it working again.... he finished mowing the upper section of the field, and the small 6 acre field across the little creek and then went to "his green barn" field of about 10 acres and mowed it. I raked all but the part he mowed today... it will be ready to rake on Thursday as well as the field at his barn...

There is still an outside chance of some spotty showers on Thurs and Fri but 20% or less. Now they are calling for rain Sat aft/eve and through the rest of the weekend for Memorial Day. I hope that we get it. He should have it all baled by Fri eve or Sat morning if some is not quite dry enough. The one good thing is there is NO HUMIDITY in the air so even though it was not hot sun out there, with the breeze it was drying nicely.

He then came to the field across from me, and started drilling the sorghum/sudan grass... and then wanted me to come over and I did one pass up and back... but I cannot see where the coulters cut into the grass very well, and he said to just leave it and he would, do it... I was either overlapping or leaving a space... he was pretty unhappy with it and said he would do it. Since Colt was with him, he didn't blow up like he normally does... and so for that I am glad. I never had trouble when we were seeding into bare ground, but this wheat is up 4-6 " and I obviously wasn't seeing the cut in the ground from the previous trip. That's fine with me... I won't get blamed for messing it up, if I don't do it.

I raked the sections at doug's field separately ... orchard grass in one section, then did the rye that was starting to head out... and then the upper grass field that has OG and other grasses... I suffered through the OG section... had NO reactions in the rye section... and then had some reactions in the mixed grass section. It was SOOOO obvious how the OG gets to me when it had headed out... By rights, it should be made before it heads out, for best quality, and it would affect me alot less... but we never get to it at optimal time...

He had to go to the ball game... LAST ONE.... and said he would finish the drill seeding.... Said he wanted to get it in before the weekend so that will get done. Will take him about 2 hours to do it I guess.... There is nothing to do tomorrow... and I am testing now so if he wants to work the cows/calves, he will have to do it alone or get Chad to help him or something. I imagine he will want to do some baling Thurs aft; might have some ready tomorrow aft if the sun comes out like they are saying....

Got some more hay down on the newspapers and so all the area around the tomatoes and peppers are mulched lightly. Once we get some rain, and it gets settled down better... then I will add more. I will use papers and cardboard inbetween any green beans and hills I plant with hay on top to hold them in place. I will use straw between the potato rows... will get some from my one farmer that has a bunch to sell... It will be worth it to me and will add organic matter back into the soil.

@Mini Horses and @Baymule .... talking about the potatoes... the catalog I got them out of has tips and all that... and says to expect an AVERAGE of 10# for every 1# of planted seed potatoes.... fingerlings a little less... and in real good crop years, you can expect to get 15# or more per 1# planted... OMG.... planted 46 # total... fingerlings and all... So maybe 500 # of potatoes... if they do average... I will have a good amount to sell and make some money back off of them. I have no idea what potatoes are bringing in the store; I will have to look just for curiosity....

Going to get a shower and head to bed. Have to go set up in the morning for the farm... just 6-7 miles away... it is the only 2x herd I have anymore... have to be in the barn at 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 a.m. then will spend a good part of the rest of the day Thurs on the tractor and rake...
 
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Ridgetop

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Everything has gone up, but most stores don't carry the special varieties you have so I think you will get good prices on them since they are unusual.

I like Baymule's idea of making "introduction baskets" with a few of each variety. The baskets would also look really pretty and catch the eye with the different colors and shapes. Check out the thrift stores and dollar stores for cheap containers and line them with a piece of red and white gingham. You can charge a lot more for those specialty baskets. ;) Also print out some favorite recipe ideas for the different varieties and hand them out.
 

CLSranch

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There is a feral cat I have seen around so have been hesitant to use bait for the mice.
I have noticed all the dogs I've had and cats in general do not eat poisoned mice. They will chase, kill, destroy any that they can catch "running" around. When a posined one is found they rush to it and just nudge/nose it then leave it.
trying to not have to tedd it... have a couple days to dry without tedding ... saves money/fuel making less trips across the field.
I can't remember the exacts but I've heard each tedding can also drop the protein a small percent. Also that grass that is heading out and seeding could also be of lower protein than younger grass. Older more mature, less protein. (More fyi for others than you)

By the way hi Jan, it's been a minute. I'm in a Walmart in the middle of KS on the way home at the moment. Parked for the night. The wind has kicked my trucks but today. I should have been another 80 miles down the road at the same time I stopped.
 

farmerjan

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@CLSranch ... hi to you too... hope you have a safe trip home.... How long will you be between jobs?

I tested and it was cold this morning... 42 at the barn... wore my hooded sweatshirt all through milking. Been quite windy too and temps only into the low 70's... at least the sun is out now.
Just got home, let the chickens out; farmer's wife gave me 4 tomato plants she can't use o_O:th. Like I don't already have enough ( last count was way over 50).....They all were huddled up like why are you so mean to plant us when it is going to be 42* ???? Tonight is supposed to be colder, so all the spider plants, etc., will go back in the greenhouse on the deck for the night......

Packing samples, just ate some breakfast/lunch... brunch .... and heading to the field to rake... Got about 25 acres to rake up today....
 
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