Hello from Deep East Texas

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Snapping turtles will get them around here... up in Conn, when I was a kid and we would fish in my grandmothers big "pond"... it used to be an ice pond in the day; we would see a snapping turtle surface with his head up a little... and the mallards would have their little ducklings... one day out in the little boat we watched the snappers snatch the ducklings from below... HATED snapping turtles... they are powerful and can break a persons arm if they are good sized... We would catch the bigger ones with a baited rope end... they never let go... and put them in the huge wash tubs and there were a couple cooks at the restaurant across the road that loved to get them and make "turtle soup".... we were just glad to get the population cut down.
 
Got the small concrete water trough moved closer to where it is going to end up...sprayed down with 50-50 bleach-water mixture, gave it a good pressure washing, then sprayed it with the bleach mixture again. Didn't know if I would be able to move it without breaking it but a good strap and the old John Deere 5520 came through in fine style. Moving this one and the larger one is part of the larger barn project. Was feeling pretty satisfied with myself after pulling that off without incident. Then fixed a fender on the old 16' trailer that was rubbing a tire and mowed both our yard and Mom's yard. All in all, a pretty productive day. There were about 1000 things that could have gone wrong lifting that water trough out from where it was but all went without incident...between the bleach and the washing, that thing looks almost new.

Cows still have plenty of grass due to all the rains. They are looking good with calves growing like wild. Not a bad first half on 2025. Keeping it in a nine line bind...no surrender, no retreat. Looks like the rain might ease up over the next week or so...one pretty good rain today but didn't last long. Rained a good bit through all of last week.
 
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Concrete guy set the big square water trough on its side so I could wash it down…cleaned it up after work today. He and I will set it in place tomorrow. Had to set up a temporary water trough until we get this all done…used an old Rubbermaid trough. Once the new concrete (to be poured Monday) and the troughs are set up, I will install Jobe Megaflow fill valves in both. A bit more expensive than the cheap ones at Tractor Supply but everyone I’ve spoken to who has used them or something similar has had only good things to say. Changing the location and set up of those two troughs is another thing that has needed doing for years.

He called me at work late this afternoon to let me know he got the trough up on its side & that the bull has been swimming laps in the pond…lol. Hot & humid since it stopped raining…so Big 50 has been cooling off…lol again… To be continued…
 
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Well, that plan had to change. The big concrete trough already had a couple of small spots where water was slowly seeping through the concrete…got worse after moving it around. Scrapped that idea and bought 2 plastic troughs last weekend. Got them set up today with Jobe Megaflow bottom filling valves. In the process, discovered a small crack in a shut-off valve located nearby in a valve box…had to replace that ball valve and then set up the 2 troughs. Wouldn’t be a worthwhile project without at least two trips to town…lol

Barn should get finished Monday except for electrical and adding some crushed limestone in one spot. I’ll get some pics at some point and post here…I keep saying that and keep going down there without my phone (sigh). Also got both yards mowed…again. Word of advice: If you have Bahia in your yard and it’s being a pain to mow, sharpen your mower blades…sharp blades make a big difference when dealing with that stuff.

Last weekend, scooped up some excess dirt from the barn project and smoothed over the ground by my mother’s house near a fence where trees have uprooted over the years and left holes too big to drive the zero-turn over. Drove the mower down a little stretch today for the first time in a long time. No more running a string trimmer while standing in old stump holes…I’ll call that a win,
 
Some Patriot herbicide will slow down the Bahaia. If you also have Dallis Grass or Johnson Grass I’d opt for MSMA. It will get nutsedge too.
 
I've been spraying the last couple of days - quite a bit later than usual but that's just how it has turned out. I have one grazing area that has blown up with what I believe is Palmer Amaranth (might be spiny amaranth)…used Gunslinger P+D on some and 2,4 D Amine on some…guess I'll see what works best…been reading some of the threads on Duracor but I've never used it. No hay will be baled in that area so I guess it's fair game for the Duracor. The goat weeds and bitter weeds, along with a few others are already responding well…wilting quick. The goat weeds started showing signs of wilting before I finished with the first 200 gallon tank. Included Triclopyr 4 in one pasture due to the presence of Chinese tallow and privet…thinking a good spot treatment with Eraser Maxx in a 2-gallon hand sprayer might be better for some of those. Just have to be precise with the application as that stuff kills pretty much everything. Got a couple of small pastures that will get the 2,4 D Amine treatment. The rehab pasture will need some Cryder in a few spots for Johnsongrass and some spot treatment with a hand sprayer and Panoramic 2SL on some small spots with bluestem. Speaking of the rehab pasture (about 30 acres), after burning it off earlier this year, it came back almost entirely with Bahia - not ideal but it looks a lot better than the 30 acres of weeds that was there when I started on it.

Anyone had much luck with the Amaranth? I've read where some have had success with Duracor…the Grazon P+D and the 2,4 D Amine puts noticeable stress on it but it will come back next year with a vengeance. I've read where Valor works as a pre-emergent on this stuff but I am completely unfamiliar with Valor. Has anyone out there used it and do you have any insights on it? Any input would be appreciated.
 
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Started mowing the rehab pasture last weekend…didn’t get the time to spray it this spring so the goat weeds invaded pretty thick. Was mowing more of it yesterday and hit a big double armadillo hole breaking the left hand spindle on the front end. Got it removed today and now need to find a replacement fast. Hay pastures were cut today…the guy said he’s never seen it this thick and virtually weed-free. So, I still have a good bit of mowing to do and will need to be moving hay in 2-3 days…there’s never a convenient time for the tractor to be down.

On another note, last weekend a couple of red-tailed hawks hung out to snatch up the field mice I was disturbing while mowing…that’s always cool to watch. Yesterday, there were probably over 200 of the white cattle egrets following me on the tractor feasting on bugs and yes, I saw another one grab a mouse. Birds are getting fat around here. And Eartag number 28 was back there with a calf that couldn’t have been more than 2 days old…an unexpected summer surprise.

Talked to young guy at church this morning who told me his father had just sold 5 calves and made over $10,000.
 
Got the new steering knuckle put together yesterday on lunch break…went out after work to put everything back together. Couldn’t get the nut off of the old spindle even with an impact. Brought it to work today and one of the techs let me use his impact (a lot stronger than mine)…put in vice and held back up with a pipe wrench…finally got it loose. Now to go back down there after work today to re-assemble everything. Then try to move some hay before the rain hits this weekend. Ended up with 89 rolls (5x6) of good, clean coastal bermuda hay off of 20 acres - pastures were beautiful - very few weeds/johnson grass. The guy said he didn’t even need to wash off his equipment before going to bale his own hay and he’s got super clean pastures.
 
I'll call this a success for the moment. Drove the tractor back home and put everything up right before good downpour of rain…didn't last long but it was a good rain. Will delay moving the hay but I won't complain about rain at this time of the year.

Don’t know why the pic is sideways
 

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Got all the hay lined up near the gates of their respective pastures and cleared off an area where we usually have to store some bales outside (hay barn only holds 70). The next weekend, went to move the hay. On the first bale I picked up with the front forks, the right side tilt cylinder on the loader blew a seal…sigh…waiting for it to be repaired THEN I will finally be able to bring the hay in…if it ain't one thing it's 10…after that, I'll finish mowing the rehab pasture.

I've got 15 bales left over from last year (first cutting) + the 89 from this cutting + 30 from last year's second cutting - more than I will need unless it is a really bad winter followed by a really bad summer. Will probably get a second cutting…as clean as it is, we might make square bales and sell to horse ranchers.

On a brighter note, the only thing left to finish the barn is spreading some crushed limestone in a couple of places and spray a few weeds around it. Once that's complete, I will attempt to build a rodent proof feed room…been salvaging 4x4's at work to build the corners and middle of two walls. Then using 2x's for the rest. Planning on wrapping top, bottom and sides with window screen and hardware cloth which will hopefully keep the rats & mice at bay. Cattle sale prices are still high ($3/lb and up). Here are a few pics of the new barn.IMG_2276.jpegIMG_2274.jpegIMG_2276.jpegIMG_2275.jpegIMG_2272.jpegIMG_2271.jpeg
 

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Sprayed until 9 last night and 9 tonight…cylinders should be ready to go tomorrow…then put up the hay if the rain holds off. A big storm blew in at work this afternoon - wind, thunder, lightening, small hailstones, and a hard rain. East of town at my place, we didn’t get a drop. Best chance of rain is Wednesday-Thursday…of course that will mean putting off the hay until it dries.

Crushed limestone supposed to be put at the barn tomorrow…have to see what the weather has in store. If they get it done, barn will be finished with the exception of some things I will do on the inside. Things moving along in hiccups…lol
 
Barn is finished and hay is all put up. Now to finish mowing the big back pasture and move some stuff to the barn. Also start working on feed/chemicals room inside the barn. My son-in-law has been after me to get him involved in some projects out here so he can learn a few things about working with his hands…I'll try to get him involved in that…framing squares, combination squared, levels, plumb bobs, and general carpentry tools…that sounds like a good start for him…we'll see.

On a side note: It was dang hot out there today. Makes you really start to consider a tractor with a cab…that's a bit out reach financially…sigh

Some rain would be this week…

Incidentally, one of the red angus cows I bought last year (was supposed to have bred to a red angus bull but never calved or even looked pregnant) is now showing signs of definitely being pregnant. This is the same cow that got her head stuck in a grapple - I just call her "Short Bus". I guess my big brangus took care of business. As a reminder, the other red angus had a calf that was obviously sired by a Brahma. The angus-beefmaster cross' calf looks just like her with that red topknot…I'll try to get a decent pic to post. The first dozen calves we worked are almost ready for the sale barn…they look good…should ring the bell a few times…will probably sell about the middle of September.

A friend up around Weatherford said she has an 8' box blade with scarifier teeth that she wants to get rid of…told if I could haul it, I could have it…I'll take it…lol…I'll try to get up there sometime over the next few weeks. Looks to be in good shape.
 
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Rained here in Central TX a little this morning..more expected tonight and tomorrow. Coming out of NNW moving mostly S. Weather liars say the front may reach as far S as Houston.
 
The rains finally hit this weekend. A good, long rain…should play out early this afternoon…always liked the way the pastures look right after a rain. Temps are a lot more bearable today - high forecast to be 84. Hope the cooler weather doesn’t bring another bout of army worms.

With the barn being finished, I can always do a little inside work like building a feed/chemical room.

The missus and I will hit 31 years tomorrow. Spent this weekend at a cabin on Lake Palestine and wandered around the inside portions of the Canton trade days most of yesterday. Lots of folks there in spite of the rain. Might just chill the rest of today and jump on the feed room tomorrow…rain has pretty much stopped but it’s still pretty wet in places down there. Hopefully, I can get back to mowing the rehab pasture pretty quick.

Y’all have a safe Labor Day.
 

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