murphysranch
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All the photos were simply stunning!! Thank you!
Farmerjan's journal - Weather
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Baymule
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OOPS
Baymule
Herd Master
Coop off the trailer and rain too!
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farmerjan
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@fuzzi ... sorry, that rain that was pouring was in Columbus Ohio....this morning, before I left.... not here at the house. Only had .1 inch in the rain gauge from Friday eve and with the wind and all, you can't see where it did anything.
With temps forecast to get down that low, got all the plants in the house except the big pots of spider plants and they are covered up... Got to figure out something for them tomorrow.
Got some other things to get done before dark...
Well, I got sidetracked and then took a shower and went to bed.
So, here it is Monday morning.... FREEZING COLD Monday morning... Temps got down to 31 last night and are maybe going to hit 40 during the day. Tonight even colder... 20's and even some teens... Warming back up by the end of the week.
NOPE, no real rain here, only that .1 inch. BUT, all the rain and cloudy stuff I came through coming home yesterday, changed to some snow and they got anywhere from 1 to 6 INCHES of snow in places west of here... Glad I just came on home when I did... I am not wanting snow yet... This is a warning, and it will warm up again, and we will have some nice weather still, but it is a "get ready" preview.
I will be doing some mowing and collecting the leaves and dried grass in bags for the chickens for the winter too... in the next week or so. And get on DS to see about going to get the big poultry house I bought, at the people's house where they were going to get the ditch filled in from getting the building up and water and elec lines run... I want it home here... set up, before it gets too cold and nasty out. The whole idea was to have it to be able to use it for the chickens for the winter..
Sun is out so not a terrible day. Just made some oatmeal, which I like to eat... not one of those "it's good for you" things... I like it...
Time to see about going out to get some things done... check on the new birds... go check the heifers and their calves and all the normal routine things. No one scheduled to test but will call a few since I do not want to be doing them all the week of Thanksgiving either...
There is a bred cow and bull sale Tues night here at the closer stockyard and I think I will go to see what the prices are doing... with all the ups and downs in the futures markets on feeder cattle... I have never seen it see-saw so much in my life....
With temps forecast to get down that low, got all the plants in the house except the big pots of spider plants and they are covered up... Got to figure out something for them tomorrow.
Got some other things to get done before dark...
Well, I got sidetracked and then took a shower and went to bed.
So, here it is Monday morning.... FREEZING COLD Monday morning... Temps got down to 31 last night and are maybe going to hit 40 during the day. Tonight even colder... 20's and even some teens... Warming back up by the end of the week.
NOPE, no real rain here, only that .1 inch. BUT, all the rain and cloudy stuff I came through coming home yesterday, changed to some snow and they got anywhere from 1 to 6 INCHES of snow in places west of here... Glad I just came on home when I did... I am not wanting snow yet... This is a warning, and it will warm up again, and we will have some nice weather still, but it is a "get ready" preview.
I will be doing some mowing and collecting the leaves and dried grass in bags for the chickens for the winter too... in the next week or so. And get on DS to see about going to get the big poultry house I bought, at the people's house where they were going to get the ditch filled in from getting the building up and water and elec lines run... I want it home here... set up, before it gets too cold and nasty out. The whole idea was to have it to be able to use it for the chickens for the winter..
Sun is out so not a terrible day. Just made some oatmeal, which I like to eat... not one of those "it's good for you" things... I like it...
Time to see about going out to get some things done... check on the new birds... go check the heifers and their calves and all the normal routine things. No one scheduled to test but will call a few since I do not want to be doing them all the week of Thanksgiving either...
There is a bred cow and bull sale Tues night here at the closer stockyard and I think I will go to see what the prices are doing... with all the ups and downs in the futures markets on feeder cattle... I have never seen it see-saw so much in my life....
Finnie
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It looks like we got 2” of snow here! My thermometer says 26 degrees. Brrr! It’s for sure a reminder that our Indian summer is ending and I need to get serious about prepping for winter.
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farmerjan
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Well, it is WINTER Temps out there .... in comparison to even yesterday when it was still in the 60's when I got home and put the chickens in the pen etc and so on....
WOW... COLD with the wind. It hit 42 on the thermometer and with the wind chill the weather report said it felt like 35... and they were probably being optimistic... That wind was cold and biting.
NH's look fine, and the calf hutch is great for no wind.... my other birds are looking a little stressed from the wind. There are a couple of windbreak panels against the sides to make a corner, but it is not "air tight" . I am getting some of the heavy duty vinyl to use to wrap a couple of sides of the pens... tried 2 different thicknesses... ordered some of the "ends" of the rolls, seconds so to speak. Still not cheap. but should last for a good long while... I am tired of spending money on clear plastic that only lasts a year and needs replacing. Will see how I like this. It's not cheap, even getting the "seconds"... but if it is as nice as the sample bundle they sent... then it ought to last for several years. It is touted as being "marine vinyl" and being good for greenhouses and chicken pens and the different thicknesses for replacing windows and enclosing porches and such... It would cost quite a bit to do that because you would not want to use random sizes....but even to buy some fairly heavy plastic now is pretty expensive... and if it only lasts a year then what a pain to redo, and expense every year... So we will see...
It was so windy and cold, I told DS not to worry about trying to do the chicken coop/run this evening. He went to a hoof trimming class offered today... and by the time he got out and headed home it was 2.... he still had to feed the cattle at the barn, they checked for calves and he sent me a text about a new one... and I told him he needed to feed hay at snyder's for them. The heifer that finally calved the other day before I went, is doing good with the calf. I saw it nursing her vigorously this evening so all is well there. Which reminds me, he asked where the clipboard was when I was at the show, he wanted to move the rest of the heifers we preg checked and wanted to be sure of who was open and who wasn't... I guess I will have to text him to find out where it is because he did not bring it back to the house... which is typical... never returns stuff...
I gathered up several bags of papers and some cardboard and stuff that will get burned in the burn barrel... but it was too windy today to do so... I had a bunch of junk mail papers and such... all the glossier papers and just paper from in the house... they have gotten so fussy at the recycling center that I am tired of dealing with them about it... I do not take my newspapers, and it seems they don't want so much... and if it is going to the landfill like so much of the other recycling stuff, I may as well burn all I can, here... Newspapers and some cardboard I will use for a base to put mulch on top... but I have alot of small pieces of cardboard and some is partially rotting from being on the ground and I just decided to clean some of it up... At least the ashes in the barrel I can dump in the garden regularly.
Got all the big hanging planters of the spider plants in the house in the entry way... Not "warm" but much warmer than outside... They can stay in there for a couple days, then when it warms up again outside, I will take the time to repot a few that the pots are cracked/broken, get them all cleaned out of leaves and junk from being outside with the tree leaves falling, put in some new soil where I can, and get them situated for the winter. Also have to do the smaller pots that are right now in the couple of plastic tubs. I usually put them in the back room where the freezers and the washing machine is... corner windows so they get some light and easy to water etc... want to put up some hangers and a new light once the kitchen gets done... it will be after the first of the year before he can even think about it... had a rush type job that has to be done for friends that was supposed to be next spring but they have to move into this house by the first of the year or something... totally NOT in his plans... so, the tearing apart the upstairs ceilings and all will be a winter/spring job now it looks like. I get it from his point ...
Have a sink full of clean dishes and pots to put away and some other stuff to do... put 3/4 gal water in the jar but it was too cold to make sun tea... doubt tomorrow so maybe Wed... I want to make some pudding with the milk before it goes bad.... get more milk the end of the week.
Then some more junk mail to sort through, papers and stuff that can get thrown in the bag to burn... some more clothes to fold that are still in the baskets... all the things that just get pushed aside and piled on the couch when you are "single" in the house and no one else there; so don't worry about "keeping up with things"....
Tomorrow, Tuesday, I will leave fairly early, to go to Sharp Shopper since I have not gone the last 2 times I thought I might... Tues is bread day, so will get a couple loaves of bread.... some other things I can use...need cat food too... plus I want to go look at a new "desk/office chair"... this one is adjustible, but it does not stay up where I put it and I get tired of it slowly "sinking".... very uncomfortable. I have put up with it for over a year and it has to go... Enough is enough. So I will swing by the office furniture store near the SS and also go by Staples....
Got 2 texts out to farms to see if I can get anyone to test this week... Have 2 farms that test 45-60 days that are due to test and I do not want to be crowding them the week before Thanksgiving.. along with the ones that are testing mostly every month.
It is already down to 28... guess that will take care of any of the flowers that are left out there... Oh well. The mums might survive it. Want to get them planted along the split rail fence once I "scalp" the grass/weeds and then will put mulch on them.... Have 2 trees/bushes I want taken down in the yard also... Making a list of outside "To Do" things once the growth has stopped.
Ate bacon and scrambled eggs for supper... using some "older eggs" I got from a friend.... before they get too old.... but they are kept in the entry way and there is no "heat" there with the doors closed to the rooms, so stays real cool.
Well, time to get to working on some clothes folding at the least....
WOW... COLD with the wind. It hit 42 on the thermometer and with the wind chill the weather report said it felt like 35... and they were probably being optimistic... That wind was cold and biting.
NH's look fine, and the calf hutch is great for no wind.... my other birds are looking a little stressed from the wind. There are a couple of windbreak panels against the sides to make a corner, but it is not "air tight" . I am getting some of the heavy duty vinyl to use to wrap a couple of sides of the pens... tried 2 different thicknesses... ordered some of the "ends" of the rolls, seconds so to speak. Still not cheap. but should last for a good long while... I am tired of spending money on clear plastic that only lasts a year and needs replacing. Will see how I like this. It's not cheap, even getting the "seconds"... but if it is as nice as the sample bundle they sent... then it ought to last for several years. It is touted as being "marine vinyl" and being good for greenhouses and chicken pens and the different thicknesses for replacing windows and enclosing porches and such... It would cost quite a bit to do that because you would not want to use random sizes....but even to buy some fairly heavy plastic now is pretty expensive... and if it only lasts a year then what a pain to redo, and expense every year... So we will see...
It was so windy and cold, I told DS not to worry about trying to do the chicken coop/run this evening. He went to a hoof trimming class offered today... and by the time he got out and headed home it was 2.... he still had to feed the cattle at the barn, they checked for calves and he sent me a text about a new one... and I told him he needed to feed hay at snyder's for them. The heifer that finally calved the other day before I went, is doing good with the calf. I saw it nursing her vigorously this evening so all is well there. Which reminds me, he asked where the clipboard was when I was at the show, he wanted to move the rest of the heifers we preg checked and wanted to be sure of who was open and who wasn't... I guess I will have to text him to find out where it is because he did not bring it back to the house... which is typical... never returns stuff...
I gathered up several bags of papers and some cardboard and stuff that will get burned in the burn barrel... but it was too windy today to do so... I had a bunch of junk mail papers and such... all the glossier papers and just paper from in the house... they have gotten so fussy at the recycling center that I am tired of dealing with them about it... I do not take my newspapers, and it seems they don't want so much... and if it is going to the landfill like so much of the other recycling stuff, I may as well burn all I can, here... Newspapers and some cardboard I will use for a base to put mulch on top... but I have alot of small pieces of cardboard and some is partially rotting from being on the ground and I just decided to clean some of it up... At least the ashes in the barrel I can dump in the garden regularly.
Got all the big hanging planters of the spider plants in the house in the entry way... Not "warm" but much warmer than outside... They can stay in there for a couple days, then when it warms up again outside, I will take the time to repot a few that the pots are cracked/broken, get them all cleaned out of leaves and junk from being outside with the tree leaves falling, put in some new soil where I can, and get them situated for the winter. Also have to do the smaller pots that are right now in the couple of plastic tubs. I usually put them in the back room where the freezers and the washing machine is... corner windows so they get some light and easy to water etc... want to put up some hangers and a new light once the kitchen gets done... it will be after the first of the year before he can even think about it... had a rush type job that has to be done for friends that was supposed to be next spring but they have to move into this house by the first of the year or something... totally NOT in his plans... so, the tearing apart the upstairs ceilings and all will be a winter/spring job now it looks like. I get it from his point ...
Have a sink full of clean dishes and pots to put away and some other stuff to do... put 3/4 gal water in the jar but it was too cold to make sun tea... doubt tomorrow so maybe Wed... I want to make some pudding with the milk before it goes bad.... get more milk the end of the week.
Then some more junk mail to sort through, papers and stuff that can get thrown in the bag to burn... some more clothes to fold that are still in the baskets... all the things that just get pushed aside and piled on the couch when you are "single" in the house and no one else there; so don't worry about "keeping up with things"....
Tomorrow, Tuesday, I will leave fairly early, to go to Sharp Shopper since I have not gone the last 2 times I thought I might... Tues is bread day, so will get a couple loaves of bread.... some other things I can use...need cat food too... plus I want to go look at a new "desk/office chair"... this one is adjustible, but it does not stay up where I put it and I get tired of it slowly "sinking".... very uncomfortable. I have put up with it for over a year and it has to go... Enough is enough. So I will swing by the office furniture store near the SS and also go by Staples....
Got 2 texts out to farms to see if I can get anyone to test this week... Have 2 farms that test 45-60 days that are due to test and I do not want to be crowding them the week before Thanksgiving.. along with the ones that are testing mostly every month.
It is already down to 28... guess that will take care of any of the flowers that are left out there... Oh well. The mums might survive it. Want to get them planted along the split rail fence once I "scalp" the grass/weeds and then will put mulch on them.... Have 2 trees/bushes I want taken down in the yard also... Making a list of outside "To Do" things once the growth has stopped.
Ate bacon and scrambled eggs for supper... using some "older eggs" I got from a friend.... before they get too old.... but they are kept in the entry way and there is no "heat" there with the doors closed to the rooms, so stays real cool.
Well, time to get to working on some clothes folding at the least....
Ridgetop
Herd Master
What are cattle prices doing now? Just read in Livestock Weekly that cattle prices are down.
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farmerjan
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Tuesday eve... Chilly day. Started at 21 degrees... the coldest so far, and I dare say colder than most early Nov days in the past. The sun was out and it was breezy, but not like yesterday and last night. The temps got up to 44 but it was a "warmer" 44 than yesterday just because of not near as cold a wind chill. It's relative...
Went to Sharp Shopper, got some stuff, went to Wal-mart for a few other things and looked at a few desk chairs but nothing felt right...
Couple hours and came home. Filled the explorer gas tank since it is cheaper over near SS.... by using the shell credit card...2.57 and I get .15 / gallon off.... so got gas for 2.42 a gallon!!!! Pretty cheap... It is 2.75 here, so with the .15 off I get it for 2.60...... I try to remember to get gas when I am up that way...
Went out since it had warmed some, put feed in feeder for the turkeys, and a bucket with water... the waterer was not frozen in there but nearly empty, and the one in the chickens... put some water in a small pan so make sure they got to drink, but they were not interested so I know they had gotten enough. Filled the waterer in with the NH's.... it was nearly empty. The calf hutch kept it from the worst of the wind so it did not freeze. They had a little feed so will fill the feeder tomorrow for them. I stopped and got another 5 gallon bucket of feed from the bin... mixing it with some of the turkey/game bird feed that is higher protein to make sure they are getting enough... the feed in the bin is old and has had bugs/moths in it... they eat bugs and stuff, so I don't think it is hurting them any... No mold or anything... There are no bugs in it now. But I want to get the bin fed out so mixing it so they can eat it up.
So, then I texted DS about going to the sale, and he texted back and said he was feeding at the barn... he had to go to the farm down by her house... there were cows/cattle in the landfill property behind the farm... they weren't ours... he wanted to count/check cattle.... then was trying to figure out who they belonged to... there are 2 or 3 others around there with cattle... then he came to the farm, the pressure gauge on the pump is registering way too high.... so they were dealing with questions about the water... then while checking the cows still to calve, one had a prolapse that calved yesterday... it was cervical, so not the whole uterus... but he calls me and said to call the vet.... she prolapsed... and I called and they called me back and he said he could come in about 45 minutes. So I texted him, then he called and said what did you find out... and I said, I texted you, he will be here in about 45 minutes... So; I went down to the farm about a half hour later, they had gotten the cow out of the field with her calf, into the barn lot. He was going up to see about the water situation because she said that the one didn't have water in it... so I went in the barn just as the vet got there... got her in the little pen around the corner of the one side of the barn, and got her up the chute. It was not as bad as it could have been... had not been out terribly long and was pretty clean... caught her up in the head catch, in the chute.... he gave her a shot, like an epidural... she relaxed and quit pushing against her, and he managed to get it back in without too much problem...
Put a stitch in to keep it in, and she should not keep pushing... so now that it is in, and with the shot, she should relax and not continue to push... and it shouldn't come out even if she would try to push more again...
She will not get bred back either... and the weird thing is, she is the mother of the one that doesn't have much milk that they had been supplementing the calf. The calf is not coming for the bottle anymore, it is stealing off another cow plus nursing it's own mother. Both of these animals raised calves last year on their own with no problems.... Since that calf is at least 6 weeks old now, it has gotten a good start, and as soon as we move the heifers and calves out of the nurse cow pasture at snyder's... these "cull cows" and calves will go to snyder's....... and will get sold in the spring when we wean off the calves. There are about 4 or 5 now that will go there... with their calves... and the 5 or so heifers that are still too young to breed... and of course the "12" her/hol heifers of mine are there. NO BULL anywhere near there so no one gets bred...
Then, the bred heifers, that were just checked preg... will come back to snyder's; that he just put back out at pasture for a couple months... for me to calve them in the spring. There should be 12 to come back...started with 18..... there are 15 checked preg.... he was going to sell 3 to the neighbor looking for a few heifers... and 3 were open of which 2 were going back for a 2nd chance and 1 was going to be put on feed to butcher in January...
Needless to say, with all this... even though the vet got there in good time and it did not take that long to "fix her".... it was almost 6 and I did not go to town to the cow/bull sale... so will have to just find out what they did and he can price the 3 heifers of his accordingly. He was going to take the cattle trailer to a guy that is going to do some repair work... it is aluminum and requires special stuff to weld it... One of the cut gates inside does not work, hinge is broken away from the side, the running board on one side is loose and "flops" a bit... couple of things that need fixing... I asked if she was going with him,, and he said he thought so but would call me if she didn't go... haven't heard ... I didn't expect to hear anything.... and god forbid he says, "ride with us".... so... whatever...
So, I cannot catch the cows in at snyder's until he gets the trailer back...I will get them in once or twice in the next week to get them used to coming in... it will take 2 trips to move them... so not as critical... he hasn't gotten the new floor in the other trailer yet... after 2 years.... and he said he wanted to get it fixed BEFORE he got this trailer tied up to get worked on.... and here we are... there are so many things that he does not get done because he is always running to her beck and call....I know he hurts some days, more than others... but he also "folds" all the time when she starts "coddling him"... and it is noticeable how much he slacks off when there are days he could still be doing stuff. you know how people can undermine others, not encouraging the "fight through" but the "feel sorry and sympathize".... can see more and more of that in him. No sense in making an issue of it anymore since he is going to follow her leading him around by the nose.... until she does something and he gets ticked off; then "folds" when she comes back.... never going to change...
I will work on getting some of them in... so they come to call... and then when he has the trailer back.... will get some in one morning, and get the calves, and then he can move them even if I have to work in the afternoon. I will go up tomorrow and put feed in the bunk in the barn for the calves... keep them coming in...
Have 1 farm for this Friday, 2 for next week,,, Tues and Wed.... already scheduled. One other wanted to wait til after the 21st... which is next Friday... and the following week is Thanksgiving... and I am not going to let him take up 2 milkings...(he is 2x ) so I sent him a text, and said that he would have to wait til after Thanksgiving... the first week of Dec.... he is a royal pain... and so, he can wait. Only tests every 45-60 days.... I have 4 other farms that need to get scheduled and I will give them precedence....wish I could get one to test this Thurs.... Got one that might test on Sat....
Temps back down to 30, but the wind has died down... not supposed to get near as cold, then winds swing to coming out of the south more and up to the 50's tomorrow and back to 60's and possible 70 by Sat.... CRAZY SWINGS.....
Decided where I am going to put the "new chicken pen" .... so maybe he will get it moved tomorrow... wish I could run the skid loader... I'd do it myself... I am going to take the walk behind and use on the ground there where I want it... it will have shade from the walnut tree behind the house, during the summer.... it will be permanent since it can not move easily.... and will get a fair amount of sun during the "no leaves" seasons.... it will be between the walnut and a telephone pole there, z so not where it will hamper mowing or anything... plus I can include more chicken "space" around it with electric fencing...
Not getting anything done in the house tonight... and not motivated to start much. Looks like I can get some more laundry done since the wind won't blow everything to China... and going to be warmer so will dry quicker.... and I will put out the gal jar to make tea tomorrow... Might be able to start burning paper and stuff that is piled up.... so I guess I am making a little progress.... And with the freeze, will be able to start cleaning up some of the tall grass and weeds better... with the walk behind and the mower in general.
Time to quit for the night.
Went to Sharp Shopper, got some stuff, went to Wal-mart for a few other things and looked at a few desk chairs but nothing felt right...
Couple hours and came home. Filled the explorer gas tank since it is cheaper over near SS.... by using the shell credit card...2.57 and I get .15 / gallon off.... so got gas for 2.42 a gallon!!!! Pretty cheap... It is 2.75 here, so with the .15 off I get it for 2.60...... I try to remember to get gas when I am up that way...
Went out since it had warmed some, put feed in feeder for the turkeys, and a bucket with water... the waterer was not frozen in there but nearly empty, and the one in the chickens... put some water in a small pan so make sure they got to drink, but they were not interested so I know they had gotten enough. Filled the waterer in with the NH's.... it was nearly empty. The calf hutch kept it from the worst of the wind so it did not freeze. They had a little feed so will fill the feeder tomorrow for them. I stopped and got another 5 gallon bucket of feed from the bin... mixing it with some of the turkey/game bird feed that is higher protein to make sure they are getting enough... the feed in the bin is old and has had bugs/moths in it... they eat bugs and stuff, so I don't think it is hurting them any... No mold or anything... There are no bugs in it now. But I want to get the bin fed out so mixing it so they can eat it up.
So, then I texted DS about going to the sale, and he texted back and said he was feeding at the barn... he had to go to the farm down by her house... there were cows/cattle in the landfill property behind the farm... they weren't ours... he wanted to count/check cattle.... then was trying to figure out who they belonged to... there are 2 or 3 others around there with cattle... then he came to the farm, the pressure gauge on the pump is registering way too high.... so they were dealing with questions about the water... then while checking the cows still to calve, one had a prolapse that calved yesterday... it was cervical, so not the whole uterus... but he calls me and said to call the vet.... she prolapsed... and I called and they called me back and he said he could come in about 45 minutes. So I texted him, then he called and said what did you find out... and I said, I texted you, he will be here in about 45 minutes... So; I went down to the farm about a half hour later, they had gotten the cow out of the field with her calf, into the barn lot. He was going up to see about the water situation because she said that the one didn't have water in it... so I went in the barn just as the vet got there... got her in the little pen around the corner of the one side of the barn, and got her up the chute. It was not as bad as it could have been... had not been out terribly long and was pretty clean... caught her up in the head catch, in the chute.... he gave her a shot, like an epidural... she relaxed and quit pushing against her, and he managed to get it back in without too much problem...
Put a stitch in to keep it in, and she should not keep pushing... so now that it is in, and with the shot, she should relax and not continue to push... and it shouldn't come out even if she would try to push more again...
She will not get bred back either... and the weird thing is, she is the mother of the one that doesn't have much milk that they had been supplementing the calf. The calf is not coming for the bottle anymore, it is stealing off another cow plus nursing it's own mother. Both of these animals raised calves last year on their own with no problems.... Since that calf is at least 6 weeks old now, it has gotten a good start, and as soon as we move the heifers and calves out of the nurse cow pasture at snyder's... these "cull cows" and calves will go to snyder's....... and will get sold in the spring when we wean off the calves. There are about 4 or 5 now that will go there... with their calves... and the 5 or so heifers that are still too young to breed... and of course the "12" her/hol heifers of mine are there. NO BULL anywhere near there so no one gets bred...
Then, the bred heifers, that were just checked preg... will come back to snyder's; that he just put back out at pasture for a couple months... for me to calve them in the spring. There should be 12 to come back...started with 18..... there are 15 checked preg.... he was going to sell 3 to the neighbor looking for a few heifers... and 3 were open of which 2 were going back for a 2nd chance and 1 was going to be put on feed to butcher in January...
Needless to say, with all this... even though the vet got there in good time and it did not take that long to "fix her".... it was almost 6 and I did not go to town to the cow/bull sale... so will have to just find out what they did and he can price the 3 heifers of his accordingly. He was going to take the cattle trailer to a guy that is going to do some repair work... it is aluminum and requires special stuff to weld it... One of the cut gates inside does not work, hinge is broken away from the side, the running board on one side is loose and "flops" a bit... couple of things that need fixing... I asked if she was going with him,, and he said he thought so but would call me if she didn't go... haven't heard ... I didn't expect to hear anything.... and god forbid he says, "ride with us".... so... whatever...
So, I cannot catch the cows in at snyder's until he gets the trailer back...I will get them in once or twice in the next week to get them used to coming in... it will take 2 trips to move them... so not as critical... he hasn't gotten the new floor in the other trailer yet... after 2 years.... and he said he wanted to get it fixed BEFORE he got this trailer tied up to get worked on.... and here we are... there are so many things that he does not get done because he is always running to her beck and call....I know he hurts some days, more than others... but he also "folds" all the time when she starts "coddling him"... and it is noticeable how much he slacks off when there are days he could still be doing stuff. you know how people can undermine others, not encouraging the "fight through" but the "feel sorry and sympathize".... can see more and more of that in him. No sense in making an issue of it anymore since he is going to follow her leading him around by the nose.... until she does something and he gets ticked off; then "folds" when she comes back.... never going to change...
I will work on getting some of them in... so they come to call... and then when he has the trailer back.... will get some in one morning, and get the calves, and then he can move them even if I have to work in the afternoon. I will go up tomorrow and put feed in the bunk in the barn for the calves... keep them coming in...
Have 1 farm for this Friday, 2 for next week,,, Tues and Wed.... already scheduled. One other wanted to wait til after the 21st... which is next Friday... and the following week is Thanksgiving... and I am not going to let him take up 2 milkings...(he is 2x ) so I sent him a text, and said that he would have to wait til after Thanksgiving... the first week of Dec.... he is a royal pain... and so, he can wait. Only tests every 45-60 days.... I have 4 other farms that need to get scheduled and I will give them precedence....wish I could get one to test this Thurs.... Got one that might test on Sat....
Temps back down to 30, but the wind has died down... not supposed to get near as cold, then winds swing to coming out of the south more and up to the 50's tomorrow and back to 60's and possible 70 by Sat.... CRAZY SWINGS.....
Decided where I am going to put the "new chicken pen" .... so maybe he will get it moved tomorrow... wish I could run the skid loader... I'd do it myself... I am going to take the walk behind and use on the ground there where I want it... it will have shade from the walnut tree behind the house, during the summer.... it will be permanent since it can not move easily.... and will get a fair amount of sun during the "no leaves" seasons.... it will be between the walnut and a telephone pole there, z so not where it will hamper mowing or anything... plus I can include more chicken "space" around it with electric fencing...
Not getting anything done in the house tonight... and not motivated to start much. Looks like I can get some more laundry done since the wind won't blow everything to China... and going to be warmer so will dry quicker.... and I will put out the gal jar to make tea tomorrow... Might be able to start burning paper and stuff that is piled up.... so I guess I am making a little progress.... And with the freeze, will be able to start cleaning up some of the tall grass and weeds better... with the walk behind and the mower in general.
Time to quit for the night.
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farmerjan
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Yes, prices are down. About .50/lb on average, heifers even a little more... Bred cows and cow/calf pairs are off about $500-1,000 from a month ago.... I think they will stabilize now.... we can still make some money at the current prices, not hit a homerun like we were.... but at least we can still pay bills if prices stay where they are... we will see. I don't know if they will drop more, there are still way TOO FEW head of cattle in the country so it is going to take another 2-4 years to start to see any increase in herd numbers....it will be a balancing act of retaining heifers and still have enough cattle on feed... Mexican border still closed due to the screw worm problem... they are not set up to put many on feed... most come across the border to be fed out...they are going to struggle to start buying feed, to feed the cattle that would normally come across the border...
Sadly I don't see where you will see much decrease in prices of beef at the store... even with imports of Argentine beef which is not a big deal... but increased imports from Brazil could make a big deal... because they just have so many more head of cattle... and there is the connection with JBS..... The "big 4" controlling many of the slaughter plants are not going to let it drop too much...
We have sold most everything, except the steers that DS is putting together... bull calves he bought, and worked... some of our own.... he is going to call the guy that bought from us last year... he starts buying in Nov... might be able to sell the first smaller group....
We will have a bunch to bring home and wean off the cows in the next month or 2.... they will make up the larger group to sell in Jan/Feb... cows will get preg checked ... and then they will start to calve in March... so calves need to get off by Dec/January, weaned and on feed to get sold to the buyer... and give the cows a break.
