Life on a family farm
in the wilds of
Upstate New York
Thursday, May 29, 2008
In just one night
Liz was home to milk last night because of a day off. With an extra person to milk the north string we were able to let the boss have the night "off" to use the skid steer to clean the yearling pen. (It is bedding pack, but it was pretty bad). Alan milked the east and part of the west strings so the milk line didn't flood out and drop all the machines on the floor half way through. We have an inch and a half pipeline and cows that need two inches. In summer when they are on grass and really milking heavy it is a nightmare getting the milk through the line. Becky was able to just feed the calves and go cook dinner for us.
Thus we were done half an hour early. So we put Bama Breeze and Chevelle out in the pen with the six already there. That cut Becky's calf watering work load a bit. And dinner was ready when we got in from chores.
It was very, very nice! (And I look forward to more of it, greedy old me.)
Anyhow, it was still daylight when we got in...to find a freeze warning had been issued. I have been checking the forecast several times a day as I have all my house plants out and much stuff in the ground. At four in the afternoon two stations were calling for about 44 for the overnight temperature. And then they changed their minds. Anyhow everybody pitched in to help me get stuff in and covered, but of course, I forgot stuff. Don't know if it actually frosted, but it sure tried. Crazy weather. All my life and I suspect all my parents' and grandparent's lives (after all they are the ones who taught me to garden), Memorial Day has been considered a safe last frost date here in upstate NY. Now last year we had a freeze June 8th and it is this cold the last week in May this year. Global warming is making it darned cold here is all I can say.
6 comments:
Anonymous
said...
That's such a nice feeling when the chore load changes just a little - it feels like a vacation!
I agree on the "global warming", is it coming soon? And who do we call to find out? I would like to finish planting too, and quit covering things up...
fred ,miss talking to you as well. would like to see you more often as well. you know how things go . Next week off to golden CO. for a week of school. leave sunday early am so if you can call me sat. love ya Mappy
I can only imagine what it is like to milk in your barn. Must be quite a sight for someone like me with one little milking machine :)
How nice you were all able to have dinner together and before dark :) That's one thing we really try hard to do here - now the the boys are getting older it's not so easy. I enjoy that very much.
Wow that's pretty pricey. When we hiked to the top of Blue Mountain we planned on coming back another time to check out the museum. Now I don't see paying $64 to get in. Yikes.
Nita, you understand exactly. ONE less calf tied where one doesn't belong makes life disproportionately better.....I can't do anything in my garden either. Sort of one step forward and two steps back. Nothing will germinate... now it is going to be warm for a couple days, but Alan says we did have frost the night before last....
Matt, I will try to call you tomorrow. We have no idea who is going to be working as Liz's boss is sick and although technically today is her last day that may change...love you too little brother
Deb, sometimes it is peaceful fast and efficient, sometimes silly and fun, sometimes terrible, awful and bad...you just never know. We generally do have dinner together, but we are frequently tired and just want to eat and go to bed.
6 comments:
That's such a nice feeling when the chore load changes just a little - it feels like a vacation!
I agree on the "global warming", is it coming soon? And who do we call to find out? I would like to finish planting too, and quit covering things up...
fred ,miss talking to you as well. would like to see you more often as well. you know how things go . Next week off to golden CO. for a week of school. leave sunday early am so if you can call me sat.
love ya
Mappy
I can only imagine what it is like to milk in your barn. Must be quite a sight for someone like me with one little milking machine :)
How nice you were all able to have dinner together and before dark :) That's one thing we really try hard to do here - now the the boys are getting older it's not so easy. I enjoy that very much.
Debi
Global colding?
Wow that's pretty pricey. When we hiked to the top of Blue Mountain we planned on coming back another time to check out the museum. Now I don't see paying $64 to get in. Yikes.
Nita, you understand exactly. ONE less calf tied where one doesn't belong makes life disproportionately better.....I can't do anything in my garden either. Sort of one step forward and two steps back. Nothing will germinate... now it is going to be warm for a couple days, but Alan says we did have frost the night before last....
Matt, I will try to call you tomorrow. We have no idea who is going to be working as Liz's boss is sick and although technically today is her last day that may change...love you too little brother
Deb, sometimes it is peaceful fast and efficient, sometimes silly and fun, sometimes terrible, awful and bad...you just never know. We generally do have dinner together, but we are frequently tired and just want to eat and go to bed.
WR, exactly
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