Being back from camp is always a challenge. I don't think we quite realize just how busy we are until we let it all go for a week. Then homecoming hits like a two by four to the head. This year it is worse than usual because of the dairy situation. The point of can't do it any more is rapidly approaching on farms all over the country and ours is no exception.
Alan has jumped into finishing up 1st cutting. They finished Hickory Tree Field yesterday, with one more big field and one small to go. It is still too wet to put a tractor in any of the new seeding, but we are praying the ground firms up enough to get that in.
We are so glad we only planted a little corn this year. The cost of putting it in is ridiculous since the advent of wonderful, wonderful (insert sarcasm) ethanol. And with this lousy weather, what they did plant looks two months behind. If they can get the first cutting finished up I guess there is some nice second to go after too. And that new seeding weather permitting.
The boss was worrying about buying corn meal this winter to replace the corn we didn't grow. I pointed out to him that the cows are doing pretty well on cheap (ish) grain and green chop. They ought to do just as well or better on fermented green stuff and the same grain this winter...so why worry?
Liz is tired from filling in for the rest of us for the past week. I feel bad for her. Alan came down several times and helped her milk, but the boss doesn't exactly leap into the fray during milking. She is planning her fairs....decided to show her Blitz daughter at Altamont and Fonda. She got a Roylane Jordan daughter from her, which is some solace I guess for being left with all the work. Her vacation will be the shows... Not my idea of restful contemplation but then I am a whole lot older than she is. I can remember dragging the ponies over to Fonda...and the cart...harnesses...hay...weeks, months, years of training. For a couple of little slips of ribbon (usually red, although Major Moves and I once brought home the blue for open driving.)
Becky will be off to Potsdam in 31 days. I think she is getting nervous. I know I am. She will be the first one of the kids to leave home....I am not sure just how folks deal with that phenomenon, but I guess I will be finding out pretty soon.
While we were away my Trixie family heifer gave birth to a one-half milking shorthorn heifer calf. It came as an amazing surprise to me as it is the loveliest carrot red you could imagine. I simply didn't suspect that Encore was a red carrier, despite her mama being a Citation R Maple daughter. Kind of neat anyhow. I am looking forward to seeing the folks who bought some semen from her sire from us last year. Wondering if they have any nice calves. Ours are amazing looking things. Wish we saw a rosier future, as I think we could make some pretty nice milking shorthorns with a little practice. The one we are milking isn't much of a tester, but she makes as much milk as a Holstein.
We are buried in calves right now. Liz has over twenty of them on buckets. Normally when milk prices are so low and we have such a barn full of heifers we would send five or six of them over to the heifer sale and pay some bills. Now they aren't worth anything. We got fourteen bucks for two nice bulls again last week. I have no clue how we are going to pay our taxes this fall as we count on heifers to fund that. Sorry to be so negative, but this is historically about the worst time dairy farming has EVER seen. I am tired.
On that note, I stumbled upon a good blog just before we left for camp. John Bunting is a well-known dairy speaker and his blog offers some insight into what is going on behind the scenes to create the current crisis. Check it out if you have a minute.
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The Rains Came — Tuesday, November 5, 2024
4 hours ago
12 comments:
I know what you mean, Kegan came down with an ear infection, Tawny is now sick, I took Kegan yesterday to the doctor and now I have a feeling I will be taking Tawny to the dr. also, garden was full of weeds and I weeded one garden and only 2 more to go and then I get a phone call from the boss friday night asking me to come in to work on the day that I was supposed to not work anymore! (Mondays)So, I went to work, the doctors office, weeded, worked on loom and garden pond! WHAT VACATION!!!!!!
I am really sorry, 3C's... I wish I could do something to help.. I understand the tired part. Worrying and having your mind racing a 100mph trying to problem solve really takes the stuffing out of ya.. and in the end all you did was tread water. Let me know if I can do anything, even if its just to drive up there and give you a friendly face and a knowing ear, maybe a hand in the calf barn, a home cooked meal(you didnt have to fix) I am serious, your not that far away...and I would like to meet you sometime.
Feel for you. High corn and low cow prices seem like a double whammy.
Like everyone else who reads Northview, I hope the situation improves soon.
Lisa, I am so sorry the kids are sick. Hope they feel better real soon! Sounds like you have your hands full twice over! Hope it calms down for both of us and soon.
WW, that is so sweet of you. It is so nice to have people that are so kind. We will have to meet one of these days. I would like to meet you too....thanks. Maybe you can get down this way Fonda Fair week or something
FC, thanks. Sorry to keep whining, but this situation seems to control every waking moment. It is nuts.
Prayers for you and your business and those with you.
Welcome home. The times I always need a vacation the most are the first few days back from one. Sorry for all the adversities you are finding though.
Don't be sorry for being negative! These are god awful times and if it takes a little bit of the load off your shoulders talking about it, then so be it. I only wish there was something other than lending an ear to help y'all out.
It's almost criminal that you get so little money for milk and a bull and we pay so much for our meat and milk. I hope things turn around for you, I'll keep praying.
JB, thanks, sorry to be so whiny...just can't see any light anywhere near the tunnel
Jan, it was a good vacation at least....thanks..
Dani, thanks for your understanding. I can barely blog, because it is so hard not to be constantly negative...so little to be positive about. I am really grateful that I write for the paper. I saved the cost of our vacation entirely from that...25 bucks a week.
Cathy M, criminal about says it all. We have monopolies, big ones, controlling most of the milk and meat in the country...and as long as food is cheap the government refuses to prosecute them. Thanks for caring.
Glad your vacation was nice. Thinking of you during this hard time-hoping it will ALL work out for you and your lovely family.
Seeing as we dairy farmers are in the same but different boats, go ahead and vent when needed. There is a lot coming at you right now... it would be a lot even when milk prices are decent.
Tell the "boss" for me that, your right the cows will do just fine this winter. I do know the feeling though. We have to buy all of our feed. What I wouldn't give to be able to buy some alfalfa over nasty grass hay.
We'll make it through... things went sour in a heartbeat they can turn around just as fast (see... this is me not dealing in the reality of dairy farming today :) lol ) It could happen though.
Tipper, thanks, it was needed
Sara, thanks for weighing in on this. I know you understand what I write here more than most readers, because you are pretty much in the same canoe, pretty much without a paddle like we are. I liked your post on your milk inspector. We have a great guy now, but for several years we heard that same darned song.
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