Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

11 pm.... temps dropped all day and is already down to 20... It was windy and very very chilly later this afternoon.
I got the sticks, branch pieces picked up and took over to the other pile of stuff. Dumped it all then took the mower and trailer back around... unhooked trailer and parked the mower against the back of house in the protected corner, so the Select Sires guy can get to the semen tank easier in the carport. Covered the mower but not expecting any real weather. JUST COLD....
We had some little spits of snow flurries on the wind but not much to see.

Went to town, had to go to the bank, and then came home and went to snyder's to check. Cow is not fresh and really does not look that close. She is pretty big around so pretty sure she is still pregnant but she will definitely not be having it very soon. Going to be bitter cold again tomorrow, so that's fine. The temps are supposed to moderate some, back in the 40's+ and nights in the upper 20's/30's like normal in a couple days...
I had gotten 2 small bolts and nuts and washers to fix the "door" on the mailbox... the rivets had broken and it came off. Finally went out there today and managed to get it put back on... had to take a pair of pliers to straighten it a little, and got the little bolts, flat washer so they couldn't pull through, then locking washer and nuts on it... Ought to last awhile now...

I took the grommet making tools out to the shed and got a couple steaks out of the freezer... Thawed 2 very small filet's and ate them tonight with some fresh sauteed onions.
I fixed the plastic and vinyl around the chicken pen and put a couple buckets of water, that will definitely freeze, on the edges to help hold them in place. Don't know with this wind..... Got another langshan egg. She lays pretty good.

Want to take the forester to the co-op as I got the replacement fog light that the bull broke last year, and it needs inspection and I think oil change... need a ride home... I texted DS this afternoon after I took a ride down to the farm and didn't see him anywhere... thought maybe he could pick me up at the co-op on his way by, to come to the barn tomorrow, but haven't heard a single thing back from him. Last I knew he was going to try to haul some more lime today, since the price goes up after the 1st of the year... and the big dump truck was gone, but not even a text back. It's not like it has to be taken tomorrow... just JR said if I could leave it, he'd get to it inbetween other stuff... instead of me going and waiting for it... It's not out of his way or anything.... I also said that they needed hay at snyder's and I left the gate at the road open for him... the electric fence wires are up... just to try to be a little helpful to not have to open the gate at the road going in... haven't heard a thing.

Talked to another farmer late afternoon... going to test him on Saturday afternoon since I am going to do a different one on Friday afternoon. Guess it is time to get back into the routine... The one I am going to do on Sat is going to put in a robot barn this coming year... converting and adding on to an existing free stall barn... they really want to be in it by late fall... hate to lose them, I have been doing them for all 34+ yrs I have been testing... no set up, they have weigh jars in the parlor so not like it is one I want to quit doing... Giving me more reason to really think about "retiring"....

I am going to go get milk tomorrow and drop off reports for the couple of cows that he sends samples in with the other herd... I texted him about getting milk when it suits and he said tomorrow would work so I said okay...

Past time to get a shower... go to bed...

 

[farmerjan]

It's just plain miserable cold out. Down to 18 overnight with wind chills down in the single digits... some places were in the minus range. It blew all night, gusts and all the creaks and groans. I left the water dripping so it would not freeze.....
More than glad we did not test... I would have wound up getting pneumonia for sure...

I'm going out in a few to see what things look like from the wind. Both bird feeders are still hanging at least.

Thank goodness I washed, dried and brought in the clothes the other day. At least I have clean flannel lined jeans and sweatshirts to put on...
Been kinda nice to not have been smelling like cow sh!t and iodine from the dairies.

Got a lot of running nose again and some coughing, but don't feel so worn out. still taking it pretty easy. Working slow and easy.

Breakfast time and then out to see if everything is still here...

 

[fuzzi]

It's just plain miserable cold out. Down to 18 overnight with wind chills down in the single digits... some places were in the minus range. It blew all night, gusts and all the creaks and groans. I left the water dripping so it would not freeze.....
More than glad we did not test... I would have wound up getting pneumonia for sure...

I'm going out in a few to see what things look like from the wind. Both bird feeders are still hanging at least.

Thank goodness I washed, dried and brought in the clothes the other day. At least I have clean flannel lined jeans and sweatshirts to put on...
Been kinda nice to not have been smelling like cow sh!t and iodine from the dairies.

Got a lot of running nose again and some coughing, but don't feel so worn out. still taking it pretty easy. Working slow and easy.

Breakfast time and then out to see if everything is still here...

It's been blowing hard here as well, sounds almost like a roar. It spooked Caleb on our walks...he kept looking up at the the tall tree tops swaying.

 

[Baymule]

We had those roaring winds, it is calm now. But it knocked power off for awhile.

 

[farmerjan]

Wed Eve.... Happy New Years Eve to everyone.

It was down to 17 last night... got up to 40 in the sun but recording thermometer hovered in the 35-38 range all day... It was breezy but not windy... sun and clouds off and on...

Yesterday aft I went and got milk, and took his reports to him... then came back and asked JR if he was going home after work, and he said yes, and I said, if I leave the car can you give me a ride and then it will be here for you... If you get to it Wed or Friday that will be fine... So, went there, he got off work at 5, dropped me off at the house... it was cold last night...

Got up and got the day started....
I went out and gave each pen of chickens 1/2 gal water in the black rubber pans... then went up and no baby still... went down to the feed bin and got a 5 gal bucket of chicken feed... JR called and said the car was done... so went down and paid for it and got the key so that I could maybe get DS to find the time to take me down to get it...
Came home and mixed the pellets with the "new feed" that is higher protein, and refilled the feeders. The langshan provided another egg. Came inside and then DS called... to see what I was "up to"... and telling me about the things he has been doing at the farm... hauling lime and stuff... Got a guy to bring a load of rock to put around the concrete pads he poured around the J bunk concrete feeders couple weeks ago when we had a short spell of warm temps....... for the cattle... so they are not standing in mud and muck to eat the silage... said he might try to spread it around tomorrow... Then he said he hauled 1 more load of lime today... He said he was going to see about moving the cows out of Bartley's , hopefully tomorrow, as he needed to then get the panels down to the BV farm (near her house) to get those cows caught up and moved also, for the vet preg check appt next week.

Then I said that if he was going down the road I could use a ride ... and he says, OH, I forgot, I'm sorry, you wanted to take the car down... I said I already took it, it is done, and I need to go pick it up... so he said well, I am headed in that direction in 10 minutes, if you want to go tonight or we can do it tomorrow... I said tonight would be good.... I don't need it to be forgotten again.... and all he had to do is stop at the house and pick me up and go 2 miles and drop me off...
So got the forester back home. There was a hole in that tire also...and the tread is getting thin.... and he said it was going to need brakes, they were getting down... passed inspection... but some work to get done on it...
Since I do not drive it alot, it will get me through the winter and then can get some new tires put on it. I have 1 here, that is decent, but will probably buy a new set and then run out some of these older partial tires. I run it in the field alot to go feed the cows so they can't get in the buckets, and around the pasture to check on them... so may as well run out these tires on it.... next time I have a soft tire or something, they can get changed over to one of the other "old ones" I have and run it out too... I have 6 wheels for it, so can put new tires on 2 and use up the old tires on the other 4...

So, tomorrow he said he is going to try to get the cows in at bartley's... there are 12 I think, 12 good sized calves too... Get them to the barn, in with the 6 pairs there, and then take the portable corral panels down to BV when he goes "home" to her house, and get them set up to catch the cows up down there over the weekend... Vet is Wed and I do not want to be waiting to get them in last minute...

Also, mentioned that the 500 cow herd texted me, and wants to get tested, and he was looking at his schedule/calendar... they rescheduled some of the appts that got cancelled with that snow a couple weeks ago on that monday... and next week is pretty full... plus I have the 2x herd scheduled next Thurs/Fri... so they are going to have to wait for the following week. I have to make up the 2 farms I cancelled for the cold and me feeling sick... Guess it's time to get back at it... plus have to fit in driving him to a couple of the dr appts that he will be getting the shots....

It's 9:30 already.... I've got to get a few things done and go to bed, so I can get up and going in the morning... I don't know when he is going to try to move the cows. At least it is supposed to be a little warmer/sunny... mid 40's.

It has actually warmed up a smidgeon... back up to 35 now... I wanted to get the milk in the gallon glass jars... I left it in the 2 gal bucket last night...outside....not like it was going to get too warm.... it got alot of ice on it so waiting for that to thaw so I can mix it all back in together... there is a lot of cream on this bucket... so need to mix it good and then put in the jars in the fridge. If it is not thawed enough, might just wait for tomorrow to do it... I want to make some pudding to have in the fridge... I don't do instant, just the cook kind... yes packaged, but cook it. Much prefer the taste...

Ate chicken noodle soup and some cheese and crackers....
One of my dairy farmers that went to robots, asked me to come over this evening... like last year... had a bunch of friends in to just eat and talk... but I declined due to the "bug"... although I feel alot better, do not want to take germs to anyone else. Hated to say no... but that's life...

 

[drstratton]

Wed Eve.... Happy New Years Eve to everyone.

It was down to 17 last night... got up to 40 in the sun but recording thermometer hovered in the 35-38 range all day... It was breezy but not windy... sun and clouds off and on...

Yesterday aft I went and got milk, and took his reports to him... then came back and asked JR if he was going home after work, and he said yes, and I said, if I leave the car can you give me a ride and then it will be here for you... If you get to it Wed or Friday that will be fine... So, went there, he got off work at 5, dropped me off at the house... it was cold last night...

Got up and got the day started....
I went out and gave each pen of chickens 1/2 gal water in the black rubber pans... then went up and no baby still... went down to the feed bin and got a 5 gal bucket of chicken feed... JR called and said the car was done... so went down and paid for it and got the key so that I could maybe get DS to find the time to take me down to get it...
Came home and mixed the pellets with the "new feed" that is higher protein, and refilled the feeders. The langshan provided another egg. Came inside and then DS called... to see what I was "up to"... and telling me about the things he has been doing at the farm... hauling lime and stuff... Got a guy to bring a load of rock to put around the concrete pads he poured around the J bunk concrete feeders couple weeks ago when we had a short spell of warm temps....... for the cattle... so they are not standing in mud and muck to eat the silage... said he might try to spread it around tomorrow... Then he said he hauled 1 more load of lime today... He said he was going to see about moving the cows out of Bartley's , hopefully tomorrow, as he needed to then get the panels down to the BV farm (near her house) to get those cows caught up and moved also, for the vet preg check appt next week.

Then I said that if he was going down the road I could use a ride ... and he says, OH, I forgot, I'm sorry, you wanted to take the car down... I said I already took it, it is done, and I need to go pick it up... so he said well, I am headed in that direction in 10 minutes, if you want to go tonight or we can do it tomorrow... I said tonight would be good.... I don't need it to be forgotten again.... and all he had to do is stop at the house and pick me up and go 2 miles and drop me off...
So got the forester back home. There was a hole in that tire also...and the tread is getting thin.... and he said it was going to need brakes, they were getting down... passed inspection... but some work to get done on it...
Since I do not drive it alot, it will get me through the winter and then can get some new tires put on it. I have 1 here, that is decent, but will probably buy a new set and then run out some of these older partial tires. I run it in the field alot to go feed the cows so they can't get in the buckets, and around the pasture to check on them... so may as well run out these tires on it.... next time I have a soft tire or something, they can get changed over to one of the other "old ones" I have and run it out too... I have 6 wheels for it, so can put new tires on 2 and use up the old tires on the other 4...

So, tomorrow he said he is going to try to get the cows in at bartley's... there are 12 I think, 12 good sized calves too... Get them to the barn, in with the 6 pairs there, and then take the portable corral panels down to BV when he goes "home" to her house, and get them set up to catch the cows up down there over the weekend... Vet is Wed and I do not want to be waiting to get them in last minute...

Also, mentioned that the 500 cow herd texted me, and wants to get tested, and he was looking at his schedule/calendar... they rescheduled some of the appts that got cancelled with that snow a couple weeks ago on that monday... and next week is pretty full... plus I have the 2x herd scheduled next Thurs/Fri... so they are going to have to wait for the following week. I have to make up the 2 farms I cancelled for the cold and me feeling sick... Guess it's time to get back at it... plus have to fit in driving him to a couple of the dr appts that he will be getting the shots....

It's 9:30 already.... I've got to get a few things done and go to bed, so I can get up and going in the morning... I don't know when he is going to try to move the cows. At least it is supposed to be a little warmer/sunny... mid 40's.

It has actually warmed up a smidgeon... back up to 35 now... I wanted to get the milk in the gallon glass jars... I left it in the 2 gal bucket last night...outside....not like it was going to get too warm.... it got alot of ice on it so waiting for that to thaw so I can mix it all back in together... there is a lot of cream on this bucket... so need to mix it good and then put in the jars in the fridge. If it is not thawed enough, might just wait for tomorrow to do it... I want to make some pudding to have in the fridge... I don't do instant, just the cook kind... yes packaged, but cook it. Much prefer the taste...

Ate chicken noodle soup and some cheese and crackers....
One of my dairy farmers that went to robots, asked me to come over this evening... like last year... had a bunch of friends in to just eat and talk... but I declined due to the "bug"... although I feel alot better, do not want to take germs to anyone else. Hated to say no... but that's life...

Happy New Year Jan!

I hope 2026 is an amazing year for you!

We're at home tonight for the same reason. Don't want to share all of the fun with our friends. Glad you're feeling better.

 

[RR Homestead]

Happy New Year Jan!

 

[Mike CHS]

Happy New Year!

 

[fuzzi]

Happy New Year!

 

[Baymule]

Happy NewYear!