Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

Sunday morning... 50 overnight and partly sunny out there... Supposed to be sun and clouds and then getting cloudy by late afternoon as the front moves up from NC and southern regions... LOTS of rain forecast... now saying 2-5 inches over the 2-3 days... which if it comes slow like that it will be GREAT.

Did some weed eating yesterday... still got more to do but I had to get a new "spool" as the one on it cracked and it wasn't feeding out the line... This is an inexpensive Black and Decker one... very lightweight yet does a credible job...
I went down to the co-op and traded the car for the ranger pu as they had loaded all the tires... and 2 of DS's plus the one they had mounted of his... I think it is for a trailer or something... big tire... and brought them to the farm. The "no good ones" over at the silage pit area... we use them on top of the plastic cover to keep it down on the silage so as "air free" as possible for the fermenting when we fill it and cover it... the good tire and one of mine that was not quite as bad in case he needs it for a spare for a hay wagon or something... Those tires do tend to dry rot since they sit so much of the time... so we don't put "good tires" on them... just used ones that still have some life since they travel at 1 mph or so in a hay field behind the kicker and just down the road to the barn.
I had done 2 loads of clothes and got them hung on the line. Just did another load of the jeans since it is still pretty sunny...going out to hang them in a minute..... they will dry today and then won't have to worry about needing any laundry done for a bit. With the rain supposed to come in, and then still some lingering showers for the rest of the week into next weekend, I will be ahead and not needing work jeans done..

DS and Colt were at the house/field laying out some fence posts here, yesterday aft. Had to get the ones he wants laid out for the corner of grant's where the tractor trailers take out the fence all the time... so the guys can pound them in when they come back. They are about done at the barn lots and fields... Of course, it is supposed to rain so they probably won't be back for a few days... So they will do the ones there and down the fenceline the father and son were clearing out a week or 2 ago... then do my perimeter fence... Got to remind DS that we are doing 16 ft with T-posts inbetween... Going to take out a couple of sections of the split rail fence at the end of the property to straighten up the line for the new fence... they jogged the split rail near the telephone pole and a ditch that is piped under that corner..... but in order to make the pull for the wire... going to take out 2 or 3 split rail posts and probably make a 16-20 ft straight run section, with the new posts for the wire. Which is fine....At least it is a start on the fence actually getting put up; posts in will make it a little closer to the wire getting put up....

I am hoping to work on the poultry runs today.... get them both put together in the shorter version... need to find out about the "truss pieces" that the friend was going to get his carpenter to make for me... see if they are done? Want to get the Leghorns and the Langshans separated out... although I do not see any conflict with them cross breeding... but I just want to get these 2 pens done and useable. Now that I have the big truck, if DS doesn't find the time to get me the treated boards for the bottom of them like I have been asking... I am going to take the truck down and see about getting them myself... I think that I can haul 16 ft on this truck... I am pretty sure the flat bed is 10 ft but I am going to measure it... I do not want the bottom of these sections of the pens, to rot sitting on the ground...and they will if I don't get them up like I want.

Need to do more weed eating today...I did go to Lowe's late yesterday afternoon... got the new spool thing for the weed eater... and got the soil to put in the planters since I have to dump last years because of the barn manure I mixed in that killed/stunted/distorted the plants from the hay that had been fed to the calves from the field he sprayed... due to the residual that goes through and comes out in their manure... NOT going to ruin my plantings this year. The soil will get spread on the lawn/field here... it should be pretty well done now that that it has "weathered out"... but not taking any chances... Went to Walmart and picked up a few things also... (right next door to each other).... Going to hang my spider plants out on the chain I have between the 2 branches... I had them just outside the door on the lawn since there was always a chance of having to bring them back in... but I am hoping that this next weeks weather of up in the 80's and 50's nights is the signal of no more frost this year.

Couple places cut some hay already here... short... but nice weather to get it made. They will get a good regrowth with the forecast rain. DS has been way too busy with the fencing project to even think about hay making yet... plus getting all these cows worked and out to pastures. plus taking time out to go to all the ball games 2-3 nights a week.... and dr appts... he used to do the dr appts during work hours so as soon as he got home he was doing farming... now it seems that they are more time consuming because he often leaves at 5 or so for these ball games... at least they will be over soon... school gets out in less than a month...

Time to get the load of clothes hung and see about some weed eating again. My back is sore from the "unused to" stuff... Then switch and do some planters and then maybe some more weed eating... switch it around some.... plus the poultry runs.... PLUS I have to go to work this afternoon... need to get the bottles in the racks. DS did get the new battery for the little forester... I might get it put in and then I can drive that to test. Instead of the explorer... the little ranger doesn't have license plates... used to be legal to run farm use, but they changed the law and now needs to have the DMV permanent farm use OR regular tags on it... I have MOSTLY only run it 2 miles to the co-op and 2 miles the other way to the farm so haven't bothered yet...( I did take it 10 miles to Lowe's yesterday) but when I get the title and tags for the big truck, I will do the ranger too. It is a handy little truck to run around to do things... but not going to run it to the farm to test and risk a confrontation with an over zealous cop.... so that left the explorer... but now that the battery is here for the forester, I can put that in and run it... it is licensed and all...

Hope everyone has a nice Mother's Day.....

 

[farmerjan]

Got a few things done... not all that I planned... Clothes got hung, and was cleaning up some of the planters around the house that need new soil... got to get a rake and get all the weed-eated tall grass and all the leaves that accumulated around the planters and stuff, raked up to go in the chicken run for them to pick through. Compost it all out.

DS wanted to know if I wanted to go to an early lunch... so he took me to a little restaurant in Lexington that I didn't even know was there... started out for breakfast and then they combined with another BBQ place that her husband had, so serves breakfast and lunch... nothing fancy... like a little local hole in the wall but it was good. Had breakfast... eggs benedict which I haven't had in years... DS knows all the places to eat out... I guess from when he was working, him and the boss ate out alot when at work....
Anyway, that took a good 2 hours out of the day... so when I got back he was going to put the battery in the forester... but it is "shorter".. lower... in the battery box area, and the 2 screw rods that hold it down are very rusted since they never get changed... so could not get them tightened down enough and I did not have a 2x6 piece to put under it to raise it up higher.. so he took them to soak in some stuff to get the nuts off and then will get it put on. So, I wound up taking the explorer to the farm to test.
They had problems with the belt that feeds out the silage so not a good day for them... milking went okay but they had to have the guys come to work on it and get it fixed so the cows can get fed... we all have those days.

So I am going in to pack the samples from this evening, the ones from Friday night are already packed and in the explorer to take tomorrow and drop off after the dr appt. Supposed to be raining by morning... they are supposed to come back to do more fence but don't know if they will. They know what to do at the farm and then will have to move their stuff here for my posts and the ones next door/behind me on that fence line.

I got the clothes in off the line when I got home from work, and got a couple things into pots.... so that they will get watered if it does rain. Got to dump some of the other planters and start over with the soil I got. Also want to put some around the foundation and fix it so the chickens won't be able to get in there to dig it all up. Got some daffodils that are dying back and some tulips to get in the ground for next years blooming..

Did not get any more weed eating done... oh well...

Time to hit the sack to get up and get going tomorrow morning.. Have to leave by about 8 for him to be at dr at 9:30... I thought it was 10... They are going to fit me at the chiropractor after I drop DS off... then I will go back there for him... they are 15 min or so apart so convenient to do both in one trip..

 

[farmerjan]

Monday night. Temps ranged from 53 up to 65... cloudy here when we left, light rain started in Roanoke... then was alot more, steady, some harder rain then let up to light... GOOD type rain.
DS liked this dr and got whatever shot in his spine/back...
I went to the chiropractor after dropping him off, got done and came back. He got out about 10-15 minutes after I got back... EASY to find and closer to the chiropractor than I had thought so perfect...

Left there , went to Chicken Salad Chick for early lunch at 11... got some to take home also... better than eating lunch meat and DS likes it... Came up the road and stopped at the stockyard. Walked through looking at stuff, we debated on staying but it doesn't start until 3 pm. This was about 1... DS started not feeling real good, so we decided to not stay. He said he didn't think he would be able to buy any and is very leary about putting that much money into some at this point...
He slept all the way back. I even stopped to drop off the 2 pkgs of samples that I had packed and put in the car this morning... I woke him up at the house... It was misty rain here, and had only had about.1 in the rain gauge... but it was supposed to work south to north so not surprised by the low amount so far.

So glad I had gotten the clothes in, and even gotten those few planters done... Will see how tomorrow goes, if it is a little off and on, might get a few more done... But regardless, this is GREAT for the ground here...

I haven't done a whole lot this afternoon. Bottles in the racks for tomorrow afternoons farm... Felt kinda lazy...

Tonight and tomorrow are supposed to be rain, possible heavy, and even into Wed... then sporadic through possibly Sat. Temps are supposed to be in the 80's the end of the week... I think we are past the frost situation.

DS wants to see about getting the cows in to preg check and see about some weaning of calves... can't do much fencing... so I am going to call the vet tomorrow morning... see what he has available... Need to get some farms lined up too... Told DS we need to get the holstein and jersey calves on Betsy, banded... then will wean them in a couple weeks after that. Will pull the black steer off 270 who is bred to calve this fall, got bred same time as Betsy and the other heifers that were there.... I will get DS to move 270 to the pasture with the other heifers that are due so she can be on their schedule... OR.... for all I know he might be bringing them back to the nurse cow pasture to calve this fall and move these heifers out to pasture for the rest of the summer after they are bred. Bull will be going in with cows this coming week, and the heifers first of June... for 60 days.... trying to shorten up the calving season on the heifers at least. Have to bring the 2 to snyders that lost the calves... give them a 2nd chance... debating breeding the 2 holstein heifers and selling as breds in the spring... don't really want them as nurse cows, mostly because calves are so high.... but still a little attached since I raised them from little babies. I might talk to the farmer I got them from... he might want them back... got another farmer talking about buying a few... maybe he would want them. That's an idea... GF does not like them, they are typical pushy holsteins, so they need to come away from doug's barn... we put them there, when he had the bull at snyder's pasture before... did not want them bred too young, but they can get bred this time the bull goes in... DS says sorta like.... I don't like "Roscoe", (her not liking the holstein heifers) that daM* bull my nurse cow raised and then she spoiled to where he has no respect for people... I don't trust him because he has no fear... and that's "her baby".... besides, the heifers would be worth maybe 3G in the spring if things stay the same... might be worth 2G now..... of course, they would have a black baby in them... so that's worth 750 plus... I don't know... still undecided..

Going to go to bed. Been raining lightly off and on, radar looks like it will get heavier after midnight or so.

 

[farmerjan]

Getting ready to go to work. Made a sandwich and then heading out. Bottles ready to carry out to car. Was 61 overnight and we had RAIN... pretty steady, some hard rain spurts..... light rain this morning. Stopped pretty much about 10 or so. Dumped the rain gauges at 3.6 INCHES...... little more than I thought. Creeks are running high and there was a little washing in a few spots but really not bad considering. The clouds are moving in again... almost saw a little peek of sun but we are supposed to get some more... But what we have had is really soaking in really good.

Went and got the car and left the ranger. DS did not feel up to it on the way home yesterday. Will get a ride down there tomorrow to get it.

Just FYI.... Mexico border is closed to cattle again... that New World Screw worm is working it's way a little further north in the lower Mexican states and the central American countries there... big concern ..... so this is going to cut the available beef and feeders... Many feeder cattle come up and get fed out in Tx for slaughter here... The futures on the 7-900 lb feeders that go on feedlots ... is up again for August delivery.... feeder calves at a stockyard were up yesterday a friend said....

Might have to make a trip to visit @Mini Horses if she goes to the auction next month and finds some more pullets.... for that price I can make a trip to "VISIT" .... get a bunch that will start to lay for the winter...

Be a week before thinking about the garden now with the rain..... need to get these cotton picking fence posts driven so can go from there...

 

[Mini Horses]

You're welcome to come but, those BOs were close to end of poultry & others, really nice, were bringing $18-30. Tried buying barred rocks & stopped bidding at $23. I was shocked I got these at that price! Guess everyone had filled up on my poultry. Almost 250 chicks went thru & close to 100 pullets before these. Then a bunch of turkey, guinea, p-cocks, etc. A slamming gorgeous -- but nutty -- red Angus heifer went thru. Fat enough to butcher but 3 months bred. She was looking for a jump spot! LOL

Nothing else exceptional....only 50-60 head of sheep/ goats. 5 other rather mangy cattle....one just a mo old calf/cow pair. Said she's a good nurse cow.

 

[Baymule]

At the Tex-Kats sheep field day, one of the speakers was from Texas Animal Health and he spoke about the screw worms. He said that it could get bad for states bordering Mexico, especially Texas. If we get an infestation of screw worms, other states will close their borders to all livestock from us. Most everyone I talk to is rushing cattle to market, keeping only their core breeding stock.

You can probably look for prices (not in Texas) to take a big jump up. It might be wise for you to hang onto your heifers. This is going to be a wild ride.

 

[Mini Horses]

Still raining there for you? Light stuff here...saying 3-4 days of clearing, then another 3 days of rain . I'd like to save some for July!

 

[fuzzi]

Still raining there for you? Light stuff here...saying 3-4 days of clearing, then another 3 days of rain . I'd like to save some for July!

And August...crunchy grass month here.

 

[farmerjan]

Feeder cattle prices took a $4-$10 jump already this week. Saw on one site that a couple of classes of lightweight 3-4 wt steers brought over $5 lb. in either Ga or Ok.... can't remember which one. I was looking at several sales already this week.

I didn't go to the bred cow sale an hour north last night. Waste of fuel when prices were most likely going to be twice what I would be wanting to pay. I (we) will likely go to the one next Tuesday in Staunton... 1/2 hr north of us..... we are hoping to have a vet check next Tuesday... he is going to be in this area but office didn't know if there would be time for him to fit us in... I just called yesterday morning... they will let me know by tomorrow morning...since he is off today... Going to preg check the ones next(behind) me since the grass cannot get ahead of them there...too many and so we are still feeding them..... and going to take some fence down for the guys to drive posts... easier to have the cattle out of the way. Too wet with the rain for them to come work... it rains off and on frequently during the day so can't really get started before getting drenched.

Yesterday, we got .35 inches during the day. Dumped the gauge about 3 or 4pm. Packed the samples, and had to go to Walmart because my printer ink just went blank...didn't get light or spotty, just stopped printing. Couldn't get the racking list or anything printed. Then later on, took the samples down to go out UPS. Came back and DS came to the house. He had come earlier because we had rain off and on... and he couldn't do anything out in the fields. He got the forester and took it to the barn. Got the battery in and ran the wire etc to the cut off switch he put inside so I can now drive it and cut it off inside and not run the new battery down. He had also taken some pump off one of his other trucks because it was leaking...power steering, (water pump) ???? I don't know but think it was the power steering pump... thought it was a line, but it turned out to actually be the side of it had some rust holes just starting to leak... they had to order another one... so he got the wire for the cut off switch, and did that.

So, he brought the forester back, and he took me down to get the truck and we ate at the local little pizza/italian place for supper. Then he headed to her house and I came home...

The car has a shimmy so something is not right with these new tires. I am not very pleased with them. Have to go back down and see if they will take them off and balance them again. 60-65 you can feel enough vibration in the steering wheel to be annoying.

Today, Thursday, it was 57 for a low, up to 80... muggy. Was cloudy, then sun came out but see alot of clouds. Heard cows hollering, and went out about 8 or so, there is a cow in my yard... Just one, out of the pasture. They need hay. Called DS and he was just heading for the farm, said he had a bad night last night. So I went out, she came when I called and went in the catch lot there... then I went down the road and see where she pushed out a old gate that is covering a big hole, and just got out... Fixed that... this whole fence needs replacing. Then when the cows went back down in the field a bit, was able to get her back in with them from the catch lot. Not upset so much because she came right when I called, and she is back and the spot is fixed again. One of the reasons they need to come out. DS came with a roll of hay, then took the silage wagon and went and filled it for them... it should stretch the hay and get them through until Sunday or so when we hope to get them moved to the barn for the vet check on Tues...

Was going to take the car down, first thing, but Deb is out for several days, and wanted to come help with the chicken pen. We got started on that, and bless her heart, she makes things sooo precise, more than they need to be. She took some measurements and went back home to rip a couple of boards, make a piece,,,, came back a little later and we worked on it. I am not totally happy with the way it is now, but it will work. Just as we were getting done with that one, and I have to get back the truss piece from the other friend who had not gotten them done yet... I turned and she moved the step ladder, I tripped and fell , hit the 2 boards that were leaning against the trailer that had been braces to hold the one end up straight... put a big red scrape on my forehead, 2 small cuts on my face, and bent the nose piece on my glasses. Did not break the glasses luckily... But, some blood and after I got up, and we actually finished the one piece, then I said we couldn't do anymore until I get the one truss piece back from the guy...then I got a text, and told her that I was going to have to go to work after all.... so we quit for the day. I now have to take the car down to get the balance on the tires checked... then go to Walmart eyeglass center, and see if they can bend this piece... I do not want to do it and break it. I had a little nagging dull headache earlier... took some stuff as I have more of one now... It truly was an accident... but..... I just need to not have to deal with anyone right now. I am not mad at her... it was just one of those things... and these knees do not catch me I am finding out.... so just mad at myself.... Going to have a black eye I am afraid....
Could have been ALOT WORSE.....

GRRRR on the day. DS just called and he just screwed the housing of the pump back on too tight and cracked it (it is plastic whatever it is).... so he is not having a good day either...

So, I came in, put some tea out to steep since it is mostly sunny right now... made a sandwich for lunch since my stomach was growling... found my older pair of scratched up glasses and will head out in a few minutes for the co-op and then to see about getting the other ones fixed. Always something... Got a couple of things I have on the list so will get them when I am out also...

If it is not raining later when I get back, I will see about getting out the weedeater and doing some more around the house. Want to do along the bank in front to be able to plant some of the irises there... but I cannot pull with this shoulder to get the walk behind one going.... makes me mad that it (shoulder) does not work like it used to. I can sometimes pull with the left... so will see if I can get it started for that. The weeds are way too much for my little light weed eater.

We had another .6 overnight last night... so close to an inch total . Looks like we might get some more later on today... supposed to be more sun than showers... but possible precip for the next 4 days .... Sure have gotten our share of rain this last week... like @Mini Horses would really like it if we could "save" some of it for July/August... Oh Well.....

 

[fuzzi]

Feeder cattle prices took a $4-$10 jump already this week. Saw on one site that a couple of classes of lightweight 3-4 wt steers brought over $5 lb. in either Ga or Ok.... can't remember which one. I was looking at several sales already this week.

I didn't go to the bred cow sale an hour north last night. Waste of fuel when prices were most likely going to be twice what I would be wanting to pay. I (we) will likely go to the one next Tuesday in Staunton... 1/2 hr north of us..... we are hoping to have a vet check next Tuesday... he is going to be in this area but office didn't know if there would be time for him to fit us in... I just called yesterday morning... they will let me know by tomorrow morning...since he is off today... Going to preg check the ones next(behind) me since the grass cannot get ahead of them there...too many and so we are still feeding them..... and going to take some fence down for the guys to drive posts... easier to have the cattle out of the way. Too wet with the rain for them to come work... it rains off and on frequently during the day so can't really get started before getting drenched.

Yesterday, we got .35 inches during the day. Dumped the gauge about 3 or 4pm. Packed the samples, and had to go to Walmart because my printer ink just went blank...didn't get light or spotty, just stopped printing. Couldn't get the racking list or anything printed. Then later on, took the samples down to go out UPS. Came back and DS came to the house. He had come earlier because we had rain off and on... and he couldn't do anything out in the fields. He got the forester and took it to the barn. Got the battery in and ran the wire etc to the cut off switch he put inside so I can now drive it and cut it off inside and not run the new battery down. He had also taken some pump off one of his other trucks because it was leaking...power steering, (water pump) ???? I don't know but think it was the power steering pump... thought it was a line, but it turned out to actually be the side of it had some rust holes just starting to leak... they had to order another one... so he got the wire for the cut off switch, and did that.

So, he brought the forester back, and he took me down to get the truck and we ate at the local little pizza/italian place for supper. Then he headed to her house and I came home...

The car has a shimmy so something is not right with these new tires. I am not very pleased with them. Have to go back down and see if they will take them off and balance them again. 60-65 you can feel enough vibration in the steering wheel to be annoying.

Today, Thursday, it was 57 for a low, up to 80... muggy. Was cloudy, then sun came out but see alot of clouds. Heard cows hollering, and went out about 8 or so, there is a cow in my yard... Just one, out of the pasture. They need hay. Called DS and he was just heading for the farm, said he had a bad night last night. So I went out, she came when I called and went in the catch lot there... then I went down the road and see where she pushed out a old gate that is covering a big hole, and just got out... Fixed that... this whole fence needs replacing. Then when the cows went back down in the field a bit, was able to get her back in with them from the catch lot. Not upset so much because she came right when I called, and she is back and the spot is fixed again. One of the reasons they need to come out. DS came with a roll of hay, then took the silage wagon and went and filled it for them... it should stretch the hay and get them through until Sunday or so when we hope to get them moved to the barn for the vet check on Tues...

Was going to take the car down, first thing, but Deb is out for several days, and wanted to come help with the chicken pen. We got started on that, and bless her heart, she makes things more complicated than they need to be. She took some measurements and went back home to rip a couple of boards, make a piece,,,, came back a little later and we worked on it. I am not totally happy with the way it is now, but it will work. Just as we were getting done with that one, and I have to get back the truss piece from the other friend who had not gotten them done yet... I turned and she moved the step ladder, I tripped and fell , hit the 2 boards that were leaning against the trailer that had been braces to hold the one end up straight... put a big red scrape on my forehead, 2 small cuts on my face, and bent the nose piece on my glasses. Did not break the glasses luckily... But, some blood and after I got up, and we actually finished the one piece, then I said we couldn't do anymore until I get the one truss piece back from the guy...then I got a text, and told her that I was going to have to go to work after all.... so we quit for the day. I now have to take the car down to get the balance on the tires checked... then go to Walmart eyeglass thing and see if they can bend this piece... I do not want to do it and break it. No, not testing, but I had had enough help today... some days you just would rather not have to have "help".... and today was it for me. I had a little nagging dull headache earlier... took some stuff as I have more of one now... It truly was an accident... but..... I just need to not have to deal with anyone right now.

GRRRR on the day. DS just called and he just screwed the housing of the pump back on too tight and cracked it (it is plastic whatever it is).... so he is not having a good day either...

So, I came in, put some tea out to steep since it is mostly sunny right now... made a sandwich for lunch since my stomach was growling... found my older pair of scratched up glasses and will head out in a few minutes for the co-op and then to see about getting the other ones fixed. Always something... Got a couple of things I have on the list so will get them when I am out also...

If it is not raining later when I get back, I will see about getting out the weedeater and doing some more around the house. Want to do along the bank in front to be able to plant some of the irises there... but I cannot pull with this shoulder to get the walk behind one going.... makes me mad that it does not work like it used to. I can sometimes pull with the left... so will see if I can get it started for that. The weeds are way too much for my little light weed eater.

We had another .6 overnight last night... so close to an inch total . Looks like we might get some more later on today... supposed to be more sun than showers... but possible precip for the next 4 days .... Sure have gotten our share of rain this last week... like @Mini Horses would really like it if we could "save" some of it for July/August... Oh Well.....

We got about 5" of rain this week. I'm with you on saving some for August, that's our crunchy grass month.

Hope you got the tires fixed, might have lost one of the balance weights.