Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[farmerjan]

A friend moved to the California coastal area 20 years ago and had massive amounts of poison oak EVERYWHERE! She turned her goats (about 4 - 4-H) loose with the horses and the goats ate every scrap of poison oak. The neighbors invited her to do the same on their fenced property and like magic in a couple years no trace of poison oak. Kids are grown, goats are gone, but no poison oak.

DWP just about dd the same to DH. Made a couple enemies when he started and they poisoned minds against hm. When they needed a job done fast and right they assigned hm to it. He held on with 7 years to go to retire. The early retirement scheme saved us.

This is a question for the attorney BUT what is his disability claim? What is his current job description? What is the job description for his farming work? Will he be doing the same work farming as he takes disability for at work?

DH retired and went to work doing the same thing for private construction for 7-8 years. He took disability SS when his knee failed and he had to have knee replacement because he couldn't climb power poles anymore. He could have collected his disability while working in another field that did not require him to climb. On the other hand, if he went to work as a tree trimmer, he would have lost his disability.

It really depends on what the disability is, what the disability retirement is for, and the description. DH's description was very specific - couldn't climb anymore. He could have become a pole inspector and still kept the SS disability because he wasn't climbing poles.

He needs to address this with his attorney - both the unfair practices and about his disability claim.

That is in the list of questions he is taking to the appt with the attorney tomorrow... he has been making a list of things to ask...

 

[farmerjan]

Wed eve. Back from the bottle calves... chickens locked in. Cats fed and they wanted to go back out so let them out.
It was 55 this morning, cool but not too bad.... better than the 31 and 36 or something the last 2 mornings. Fed the calves this morning, didn't hear from the GF about helping with the bulls... DS called and I said I was heading up there to see about getting them in the barnyard... he was all worried about me doing it by myself... I said, I know what I can and what I CAN'T DO.... and I will see if they will just come to call for the bucket. I said I hadn't talked to her, he said did you call, and I said NO, she is the one with other things to work around and you (he) said she had a bad time with the treatments she had had the day before... I figured she would call me... he got a little "huffy" that I hadn't tried to contact her... you know, she said she was going to help, so she can call me....
So, I got off the phone, and tried her and went to voice mail... so I got to the barn... of course the damaged bull had gone over the fence in with the other 2... and DS DIDN"T open the gate the night before when he got the 2nd load of cows so they didn't have access to water all night.... tried to say I was the last one in there,... then said, no, I guess I was the last one when I moved the cows, and I forgot to open the gate.... all I could think of was SEEEEEEE, I am NOT always the one that is wrong around here....
Anyway...the one "good bull" came in and the open cow and calf... then the damaged bull came up along the fence and I opened the gate on that side and got him back in the side he belonged in... BUT of course, the other "good bull" would not come up to call with the bucket... So I locked the 2 bulls in on their respective sides of the bunk feeder... and walked all the way down in the field... in the meantime she got there, apologized as she said she laid down to take a nap after getting daughter off to school and did not hear the alarm.... I said okay... and she went down around the bull on the other side and we got him to come up and go in the lot right at the barn. He was glad to get water too... it was not hot overnight... but I am sure they were all thirsty.
We loaded him in the trailer in the front, closed the cut gate, and got the other one out of the barn and loaded him in the back... I forgot my checkbook to pay, so ran home and she started truck and came to the end of the driveway... so I left my car there, and let her drive to the vet's office... we talked about DS and work... and we are in agreement that what they did was wrong, that maybe DS did stretch the driving out more than he should but that he did not deserve what they did... and that we both think this was a set up since it happened just like 2 years ago right before the roadeo... and that his boss has not done what would be decent and go to bat for him... since he is going to retire anyway he has nothing to lose over this...
We got to the vet's office and she got out and told me to back it up to the chute... and the vet and the tech there said, wow, that I did better than most of the men, and she said, yeah, she can teach the men to back up... which was nice of her... so we got the bulls off... one in the chute, the other in the holding area, and they did the testing and both passed with good scores... one they said the tails on some of the sperms were a little "bent" but sometimes that happens if they haven't been active for awhile... and he has not been with any cows for over 6 months so I am not worried... but he still had a 74% motility and the other one (that did not want to walk up) had an 89%.... so both are good to go for breeding season...
So, that is it for the bulls... did not and won't bother to check the 2 that are in the field behind my house... no reason to think they aren't still good... don't see any signs of heats there... have the 6 calves on the ground from the one, at the nurse cow pasture already... They will get the spring off when that group gets moved to the barn... in a week or 2... Got to remember to call the vet's office tomorrow, and set up the next bunch of preg checks...for the ones in the back....then the field behind me need to be moved to the barn and checked after that.
Came back to the farm, let the bulls out and walked them down the big alley into the "bull field" where the rest are. This will keep them away from the damaged one in the barn lot area, and get them out of the way until next month when some of them, go out with the cows. He said he is definitely taking him on Friday to the sale... and might look to see if anything can be bought cheaply enough if sold as singles and such there... or maybe buy a few heifers.... never know what is going to come through the sale...

So this afternoon, DS called and he wanted to make sure of who was going where, wanted to get the cows still at the barn, moved around while the weather is nice... get them out on grass... brought the 3 bred older heifers back to the nurse cow pasture for now... he did not want them out at pasture away from here to calve this fall..just in case of trouble with the first calf.... so guess they will just stay there... also brought up the cow that jumped the fence to get back with her calf since the fences are real good at the nurse cow pasture... get her "over" being separated from her calf since she is over 6 months bred...and she can't hear him hollering at this place so she should just give up in a few days...... and in a few weeks she can go back to doug's farm and go with the others that will calve at the same time... He also took 3 more heifers up there that will be bred for the first time to the bull this summer. I have several up there now to get bred this summer... will wait for after the first of June so they won't be calving until at least mid March next year... I like my heifers to calve a little later than the cows start... mostly because of the possibility of having a little nicer weather. Of course, you can't figure the weather anymore... but these ones that have just calved in the last couple of weeks have done real well, and the weather has been great for them.

He loaded up the open cow and calf, and took her to the other pasture where the other "open cows with calves are... then she will be able to get bred back there. Once we check the ones from up back that were in with the damaged bull, then we will know what we are dealing with... and there will probably be a bunch that will also go to that pasture so they can get exposed to the bull also... Any more with small calves will go to the one big pasture where he has moved the cows and new babies... and then they can all get bred there... and there are 2 more places to move some of them to... another 10-15 at each place.

Stocking rates are still a bit low, but the dry conditions are a bit concerning, so not going to get too crazy with over loading places. And the places where there are bigger calves, we can pull the calves out if it gets real dry in mid summer, too, as they will be plenty old enough to wean off. They will be eating a fair amount of grass by then so pulling them will help the pastures if it is dry later on.... bring them back to the "barn lots" there and feed them if we have to... let the cows manage on drier grasses... they should all be bred by the time we need to deal with "too dry" conditions if at all...
Plus the cows are going to get 45 days with a bull, then switch bulls or add an other bull in for another 25-30 days to do any "clean up" breeding if needed... and try to get back to a 75-80 breeding season....
That's the plan, anyway... we'll see.

So that's the progress... at least he gave me the numbers of the ones that got moved today... had all the numbers yesterday. I might fall over from having things all "accounted for" so far.

Can't wait for the chiropractor appt to see if we can get this pain straightened out in the leg... it hurts to just walk...

Had to change massage appt to Friday.... but wanted to do it this week and give it a try... might be better since I will have a day after the chiropractor to see if this pain lets up from getting readjusted.

Going to go to bed early.

 

[farmerjan]

Thurs eve. Not a terrible day... Calves and all done, went to chiropractor appt... I was hurting some... did the adjustments, and the pain down the back of the leg/thigh is much less... front of the leg from knee down not so much yet... but can walk some better. Dr will be gone tomorrow so will call first thing Monday morning and see...massage therapy appt is tomorrow and he said that ought to help ... to see how that goes and then go from there... so I am willing to try to be patient.

Got 2 loads of clothes on the line since the chance of showers was slight... little breeze... next chance is 20% Friday night after like 8-9 p.m. I will get them in tomorrow so that ought to be good.

Got all the computer downloads of the new results from a couple farms tested last week, so that I could print reports and such. Got all that ready for drop off in the next day or 2.... Going to stop at the farm and get some milk on the way back from therapy also... help to stretch the milk replacer for the twin bull calves.

Did chores this evening and fed cows a little grain also... There were several of the heifers he had moved up there, yesterday, around the barn, most of the bigger cows were on the other side of the field grazing so that was good for the younger ones, getting ready to breed this June, to know to come to the feeder for some grain... a couple of the ones that just had calves were there also. several of the newer calves (2-3 week olds) actually came in the creep gate to sorta check things out... that is great... the twin holstein heifers meandered their way up the hill and would probably go in through the creep gate for the grain in the bunk in the barn. The skies were a little cloudy, very slight chance of a stray shower, so I didn't put much out in the outside feeders... the ones that are already eating some grain, know to come inside... I will put some outside in those feeders on nice days... to teach the newer calves that there is "good stuff" for them to try.

Will go do bottles in the morning and then go to the massage therapy appt... hoping it will help the pain down the leg some... although from the hip to the knee it is alot better... must have just moved wrong after the adjustment 2 weeks ago and it steadily just got worse instead of working its self out like usual.

Time to get a good hot shower and go to bed early.

 

[farmerjan]

Friday evening... Been a cloudy cool day, 48 up to 62 but no sun so felt chilly.

Went to the massage therapy appt. Nice lady, 40-50 yr old maybe. We talked a little bit about the different aches and pains (where doesn't it hurt some days???)...
She worked on both shoulders and the thigh and leg mostly... hit some deeper muscles and all that "hurt so good".... only once or twice that I really cringed and she backed right off a bit. I felt "looser" when I came out and think it has helped the shoulder a little bit...not quite as hard to lift above the shoulder height before it starts to protest. Like everything else, it isn't going to fix it right away, but I want to do a couple of treatments to see how much it helps.
The pain is still in the front of the leg below the knee... you would think I got slammed or kicked or something but I know I haven't... and no bruises to show either... but it is a less bit in the hip and thigh, and not so "intense" a pain.
She also does cranio sacral therapy... which is supposed to help with headaches, and such... also to help with the fluid movement of the cranial fluid in the brain... Wikipedia has it as a "psuedoscience" and "quackery"... but lots of other clinical reports on it from several hospitals etc....

I am not as much a believer in some of the "far east / oriental type" of treatments, but do not discount them... I have done acupuncture and saw no benefits from it for the ankle and knee pain/pressure back many years ago. I have done things like prolotherapy and PRP (platelet rich plasma) injected back into the joints as well as stem cells in the joints before finally going to the replacements. It did buy some time in the one knee so will say that I do think there is some benefit... wish I had tried it sooner before the joints were "so far gone"... I do believe that the body can heal its self to a great extent.
When I had the bad wreck in 1989, which precipitated the original trip to the chiropractor in 91 after the drs said they could do no more for the shoulder... I got relief for the shoulder pain and within a couple adjustments, could lift the arm above the shoulder height, I had a C-2 fracture (broken neck in essence) and skull fracture that was extensive from the wreck. It had all knit back together, and I did not feel like I had any problems from that. That said, people didn't think much of chiropractors back then either... Mine gave me back my life so to speak so I do not discount trying "alternative" practices.
So, I think that I am also going to try a couple of the cranio sacral therapy sessions... since I do get some headaches for "no apparent reason" . May be in part the head damage from way back and the C-2 fracture... might even lead down to the shoulder... it is all about the "pathways" of the nerves and the fluids that carry the signals... the "flow" and things like that... and she said that this massage and the accupressure as opposed to accupunture, might help a bit.
Let's face it, it is money spent... but if it helps some... better than alot of drugs. I will still take the "tylenol and advil" if needed to take the edge off... but this may help in the longer run to slow or stop some of this.
PLUS... a nice deep muscle massage feels DA@%ED good..... I think I deserve it... Had one guy I went with that used to give me massages and I really miss that... and he cooked too.... but not much of a cattle person and eventually the relationship just kinda faded.... more my fault....
I am going to get a more "whole body massage next time and a little extra work on the shoulder; she said she would tailor it what I felt I needed/wanted... AND that a good massage earlier in the day, and then an adjustment might make my body get more out of the adjustment since I am more relaxed... so there is that possibility...

Everything else was quiet. Texted farm on the way back but they did not have any bucket cows... so no milk to pick up. Said I would let her know my next trip down to chiropractor or therapy appt . Traffic was horrible on interstate, so got off and came up RT 11 which is the "original" north / south route, through the towns but none of the creeping along, then faster, then slow down suddenly stuff. Went on to the farm to take the reports and then stopped and got milk from the farm I get it from. Want to make some custard with all the eggs I have. Talking about how dry it is here for this time of year...and these chill down nights have put a major slow down on the grass growth again...

DS texted and said he took the bull to the stockyard... hadn't heard back from the lawyer about an opinion on the best way to go forward... he is still restricted on the lot to not even get in a vehicle on the lot to move them... I think this will change as soon as the district "roadeo competition" happens (next week?)... to just totally prevent any chance of his competing...the temp boss there said he was not going to be able to go (orders from higher up) and even set it up, like they had him do 2 years ago.... he said he wouldn't go even if they asked him to.... washed a couple vehicles on the lot yesterday, and did some other general stuff.... then today worked at cleaning out his desk/office... said he does not want to be there, is sooo done with it... got everything of his out...made copies of everything in his personnel file too... plus he has all these certifications for haz mat trucks and all kinds of stuff he is certified to do... they were interviewing for his job today so none of the temporary bosses were there.... seems the guys there that he used to be supervisor over, are all pretty pissed at the higher ups... one has put in for a transfer to a different headquarters.... but no one is willing to buck the system too much with needing their jobs... hasn't heard from his "real boss" that is still out on medical leave... he is really hurt more than anything about that, since he thought they had a real good relationship, prior to all this... he needs to get 3 weeks work in to get back to where he is earning his "time" so can qualify for going out on short term disability which is where the drs are ready and willing to put him out on....they may have demoted him but they can't "take away" his years of employment, so.... as soon as he says okay... he is laying low, using some of his sick leave for a dr appt today with the GP that is his workman's comp original dr.... not the specialists they have him going to blacksburg to.... then he just stayed off and took the bull and stayed at the stockyards to watch the sale some...

Vet preg check next Wed at 1:30.... DS said that would work... so guess he plans to take another personal day or something he has already banked.... they can't stop any of that unless they fire him, and he is playing it perfectly so they can't find a reason for that... he would take them to court and sue them if they tried that... and there is too much talk around about this demotion... they are having to play it very quiet I guess now since they did this, since it seems the general consensus is that it was way out of line than normal procedures.... talk got back to him through the one friend he trusts that there are rumblings about what the "higher up supervisors did"....and the "BIG" bosses above them are not real happy it seems.....

One of the guys did say he heard that they were going to start "shooting" the roads... that is when they start putting down the oil/tar and roll the gravel over it... patching sections... and DS would be back in the "distributor" (oil truck) soon... and he looked at the guy and said, don't see how since I am not cleared to drive a vehicle.... wonder if that will miraculously come about as soon as the possibility of his not being able to compete in the roadeo time wise goes by... he says he doesn't care about doing it... and he used to like doing that... plus in the truck, he does not have to wear the hard hat that is at the crux of the headache situation and the exemption that they HAD to give him 2 years ago to use a different hard hat and that the one boss had such a fit about and was behind the "concern of his ability to operate a vehicle" and subsequent restrictions that made him miss the competitions for the roadeo 2 years ago... he said he has no intentions of running the distributor this year or any time, for them again... he used to go in an hour early in the morning to go get a load of oil, so when he got back to the headquarters when the guys got to work at 7, it was already heating in the truck and they could go right out and put up signs and start getting it done... often got an extra "truck load" put down in a day because of that. He said why the he// should he care about it anymore... he would just go in to work at 7 like every other crew member.. not his problem or concern anymore. I think he is going to use up as much time as he has coming as he possible can, because I really don't think he would stay if they offered it all back to him... maybe he would to try to get through the next 5 years to "full retirement" so he would be getting twice what he will get now... but I really don't know. He doesn't trust any one of them there....

Well, we'll see... I never thought he would go back to the gf either....

I'm headed to bed...

 

[farmerjan]

In for a sandwich since I didn't eat any breakfast. Did calves and all... went from there to check electric fence with the tester... cattle have plenty of grass where we turned them out... but just to make sure... WAIT... only hot in the middle strand... checked it part way up and then at the top at the bend where there are a couple gates... turns out the owner dug under the gate area to connect upper hot wires to lower section.. That's fine... BUT... he only attached the leader wire to the middle strand... SO......DUH.... only one strand hot. This is a man who is smart... genius smart.... scientific work for the gov't and such smart... and only attached lead wire to the middle strand...????? but the 3 strands above the gate are hot... so WHY would we only want the middle strand on the lower stretch of fence to be hot???? and all 3 were hot before they decided that they had to have a set of gates in the bend of the driveway section.... Not that the cows are going to bother it with all the grass they have in the field.
So on the way back, I stopped at the barn, got some "bendable" wire... It is heavy aluminum elec fence wire, off a spool. I will go by there on the next trip in that direction and cut off the electric up by the fence and cattle guard into the yard, and go down and attach all 3 wires to it, and then they should all be hot. Just stupid stuff.

Came back and let the chickens out. Stomach was hungry and I have another half-a$$ed headache; figured it was not eating earlier. Just ate a sandwich, and hoping that it will quiet down. Took some stuff for it.
Shoulder is not quite as painful this morning... not great but not as sharp a pain when trying to lift arm and such. Leg is so-so. The pain down the thigh is just a little bit of a "soreness ache" but the pain down the front of the lower leg below the knee is still pretty rough. Must be on a different circuit than the one down the thigh. Need to find that circuit and "unpinch it" or whatever is causing it to still hurt. That might be another cause of the headachey feeling this morning.

It has been cloudy and somewhat raw feeling. 48 to start, up to 64. We got a short shower sometime last night. The car left tracks in the dust on the driveway into the barn when I went to find a piece of wire to use. But it certainly did not do enough to leave any sign in the rain gauge. The forecast is saying that it will start to clear off and be sunnier this afternoon. Then Sun - Mon - Tues are going to be flirting with some record setting heat temps... Chances of pop up T-storms Tues/Wed....
Then went on to talk about parts of the southern border of VA/NC, are into the "extremely dry" category already... CRAZY.....that's the first level on the drought monitor gauge...
I am going to go out and water all the planters today. I got another cracked molasses tub from my "milk farmer" yesterday... said I wanted some that were "bad" if he had any to throw out.... cracked so they would not hold water... he said, here, take this one. I offered to trade a good one I could bring back and he said he// no, just save me from throwing it out. So, going to put some barn "clean out" manure in the bottom, add some other dirt and such... and do a couple more "nice looking" plastic half "whiskey barrel tubs" also and then can plant the dahlia bulbs and other stuff I have here.
There are a dozen little "pencil lead thin" sized asparagus coming up now in the one tub... so the crowns are starting to settle in. They will be crowded but that is okay. they will be getting transplanted and will have some time to at least get a start now.
My bleeding heart plants from last year (from my parents place? maybe) are up and blooming. Lost the one early shoot that the cold snap got, but it has put up leaves, and a couple more arms with the little bleeding heart flowers out on it.

If this headache will just quit, I want to go outside and do some other stuff. It is just really bothering me again. Might be a combination with all of a sudden allergies... eyes itching terrible, sneezing, and it is so dry out there with no rain in the forecast, so can't "wash the pollen out of the air"....

I did go by Dunkin yesterday aft, and they had 5 big (5 gal) buckets and 3 small (2 ga)l buckets that I picked up. Need to get some water in them to dissolve the sugary glaze and stuff so I can wash then in a day or 2 when it warms up the water some. Have to do the rest that are here also... never got them washed out. So much easier to fill with water, let the glaze and frosting stuff dissolve, then dump and they will wash much cleaner with just a little water and dish soap. Since it will be so much warmer tomorrow and Monday it will heat the water in them and make washing them out much more pleasant. And I water the iris plants and such there along the side of the house.

Might try to go out and water in the greenhouse after I open the door... it is getting up in the low 90's in it since the sun is partly out. Maybe head will ratchet DOWN a bit....

 

[Mini Horses]

I suspect the dull headache is from your sinuses -- with the allergy crap. That pollen gets into the sinuses and headache! Get hot, steaming cup of water & breath in the steam...helps clear them. Add peppermint, eucalyptus or menthol to it if you have any. 👍

 

[farmerjan]

Got the buckets out of the car, dumped the other ones I had filled, that had the sticky dissolved sugar glaze water, into the new sticky sugar glaze buckets... refilled the first set with clean water so they can heat in the sun tomorrow and get washed. Then I will dump the super sticky glaze water out and dump the soapy water into the stickier buckets and then can wash them too. Either tomorrow or Monday since temps are supposed to heat up into the 80's both days...
It is not all that warm out there. Partial sun and a light breeze... so does not feel like the mid 60's. Got some of the barn cleaning into the tub with the crack in the bottom... need to get some more dirt in it. Also the decorative tubs to put the dahlia bulbs into. Maybe will have more umph to do it tomorrow. Picked up some sticks that have come down out of the tree and have a pile to load into the cart to take out to the burn pile.

Wanted to try out the new mower but not with the headache and the pollen today. Batteries are all charged. Read the manual, and will reread it tomorrow before I try it out. Do not want to do it now since head is not functioning.... Hoping I will sleep it off tonight. Took some allergy med and it is finally hitting it. Today is just not a very good day and I wanted to do some things.

Did water everything in the greenhouse though. Cannot believe how the spider plants all came back after I accidentally left them out and the leaves all got frosted/frozen... they are looking good. Cannot wait to get them hanging under the maple tree again.

Well, going to see what else I can manage to do.