Farmerjan's journal - Weather

Well, got a few things done... but I have been in a crappy mood with the testing cancellation and then working on trying to get some things put together... Another one that doesn't answer me back in a timely manner, called me this evening.. I had sent a text, he sent one back that they didn't want to do the owner sampler, but wanted a full/regular test... but never answered the choice of which days... In the meantime I had caught up with another one and it was agreed that this Friday would suit them best...
So now the other one calls, he is a 2x herd and wants Thurs eve/Fri morning... which was an option earlier in the day... I would not normally say yes, because of DS leaving and I will be going and getting Buck Thursday morning so he can do more work on cleaning out and tearing down the fence along the dirt road and into the woods down the hill.... going to get him to do a few little things here at the house also before he starts that...... But this farm does not start until after 4:30 in the evening... so it will work out... except I will be worn out by Sat because I will do Thurs eve/Fri morning... then go to another farm for Friday afternoon... and will have to do some hay feeding on Thursday while DS is gone, that I would have done on Friday... But by the time I get done Friday morning... I have to be in the other farm by 2 Friday afternoon... to set up... there will not be much time inbetween.... :th:th:barnie:barnie:he:he.

I did talk to DS for a little bit this afternoon... he was telling me about where to feed what... GF will do the silage in the barn and such... he was trying to get some places fed ahead so they would not need anything... but there is only so much that he can do... without wasting the hay.... but anyway.... He said he would call me this evening.... but haven't heard and I am not going to stay up much longer... Need a shower, bed and be able to get up early enough to not rush tomorrow.

So with all the switching around... I did not test today... I did get the laundry in off the line... I did refill the chicken waterers and topped off the feeders so they are set... filled the stuff for the chicks in the crate so they are set.
Printed the reports and will take them in the morning and make a "loop" north out of my way... to drop them off... have to stop and pick up a milk sample also, that is not really out of the way in the "loop".... to take with me, as they want to test my "allergic response" to it to see if these tinctures are helping at all with raw milk...
I took the samples to UPS (which also would have been done "on the way" to the testing that got cancelled) :he:he:he:somad...so they are on their way to the lab.

I also did some putty work on the one window... ALL the putty had come out of the windows... it is 8 panes... did 3 sides/edges of each glass pane... have to flip the window over and will do the 4th side... but it was getting late and I had to get the samples to UPS... I am by no means any kind of an expert... and the windows did not get "prepped" with any paint or anything... but I did clean them out and brushed away the dirt and stuff... Since there was nothing much holding the panes of glass in, this has got to be better than nothing... I will work on the other 2 window's another time... maybe start them when I do the 4th side on this one... One has nearly all the glass panes out of it... one has only 1 or 2 out... this window had one out but there was NO putty holding any of the panes in... just those little glazing points... the other 2 window frames are a little bigger and the panes of glass a little larger too. For now, if it dries and holds, it is alot better than it was. One has to be glued on the end also... I am afraid to do much more than maybe use one very little nail...to help put it back together... the end of the window is coming off one side.. it is tongue and groove (mortise and tenon?) so I think that some wood glue to put it back together... would work.
These were free window sashes and window glass in them... the one works real good in front of the doorway of the calf hutch... lets in the light and keeps them in... until I can get the pens set up better... so would like to get it to be usable.

Collected eggs and the langshan might be thinking about setting... I will keep taking the eggs for a bit so I have more to hatch... but might let her set if she wants to... we'll see over the course of the next week. She did not squawk or puff up at me... so maybe was just laying her egg... but did not get right up when I went in to fill feeder and waterer... until I went in to get the eggs. Would be wonderful if she wants to...

Did not get everything done I wanted to... of course not... but the essentials are done so I can go to the followup dr appt tomorrow. And have things ready to take and drop off on the way in the morning.. Did not get to do any of the sheets/mattress pads/blankets washed... but they are not "essential"... just one of the "want to get it done" things.

Ate some scallops for supper... baked/breaded ones...I have very little appetite... sometimes my stomach will growl, from not eating... and I will eat a little and then I'm done.... no "desire " for anything... just fill the hollow space.

Lawn needs mowing ... growing fast and I did not mow it all the first time anyway... Maybe this weekend... Got other things that need doing more than that. HAVE to get the weed eating down around the doors for the poultry pens so I can get in and out of them easier... and get the other one put together and find the pieces of wood Deb was working on so I can get the "roof" on it...

Nice to not have to chase any loose calves next door....:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup:yesss::yesss::yesss:
 
It's Saturday. Have had a busy enough week, and the temps have been in the 87-92 for the last 4 days. Nights were 60 plus 3 nights and mid 55 range a couple more.
About to change... Was 55 again last night, sun coming up over the trees... going to be upper 80's/ low 90's again today. Then a drastic drop to 50's days and low 40's or 30's for a couple nights. Then maybe back to more normal of low 50's and 70's days next week. Problem is the little rain they are calling for with this drop for Sun / Mon is less than 40% chance scattered light rain. We need a good 2 day soaker....

DS went to VT with the small dump truck on the trailer... has had some truck problems... seems the new radiator he had put in the truck 18 months ago, has a leak... he had to put water in it and take it somewhat slow going... got there, and the friends found a place and they ordered a new radiator, so had that installed... Don't know the cost but over 1K I am sure from when he priced then 2 yrs ago... AND it is seeping water AGAIN on the way home... something very wrong somewhere... but he has had to add some water once... and taking it easy, not pushing the truck... Wants to get it home, and then it will have to get gone over with a fine tooth comb... said it might be a head gasket problem and does not want to blow it and ruin the engine... Just when you think things are fixed, like 18 months ago, use the truck some, and then here we go again...

Looked at the friends cattle... there will be 30-45 coming south in 2 weeks, on the other guys' tractor trailer back load when he takes some to PA.... DS said some of them are pretty nice calves... they were weaning them so should be used to eating when they get here... we will have the barn completely emptied of the few that are still in there so there is no physical contact directly with any of ours as they settle in and all... Most all are going to get sold... but he might put some bred heifers on the trailer too, and DS said if we like any of them we might keep a few... these are descendants, of some of the cattle we took him 5-10 years ago when he could not find enough up there to feed to kill for his meat business, and not enough females for breeding... he used a couple of red angus bulls and DS said some of them are pretty nice... some red and some black...all the ones we took him were black I think.... and I think he now has a black bull with his cattle.
Said the calves will run from 4-600 mostly... couple of 350's, and a few 7 wts... plus whatever bred ones he might send...

I spent the last several days checking cattle... making sure they still had hay... most were not eating alot due to the very warm temps which made it easier... He should be back today... if he isn't already. Talked to him last night about 9... he was about 1/2 way home and was getting tired so was going to stop and sleep some... but traveling at night was cooler for the truck also. I had talked to him earlier... told him about who had what hay left and how they were all acting... I said they really needed to clean up some of the hay and that they were all pretty much quiet and did not act like they were desperate for hay... some left in the rings and some he had rolled out.. It will do them good to clean some of it up... stop wasting it as they WANT GRASS... but this will be good. I could have fed hay with the bale bed truck if I had to...
I did feed some grain to the 2 groups in the barn and check the 2 cow calf pairs... the grafted calf looks well rounded so think she is getting enough milk off the cow we put her over on... the new cow and calf look good too.
Grants bunch of "escapees" we moved all were lounging in the shade yesterday morning... follewed me back to the gate as DS had been feeding them a little silage... but they had some hay also that they had rolled the roll around and needed to clean it up some.
Checked the 2 fields for new calves... had 1 nice new bull calf yesterday in the "peterbilt field" (next to the old peterbilt place... they traded properties with the other business next door that had more "truck bays".. so she has to call it the Lee hi field since that is the company that they traded properties with... but they are still right next door to each other and we have called it the peterbilt place for 10 years) Any way... found that calf yesterday... took a pic so DS would be sure of which is which... although it is the only calf without a tag there I think...
I have not talked to GF the whole time he has been gone... I was under the impression we would kinda coordinate who was checking who... and she has not been doing any feeding... Good thing I was going there... inbetween testing and all that ...... and DS let "spill" that after he gets back, that "they" are going to go away for a couple of days, that she needs some time away...
I am not going to get started on that... just reinforces my feelings on this whole thing... it is what she wants all the time... what she needs, what suits her, and she only does what she wants and what benefits her in the long run.... all this helping out at the farm is to gain more "for me time" from him...

He is talking about getting the other group of cows off the back hill, with some of the bigger fall calves, and get a small group together to pull and sell; and not wean and feed like we do; while these prices are stupid high. And the possibility of getting these "escapee" cattle from grants that we moved, possibly preg checked before the cattle get here from up north... Since today is Saturday, I can't call the vet to see about a possible preg check.... so first thing Monday morning, will call and see if he has any opening to squeeze that in... this group can then get moved somewhere "out of the way" and already knowing their preg status will make it easy when we wean off the rest of the calves in 2 months, to sell and to keep females as replacements... Then will only have the other group that are up in the back, with their fall calves, to preg check. Well, we can talk about it and I will call the vet office first thing Monday and see if they have something available... at least I can shuffle farms to test if need be... and DS not working a full time job, we are more flexible. If we pull off some bigger calves to sell... then we can just move these cows out somewhere for a month or so, until time to wean the rest of the calves. Most should be 3-5 months bred, now, so no reason to not feed the calves for another 2 months and they will grow... Same with the bigger group up back... we will just bring them down to get the bigger calves off, as there are too many for us to preg check in a day... 25-28 from grants, another 35+ up on the hill... and then bring them in to preg check; after the cattle get here from up north, acclimated a little, split up and sold in a couple weeks...and back out of the barn area.
Next thing you know it will be hay making.... especially if we don't get much rain and it starts to head out we will have to start cutting some of it...

Friend called DS and has some hens to get rid of... out of a layer house, I will have to go get them today. I wasn't going to get them, but they are give away, hate to lose the source... never know what you might need to do in the future... so I will go get them later on. Might just sell down the road... but... free... and there are about 10 or more so worth it... wouldn't do it for 2 or 3... 45 min away... but I will go to the groc store and some other stuff when out since I didn't go the last 2 days with testing and the dr appt this last Wed.

About that... some good and some "eh"... some of the tinctures have worked... I am not showing susceptibility to some of the molds, and other things... still allergic reactions to the Alpha Gal, and the adhesive.... so doing another round... Also going to do a different tincture for milk products, and for grass pollens... as this "EARLY SUMMER" has got my normally limited haying season allergies already acting up. She said that sometimes that happens with the alpha gal... it makes other things kinda go off the rails.. over react....
So, NO red meat/mammal products... no dairy or related products... tincture sprays for only 5 things instead of the 8 from before.... 3 the same and 2 new ones... 10 more weeks... hopefully the one for the grasses will help so that when it gets time to get on the tractor I might be doing better... can't take things like Zyrtec and other allergy remedies as they are bovine derived... so will have to read the labels even closer... :he:he:barnie:barnie:th:th:th:th:hit:hit

So, that was that... she says I am making progress.... and gave me a :thumbsup:thumbsup for being dilligent and not eating something that I know will bother me several hours down the road... some people do just give in and then "pay the price" for the indulgence... I just feel too bad if I accidentally eat something that bothers me several hours later...
The getting out of breath/short "wind" is really really frustrating.... she said that some people have more of that and obviously it is affecting me more that way in general... but that trying to stay away from things that seem to cause any symptoms is the best way for it to be overcome and "put in remission" in general... my reactions being so acute in the beginning and not doing something about it when it was positive, for several more months, didn't help. But she said that there have been people that have had it for years and it was not diagnosed and they have had serious health issues from it... so I guess that I am thankful that I raised such a ruckus right from the start because I KNEW when I showed the rash/ring... so had a reference...that there was something wrong and that it all started with the bulls eye rash and the tick bite... some people don't have a clue they were bit and have problems for years until it is discovered... and it is getting more and more prevelant...

Langshan is trying to go broody... I want to try to get her moved into a crate to let her sit on her eggs as she is not laying any right now... wants to set on the NH eggs that they are still laying in the nest area... may be able to get that done today...
Went down and picked up the new tires they had ordered for the forester... one mounted so I have a "spare"... the other will get mounted when I either get another flat or whatever reason to have another wheel available... but going to run out the ones on there and get all I can out of them... will keep the new one in the back for a spare in case I need it...
Filled chicken feeders and waterers yesterday before I went and checked cows, fed in the barn and found the new calf....then dropped the packed samples at UPS on the way to test..... It was long day...

I did some of the putty the other day.. want to finish that one window today and try to do some on the next one... one of those "fit it in between" type of jobs for me.

Have to talk to DS soon as I don't know how to get to the guy's place to get those hens...

Aleady in the mid 70's.... got to eat something and get working on some project until I talk to him to get directions to go get hens. Need to go to snyder's and feed some grain to the jersey's too... they are liking being out... the calves look very content and at least I do not have to haul water with them being able to go to the spring fed water trough.
 
Home from getting the hens, they are cornish hens... for the cornish chicks that go in the houses to raise for the 40 days... might get a few eggs out of them so might set them since the roosters were with them almost to when the hens went out 2 days ago. These are hens that get down under the grates and such... some die but sometimes there are some that just get away from them... a guy that works on this farm helped catch them... and he said this pickup crew did a good job of getting most all them, sometimes they get left with 20-30.... better if they get them as it is chicken that goes into other products, not the "broilers"... LOTS of meat on these... they are FAT. Need to put them in the pen now. Truck is parked in the shade so I could come in the house for a few.
Was going to stop at the stockyards but it was hot and no cover on the back of the truck... Did not stop at the store either... I was just too hot...

Came in, got a cold drink, and put a load of clothes in to soak. Supposed to rain tonight and in the morning then clear off... so that's fine... got a bunch of cow s#@t on some jeans from cows in the parlor, testing, so need to soak them so it will wash out. I am going out to do the putty now that it is cooling off a bit... hit 88 again today.... Got to make sure all the car windows are up, and put the mower in the carport. Was going to mow, but want the grass to dry, it is tall so will have a bunch to use the sweeper I think.... and would rather have it dry than get wet from the rain.

Talked to DS, earlier, got the instructions on going to get the hens... he said he had one he// of a headache... he cannot do the driving like he used to.... next time he goes he will have to have someone to help spell him...talked about possibilities of moving cattle around... he said he was tired, stopped and slept for 2 hours or so... then a couple when he got here to his house... I told him to lay back doen for another hour or 2 and then get up and go do what feeding he had to... take it easy today... but get what hay he wanted out so didn't have to go out in the morning in case we actually got some rain.

Out the door to do the putty... then snyder's to feed/check the nurse cows and that bunch.
 
Did not get as much done as planned... but there is ALWAYS something on the list... so cross off and add more..

Got the light weight weed eater out so I could do around the doors, and along the base of the pens... at the chickens since it is getting hard to get them open and shut... got the front of the big pen, and the next pen where I put the 10 hens into...plus a little down the sides of both. Ran the battery down. Also did around the shed door so I could get in and out of it easier...
If I had more energy, I might take them to Gilmans, but it has gotten so big it is NOT worth it to me anymore.. Sometimes TSC has some poultry days here on Saturdays... might try to find one of them... but otherwise, need to find someone that will kill/pluck them... My back will never take doing more than 1-2 since it has been aching from last June with this DA%$#@ tick disease. Even DS said he can never remember me complaining about my back like the last few months...
So, they are in the pen... I don't think they know what to do... never seen grass in their life... 4 are clean... 1 must be a "boss hen" as she has all her feathers and they are pristine white...one has no feathers on her back... 6 were definitely under the grates and are totally covered in chicken *%^*.... I'll decide what I am going to do with them another day... They probably weigh 10 lbs a piece at least... they are in the pen, hope they go under the roof part if it rains... they will have to get it figured out. put feed in there and water... collected eggs and the langshan is definitely sitting. have to move her and give her something to sit on...

I did go in and do the putty on the "4th side" of the panes of glass... and was reading the container "closer"... I thought it said it took 7-14 hours to dry... NOOOOO.... takes 7-14 DAYS to completely dry...:ep:ep:ep:th:th:thBut I got the one completely done... Need to take some wood glue and some "plastic wood" to fix the end of the other one that needs the panes puttied also..and a couple of small "brads" to nail it together so it will hold better on that end........ have got to fix the end so it doesn't come apart....I thought there was one glass pane out but they are all in..... then will need to do the 3rd one that all but 2 of the panes are OUT... so will need the glazing points and all that... might be awhile before I get to that one... we'll see.

Took the mower and run it out to the chicken pens, so I don't trip in the long grass... and then mowed out to the clothesline and just "squared up" the paths. Then put it in the carport... I only had 1 battery in it and so ran it down... have the rest in the house , and will make sure they are all charged up... then can take and fill the battery slots (6) for the riding mower... and recharge the one battery in it. That works fine... since I have one for the walk behind trimmer and the self propelled push mower... so a couple extra batteries . They are a little smaller but the same volt... have all my battery stuff the same so can interchange the batteries. the smaller ones just don't run as long... Going to need to get out the walk behind trimmer and get around the garden area so I can get it tilled... and the electric netting up... and use it to do around the poultry pens and such... today it was just about being able to get in the doors easier...

I also finally got the polycarbonate panels where I want them along the house ... between it and the carport... mostly shaded all day... and "laid up against" the wall so they stay straight and do not warp or anything...so I can see about fixing/rebuilding the one small moveable poultry pen, and a greenhouse down the road...
Moved the truck, and then proceeded to make sure all the windows were shut in the vehicles... Probably won't rain since I did that...thought about running the jeans through and hanging them just to tempt the rain...
Looked at the radar and it is going north as much as it is moving east... doesn't look like we ill get much here before early morning hours... it is dissipating by the looks of the radar... hitting 15-20 miles north like the pattern has been lately.

Going in to wash my hair... since I have a couple days of no cow manure splatters.. plus my nose has been running and eyes itching so need to "wash off" the pollen or whatever is causing it to aggravate me.

DS stopped here, on his way by ... he says he just doesn't feel good... I can tell his head is hurting him... and he had a "sorta cold" last week.. didn't feel real good... then that long drive and truck concerns... and it rained the whole time he was up there... he needs a good hot shower and a good night's sleep.
He was headed to her house so hope that he can get some rest. He did feed some hay where they needed it and put up the creep gate so the calves on the cows from grants can come out into the lot around the silo.... and eat some extra grain... enticing the bigger ones he wants to sell... said there are 4-6 in there that can go... plus he is going to decide on the ones up in the back of doug's in the "autumn olive field"... the other group that were born in the fall... there are 4-6 up there too, but there are more heifers than steers up there so don't know how many of them he is going to sell.... Said he doesn ot want to take any that are under 400 lbs...
Also, he got the calf tagged I saw yesterday, and there were 2 more fresh... my cow "smoke" had a bull, and the one eyed #25 had a heifer... so they are all tagged too... That is good. 3 left in one field and maybe 8-9 left in the peterbilt field to go... we will get the twin that is grafted on #13, tagged and then move her and the bought cow up with the other fresh cows out of the barn in the next few days....

Still very warm out... temps supposed to drop to the low 50's, maybe 40's, with the rain that is supposed to come through... COOL tomorrow maybe 60... upper 30'S Sun and Mon nights.

Need to wash this pollen off my face and out of my eyes...
 
Up early without an alarm... NATURALLY... I didn't need to get up for anything special !!!! But I can say that I do not have the problems that many talk about with waking up in the "middle of the night" 2-3-4 a.m. for no reason. Very thankful for that.

It's a COOL 46 degrees. We had a short few minute shower last night around 10... it is cloudy now and some very light rain/shower type... not a good solid rain like we need. Radar shows this out of here by 9-10 a.m.... DARN.... Rain gauges are out so will see if we get anything measurable.

Supposed to get sunny later today, 60's... tonight there is a frost and possible FREEZE warning... 30's and 40's. 60's tomorrow and then a better chance of a freeze Monday night. This spring/SUMMER weather was too much, too warm, too fast. It was nice in a way, but really way too warm... and with no real soaking rain, it is a real concern. Our state is in severe drought status for most of the state... some pockets of rains, but still not near enough moisture overall.
We are in for another dry week.. mostly sun, temps warming back into the 60's and 70's... MAYBE some rain/moisture NEXT WEEKEND ?????

Going to tackle some inside stuff this morning...
 
We had .15 inches ... so just enough to wash the pollen off the tree leaves and get the grass wet on top.
Sun is coming out, partly clouds, but the rain chances are gone... east and north... breezy so it'll be sucked up by the evening. 10% chance passing shower on Wed... but really nothing until maybe next weekend...
This is NOT GOOD....
 
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