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Post by lakeportfarms on Sept 3, 2017 1:06:09 GMT
Last week we had frost advisories in low lying areas away from the lakes. On Friday the low was 39 degrees at the farm. Downright chilly considering the lake influence. High today of 61 degrees and the leaves are starting to turn.
There is a sense of urgency around the farm now, getting things done outside before the days get too short and the weather gets worse. The second cutting of hay is taking place at a lot of hay fields around here. Those that hay their own fields never seem to get a chance to enjoy the summer holidays, because the first cutting often happens 4th of July, and the second cut happens at Labor Day, weather permitting.
Our apples are starting to ripen now, and it won't be long before we start shaking trees and collecting apples to make cider.
Last but not least, I see some of the cows getting started on their winter coats.
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Post by otf on Sept 3, 2017 12:22:26 GMT
We aren't quite as far along as you are, Hans, but I've made a list of things to be done by the end of October or sooner. I've ordered more hay as I have a strange feeling this winter is going to be different from the last two. I hope our supplier can help me out on this. We've had a few downright chilly mornings, but thankfully nothing in the 30s yet. Haven't seen any hair growth so far, but it won't be long. Yeah, days are getting shorter.
My sense of urgency is due to Hurricane Irma looming out there with nobody being quite certain which path it will take. I dread the thought of an East Coast hit.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Sept 3, 2017 15:48:12 GMT
I'm sure you could use some rain, but I do hope the Hurricane doesn't affect you. Though I'm sort of semi-retired and have scaled the business way back, I own a business manufacturing windows and doors, mainly high performance aluminum for commercial and custom residential homes. I used to do quite a few high rise condos and apartments along the east coast. Whenever there was a hurricane or a nor'easter, our phone would ring off the hook for weeks from condo associations, etc., that were looking to upgrade their sliding doors to higher performance products. Now I just stick to the real high end residential homes, and do a couple of them a year. I like it much better. No more 16 hour days, big payrolls to meet, lawyers, and bad debts that make me wonder why I put up with it all.
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Post by karenp on Sept 4, 2017 11:08:43 GMT
We're about 25 miles from the ocean, I really hope Irma turns out to sea. I do love this time of year, but we are bound to get another hot spell.
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Post by jamshundred on Sept 4, 2017 14:47:51 GMT
Sure feels like fall here too. This has been the coolest beginning to September I ever recall. Rained all day on Saturday. Yesterday was chilly and windy. Today is sunny but still bery breezy and cool.
I am like OTF. I have never seen the prolific blooms before that have appeared this year, along with the production that followed. ( I remember reporting on the early trees in bloom in February, then we had a freeze, and still everything was in greater than full bud and bloom. My cherry trees produced more and longer than I had ever seen before. The crepe myrtle trees are all but dragging the ground with blooms. The old homestead apple trees are so full of apples they cannot grow at all. Even my cucumber vines are full of blooms and little cucumbers. The walnut trees are full of walnuts.
Old timers are said it was God providing for living things to survive the coming difficult winter. Oh dear. I hope not. I need just one more easy winter. Just one more!
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Post by genebo on Sept 4, 2017 23:33:43 GMT
I sure hope we get another hot spell long enough to cure hay. I still have lots of hay to cut and bale.
Judy, y'all were lucky with your blooms. Our snap freeze this spring killed our blooms.
One more year without figs. The last year I was able to make fig preserves was 2013. I have 5 jars left and we are hoarding them.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 5, 2017 16:53:08 GMT
I have a lot to get done before winter hits. I cant even think about stating any of the farm work until I finish getting a new roof on my house.
Gene, You are probably not looking to buy new farm equipment but a hay teder makes all the difference in the world. During the heat of the summer I can cut one day. Ted the next morning and then rake and bale that afternoon. Hay is plenty dry and it is evenly dry. On cloudy fall days you can still put hay up in 3 days.
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Post by genebo on Sept 6, 2017 15:59:26 GMT
Thanks, Mike. I'll scan craigslist to see what I can find. I see a 4 day window starting tomorrow and I have a small field I can cut. Maybe 200 small square bales. That should fill the barn loft if it gets prepoerly cured. Otherwise I'll put it in the hay barn and feed it quickly.
I have 11 Dexters today, but by the end of the month I'll be down to 8. Probably carry 6 through the winter, so I don't need as much hay. I still have about 150 bales left from last year. I've been feeding them to make room for new and to take the pressure off of the pastures. I hope to have a good stand of grass come cold weather. Enough to last through January.
We'll start getting new grass by the end of March.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Sept 6, 2017 16:41:47 GMT
I finally found a good part-time hand for around the farm. We previously have tried to do so here and there but it never really worked out, as they were older teens/young adults and they spent more time text messaging on their phones than they did working. We felt we had to allow them to have their phones with them for safety reasons, but they really didn't possess the maturity to keep it in check. Josh has worked out well...early 30's, isn't distracted by the phone, and he has a lot of good experience, not really with animals but with the general maintenance things that seem to comprise more than 1/2 of what I have to do around here. He'll learn the cattle stuff very easily, I'm certain. Problem is, with the help I'm finding more projects to do, and Sheril has gone back for the school year so I've lost my best helper, at least part of the time Now it's time to fine tune the herds, since we can't have any more. I'll even have some shortie heifers next year to sell, other than those that carry Traditional red, which we'll be evaluating to keep.
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Post by genebo on Sept 6, 2017 18:24:21 GMT
What good luck to find a good farm hand. Congratulations.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2017 19:31:36 GMT
Gene, good luck finding a used one. People just dont get rid of them unless they are upgrading to a bigger one. When I was looking the used ones were more than I could buy a new one for. So I bought a new one. A couple of years ago no one used hay teders in Iowa. Then after I got one now all my neighbors have them. I should have got a commission . You can also ruin hay with a teder. Do not use it on to dry of hay. It will knock all of the leaves off. Best to ted in the morning when still wet the day after cutting.
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Post by genebo on Sept 8, 2017 1:56:39 GMT
I searched for a used tedder and found several that were like you said, higher priced than a new one. My budget is tiny. I only found two that were within my price range and both of them are pretty far away. They will have to wait for me to go see them.
I could use it this week, too. I had a 4-day window of dry days when I started cutting today. I got 5 acres cut. My John Deere sickle bar mower broke 4 times! Tomorrow I will finish cutting the 9 acres with a new Pitman stick, a new tooth and 4 new rivets in the mower. The last grass I cut will be hard pressed to cure in the time I have. I'll finish cutting in the morning and rake all that is dry enough Saturday Morning. I'll bale the first 5 acres on Sunday and get it into the barn. If the last 4 acres is ready, I'll bale it Sunday afternoon. Any that's left will get baled on Monday morning, hopefully before it starts raining that afternoon.
It was a risky plan to start with and the breakdowns of my sickle bar mower made it nearly impossible to get a good result.
I'll probably get more chances to bale some hay before cold weather. There is lots of grass and it is in great shape right now. If only the weather will cooperate and my old equipment will hold out.
Maybe I should put in a word for me to hold out, too.
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