Hello from Deep East Texas

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I worry about calves getting in them. This year, I had a calf bed down in one, and with the cows eating around him, the top layers slid off and landed on him - with his head sticking out of the feeder - so the weight of the hay killed him. Ugh!!! I was sick. Bad enough losing one to sickness - but that was a real odd ball loss.

 

[gman4691]

Feel the burn…local VFD burned the giant brush pile for me today…of course, we made a nice donation to the VFD for the help…several years worth of chainsaw work…the ditch is about 4 feet deep and the brush was piled up too high the dump a load from the grapple on top (somewhere around 8-10 feet above ground surface)…now, it looks like this…ready for the spring storms…then I'll probably start filling it up again…short video too big the upload

 

[gman4691]

Mom said some of that pile dates back to Hurricane Rita. And here's calf #9…bull, I think…momma won't let me get a good look

 

[gman4691]

Fence guy is moving right along. Knocked out some brush on the fence and one patch that I was going to clear when he gets done. A couple of hold-ups: Rain in forecast the next 2 days & tractor has to go in the shop Monday. Should get it back by the end of next week. Got the 2,4 D sprayed on the thistles… if thistles were a cash crop, I could hit the jackpot this year. Also got most of the cone flowers sprayed - a few pretty big areas on the 30-40 acre "rehab" pasture. Should finish that when the tractor comes home.

 

[gman4691]

Incidentally, the rye grass in one of the hay pastures is very thick and thigh high in places. Will bale it this year if the weather will cooperate. The rye has really come in heavy this year. Love looking out there and seeing that thick, green grass.

 

[gman4691]

May have a line on a local guy who can spread both lime and chicken litter on the "rehab" pasture. Need to test some soil samples first but I'm pretty sure the pH is going to be a bit low - that's fairly typical on soils in pastures around here that haven't really been worked on much for a number of years. The other chicken litter guy has proven to be pretty unreliable...frustrating as all get out trying to work with that guy.

Water line guys should have all of their material in mid to late next week. Things are moving right along.

 

[gman4691]

May have a line on a local guy who can spread both lime and chicken litter on the "rehab" pasture. Need to test some soil samples first but I'm pretty sure the pH is going to be a bit low - that's fairly typical on soils in pastures around here that haven't really been worked on much for a number of years. The other chicken litter guy has proven to be pretty unreliable...frustrating as all get out trying to work with that guy.

Water line guys should have all of their material in mid to late next week. Things are moving right along.

And the 2,4-D Amine spot treatments on thistles and coneflowers are showing. The 2,4-D looks to be doing the trick. Hopefully be able to finish that up around Easter.

 

[gman4691]

Crap! Calf #10 born probably last night in the open and the dang buzzards killed it. Calf #11 was very small and stillborn…sigh

 

[gman4691]

On a positive note: Ryegrass is going to seed…can cut & bale soon if weather will cooperate. Tractor should be ready to go in 7 - 10 days. Fence close to being finished. Both yards mowed with a good weed eater job. Old chainsaw should be squared away in a day or two. Very promising meeting with what I hope to be a more reliable chicken litter guy. Composite soil sample of "rehab" pasture collected and dropped off at lab this morning - about 3 weeks for results. Seems every time I check something off of the list, it gets longer…lol

 

[kenny thomas]

On a positive note: Ryegrass is going to seed…can cut & bale soon if weather will cooperate. Tractor should be ready to go in 7 - 10 days. Fence close to being finished. Both yards mowed with a good weed eater job. Old chainsaw should be squared away in a day or two. Very promising meeting with what I hope to be a more reliable chicken litter guy. Composite soil sample of "rehab" pasture collected and dropped off at lab this morning - about 3 weeks for results. Seems every time I check something off of the list, it gets longer…lol

When I retired i had a short list. Now i work 7 days a week and have a book.

 

[Caustic Burno]

On a positive note: Ryegrass is going to seed…can cut & bale soon if weather will cooperate. Tractor should be ready to go in 7 - 10 days. Fence close to being finished. Both yards mowed with a good weed eater job. Old chainsaw should be squared away in a day or two. Very promising meeting with what I hope to be a more reliable chicken litter guy. Composite soil sample of "rehab" pasture collected and dropped off at lab this morning - about 3 weeks for results. Seems every time I check something off of the list, it gets longer…lol

You're going to be bailing weeds.
Rye grass farther south isn't going to seed that's rescue grass.
Crimson clover isn't even in bloom yet.

 

[gman4691]

You're going to be bailing weeds.
Rye grass farther south isn't going to seed that's rescue grass.
Crimson clover isn't even in bloom

I beg to differ…this is definitely perennial rye. And have seen some crimson clover in bloom along some roadsides.

 

[gman4691]

You're going to be bailing weeds.
Rye grass farther south isn't going to seed that's rescue grass.
Crimson clover isn't even in bloom

This is rescuegrass

 

[Hpacres440p]

Crap! Calf #10 born probably last night in the open and the dang buzzards killed it. Calf #11 was very small and stillborn…sigh

Are buzzards nocturnal? Sucks no matter how it died

 

[Ouachita]

................................. Seems every time I check something off of the list, it gets longer…lol

That is my experience as well. I convince myself that this condition is a good thing and means that I'm observant, and industrious The place is like a painting that I have spent years perfecting, but everyday I walk past the easel I notice something that can be improved. I'm expecting this to continue until my death. Then I'll remember something and crawl from my casket to grease the squeeze or close a gate.

 

[1982vett]

That is my experience as well. I convince myself that this condition is a good thing and means that I'm observant, and industrious The place is like a painting that I have spent years perfecting, but everyday I walk past the easel I notice something that can be improved. I'm expecting this to continue until my death. Then I'll remember something and crawl from my casket to grease the squeeze or close a gate.

Yep. Yesterday I made a couple cuts on the table saw and miter saw. Later I unplugged the fence chargers to work on the fences and trim trees growing into the fences. Finished for the day and plugged them back in. NOTHING. Breaker was tripped and wouldn't hold… So today, instead of continuing patching up fences I get to try to find an electrical problem in the shop.

 

[Caustic Burno]

This is rescuegrass

I know what rescue grass is and I know rye grass hasn't even thought about going to seed.
I'm looking at 400 acres of it every day farther south.

 

[gman4691]

I know what rescue grass is and I know rye grass hasn't even thought about going to seed.
I'm looking at 400 acres of it every day farther south.

Understood...not trying to cause offense. But the rye grass behind my house is definitely rye grass and is definitely going to seed. A good bit of crimson clover blooming along the roadsides in Grapeland (about 50 miles west). Lots of bluebonnets and other wild flowers blooming all over the place up here. Don't know what's going on farther south...may be different soils(?) All I can speak to is what I see.

 

[gman4691]

Yep. Yesterday I made a couple cuts on the table saw and miter saw. Later I unplugged the fence chargers to work on the fences and trim trees growing into the fences. Finished for the day and plugged them back in. NOTHING. Breaker was tripped and wouldn't hold… So today, instead of continuing patching up fences I get to try to find an electrical problem in the shop.

that's always fun...lol

 

[Warren Allison]

Understood...not trying to cause offense. But the rye grass behind my house is definitely rye grass and is definitely going to seed. A good bit of crimson clover blooming along the roadsides in Grapeland (about 50 miles west). Lots of bluebonnets and other wild flowers blooming all over the place up here. Don't know what's going on farther south...may be different soils(?) All I can speak to is what I see.

The Abruzzi drilled late October on the bean fields is heading out now.