Storm Front

[ga. prime]

We were pulling sandspurs out of a 10 ac. patch I had fenced off this pasture with a hot wire when this front blew in. Just after I took this pic I told my hired hand to let's get in the truck. Within a minute, lightning struck about 500 ft to the right. We both about jumped out of our seats.

 

[cowtrek]

Didn't mess up the seat did you?? Might want to change your shorts though LOL

I nearly got hit by lightning twice in one month about 12 years ago. I was pulling a PTO box off a cotton picker transmission and had my arms through the frame and springs unbolting it when lightning hit right up the road from our place. It was close enough that it energized the picker and zapped me like an electric fence. I dropped the gearbox and decided to take a break until after the storm.

Couple of weeks later I was picking and just dumped a bale and a thunderstorm was rolling in and it started POURING. I parked the picker and jumped up in the trailer and tarped the cotton. I crawled out of the trailer and was reaching through the wire trailer sides pulling the tarp down between the cotton and wire so it wouldn't blow off, which it was already trying to do in the wind, and I had to haul it to town, and as I was up to my elbow through the wire lightning struck at the other corner of the farm and electrified the trailer and zapped me again but good, since I was soaking wet by then.

I decided it was a good policy to take extended breaks during lightning storms since then Everybody called me 'electroman' for awhile after that too

Yall take it easy and be careful! OL JR

 

[Jogeephus]

GP, thats some fine looking grass you got there. Its amazes me what we can do with a little rain. Have you been tempted to stock up some? ;-) :lol: That little cowdevil has been tempting me a bit but I'm not going to do it. I think it would only take two weeks without rain before we'd be back to crunching in the pastures like we were a couple of months ago.

That same front came by me yesterday as well. I watched some neat lightning strikes from my truck for a couple of hours then the front made it to Jacksonville and the weather service alerted the folks of Jackosonville of the dangerous lightning.

Just wondering why they didn't warn me?

 

[ga. prime]

You are so right about the rain, Jogee. My grandaddy always said about the Coastal "A little rain and a little nitrogen and that grass'll be deeper'n a bear's arse before you can turn around." No, I'm not stocking. I fenced off 10ac of this pasture with a single hot wire for the purpose of baling. Something I sure couldn't do last year. If we keep getting showers through August, I'll have hay to spare through the winter.

 

[Jogeephus]

What are you hearing about the cost of a round roll this year. I've heard anywhere from $50-$60. I sure hope I can get one more cutting cause I sure don't want to buy any.

 

[Gate Opener]

That is a neat picture. Pretty fields too.

I've pulled many a grassburr as a kid. Don't have them here :clap:

 

[Beefy]

that is a nice looking place. i would like to have hay field all around the perimeter here.

 

[ga. prime]

I'm hearing $60 and up, Jogee. It's really unaffordable. Fortunately, we've had excellent rains for grass production here since the first of June. I had this 10ac plus my primary(dedicated) hay field cut and rolled last week. Got four big rolls/ac. If I can do that again in a month to six weeks I'll be set. My cost per roll(fertilizer plus bale bill)was around $30/roll. Last year I had probably $50/roll in hay.

 

[Jogeephus]

Unaffordable is right. If you had some extra feed quality hay you could safely part with, what do you think a fair price out of the field would be? (4x5's)

There's a lot of ifs yet to be seen, but its quite possible I'll some extra hay this year and I was considering selling it. I saw where some of the cattle reps and the ag reps were asking anyone with extra to call them. Considering doing this but want to be sure the hay goes straight to the cattleman and not for resale or rebaling into squares.

I believe in capitalism, helping my neighbor but not in gouging if you understand where I'm coming from. Thanks in advance.

 

[Bez+]

Unaffordable is right. If you had some extra feed quality hay you could safely part with, what do you think a fair price out of the field would be? (4x5's)

There's a lot of ifs yet to be seen, but its quite possible I'll some extra hay this year and I was considering selling it. I saw where some of the cattle reps and the ag reps were asking anyone with extra to call them. Considering doing this but want to be sure the hay goes straight to the cattleman and not for resale or rebaling into squares.

I believe in capitalism, helping my neighbor but not in gouging if you understand where I'm coming from. Thanks in advance.

If you are dry and mght be dry next year - sit on it yourself.

You might be very happy to have that extra hay next year.

I have about 250 round bales left over from last year along with about 50 maybe 60 big squares - I will feed it out first this year.

Having two or three years hay stacked up in the yard is not a bad thing - cows will still eat it - do well - and you may save a bunch of dollars in tough times.

Bez+

 

[HAY MAKER]

We were pulling sandspurs out of a 10 ac. patch I had fenced off this pasture with a hot wire when this front blew in. Just after I took this pic I told my hired hand to let's get in the truck. Within a minute, lightning struck about 500 ft to the right. We both about jumped out of our seats.

ga. prime,that is a neat lookin picture of the storm rollin in,good lookin cow country too
good luck

 

[Jogeephus]

Bez, I agree. I had extra this last year and ended up feeding most of it until I figured the drought wasn't going to let up and just reduced my herd. Just didn't make sense feeding hay in the summer. Its still a cost even if it is your hay.

I guess what I'm thinking is I would get some satisfaction from helping someone out and who knows, they might even return the favor one day. (of course they might bounce a check on me too) :lol:

 

[ga. prime]

Jogee, if I were selling, I think I'd add $10 above my cost per bale. If they came and got it. $5 more for me to deliver. But, I agree with Bez, after last years experience, I think I'd keep it all for future hard times. Oh, I'd probably part with a few to a neighbor to get him through if I had some extra. I'd sure be careful not to shortchange myself though.

 

[JHH]

Jogee, if I were selling, I think I'd add $10 above my cost per bale. If they came and got it. $5 more for me to deliver. But, I agree with Bez, after last years experience, I think I'd keep it all for future hard times. Oh, I'd probably part with a few to a neighbor to get him through if I had some extra. I'd sure be careful not to shortchange myself though.

Been gone from the boards for awhile, glade to have some time to play on the computer, anyway. I agree KEEP the hay. We have had hardely any rain and pastures are gone and we are feeding hay. I didnt sell any last year as I am glade that I didnt. Hay is very short supply and VERY expensive. We put up some CRP and should be able to squeak through.

Glade that no one was hurt and you are getting some rain.

JHH

 

[I luv herfrds]

That is a great looking pic. How about sending a little bit of that rain our way

Fought a night fire a few years ago and thought the storm was passed til we had a bolt hit about 200 yrds from us. I almost ended up standing on top of the shovel I was holding. Yes I do have a VERY health respect for lighting.

Not alot of hay listed for sale up here. Rather surprising sense most of the haying is done.

 

[BrianL]

I got indirectly stuck by lightning a few years back. I was working inside a breaker box of a motor atop a grain bin. Lightning stuck the motor on top of the bin, the motor wasnt grounded yet, and I became the ground. I thought my arm was going to fall off, but I was alright. The moral of the story is don't work on electrical equipment during a thunderstorm.

Brian

 

[VZCR]

I got indirectly stuck by lightning a few years back. I was working inside a breaker box of a motor atop a grain bin. Lightning stuck the motor on top of the bin, the motor wasnt grounded yet, and I became the ground. I thought my arm was going to fall off, but I was alright. The moral of the story is don't work on electrical equipment during a thunderstorm.

Brian

I would think "Don't be on top of a grain bin or anything tall in a thunderstorm......." :shock: :shock:

 

[BrianL]

I got indirectly stuck by lightning a few years back. I was working inside a breaker box of a motor atop a grain bin. Lightning stuck the motor on top of the bin, the motor wasnt grounded yet, and I became the ground. I thought my arm was going to fall off, but I was alright. The moral of the story is don't work on electrical equipment during a thunderstorm.

Brian

I would think "Don't be on top of a grain bin or anything tall in a thunderstorm......." :shock: :shock:

I wasn't on top of it, I was inside the barn working on a electrical box connected to the top of it. Lightning struck the motor and followed the ground wire into the box I was working on. A very shocking experience.