Every year we haul corn out of the grain bins in December or January to the elevator. The kids are always giddy about pushing their favorite shovel to move corn, as you will see in the video. Usually the weather is bitterly cold but emptying the last bin the beginning of this Jan. was unusually warm.
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Here is the video from last year. You can see the difference in the kids’ sizes in just one year. They eat lots of beef.
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[youtube width="560" height="344"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwwXTKoSWJo&hd=1[/youtube]
Bella and I are cleaning where the steers have been lying during the last blizzard. The kids put down straw and hay for them under the lean-to. That was last week. Now the lot the steers are in is a muddy mess. Once we get the bull sold at the Beef Expo this week they will be moved to their new lot. Hopefully the kids will have them “mostly” broke to lead by then.
Like the catchy music? Makes you think of sunny times.
[youtube width="640" height="385"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dJeFbkHTS4[/youtube]
After trying to prime the well pump for over an hour, we decided the foot valve in the well must be bad. We removed the well cover, replaced the pipe and valve (with the help of Ron), then put the cover back. The cattle were mostly patient with us while the well was down.
n the farm:Bookwork. Farmers were not wired to sit inside at a desk for any length of time. Then add that they are to file receipts and balance accounts, they go mad. And they make everyone in the house including the dog cower in fear that they might get in the way. Because if they ain’t happy, ain’t nobody goin’ to be happy.
Sure the job wouldn’t be half as bad if the work was done incrementally throughout the year. No, bookwork is reserved for the week, days, or hours before the records are due to the accountant. And thank God for him. I shudder to think… (won’t go there) I am happy to report that we survived another year of turning in our books, closing out last year’s books, and paying off last year’s operating note without any blood or bruises. Now we get to start it all over again.
What do farmers do in the winter?
Before I talked about farm shows and cleaning out bins. Another thing farmers do in winter is go to farm auctions. They go with the idea of picking up a bargain for something they need/like to have. Farm auctions are usually for some retired farmer selling out his life-long accumulation of stuff. Generally 4 rack wagons of junk: gas cans, rusted tools, ect. Then his old equipment and tractors. But this farm sale that we went to was extremely unique. The guy wasn’t retired. He just quit farming and rented out the ground. His tractors and equipment were disgustingly new. (no twinge of envy here) You don’t see auctions like this in a coons age.
You may remember my predictions for this year about a purchase of a tractor in our future. We were looking at a couple of tractors on the sale. But we did not end up going home with one. The prices went too high for what we were willing to pay. Our search continues. Below is a quick video of the sale. The last tractor shown is the one we bid on. The last bid on it was $151,000. Like I said. We’re still looking.
[youtube width="540" height="385"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RE6FnbQcr98[/youtube]
One more thing. Do you recall in my Carhartt review about what I said about the Carhartt conventions at farm sales? Oh, yeah.
In the comments, tell me if you would have bought that big green machine.
Lorex Wireless Security System
We are product and price comparing video surveillance cameras. Not against thieves but to keep an eye on our cows. Particularly for monitoring the calving pens.
1. It will be easier checking on them when we know they are due to calve anytime. Especially in the winter, since someone has to put on all their winter gear to run out to the shed to take a peak at the gestating cow.
2. First calf heifers sometimes need help if they are struggling with having the calf. A camera would let us quickly see if the heifer is “stuck”.
3. The camera would also give a view of the open part of the shed where all the cows and calves lie. This is the only part of the lot that we can’t see from the house. A camera would help to see if a cow is pushing and needs to be put in a pen. In the winter we try to have the calves born in pens where it is warmer.
4. The cow would be disturbed less after they calve. We like to check on mom and baby to make sure mom is letting it nurse and it is getting around okay. With the camera, the cow wouldn’t be distracted by one of us walking in the shed and gawking at her.
5. Cows instinctively lick their calf. Some can be aggressive lickers and push the calf under the sides of the pen. We would be able to see this on the screen in the house.
Do we have to have the cameras? No. But it would make calving a whole lot easier. Well for us, maybe not the cow. And the systems today are fairly cheap and simple to install. The one I am looking at Lorex Wireless Security System
Do you have experience with security/surveillance cameras? Please let me know in the comments.
Step #1 find a calf stranded on a pond of ice.
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Some of my videos are not posted on this site but you can see all of them on my youtube channel. Leave comments under the ones you like most.
After the video last week, I was asked about what the kids were wearing to keep warm while working outside. I replied that the coats and coveralls were Carhartt. The boots were sorel. Quality certainly matters when working out in freezing temperatures for hours. I am as frugal as the next mom. But won’t balk at paying for good work clothes that will last. So in this infomercial I’ll break down the winter wear items with this picture of Theo, who is a frigid farmer.
Everyone of us on this farm has at least one Carhartt jacket
:The quilted lining is a must for winter. The material for the Carhartt Overalls
or coveralls is the same as the coats. Do not order the length too long. If the pants drag the ground the will wick the moisture and become ratty. The zips up the sides of the legs are great for putting your boots on. Also order a size or two larger than your normal size to accommodate for a pair of jeans underneath.
:These boots are rated -25 deg. So they’ll do the job of keeping toes from turning blue. Sorel Winter Boots
For sale at the right price.
If you are in need of some warm winter wear click on the links. Also tell me what you like about your Carhartt in the comments. Include any offers on the dog.
[youtube width="640" height="385"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2aHnGv-vxM[/youtube]
Every December we move the corn out of the bins to the grain elevator. Intermittently, the elevator sends out 5 trucks to haul the grain away. While waiting for another truck, we fill the grain cart. This makes emptying the bins go much faster. We are out in the cold all day, usually for 2 or 3 days. This year we only had the 2 larger bins full of corn. So it turned out to be a day and a half. William and I used to do this by ourselves. But it is so nice to have the kids helping out. They do get paid and a day off of school work.
Tell me what you think of the video in the comments.
William and I have a dream. That the kids will take over the farming. He and I will travel and pop back in the fall to help harvest. I’m willing to wait ’til after they go to college. But I fear they will not return. The ungrateful kids will say we worked them to hard and want an office job. William and I will be doomed to mid-west winters the rest of our days.
