Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Baymule]

I don’t know where you got such screwy ideas? Read it in a book? YouTube? We just don’t do those sort of things here! I’m very afraid for you, my dear farmerjan, you ARE at the age of sliding off into dementia, darkness and despair……..

 

[farmerjan]

Sat... lunch break. It was 43 this morning... sun is out, warming up. Have had long sleeve t-shirt on but going to short sleeve shirt for the remainder of the daytime hours...

Went and tested the farm yesterday... went okay... didn't take my computer so will have to do all the work here.... will go back and take reports next week on one of the trips in that direction. Samples will ship out Monday... I can drop at UPS store today or tomorrow if I go that way... I think UPS trucks run Monday with it being the celebrated Columbus Day... Isn't the "REAL" Columbus day the 14th? been so long since they changed to these "monday" holidays,,,, maybe it was the 12th? That sounds more right.

Had a major problem at the farm yesterday... DS called and said one cow had prolapsed... needed to call the vet... I am on my way to work... So, I get on the phone, call the vet's office... said they would track down the vet, call me back... They did and he was going to be able to get there in half an hour or so... So I called DS back, told him... and they were getting the cow out of the calving field, into the grass alley there... so, they got her across the driveway... with her calf which is like 2 days old... and vet came... DS texted me later, and then called me last night... said that it took some time, it was real swollen, but they got it back in and stitched up... vet said 75% chance she will do okay and be able to raise this calf... Keeping our fingers crossed . She is now out behind the barn in the "silo lot"... has grass to eat, getting some hay... hopefully in a few days the muscles will help to hold it... she has some stitches, but can pee through them without a problem... This will be her last calf... hope she can raise it okay...
ALWAYS SOMETHING.... after the 2 vet trips for my jersey cow, then this, it is going to be an expensive vet bill when it comes...
PART OF IT.... and luckily he was able to come right away....

So, This morning, I went and got the new poly hay ring I had them get for me at the co-op... and the bull mineral feeder... another $500.... but both should last for many years... I will take a new bag of mineral up to put in it after they finish the mineral in the tub there, that is wet and heavy from the last rain... but they are working on it... I will get a couple salt blocks to put in the mineral feeder also... it has 3 compartments.. at least this will keep it dry .

Have to go get the smaller chicken coop/pen that is 5 miles away.. around 4... and I think I am going to go and get the burn barrels now since I did not get them yesterday because of having to go to work.... Not enough time to do it without rushing ..... Maybe I can get some of these papers and junk burnt with the showers that they are forecasting... they are very picky at the recycling center what we can bring in for "papers"... cardboard all has to be just so and can't have been wet or anything... TS.... I will just burn it here and spread it on the garden area.

Need to pick out where I am going to put the big coop... I am thinking that maybe out near the garden so they can have the run of the garden for the winter time??? Then they can be locked in the big run during the summer time.... have to walk around and see what might work best... The smaller one I am going to get will probably go over with the other ones for now... it can be moved if I need to...

Looking at some rain, but nothing like what @Mini Horses is going to get on the coast... we could actually use what she is looking at... but will take what little can work it's way inland.

Had to take something for the back.... and eat... so time to get out there and get some more done...

Getting a few things crossed off the list... but got more added... Don't we all do that ?????

Should be out there doing some weed eating with the walk behind... we'll see...

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope your cow does ok!

 

[SageHill]

Fingers crossed for the prolapse cow.

 

[Baymule]

Hope your cow can raise her calf without any more problems.

 

[farmerjan]

Just ate a NY strip steak, taken out of the freezer the other day. Made some sauteed onions with it... and opened a jar of the " cinnamon candied cucumbers" per the recipe that @Ridgetop gave me... perfect way to use way too big, overripe sized cukes... might work for zucchini... takes some work to make them... more time than anything special but they are good...I didn't do them as rings but short "sticks" and chunks like sweet pickles...

Well, got the hay ring and "bull mineral feeder".. then went and got the 2 burn barrels... and he asked if I wanted an extra, so gave me another that does not have the top cut out of.,....
Then awhile ago I went to get the chicken coop... but it is too heavy to lift up on the back of the flat bed truck... so they are going to jack it up some and hopefully we can get the flat bed trailer under it and scooch it around and get it loaded that way... I tentatively committed DS to noon tomorrow,.... but if it is raining in the morning, will postpone it so we don't tear up their lawn that we have to drive down across to it... It is pretty heavy... the coop end, don't know if DS could use a chain and the bale arms on the bale truck... don't think it would be smart to do that but then who am I to make those judgement calls.

Looks like @Mini Horses is already getting wet along the coast... 2 different forecasts here, neither has us getting much though...

Going to put away dishes in dish drainer... do up what is there.... work on the farm computer stuff...

 

[Baymule]

I built a hoop coop in Lindale and extended the side 2x4's, drilled holes in the ends and braces the corners. Stick a bolt through the holes, chain wrapped around the bolts and hooked on the tractor and I could drag it around to fresh grass. When I moved, I gave the coop to a neighbor and proceeded to watch the men load it on a trailer. So simple, yet they turned it into a major FUBAR. Using hay forks, they attempted to pick it up. Of course the hay forks only picked up one side, the coop went cattywampus, tilted, lots of shouting, dragging, a 2x4 snapped, they finally got it perched precariously on the trailer and off they went with it-damaged and broken. Idiots.

 

[fuzzi]

Some men just can't handle input from a woman. When we still had Ron's Tundra I drove to a local Agri place to get more cattle panels, had done it before, knew how 16' long panels could fit in a pickup bed. The men couldn't believe I came without a flatbed.

I was polite, explained how we'd done it before, but they ignored me and did it backwards. Ron was with me, and after the idiots left we were able to take the panels off and reload them ourselves. You bend them gently and have the curved middle of the panel against the cab instead of hanging off the tailgate.

 

[canesisters]

That is a much more secure idea!
When I still had the little S-10 I stopped at the S.States & bought two 16'long panels, a large bungie cord & a cheap, short rachet strap. They told me to pull around & someone would load it for me.
The guy at the warehouse just stood there staring at me.
"Ugh.... you got a plan?"
"Yep!" I asked him to stand them up on the long sides, bent them towards each other & secured with the bungie. Then we lifted them up into the bed of the truck - covered wagon style - and secured them with the ratchet strap over the top.

 

[farmerjan]

Showers, just a little wet misty stuff. Canceled getting the coop so we don't tear up his grass... will go one afternoon when he gets off work. Waiting to hear back from DS which afternoon will suit him.

It is wet enough to be annoying... Going to be a damp day... so inside. Not looking like we will even get a tenth of an inch though... just misty type damp.... Might make some bread pudding... Got the milk to do it. It will warm up the kitchen/house a little bit.

Need to finish the computer stuff for the farm... pack the samples. Piddly stuff looks like. Have to go check the heifers, but the one that still hasn't calved is not that close.... vet said she was about 1 month "less" pregnant than the one that just calved... she is big around, but just starting to make an udder so not going to do it in the next few days...

Oh well... time to do something positive...