Mini Horses
Herd Master
It got back up to 82 here today & high 70s next 2 days....then low 70s again, my favorite. Pretty normal. Need no AC or heat. Mornings can be nippy -- dress fast!
Farmerjan's journal - Weather
- Thread starter farmerjan
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CherishedFowlGuardian
Ridin' The Range
It’s 75°F here and raining.
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farmerjan
Herd Master
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- Aug 16, 2016
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- 12,666
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- Location
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Sunday evening... Hit 79 , sunny, nice but we had a little breeze this afternoon.
Did some of what I planned, and wound up down at the barn, and helped get the plastic that DS is going to cover the silage with, positioned on the one side so it covers all the cracks of the big concrete "blocks" that he has the sides made out of... so there is no air getting through there to spoil the silage... The other side is against a bank, so no air flows through them. These are BIG concrete blocks.. about 2+ ft wide, 30" high and 6-8ft long I guess.... sorta like the barrier concrete blocks they use on highways, but shorter and wider... DS went and got 8 more this year, 4 at a time is all he puts on the flat bed trailer... put up one more "layer" high along the back and then 4 more down the side against the bank in the corner...... he has been filling in along the concrete blocks and the bank to get it higher... originally dug it out a bit when he dug down to pour the concrete slab.... then has been filling ever since along the one side and across the back... The slab is 26 x100 M/L..... so the one whole long side and the short back has dirt all along it... filled up to at least 3/4 of the way up the side and about to the top in the back... So there are 4 blocks tall for about 25 ft on the long side, then 3 blocks tall the rest of the 75 ft or so...except for 2 blocks on the end... and 4 tall all along the back.... the long side that does not have any dirt is 3 blocks high... With the dirt packed along the one side and back, it gives total strength to the concrete blocks and we can run the tractors up on the silage right against that edge and never have to worry about too much weight pushing against them...
You have to use the heavy tractors running back and forth on the silage to pack it down...squeeze out the air..... less air means better "ensiling".... "fermenting".... so there is no mold and stuff growing but just good fermenting of the silage... it will heat then drop down in temp and continue to ensile until all the pile is "cooked"... Kinda like making sauerkraut,
So I wound up going down there for a bit and did not get as much done here as I thought I might try to do. Got the laundry hung; was tons of socks in the one load; and some of the rest off the line... Got all the dishes in the drainer put away. Got out the lawn tractor, hooked up the cart, got the extra bag of chicken feed out of the car and the 5 gal bucket of chicken feed from the bin, and some other stuff and took it all over to the chickens. Then carried 2 partial buckets of water over to them. Then came back and got the wheeled weed eater and took it over there...I let the turkeys out... 1/2 filled their waterer , hung the feeder like it should be, then worked on weed eating the space between the 2 pens and all around the bases.... it was way overgrown and thick and took some time... I hope it will mostly dry in the next 2 days so I can rake some of it up to save for winter... I am still using some of the stuff from last year that is in bags in the carport.
I mowed some while having the mower out there also... Had to move the 2x6's up on the one set of cinder blocks so I could get around them... did not get anyof the pens up off the ground. yet.. but figure if all the heavy grass and such dries some, I will be able to lay the 2x6 alongside the runs, and get them up on the boards at least in the next day or so... I need to do some cutting when the time comes... but at least I hope to get them off the ground in the next few days...
I did get the 2 larger blocks in the turkey pen and get 2 limbs in there for a "roost"... granted it is close to the ground but better than sitting flat on the ground...
I did not get the other one finished putting together... that will get done maybe in the next couple of days...
I went on facebook market place and found a couple of chicken coops/pens.... texted about one that is really TOO BIG... it was for pastured layers these people used to run but other things in their lives have forced them to cut back... then they called back late this aft.... I told them that I would call them on Wed as we would be in corn chopping the next 2 days... I want to go look at it... It is made on a regular hay wagon running gear... but has high upright arms and these people had built it to house layers and move it around the field... It is not cheap, but the running gear is worth what they are asking... I said it was bigger than I was originally looking for, but it might work for me...the lady was nice, she said they had some extra lumber that they were going to use to do some more work on it... roof has rafters but no top... they used plastic??? some other stuff. It has been on there for awhile... Too big for the average person... but might work good for me to keep extra hens and sell eggs again... then I could keep my pullets even if they aren't show quality, just for layers. Possibilities...
I saw a bunch of pretty rough ones, and then some expensive small ones... and everything inbetween... does not have to be moveable... but this just caught my eye... So, I will go look... never know...
Also left a message on another one... most were either too rough, or too expensive, or too far away, or TSC type that are really lightweight stuff...
So, tomorrow I will go check the heifers in the morning... maybe try to make a run to the pasture to feed the 14 there again, up where he is going to set up the pen... do that every other / every 3rd day so they get used to it... like I did with the 4 old cows and calves at the pasture that we just moved them out of and sold the cows... and wait for DS to let me know when they are going to start chopping and when he needs me to come. The corn should be about perfect so should not need to have water sprayed on it because it is too dry...let's hope that chopping goes okay, that there are no breakdowns, and there is room for it... He did ask the friend if we could use his bagger and they have an 8 ft x 150 ft bag at the co-op in town, if we have too much silage... I think we will have more than DS thinks... I told him he needed to have a backup plan if we had more silage than would fit in the bunk... at least he listened to that instead of trying to do it last minute. If we don't need it, no harm, no foul...
Well, I have eaten beef sandwiches and not gotten sick again... so very VERY thankful that I do not seem to have that Alpha-gal syndrome from a lone start tick bite. The back certainly is not getting better and the weakness - lack of strength - in my muscles is not getting any better... Still some coughing but not as bad...
I'm tired, and should sleep pretty good. I am going in to take a shower and wash my hair.... did not feel up to it last night.
Did some of what I planned, and wound up down at the barn, and helped get the plastic that DS is going to cover the silage with, positioned on the one side so it covers all the cracks of the big concrete "blocks" that he has the sides made out of... so there is no air getting through there to spoil the silage... The other side is against a bank, so no air flows through them. These are BIG concrete blocks.. about 2+ ft wide, 30" high and 6-8ft long I guess.... sorta like the barrier concrete blocks they use on highways, but shorter and wider... DS went and got 8 more this year, 4 at a time is all he puts on the flat bed trailer... put up one more "layer" high along the back and then 4 more down the side against the bank in the corner...... he has been filling in along the concrete blocks and the bank to get it higher... originally dug it out a bit when he dug down to pour the concrete slab.... then has been filling ever since along the one side and across the back... The slab is 26 x100 M/L..... so the one whole long side and the short back has dirt all along it... filled up to at least 3/4 of the way up the side and about to the top in the back... So there are 4 blocks tall for about 25 ft on the long side, then 3 blocks tall the rest of the 75 ft or so...except for 2 blocks on the end... and 4 tall all along the back.... the long side that does not have any dirt is 3 blocks high... With the dirt packed along the one side and back, it gives total strength to the concrete blocks and we can run the tractors up on the silage right against that edge and never have to worry about too much weight pushing against them...
You have to use the heavy tractors running back and forth on the silage to pack it down...squeeze out the air..... less air means better "ensiling".... "fermenting".... so there is no mold and stuff growing but just good fermenting of the silage... it will heat then drop down in temp and continue to ensile until all the pile is "cooked"... Kinda like making sauerkraut,
So I wound up going down there for a bit and did not get as much done here as I thought I might try to do. Got the laundry hung; was tons of socks in the one load; and some of the rest off the line... Got all the dishes in the drainer put away. Got out the lawn tractor, hooked up the cart, got the extra bag of chicken feed out of the car and the 5 gal bucket of chicken feed from the bin, and some other stuff and took it all over to the chickens. Then carried 2 partial buckets of water over to them. Then came back and got the wheeled weed eater and took it over there...I let the turkeys out... 1/2 filled their waterer , hung the feeder like it should be, then worked on weed eating the space between the 2 pens and all around the bases.... it was way overgrown and thick and took some time... I hope it will mostly dry in the next 2 days so I can rake some of it up to save for winter... I am still using some of the stuff from last year that is in bags in the carport.
I mowed some while having the mower out there also... Had to move the 2x6's up on the one set of cinder blocks so I could get around them... did not get anyof the pens up off the ground. yet.. but figure if all the heavy grass and such dries some, I will be able to lay the 2x6 alongside the runs, and get them up on the boards at least in the next day or so... I need to do some cutting when the time comes... but at least I hope to get them off the ground in the next few days...
I did get the 2 larger blocks in the turkey pen and get 2 limbs in there for a "roost"... granted it is close to the ground but better than sitting flat on the ground...
I did not get the other one finished putting together... that will get done maybe in the next couple of days...
I went on facebook market place and found a couple of chicken coops/pens.... texted about one that is really TOO BIG... it was for pastured layers these people used to run but other things in their lives have forced them to cut back... then they called back late this aft.... I told them that I would call them on Wed as we would be in corn chopping the next 2 days... I want to go look at it... It is made on a regular hay wagon running gear... but has high upright arms and these people had built it to house layers and move it around the field... It is not cheap, but the running gear is worth what they are asking... I said it was bigger than I was originally looking for, but it might work for me...the lady was nice, she said they had some extra lumber that they were going to use to do some more work on it... roof has rafters but no top... they used plastic??? some other stuff. It has been on there for awhile... Too big for the average person... but might work good for me to keep extra hens and sell eggs again... then I could keep my pullets even if they aren't show quality, just for layers. Possibilities...
I saw a bunch of pretty rough ones, and then some expensive small ones... and everything inbetween... does not have to be moveable... but this just caught my eye... So, I will go look... never know...
Also left a message on another one... most were either too rough, or too expensive, or too far away, or TSC type that are really lightweight stuff...
So, tomorrow I will go check the heifers in the morning... maybe try to make a run to the pasture to feed the 14 there again, up where he is going to set up the pen... do that every other / every 3rd day so they get used to it... like I did with the 4 old cows and calves at the pasture that we just moved them out of and sold the cows... and wait for DS to let me know when they are going to start chopping and when he needs me to come. The corn should be about perfect so should not need to have water sprayed on it because it is too dry...let's hope that chopping goes okay, that there are no breakdowns, and there is room for it... He did ask the friend if we could use his bagger and they have an 8 ft x 150 ft bag at the co-op in town, if we have too much silage... I think we will have more than DS thinks... I told him he needed to have a backup plan if we had more silage than would fit in the bunk... at least he listened to that instead of trying to do it last minute. If we don't need it, no harm, no foul...
Well, I have eaten beef sandwiches and not gotten sick again... so very VERY thankful that I do not seem to have that Alpha-gal syndrome from a lone start tick bite. The back certainly is not getting better and the weakness - lack of strength - in my muscles is not getting any better... Still some coughing but not as bad...
I'm tired, and should sleep pretty good. I am going in to take a shower and wash my hair.... did not feel up to it last night.
Baymule
Herd Master
Being able to eat beef is a good sign. I hope you can figure out why the other symptoms. The coop on the trailer sounds interesting.
- Thread starter
- #9,375
farmerjan
Herd Master
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- Aug 16, 2016
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- Reaction score
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- Points
- 768
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Low of 57 last night. DS just texted me and said that the guy said he would be there with equipment this morning... looking at maybe 10 a.m. So I will try to be available after that....
Sun coming up over the trees across the road. Looks like a pretty good dew so going to be wet grass for awhile... I will go up to the pasture to check on the heifers and feed some grain in the bunk in the barn... usually "the 12" are not off by themselves in the early morning so doubt they will get fed but the grain is in the car. Will try to go over to the pasture with the 14 before 10, feed them some grain again up in the area he is going to set up the pen...
Clothes will wait til late aft to get brought in off the line... plenty of time for the sun to be on them and dry off any dampness.
Turkeys roamed the property yesterday, when I let them out while doing the concrete blocks and roost poles etc..... making at least 4-5 trips all around... did not go off the land, but that was their first day out in a very long time. Do not dare to leave them out when I am not here... they will try crossing the road for sure... D%@# I want this fence put up and done..... at least to where I can use the electric netting to section it off some and let them out...
Saw a hawk and a buzzard late aft looking at the turkeys , but they are way too big for them to try to carry off now...
Hoping the grass dries some that I got cut with the weed eater around the pens... would be good to just be able to rake it in the pens for them.
Time to get crackin' and get things together to get done...
Sun coming up over the trees across the road. Looks like a pretty good dew so going to be wet grass for awhile... I will go up to the pasture to check on the heifers and feed some grain in the bunk in the barn... usually "the 12" are not off by themselves in the early morning so doubt they will get fed but the grain is in the car. Will try to go over to the pasture with the 14 before 10, feed them some grain again up in the area he is going to set up the pen...
Clothes will wait til late aft to get brought in off the line... plenty of time for the sun to be on them and dry off any dampness.
Turkeys roamed the property yesterday, when I let them out while doing the concrete blocks and roost poles etc..... making at least 4-5 trips all around... did not go off the land, but that was their first day out in a very long time. Do not dare to leave them out when I am not here... they will try crossing the road for sure... D%@# I want this fence put up and done..... at least to where I can use the electric netting to section it off some and let them out...
Saw a hawk and a buzzard late aft looking at the turkeys , but they are way too big for them to try to carry off now...
Hoping the grass dries some that I got cut with the weed eater around the pens... would be good to just be able to rake it in the pens for them.
Time to get crackin' and get things together to get done...
- Thread starter
- #9,376
farmerjan
Herd Master
- Joined
- Aug 16, 2016
- Messages
- 12,666
- Reaction score
- 52,076
- Points
- 768
- Location
- Shenandoah Valley Virginia
Pretty good day by the end of the day reckoning... was a panic for a little while..
Went up and checked the heifers... no new calves yet... DS texts and says the guys are at the farm... so I didn't get to the other pasture to feed the "14"... Went to the farm... and they had started chopping... due to it being close...they are only going to run 1 truck..... they have a pull behind wagon....that lifts up and dumps into the dump truck... so as the guy is hauling the chopped corn to the bunk, the guy with the chopper is continuing to chop and fill the silage cart... then when the truck gets back, he stops chopping and dumps the "cart" into the truck... takes a few minutes at most... The guy driving the truck is keeping up with the chopping... pretty slick...
So for the first hour there is nothing for me to do... DS says do I need to go check at snyder's... I said I already went there... but I could go do the heifers at wimpy's pasture... so he said go ahead...
I went and got there and there are only 8 heifers in the field... all quietly laying up where all 14 were Sat morning.
Oh-Oh.... I go take a ride around the fence part way down the hill and see NO ONE ELSE... Okay, go see if they got across in with the 18 bigger/older ones that had been bred and moved to one field there... Well, I count 20... so 2 extras... checked off all the numbers.... 2 from the "smaller sized" heifers are in there.... WHY ????
.... But worse, where are the other 4.??????.... Now, I did check off all the numbers so I know who is missing... and one of the 2 that is over in with the "bred" ones, is the stupid skittish one...
So, I go to the owner's house, asked if by chance they had gotten out or her husband had put someone in that was out loose somewhere.... he wasn't home... but she was pretty sure he had not done anything like that or he would have mentioned it... so... we are still missing 4... she asked if there was any chance that they could have gotten out around the pond... it is fenced off from the pasture, but the fence on the back side, that is the actual boundary fence between 2 properties... is falling down and maybe they got out there somewhere and then they have a whole 'nother, place of 30-40 acres and who knows if they could have gone further... So, I said I was going to go all around the perimeter fences, see if I could see anything...
By now I am getting really concerned... you are talking 1500-2000 EACH value... So, I went all along the field with the "18" (now 20)... see nothing... go back out to the field where the "14" were..... and part of this is where we cut off 1 cutting,,,, and part of this is really really steep and God Bless my little forester... I went all around , along the woods down around the corner from where I had first looked... and down in the very corner.... I see one get up.... With the trees, and shadows, and all, I practically would have run them over... but there were the 4 that I was missing.... lazing under these trees in the shadows... totally away from the rest....
Panic subsides....but I spent over an hour looking when it should have taken me 20 minutes to go feed and count.... PHEW.....
So, go back to the farm... and DS said that I could start helping pack now... so as they are bringing loads, DS is spreading it with the bucket loader... and the bunk is 26 ft wide, so we can run 2 tractors side by side with a little room... although we try to "criss cross" so the packing is not just under the "tire tracks".... but over all packed... so spent the next several hours packing... It is already up to the top of the 4 blocks high... filled against the back... and getting pretty full. DS asked if I wanted to quit...I said I wanted to go check the heifer... she is close... he was criss crossing some... so he said to quit and go ahead. I get up there, and she is right there with the rest, not looking any closer... so texted him and said she is fine, does he want me to come back... and he says, no, they are quitting for the day... it is 6:00 by then.... will come back tomorrow...
So they hauled about 40 loads .... 8-9 tons per load approx.. so 40 @ 8 tons is 320 tons... said there are about 10-12 more loads across the creek....So we figure it will be about 400 tons of silage... it is not quite as rounded as a couple years ago, because of the extra blocks and didn't have to mound it up so high... but we had about 400 ton a couple years ago...
The first field he chopped, with all the deer damage down one whole long side... about 4-6 rows of corn chewed off, knocked down, leaves stripped.... it was also the worst one from the drought .... ground is not as good, not as much organic matter... and the ears of corn were smaller, and not filled out... almost immature looking corn.... but the piece he is chopping now, from across the little creek... is more like "bottomland"... alot more organic matter in the soil..... it held the little bit of rain/moisture we got and the plants really show it.... and there are alot more ears of corn...... kernels more filled out and "dented" ; you can see the "yellow" kernels in the silage more. The stalks are about PERFECT for chopping... green enough but not "wet".... it ought to make some really really good silage.... The lack of corn in the first half is not the end of the world... corn is "cheap" and we can add some whole kernel corn by bucket on the bunk... the stalks were green but not too wet... by far this is way better than the dry stalks we chopped the last time... I am really really happy with the condition of the corn we are chopping..... it is what I would call "dairy " quality.....
So tomorrow about 9:30 they are coming back... I imagine we/he will go earlier and pack some before they start... it will have settled a little and that is good too.... Ought to take another 1-2 hours....8-10 loads and hour more or less... packing as much as possible, then getting it covered before it rains... it will be perfect.... and we will not need the bagger or the bag... so I was wrong about having too much to fit in the bunk...... but then I also was not taking into account the increased capacity with adding those extra blocks... it really makes a difference...If there hadn't been all the deer damage we would have been hard pressed to get it all in there I think...
So, I stayed home after checking the heifers again... carried a small bucket of water to the turkeys to add more to their waterer... put some of the weed eated, chopped up tall grasses into the poultry pen with the chickens.. The black langshan bantam hen quit laying again...
Brought the clothes in off the line so at least they will not get wet IF we get any of the rain predicted for Tuesday night/Wed.... now they have dropped it to 1/2 inch.... we are still in Moderate drought conditions here...
Moved vehicles, and the riding mower, as the guy is coming to recharge the semen tank with nitrogen tomorrow... so he can easily get to it... in the carport... I want to start breeding some AI this next year too if I can... I have tons of semen that I ought to try to get some use out of...
Tomorrow morning I will set out a gal of tea to steep... got the water in the jar, just add the tea bag in the morning... have to remember to close all the vehicle windows tomorrow and put the mower and weed eater back in the carport. I had to bring the batteries in the house from the weed eater to charge yesterday... hope I can get a little more done tomorrow... but there is always this weekend... the rain is supposed to be gone by Wed afternoon... so it will dry out again... but COOL DOWN... maybe night temps below 40......
.
I took a shower and washed my hair that I didn't do last night... there was alot of dust/grit with them hauling the loads today... I could "taste" the grit... YUK.....Ate a sandwich and am going to bed, I am tired and the back ache is not fun right now. Had a coughing spell but it has subsided.... still blowing the nose...
Found a med sized chicken house/pen here local... texted them and they said it would have to be after 4 pm... so going to text them and go look at it maybe tomorrow eve... or else Thursday eve... looks like something I can work with.... we'll see... still going to go look at the other one... and found a guy with 55 gal steel drums... to make a burn barrel... he's near where I get my milk, so hope to make a trip for both this fri or sat....
For now, some tylenol/advil combination... see if I can get enough relief to go to sleep...
Then start over tomorrow... and have a list of things I need to do/ put away; before it does rain... and a list of things I want to start getting done... See how my energy and stamina holds out... and how the back ache lets me....
Have a farm scheduled for Wed eve...
Went up and checked the heifers... no new calves yet... DS texts and says the guys are at the farm... so I didn't get to the other pasture to feed the "14"... Went to the farm... and they had started chopping... due to it being close...they are only going to run 1 truck..... they have a pull behind wagon....that lifts up and dumps into the dump truck... so as the guy is hauling the chopped corn to the bunk, the guy with the chopper is continuing to chop and fill the silage cart... then when the truck gets back, he stops chopping and dumps the "cart" into the truck... takes a few minutes at most... The guy driving the truck is keeping up with the chopping... pretty slick...
So for the first hour there is nothing for me to do... DS says do I need to go check at snyder's... I said I already went there... but I could go do the heifers at wimpy's pasture... so he said go ahead...
I went and got there and there are only 8 heifers in the field... all quietly laying up where all 14 were Sat morning.
Oh-Oh.... I go take a ride around the fence part way down the hill and see NO ONE ELSE... Okay, go see if they got across in with the 18 bigger/older ones that had been bred and moved to one field there... Well, I count 20... so 2 extras... checked off all the numbers.... 2 from the "smaller sized" heifers are in there.... WHY ????
.... But worse, where are the other 4.??????.... Now, I did check off all the numbers so I know who is missing... and one of the 2 that is over in with the "bred" ones, is the stupid skittish one...So, I go to the owner's house, asked if by chance they had gotten out or her husband had put someone in that was out loose somewhere.... he wasn't home... but she was pretty sure he had not done anything like that or he would have mentioned it... so... we are still missing 4... she asked if there was any chance that they could have gotten out around the pond... it is fenced off from the pasture, but the fence on the back side, that is the actual boundary fence between 2 properties... is falling down and maybe they got out there somewhere and then they have a whole 'nother, place of 30-40 acres and who knows if they could have gone further... So, I said I was going to go all around the perimeter fences, see if I could see anything...
By now I am getting really concerned... you are talking 1500-2000 EACH value... So, I went all along the field with the "18" (now 20)... see nothing... go back out to the field where the "14" were..... and part of this is where we cut off 1 cutting,,,, and part of this is really really steep and God Bless my little forester... I went all around , along the woods down around the corner from where I had first looked... and down in the very corner.... I see one get up.... With the trees, and shadows, and all, I practically would have run them over... but there were the 4 that I was missing.... lazing under these trees in the shadows... totally away from the rest....
Panic subsides....but I spent over an hour looking when it should have taken me 20 minutes to go feed and count.... PHEW.....
So, go back to the farm... and DS said that I could start helping pack now... so as they are bringing loads, DS is spreading it with the bucket loader... and the bunk is 26 ft wide, so we can run 2 tractors side by side with a little room... although we try to "criss cross" so the packing is not just under the "tire tracks".... but over all packed... so spent the next several hours packing... It is already up to the top of the 4 blocks high... filled against the back... and getting pretty full. DS asked if I wanted to quit...I said I wanted to go check the heifer... she is close... he was criss crossing some... so he said to quit and go ahead. I get up there, and she is right there with the rest, not looking any closer... so texted him and said she is fine, does he want me to come back... and he says, no, they are quitting for the day... it is 6:00 by then.... will come back tomorrow...
So they hauled about 40 loads .... 8-9 tons per load approx.. so 40 @ 8 tons is 320 tons... said there are about 10-12 more loads across the creek....So we figure it will be about 400 tons of silage... it is not quite as rounded as a couple years ago, because of the extra blocks and didn't have to mound it up so high... but we had about 400 ton a couple years ago...
The first field he chopped, with all the deer damage down one whole long side... about 4-6 rows of corn chewed off, knocked down, leaves stripped.... it was also the worst one from the drought .... ground is not as good, not as much organic matter... and the ears of corn were smaller, and not filled out... almost immature looking corn.... but the piece he is chopping now, from across the little creek... is more like "bottomland"... alot more organic matter in the soil..... it held the little bit of rain/moisture we got and the plants really show it.... and there are alot more ears of corn...... kernels more filled out and "dented" ; you can see the "yellow" kernels in the silage more. The stalks are about PERFECT for chopping... green enough but not "wet".... it ought to make some really really good silage.... The lack of corn in the first half is not the end of the world... corn is "cheap" and we can add some whole kernel corn by bucket on the bunk... the stalks were green but not too wet... by far this is way better than the dry stalks we chopped the last time... I am really really happy with the condition of the corn we are chopping..... it is what I would call "dairy " quality.....
So tomorrow about 9:30 they are coming back... I imagine we/he will go earlier and pack some before they start... it will have settled a little and that is good too.... Ought to take another 1-2 hours....8-10 loads and hour more or less... packing as much as possible, then getting it covered before it rains... it will be perfect.... and we will not need the bagger or the bag... so I was wrong about having too much to fit in the bunk...... but then I also was not taking into account the increased capacity with adding those extra blocks... it really makes a difference...If there hadn't been all the deer damage we would have been hard pressed to get it all in there I think...
So, I stayed home after checking the heifers again... carried a small bucket of water to the turkeys to add more to their waterer... put some of the weed eated, chopped up tall grasses into the poultry pen with the chickens.. The black langshan bantam hen quit laying again...
Brought the clothes in off the line so at least they will not get wet IF we get any of the rain predicted for Tuesday night/Wed.... now they have dropped it to 1/2 inch.... we are still in Moderate drought conditions here...
Moved vehicles, and the riding mower, as the guy is coming to recharge the semen tank with nitrogen tomorrow... so he can easily get to it... in the carport... I want to start breeding some AI this next year too if I can... I have tons of semen that I ought to try to get some use out of...
Tomorrow morning I will set out a gal of tea to steep... got the water in the jar, just add the tea bag in the morning... have to remember to close all the vehicle windows tomorrow and put the mower and weed eater back in the carport. I had to bring the batteries in the house from the weed eater to charge yesterday... hope I can get a little more done tomorrow... but there is always this weekend... the rain is supposed to be gone by Wed afternoon... so it will dry out again... but COOL DOWN... maybe night temps below 40......
.I took a shower and washed my hair that I didn't do last night... there was alot of dust/grit with them hauling the loads today... I could "taste" the grit... YUK.....Ate a sandwich and am going to bed, I am tired and the back ache is not fun right now. Had a coughing spell but it has subsided.... still blowing the nose...
Found a med sized chicken house/pen here local... texted them and they said it would have to be after 4 pm... so going to text them and go look at it maybe tomorrow eve... or else Thursday eve... looks like something I can work with.... we'll see... still going to go look at the other one... and found a guy with 55 gal steel drums... to make a burn barrel... he's near where I get my milk, so hope to make a trip for both this fri or sat....
For now, some tylenol/advil combination... see if I can get enough relief to go to sleep...
Then start over tomorrow... and have a list of things I need to do/ put away; before it does rain... and a list of things I want to start getting done... See how my energy and stamina holds out... and how the back ache lets me....
Have a farm scheduled for Wed eve...
I'm so glad you found your cows. I was panicking with you as I was reading along.Pretty good day by the end of the day reckoning... was a panic for a little while..
Went up and checked the heifers... no new calves yet... DS texts and says the guys are at the farm... so I didn't get to the other pasture to feed the "14"... Went to the farm... and they had started chopping... due to it being close...they are only going to run 1 truck..... they have a pull behind wagon....that lifts up and dumps into the dump truck... so as the guy is hauling the chopped corn to the bunk, the guy with the chopper is continuing to chop and fill the silage cart... then when the truck gets back, he stops chopping and dumps the "cart" into the truck... takes a few minutes at most... The guy driving the truck is keeping up with the chopping... pretty slick...
So for the first hour there is nothing for me to do... DS says do I need to go check at snyder's... I said I already went there... but I could go do the heifers at wimpy's pasture... so he said go ahead...
I went and got there and there are only 8 heifers in the field... all quietly laying up where all 14 were Sat morning.
Oh-Oh.... I go take a ride around the fence part way down the hill and see NO ONE ELSE... Okay, go see if they got across in with the 18 bigger/older ones that had been bred and moved to one field there... Well, I count 20... so 2 extras... checked off all the numbers.... 2 from the "smaller sized" heifers are in there.... WHY ????
So, I go to the owner's house, asked if by chance they had gotten out or her husband had put someone in that was out loose somewhere.... he wasn't home... but she was pretty sure he had not done anything like that or he would have mentioned it... so... we are still missing 4... she asked if there was any chance that they could have gotten out around the pond... it is fenced off from the pasture, but the fence on the back side, that is the actual boundary fence between 2 properties... is falling down and maybe they got out there somewhere and then they have a whole 'nother, place of 30-40 acres and who knows if they could have gone further... So, I said I was going to go all around the perimeter fences, see if I could see anything...
By now I am getting really concerned... you are talking 1500-2000 EACH value... So, I went all along the field with the "18" (now 20)... see nothing... go back out to the field where the "14" were..... and part of this is where we cut off 1 cutting,,,, and part of this is really really steep and God Bless my little forester... I went all around , along the woods down around the corner from where I had first looked... and down in the very corner.... I see one get up.... With the trees, and shadows, and all, I practically would have run them over... but there were the 4 that I was missing.... lazing under these trees in the shadows... totally away from the rest....
Panic subsides....but I spent over an hour looking when it should have taken me 20 minutes to go feed and count.... PHEW.....
So, go back to the farm... and DS said that I could start helping pack now... so as they are bringing loads, DS is spreading it with the bucket loader... and the bunk is 26 ft wide, so we can run 2 tractors side by side with a little room... although we try to "criss cross" so the packing is not just under the "tire tracks".... but over all packed... so spent the next several hours packing... It is already up to the top of the 4 blocks high... filled against the back... and getting pretty full. DS asked if I wanted to quit...I said I wanted to go check the heifer... she is close... he was criss crossing some... so he said to quit and go ahead. I get up there, and she is right there with the rest, not looking any closer... so texted him and said she is fine, does he want me to come back... and he says, no, they are quitting for the day... it is 6:00 by then.... will come back tomorrow...
So they hauled about 40 loads .... 8-9 tons per load approx.. so 40 @ 8 tons is 320 tons... said there are about 10-12 more loads across the creek....So we figure it will be about 400 tons of silage... it is not quite as rounded as a couple years ago, because of the extra blocks and didn't have to mound it up so high... but we had about 400 ton a couple years ago...
The first field he chopped, with all the deer damage down one whole long side... about 4-6 rows of corn chewed off, knocked down, leaves stripped.... it was also the worst one from the drought .... ground is not as good, not as much organic matter... and the ears of corn were smaller, and not filled out... almost immature looking corn.... but the piece he is chopping now, from across the little creek... is more like "bottomland"... alot more organic matter in the soil..... it held the little bit of rain/moisture we got and the plants really show it.... and there are alot more ears of corn...... kernels more filled out and "dented" ; you can see the "yellow" kernels in the silage more. The stalks are about PERFECT for chopping... green enough but not "wet".... it ought to make some really really good silage.... The lack of corn in the first half is not the end of the world... corn is "cheap" and we can add some whole kernel corn by bucket on the bunk... the stalks were green but not too wet... by far this is way better than the dry stalks we chopped the last time... I am really really happy with the condition of the corn we are chopping..... it is what I would call "dairy " quality.....
So tomorrow about 9:30 they are coming back... I imagine we/he will go earlier and pack some before they start... it will have settled a little and that is good too.... Ought to take another 1-2 hours....8-10 loads and hour more or less... packing as much as possible, then getting it covered before it rains... it will be perfect.... and we will not need the bagger or the bag... so I was wrong about having too much to fit in the bunk...... but then I also was not taking into account the increased capacity with adding those extra blocks... it really makes a difference...If there hadn't been all the deer damage we would have been hard pressed to get it all in there I think...
So, I stayed home after checking the heifers again... carried a small bucket of water to the turkeys to add more to their waterer... put some of the weed eated, chopped up tall grasses into the poultry pen with the chickens.. The black langshan bantam hen quit laying again...
Brought the clothes in off the line so at least they will not get wet IF we get any of the rain predicted for Tuesday night/Wed.... now they have dropped it to 1/2 inch.... we are still in Moderate drought conditions here...
Moved vehicles, and the riding mower, as the guy is coming to recharge the semen tank with nitrogen tomorrow... so he can easily get to it... in the carport... I want to start breeding some AI this next year too if I can... I have tons of semen that I ought to try to get some use out of...
Tomorrow morning I will set out a gal of tea to steep... got the water in the jar, just add the tea bag in the morning... have to remember to close all the vehicle windows tomorrow and put the mower and weed eater back in the carport. I had to bring the batteries in the house from the weed eater to charge yesterday... hope I can get a little more done tomorrow... but there is always this weekend... the rain is supposed to be gone by Wed afternoon... so it will dry out again... but COOL DOWN... maybe night temps below 40......
I took a shower and washed my hair that I didn't do last night... there was alot of dust/grit with them hauling the loads today... I could "taste" the grit... YUK.....Ate a sandwich and am going to bed, I am tired and the back ache is not fun right now. Had a coughing spell but it has subsided.... still blowing the nose...
Found a med sized chicken house/pen here local... texted them and they said it would have to be after 4 pm... so going to text them and go look at it maybe tomorrow eve... or else Thursday eve... looks like something I can work with.... we'll see... still going to go look at the other one... and found a guy with 55 gal steel drums... to make a burn barrel... he's near where I get my milk, so hope to make a trip for both this fri or sat....
For now, some tylenol/advil combination... see if I can get enough relief to go to sleep...
Then start over tomorrow... and have a list of things I need to do/ put away; before it does rain... and a list of things I want to start getting done... See how my energy and stamina holds out... and how the back ache lets me....
Have a farm scheduled for Wed eve...
Hope your energy and back let you do what needs to be done.
