Cleaning the Quonset
Cloudy, 20 degrees
Humidity 73%
Dew Point 17 degrees
Wind N @ 5 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, cold
All i wanted to do was find some chain. John Deere chain.
Chains are not as ‘universal’ as hydraulic hoses, but a whole lot of farm equipment uses chain. Chain off the old planter is ideal. It is slightly larger than bicycle chain. It is steel so can take welding heat and not melt. It also has JD stamped on it here and there. A great chain for turning into artwork.
found farm art
Generally we don’t throw anything away. In the middle of harvest, a small piece of metal with an edge on one side might be just the piece needed to fix the combine header and get it back in the field. Farm work is directed by heat and cold and rain and sun and dry and wet and there is no way to control these. When its time to be in the field, its time to be in the field. Equipment must be ready not waiting for parts to come from the dealer.
Bruce has got welding rigs, grinders, anvils, drills, compressors, threaders, wire-pliers, hammers, sockets, tools of all shapes and kinds. Just about anything needed to fix farm equipment….or make art.
So i wanted a little more chain and barbed-wire. Started poking around the Quonset. Recently Bruce had moved things around so the front of the Quonset was more open. The metal table, drill press, etc were moved back. The area where they used to be cleaned up. So i sorted stuff into three piles. Stuff i wanted to use. Stuff i knew to save. Stuff i just wasn’t sure about. Figured Bruce could then sort through the last pile and decide what to keep and what to throw away.
Grandma enters immortality
Cloudy, 34 degrees
Humidity 92%
Dew Point 32 degrees
Wind SSW @ 5-10 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy
At 2:10 am (1.28.12) Grandma entered immortality. She died quietly in her own room, surrounded by family. In the week before her death all of her children had been at her side.
Her funeral in Greenville, North Carolina was held on Wednesday 2.1.12 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church.
Her funeral in WaKeeney, Kansas was held on Saturday just after a major snow storm with winds that continued at 35 to 40 mph. Both services were very well attended with folks sharing Grandma stories. Both sermons (Pastor Drew Goodson in Greenville and Pastor Jon Anderson in WaKeeney) featured personal stories about cinnamon rolls.
Other Grandma stories have started to arrive and we’ll post some here. If you have something to share please send your words or photos to tregocenterdairy@gmail.com….and put Grandma (or Elfriede) in the subject line.
Grandma’s obituary
Cloudy, 24 degrees
Humidity 77%
Dew Point 20 degrees
Wind N @ 30-40 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, continued snow
Here is Grandma’s obituary. This appeared (will appear) in the Daily Reflector, Greenville, North Carolina (Wednesday 2.1.12), the Western Kansas World, WaKeeney, Kansas (Thursday 2.9.12) and the Linn-Palmer Record, Linn, Kansas (Thursday 2.2.12).
Grandma explains about yeast
Elfriede Hilda Mai, 90, of WaKeeney, Kansas died Saturday, January 28, 2012 at 2:10 am at home in Greenville, North Carolina. She was born September 11, 1921 at Palmer, Kansas. The daughter of Henry William Walter & Marie Sophie Meier she was one of six children. Elfriede was baptized and confirmed at St. John Lutheran Church in Palmer, Kansas.
When she was 16 she began working as a Nanny, taking care of mothers and their infants for the first six weeks after their birth. She did this for several years traveling widely over Kansas and Missouri and as far away as Washington D.C. and Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
During World War II Elfriede worked at the Boeing Aircraft plant in Wichita, Kansas as a riveter on the B-29. After the war she resumed her work as a Nanny. While staying with a family in Hays, Kansas she met Albert Mai. They married on May 27, 1951 establishing their home at the family farmstead just south of WaKeeney, Kansas. Here they raised four children; John, Bruce, Carolyn and Pamela.
For the last 12 years Elfriede divided her time between Greenville, North Carolina, where she lived with her daughter Carolyn’s family and the family farm in WaKeeney. She also spent weeks at a time with her other children.
Elfriede led an enthusiastic church life. She was a member of the Zion Lutheran Church in WaKeeney, Kansas and a dedicated congregant of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Greenville, North Carolina. She was an active member of the Women of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America in both congregations.
Wherever she was, Elfriede was endearingly dubbed ‘the cinnamon roll lady’. She loved to cook and cinnamon rolls were her signature creation. One of Elfriede’s great-nephews, who grew up visiting her not only at the farm but also at other family member’s homes, remarked that she was the embodiment of hospitality, warmth and grace.
Preceding her in death were her husband Albert, her parents, her two brothers; Albert and Waldemar and her three sisters; Lillie, Erna and Emma.
Survivors include her children, John and his wife Jan of Salina, Kansas, Bruce and his wife Joyce of WaKeeney, Kansas, Carolyn and her husband Bob Green of Greenville, North Carolina and Pam and her husband Don Kearby of Littleton, Colorado. Elfriede has 11 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
Half chicken
Cloudy, 27 degrees
Humidity 79%
Dew Point 23 degrees
Wind SSE @ 4 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy
Here is another ‘Hazel’ poem. Stolen from one of Elfriede’s stories.
Half Chicken
“I just can’t recollect who i made the meringues for. Seems
it might have been the
couple from Topeka. It certainly
wasn’t for Doc Harris and his wife, they were the chicken
folks.” Laughed Hazel.
I used ta’ have to make a half chicken.
Half a chicken
for each of their guests and sometimes they’d have
seven or eight over dinner.
Hazel shook her head at the memory. “I went
ta’ the Harris’ with the understandin’ that
i could go back ta’ Dollie’s if
she got PG. I’d took
care of their other four when they were new and if
there was to be a 5th i wanted to care
for it to but
she never had no more so I stayed at Harris’s and fried up
a boat load of chickens.”
The smell of cinnamon rolls
Cloudy, 39 degrees
Humidity 39%
Dew Point 37 degrees
Wind NE @ 13 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, 80% chance of rain/snow
Can you smell cinnamon rolls? I will forever think of Elfriede Mai when I am met with the sweet smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. Her personality so mirrored her specialty in baking them up. We so enjoyed the flavor of her hard work that when into making them for us.
When Elfriede Mai met a person it was as though she was mixing up that batter of dough. She kneaded you right into the mix of her life and she into yours. You felt as if you were not merely a friend, but rather apart of her family. Just the right batter of dough mixed with life. She kneaded friendship with all her love as she mixed in and kneaded that bowl of batter with love.
Elfriede Mai knew when to just be a good listener which made her a wonderful friend to have. She waited until the right time to say the right things or she didn’t say anything at all, but rather just put her hands on you and let you work through whatever the circumstance. Her listening skills were much like the skills in baking cinnamon rolls when you wait and wait for the dough to rise and be ready to bake.
Elfriede Mai had a warmth they showed up in a smile or sometimes a little giggle we all came to know and loved to hear. I would liken that to the asking of her cinnamon rolls. Baked just right at a temperature selected with care.
She let her cinnamon rolls aroma fill the room as they cooled when taken out of the oven. Just as she let those around her fill the room she was in. She would enjoy the aroma of fine friends in fine conversations or playing good music.
Elfriede Mai put all her heart into the mixing and spreading of the sweet frosting that enveloped the finished cinnamon rolls. She put that same sweet heart into all the family and friends she loved. You felt that love spread around you too.
We so enjoyed the taste of Elfriede Mai Cinnamon rolls, but mostly we loved the taste of being awarded the privilege of being apart of her life. We loved the life she shared with us, just as we loved those cinnamon rolls. Elfriede will be dearly missed.
If your mind is now taking you to the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls in the distance right now, chances are you are feeling Elfriede Mai love surrounding you. We will certainly miss her dearly. Cyndee and Marty Brekas.
Reminiscences with Pam
Cloudy 32 degrees
Humidity 43%
Dew Point 29 degrees
Wind SW @ 5 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, clearing
While Pam was helping with Grandma she spent a lot of time sitting at Grandma’s bedside talking. Talking about pretty much everything. Pam wrote a bunch of these down. These are some memories Grandma had being a Nanny and ending up at Boeing plant in Wichita during World War II.
‘The first people i worked for were George & Elsie Moddelmock. They lived on a farm between Linn & Palmer, Kansas. Both my mom & dad grew up in the Linn/Palmer area so we knew most of the folks around there. I think i was 16 years old when i started this work. Actually Lilly, my older sister was supposed to go but she got sick so mom sent me instead. I didn’t really want to go, but mom insisted. Funny how things work out, i got to go to Washington D.C. and Florida and met your dad all because of being a Nanny.
Anyway I went to live with George & Elsie before their first son was born. I stayed about four weeks, and then went home. I would often go home unless there was another family ready for me. I would usually stay for a couple of months. Guess the longest was with Raven’s and that was almost a year, but they had several other young children, so once the baby was bigger i helped with the other kids.
I left the Raven’s when the war (WWII) started. Erna, my sister was living in Wichita with Lawrence her husband, who was working there. Erna had told me that the Boeing plant needed help so i went and applied. I worked on the B-29. I was a riveter on the in-board wing. This was the part of the wing that attached to the fuselage. We used both hot and cold aluminum rivets. Had my own tool box (it’s still at the farm) with my name on it.
Back then we didn’t use any earplugs. Actually nothing on our ears, it was thought if you blocked your hearing you might not hear if someone shouted a warning to you. Guess that is why my hearing is so bad now.
A couple of the girls i worked with and i would go out bowling once a week. Occasionally we’d go see a picture show. We were pretty much always together. I really liked the work and ended up as leader for my section. I’ve never done any riveting since then.
I left Boeing just after the 1000th B-29 was finished. It was quite a sight. We had signed our names on the inside of the plane, where no body would ever see, but on the outside we had taped dollar bills, thousands of them. It was to help fight polio, i think. Some people signed the bills. There were mostly one’s, but there were also, fives, tens and i think some hundreds. The day the airplane rolled out there were thousands of people there. It was quite a show. Not too long after that i went back to being a Nanny.’
Pictures of the 1000th B-29.
http://www.kansasmemory.org/item/213724/page/1
New grain cart tractor
Partly cloudy, 28 degrees
Humidity 70%
Dew Point 23 degrees
Wind NNW @ 10 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy
So Clayton Andrew found the tractor. It is a John Deere (nothing else on Da’ Farm) 8310 driven by a little old farmer to the field and back; just on Sunday’s. Clean low hours, set up for auto steer. Good deal.
It is the new official grain cart tractor.
The tractor we’ve been using is an 8330. Great tractor. Auto steer, etc, etc. Driven by a little old farmer….well actually Bruce who is 6’5” so not that ‘little’ and he really isn’t ‘that old’ and when it comes down to it Clayton Michael probably drives it more than anyone….but it is a really great tractor. But the hassle with using it as the grain cart tractor is that it is ‘tied up’ in the wheat field during harvest. Even during harvest there are times that there is ground that really should be ‘worked’ (cultivated). It is a real hassle to take the grain cart tractor to the field that needs to be worked after cutting wheat (think 10:30-11:00 pm), go out and work the field in the morning, then stop and take the tractor to the wheat field to start working about noon the next day.
Problem solved.
We now have a tractor to stay w/the grain cart and a tractor free to work a field.
A note about tractors. The tractor has to be ‘moose’ enough to pull whatever implement (under cutter, cultivator, planter, grain cart, etc) that you are using. Until now the only tractor ‘moose’ enough was the 8330 but now there is the 8310 which is almost identical to the 8330.
Of course farm work is only one consideration.
The most important point to having a real dedicated gran cart tractor is that Bob can ‘customize’ it for the Summer. Usually this means window decals….ECU Pirates, Zero skateboards, Switchback….but now…..
Now we’re talking chrome Steiner exhaust stack, allow wheels with spinners, tinted windows, pin-striping, 360 sound system, fully integrated TV monitors on the grain cart….ahhhhh
i can see it now…..
The new boat
Partly cloudy, 69 degrees
Humidity 53%
Dew Point 70 degrees
Wind N @ 5-10 mph
Forecast: Clearing, 70% chance of perch
OK….we love fishing. Even Hilary….well Hilary is not too big on fishing, but she loves going out in the boat. At the end of last year’s harvest we talked about getting some inner tubes and ski rope. Bruce swears that the boat will pull folks, maybe not as fast as the one’s we see going by on the lake, but fast enough to get wet. Then last Fall the boat got sold.
To make room for the new boat.
It may not be quite as Moosey as the 8330 but its right up there with the 8310.
Hilary and i stated looking online for large inner tubes. Found a bunch, naturally enough, at tractor supply websites. They are certainly big enough to have fun with, but they have that big valve stem, great for clamping a scuba diving flag on, but a bit in the way when skimming across the water at R17….’R is a velocity measure, defined as a reasonable speed of travel that is consistent with health, mental well-being and not being more than, say five minutes late. R17 is not a fixed velocity, but it is clearly far too fast.’ (The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy).
The new boat will do R22.
Decided to check out; ‘water sport inner tubes’. Whoa! There’s a whole industry….and they are called ‘towables’…..who knew.
These ‘tubes’ start off more or less the same price as tractor inner tubes, but then go up depending on the size, shape, color, etc. They are all colors. They are tire shaped, sled shaped, fish shaped, wedge shaped, banana shaped. Some the rider holds on, some the rider sits up. They come in one, two, three, four and six rider models.
We clearly have some work cut out for us between now and lake time.
Fishing?
Oh ya’ this started out about fishing.Clayton Michael and Bruce have been out several times with the new boat and it is a great fishing vessel. First thing to do this Summer is add a good coat of Clayton Michael’s special fish-attracting-wax and head out to the lake. Not actually sure what it is about the wax but last Sumer we gave the old boat a good coat and had an awesome day on the lake. Just like wearing ‘your special fishing shirt’ it is better not to look too deeply into the ‘what’. Just go with it.
Grandma’s Final Christmas
77 degrees, cloudy
Humidity 89%
Dew Point 54 degrees
Wind S @ 16 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, scattered thunderstorms
Been cleaning up our desktop to take to Da’ Farm. We’re working on getting WiFi at Bruce’s & Grandma’s houses so we should have coverage all over the ‘yard’.
Came across a little bit of video of Grandma from last Christmas. It was shot with a little Nikon Coolpix….not quite High Definition but it does the job. Maybe next year when we start doing virtual tours of Da’ Farm we’ll get some HD gear. LOL
The still pictures were shot early Christmas morning.
Then we went to church.
Came home got into ‘comfortable’ clothes to check out the presents.
I liked hearing Grandma on the video but the still pictures of Grandma holding a coffee cup sure say ‘Grandma’ to me.
Bigger boat?
63 degrees, partly cloudy
Humidity 70%
Dew Point 53 degrees
Wind E @ 12 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, scattered thunderstorms
Time to start the pre-harvest work.
Of course Bruce & Clayton Michael have been doing a world of farm work, but there is also the need to get ready for the masses. It’s not unusual to have 30 so people staying at the farm during harvest.
Jan & John have been painting at Grandma’s, there is new carpet in near future. We’re in the process of getting Wi-Fi at the farm, both Bruce’s house and Grandma’s. The ‘younger’ generation and the younger-younger generations are into technology. A few of the ‘older’ generation are….well, trying. Bruce and a few others can work the TV/Satellite/DVD combo….of course no one has figured out how to change the time.
Got plenty of feedback about the new (at least new to Da’ Farm) fishing boat. Apparently fishing is OK, but ridding fast over the water on skis or a tube is definitely the hands-down winner for what you do with a boat. Go figure.
The ‘younger’ generation is really into ‘fast’ water sports.
The new boat is plenty big enough to pull a skier, but it seems that multiple skiers and tubers is the in thing, to say nothing of the cheering section on the boat. So there is a growing movement for a bigger ‘fun-boat’.
Fortunately Bob Fainter (good family friend) from Greenville, NC found what might be the perfect answer. It is a littler larger than the fishing boat, but will certainly pull multiple skiers/tubers. Has a relaxation area with two bathrooms and will even sleep 11. It also has an on-board system to clean other boats out of the way and it’s for sale! Looks like the only problem is that we may need to get a bigger lake.
New generator?
Partly cloudy, 71 degrees
Humidity 51%
Dew Point 52 degrees
Wind NNW @ 15 mph
Forecast: Clearing
So we got a backup generator. Bruce has had a generator at Da’ Farm for years. It usually sits near the yard light by the drive turnaround. The drive turn around is a large rock, pebble and asphalt area that is big enough for a semi or combine to turn around. The Quonset, shed, milking parlor and Grandma’s house all open onto the turn around and there is a big yard light on Grandma’s side of the turn around.
The generator is under the yard light.
The generator is on wheels and is run from a tractor PTO (power take off).
It will provide electricity for the whole farm. The main reason for a generator is the milk. Got to keep the milk in the holding tank cool.
We were working on the grain cart when Bruce got a call about a small generator similar to the one we have. He asked me to take the small tractor and go get the generator. Always looking for any excuse to drive a tractor, i jumped on the job. The only drawback is that the small tractor was in a holding pen across the road and i would need to cross the new folks land to get it.
This family have just moved in. Right now they’ve got a bunch of extended family helping with the moving and farming.
Seem like nice folks but i’d never met them before so asked Bruce to walk over with me. Their land is right across the road and more of less surrounded by Da’ Farm. Easy walking distance from the shed.
We walked over. Met a few folks. Talked about the weather.
The small tractor was in a shed, kind of old, some daylight between the boards, but still stable. Actually the tractor was in the basement.
After showing me how to get the tractor out Bruce headed home.
Getting the tractor up the ramp took a bit of work but i got it.
The new generator was at the Co-Op. In a back warehouse.
This Co-Op is old. Probably the oldest in Western Kansas. It is wood. There are several buildings that have been combined by covering the alleys between them. This time the ramp leading to the back second story was wide enough for a good-sized tractor, so driving up was not much work. However once i got to the second story it was necessary to turn our tractor around, park it on another ramp that was facing slightly downhill. Once i got the tractor parked i headed off on foot to a back room/warehouse to find the generator. Fortunately there is a fair amount of building going on at the Co-Op so i found several guys to help me find the generator and move it so that i could backup the small tractor and hook on.
By the time i got back to our tractor it wasn’t there.
Some guys who work at the Co-Op had to move it forward a little to get a forklift by. Unfortunately they did not know about the ‘trick’ with the tractor’s brakes. About three minutes after they got the forklift by, our tractor started rolling. Before anyone could hop on, it rolled down the ramp and through a wall at the end.
The wall was old, as old as everything else, so the nose of the tractor went through without out much damage. We started it up and tried moving it back. But the tractor was firmly stuck. We tied several tow-ropes to the back of the tractor. Looped them around some exposed pipe at the top of the ramp and tied them to the forklift. The idea was that as i backed up the tractor the forklift would pull, hopefully with enough ‘umph’ to get the tractor free.
The ‘crack’, sounded like a rifle being fired in a basement bathroom.
It brought people running in from all over the Co-Op.
With second ‘crack’ the tractor’s back tires sank about eight inches and sent people running out of the Co-Op.
A quick check showed that the beams holding up the second story of this part of the Co-Op were breaking.
Fortunately at this point i woke up.
Dreaming about Da’ Farm!
Harvest must be near.
Rain….again?
Cloudy, 79 degrees
Humidity 88%
Dew Point 70 degrees
Wind SE @ 5 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, intermittent rain all week.
In Greenville, North Carolina it’s raining. Back at Da’ Farm its hot and dry. Of course everyone who grows wheat loves hot dry weather….just not so early. Bruce says that we may be cutting in a week or so. According to the Pratt Tribune in Pratt, Kansas, local farmers started cutting wheat on Wednesday 5.23.12. This may be the earliest harvest they have on record.
Back in Greenville, it’s raining.
After church the Fainter’s, the Green’s and Pastor Drew went out for lunch. Megan, Pastor’s wife, is back in Iowa to visit family and attend a friend’s wedding reception. She’s been gone most of the week, so folks have been inviting Pastor over. Between the dinner invitations and softball (Our Redeemer Lutheran Church intra-generational, co-ed team….’its more about fellowship than winning’….but just you wait until next year!) he has kept pretty busy.
Both he and Megan are very kind. Very generous, very quiet, very humble and both have a very broad, deep prankster-ish streak just under the surface.
Today at lunch plans for this year’s Kansas wheat harvest came up. There was also discussion about the new bull calf of Millie the Cow (Hilary’s favorite). Of course Grandma stories also came up. Carolyn told of a memory she has of Grandma feeding cows and ‘bucking’ hay. It seems that in her youth Grandma was as good as any of the men at kicking hay bales around.
For a while Hilary was lost with the image of Grandma throwing hay bales up on a truck. But then again, Bruce and everyone she knows uses a tractor to move hay bales around. Hilary has never seen anyone work with fifty-pound square bales. Finding some ‘regular’ square bales is on our list for this summer.
Pastor Drew spoke up and said that the big round bales had recently been outlawed in North Carolina. Everyone, Hilary especially, was shocked by this. It just doesn’t seem possible that a modern farm with animals can function without the big round bales.
Drew is pretty much a city boy, but he does have some strong country ties and after all he was born and raised in North Carolina, even went to UNC. He’s Carolina Blue through and through and is up on just about everything that has to do with North Carolina.
When asked why this law was passed, Pastor Drew said in a most somber and certain sort of serious demeanor that befits a young ‘man of God’; ‘It seems all the farmers here wanted to make sure their cows were getting good square meals.’
Yep….he’d fit right in at Da’ Farm.
New (old) videos
Clear, 76 degrees
Humidity 49%
Dew Point 55 degrees
Wind SSE @ 13 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy, windy
Well I’ve take the plunge and found a video teacher.
Spent about 12 hours this week recording video and audio. Another 30 hours putting it all together. At the moment my learning curve is still a ‘wall’, but there may be a slight bend to it.
We (the Greenville folks) got a new computer so we’ve been taking stuff off the old one. In the process we found a bunch of video from the farm that has not been processed.
The video below is from harvest ’09. This piece is about what goes on in the field….cutting, off loading, storing, etc.
We also found some footage of Grandma in the ’09 harvest folder. It’ll be the next thing up. My video teacher wants one completed video per week. Starting with this older stuff (since it is here).
Cutting?
Partly cloudy, 82 degrees
Humidity 43%
Dew Point 51 degrees
Wind: S @ 12 mph
Forecast: Clearing, windy
Cutting???
In WaKeeney??
OK some folks have started cutting in Pratt…..actually started cutting two weeks ago….but WaKeeney!
Bruce started cutting on Tuesday 6.5.12.
Carolyn says this is the earliest wheat has been cut, at least in her lifetime.
With Joyce’s help Bruce got the equipment moved and setup. Bruce started as a one-man crew. Cuts. Then drives the combine over to the edge of the field and dumps on a semi. Once the semi is full run it into town.
Eric, who used to live on a farm not far from Bruce’s, is coming out after work, he’s a welder, and drives the semi into town.
The cows are now on the Summer-wheat-harvest-schedule. So they get milked late morning and then again late in the evening. Wheat is cut after the dew has evaporated and the wheat is dry….about noonish to about 10:30 pm. Sometimes we cut until midnight, but that is rare (got to be very dry) and usually only happens when Clayton Andrew is in the combine. He’s young. He got to Da’ Farm Friday to help. The Greenville folks will be there by noon on Monday. Earliest we’ve gotten there….generally don’t leave Greenville until about mid June; and still arrive in time to help get the equipment ready for cutting. John & Jan should get there midweek.
Ah well. Plans are plans and the weather is the weather.
Day 6
Sunny 84 degrees
Humidity: 20%
Dew point: 38 degrees
Wind: North 16 mph
Forecast: Sunny
Back West.
In the field w/Bruce & Hilary. They’re in the combine.
Clayton Andrew took the black semi into town then brought it out to the field. Now he’s back at the farm working.
So far I have not spilled any wheat….but I’m making just about every other rookie mistake! I’m blaming it all on being rusty and MY new grain cart tractor….of course it is almost identical to the other tractor just not as powerful.
We (the Greens) got in at 1050 last night. Hilary went out to help w/Milking.
Could hear Clayton Andrew cutting across the road until well after midnight.
Writing this from the field….trying out new blog app. So far it has taken an hour, can only type between loading & unloading wheat….about five minutes every 20.
Attached is a photo of Bruce & Hilary.
Going to get the video of Grandma up this week.
Day 6 again
Sunny 87 degrees
Humidity: 20%
Dew point: 38 degrees
Wind: North 16 mph
Forecast: Sunny
4:30pm
It’s the almost too bright flashing reflection i like the most. It makes a day in the wheat field magical.
A wheat field is tan. Occasionally the wind ripples the tan into lighter and darker shades, but generally it is a uniform tan. Sometimes there is a green line or blotch of trees. Sometimes a small splotch of moving color that is a combine or truck. Today even the color of the equipment is blurred by a windy cloud of wheat chaff.
Generally we can see who is cutting several miles away because of the cloud of dust and wheat chaff following the equipment. Semis & trucks will leave a trail of dust as they drive on the dirt roads. A small dark dust cloud right behind the truck. This then billows behind them becoming larger, higher and lighter. The whole thing can be as much as a mile long.
But the most dynamic color is the bright silver flashing of sunlight reflecting off the combine reel. One, two, three even four long lines of light flashing in front of the combine.
On sunny days it is possible to see flashing of the sun on the reel from a mile or two away. Just a small speck of bright flashing light.
The combine and i have to be in just the right position. Usually the sun over my shoulder and the combine coming toward me.
There are times i’ll park the grain cart at the edge of an uncut row of wheat, just to catch a glimpse of the sun on the reel.
Towable
Clear: 86 degrees
Humidity: 20%
Dew Point: 40 degrees
Wind: E @ 10 mph
Forecast: Increasing Clouds, rain
A day of rest! Well OK….there are still cows to milk. Cows to feed. Change a hydraulic line on the feed tractor. Work with a sick cow.
But there is no fieldwork!
Not because the fieldwork can’t be done but because there is almost no wind. The first time in weeks. No wind. Time to go to the lake.
On the way back from taking Carolyn to the airport in Kansas City (seems her partners are not big on her taking the whole Summer off) Hilary and i went to Cabela’s at the corner of I-70 and I-435. Awesome place. A lot fishing/hunting gear here at Da’ Farm has the Cabela’s logo.
We got a two-person Cabela’s XPG Wake jammer towable. Got the extra heavy towrope and a Cabela’s fishing hat for Bruce (since he couldn’t come along).
We’ve talked about getting a flotation device to tow behind the fishing boat for several years. Getting the ‘new’ (more powerful) fishing boat last Fall suddenly made the towable a front burner issue. Hilary & i have spent hours surfin’ the net. We’ve checked reviews. Compared features. Weighted cool factors. Settled on a two-person Airhead. Cabela’s had an Airhead Cabela’s model. No brainer.
Got the towrope upgrade. Didn’t get the Airhead air pump….we’ve got an awesome air compressor at the farm.
We had the knowledge.
We had the plan.
We had the store.
Looking good.
We got ready to go to the lake. Took the towable to the Quonset to air it up.
Adaptor? Airhead multi-Valve Adaptor??
After a thorough check (led by Bruce) of valves, pipes, threads on hand in the Quonset we just didn’t have what we needed to make our own adaptor. A quick check on Amazon and the official adaptor is on the way.
Thought we had it all together…..
Ah well. If i ever start becoming a ‘cocky know it all’ just whisper “towable.”
as soon as the multi-valve adaptor arrives!
Broken sickle-bar
Sunny 82 degrees
Humidity: 17%
Dew point: 35 degrees
Wind: NNW 20 mph
Forecast: Sunny
5:45 pm.
We have a broken sickle-bar.
The sickle-bar runs the length of the header just under the reel. It has triangle shaped ‘teeth’ that actually cut the wheat. The sickle-bar moves back and forth about 500 times a minute. It is made of 9-foot sections plus a smaller section to make it the right length for the header; ours is 30 feet so has three 9-foot sections and a 3-foot section. These sections are bolted together.
A broken sickle-bar is just one of the things that happens, so there are repair kits that bolt the two broken parts together. Unfortunately we’ve already used some parts of the repair kit that we have.
Bruce called the John Deere deal in Ness City, about 30 miles away, and Carolyn and made another run South. It has become a yearly tradition.
Eric is out driving semis this evening so he, Clayton Andrew and Bruce tried to weld the broken bar. Didn’t work, its just too thin.
Carolyn and i got back in time for a late dinner in the field while the rest of the crew fixed the sickle-bar.
By 8:45 Clayton Andrew and i are back cutting wheat.
We later heard from Carroll, his place is just East of Da ‘Farm, that he had a broken-sickle-bar. The John Deere folks told him that they’ve had 26 calls for broken sickle-bars this year. Seems to be a record. The going theory is that this is happening because the wheat is so dry. Of course no one really has a good explanation for why dry wheat would break sickle-bars so the contending theory is that it is combine gremlins. One way or the other it all goes with the strangeness of this year’s harvest.
Done!
Sunny: 82 degrees
Humidity: 36%
Dew Point: 55 degrees
Wind: S @ 24 mph
Forecast: Increasing Clouds, Windy
Done!
7:15 pm the last wheat in on the semi.
This was a patch of ground that was just too green (not ripe) to cut when Clayton Andrew, John and Bruce were here last week. Only an acre or so….but now it is on the way to town.
Some of the wheat is stored on the farm for next year….seed wheat, some is stored for sale later and some is sold as soon as it is cut. It can get a bit confusing (at least for a city boy) about what wheat goes where. Some of the wheat actually belongs to other folks. They own the land; Bruce does all the work and gets a percentage of the crop when it is sold. There isn’t much of this wheat in the overall scheme of things but it certainly has to be properly counted.
And now it is done.
Joyce, Carolyn & Hilary brought pizza to the field for dinner just as Clayton Andrew was finishing. Even the cows.Perfect timing.
Clayton Andrew & i will spend an hour or so this evening moving all the equipment back to the farm where it will be cleaned, emptied, oiled, and put away.
The ‘earliest harvest in memory’ is mostly on the way to becoming flour….maybe for pizza or Grandma’s cinnamon rolls.
Laughter….lots of laughter
Partly cloudy: 69 degrees
Humidity: 81%
Dew Point: 63 degrees
Wind: WNW @ 14 mph
Forecast: Increasing Clouds, rain
Shawn & Sonya are here.
They’re Mai cousins. Raymond’s kids. Raymond was Albert’s (Grandma’s husband) nephew.
Albert was the youngest of 9 kids so he and Raymond grew up together. So did their kids. Albert’s kids grew up with his nephew’s kids and his father’s brother’s kids….no, wait, it was Albert’s….father’s….no it…..OK it gets confusing. When i first started dating Carolyn and coming to family get togethers, i kept well-thumbed 3X5 cards in my back pocket. These were covered with names. Labeled, diagramed, circled and arrowed they showed who was who and how they were related..
It’s been fairly long time since the Raymond Mai kids have been to the farm. So folks have spent the last 24 hours telling stories, singing songs, eating and laughing well into the night and now well into the day. A group carried the party over to the church (about a mile away) to sing. We’ve got some good singers in the family. The church has a piano, organ and nice acoustics. It is a great place to sing. Some of the church staff even took a break from their work to come listen.
There has been so much laughing, story telling and story telling we’ve never gotten the chance to play any Pinochle.
Go figure.
Ice-cream cake
Sunny: 90 degrees
Humidity: 19%
Dew Point: 43 degrees
Wind: SSE @ 26 mph
Forecast: Increasing clouds
Colby turns two today.
He and Rheta got to the field at about 5:30. Carolyn and Hilary were here for a couple of hours this afternoon. Hilary riding with Clayton Andrew. Carolyn with me. Clayton Andrew switched with Bruce about 4:30 and started driving semis. So now Grandpa is in the combine and naturally Colby wants to be in the combine with Grandpa.
Once we turn this into an Agro-tourism place we will charge about $10 an hour to ride. LOL
About 7 Carolyn, Joyce and Hilary arrive with dinner. Clayton got back with purple semi, so after dinner he will take over the combine and Bruce will head home to get ready for the evening milking.
Carolyn brought me a new travel cup full of fairly strong coffee and with some judicious management i can make sure it lasts until after midnight. No matter how late Clayton Andrew wants to cut i’ll be awake and ready!
Dinner was great. It always seems better in the field. For dessert is Colby’s ice-cream cake, complete with whipped cream on the edges and his name spelled in candy. Even two candles, which with 20+ mile an hour winds, are not lit.
Colby had a great time picking off the decorations and eating them. He is even generous enough to pass some around. However when Rheta starts to cut the cake, says no. Even with coaxing from mom, Grandpa, Grandma, uncle and other family once and twice removed, Colby is adamant. The cake will not be cut. Sure Grandpa can have some cake….just can’t cut it.
So with spoons in hand Grandpa and Colby dig in.
Soon, spoons are passed around and everyone is eating ice-cream cake.
Go figure.
Hilary was totally taken by the idea and promises that her next birthday will feature a communal ice-cream cake.
Hmmmm, generations from now folks will be gathered around an ice-cream cake taking spoonsful, wondering about this family tradition.
Fieldwork done
Sunny: 109 degrees
Humidity: 14%
Dew Point: 49 degrees
Wind: SSW @ 17 mph
Forecast: Hot
This morning Bruce and i got the feeder tractor back together. Put on the hydraulic tube. Hilary and i picked it up yesterday at the John Deere dealer in Hays (about 37 miles away). Our regular dealer did not have one. Everyone we talked to in town didn’t have the parts to make a flexible one….so the trip to Hays. Hilary was all for going just so we could stop by Coffee Rules, the best coffeehouse around. They also have great WiFi and an easy going ‘college’ atmosphere….just made for sitting and surfin’.
When we got to town we found that Coffee Rules is under going some renovation….it is about to become a Mexican style restaurant.
No coffee.
No WiFi.
Ah well….life goes on. We did find a new (even better?) coffee house in downtown Hays. Very good coffee. WiFi. Good atmosphere….slightly more ‘upscale’ but still very doable.
After the feeder tractor was together Bruce & i had coffee and cinnamon twists a’ la Hilary. She spent a big chunk of yesterday cooking, with great results.
Bruce then headed to the field to work some. I left yesterday with about two hours of cultivating to do….he finished in 45 minutes. Of course yesterday i had the wind to my back, the sun in my eyes, the GPS was not loaded right, and the dog ate my flash drive. LOL
Bruce was home by noon.
Field work done.
Ya’ i’m a city boy. Going into town this evening with Bruce & Joyce to celebrate.
Rain!
Rain: 80 degrees
Humidity: 51%%
Dew Point: 61 degrees
Wind: SE @ 20 gusting to 34 mph
Forecast: Rain
Rain!
9:00 pm. Ready rain.
9:20 pm. Serious rain.
At 8:05 i was out weed eating. At 8:25 i was sitting on the bench by the back door talking with Shadow. We could see the rain and lightening all around us. Especially to the Northeast. Figured we’d miss it again.
At 8:30 Shadow suddenly sat up. Sniffed the wind and barked once then looked over his should at me.
I looked around then shrugged.
He looked at me then shrugged and trotted off to the shed.
I came in took a shower and stepped out to the sound of rain gently hitting the window. I threw on shorts & official farm t-shirt, grabbed a video camera and walked into the front room. Hilary was sitting on the couch surfin’ some Broadway video clips. I asked the time….’9:00’. ‘Why?’ she said. ‘Because it’s raining.’ When i opened the front door she hit me with yet another imperative: ‘Wow!’
Right now we’re having what some of our Dine’ (Navajo) friends would call a ‘Male-rain’. Lots of water. Lots of wind. Lots of lightening. Lots of thunder.
We’re grateful….it may save the corn. A nice all night ‘Female-rain’ would realty make the month. But we’re grateful for this rain.
Real grateful.
Tonight’s prayers and meditations will certainly focus on water.
Have several stories almost ready to add to the site, but rain took precedence. Please check back next month.
Cows on the run
Sunny: 78 degrees
Humidity: 54%
Dew Point: 58 degrees
Wind: SW @ 20 (gusting to 30) mph
Forecast: Rain
It was pretty much time for bed. About 11:15….getting to bed early.
The rain had settled into a gentle drizzle. Hilary said goodnight and closed her door. I was lying in bed in the West bedroom reading, on the iPad, no lights on. The West bedroom is on the Southwest corner of Grandma’s house. There are widows facing South and West. Both were back open slightly so i could listen to the rain.
About 11:20 Hilary opened her door, stepped out into the hall and said ‘What was that?’
I looked up, ‘the four-wheeler.’
‘In the yard?’ she said.
Very good observation. We pulled on some boots grabbed a flashlight and steeped out side to find Joyce (in the silver pickup) and Bruce (on the four-wheeler) converging on the area between the milking barn and the corner of the yard. I started walking to where they were converging. Hilary said, ‘Watch out.’
I stopped and shined the flashlight on the cows running by. Black & white cows are somewhat hard to see in the middle of the night. And they don’t actually make much noise, at least not when they are running back into the front holding pen.
The wind had collapsed about half of the North wall of their shed.
Their shed is a place for them to hang out when its hot or raining and last night there must have been a mass exodus when the wall collapsed.
Joyce saw the cows walking around the yard when she came home from work. Bruce, Hilary & i put up some green panels to secure the cow’s shed.
Checked it out on Sunday morning. The tarp is intact. No rips, no tears. However seven telephone pole posts (in six-foot lengths) broke at ground level. And we will need some new aluminum ribs to hold up the tarp.
Bruce says we have several telephone poles we can cut to the right length. Can get the ribs in town. The only downside to fixing the cows shed is that we take the old shed completely apart to make the repairs.
So i’ve got this idea.
We cut the telephone poles into 10-foot sections. Connect them with 2X4s. Chris-cross the top with one-inch PVC pipe. Drill some holes in the pipe and attach them to a water hose. Cover it all with roofing tin. Maybe we can even put up some pictures of Clarabelle the Cow on the side of the milking barn.
Works at Disney Land!
4th of July day off?
Sunny: 88 degrees
Humidity: 42%
Dew Point: 62 degrees
Wind: SSW @ 14 mph
Forecast: Sunny
Happy 4th of July!
Bruce & Hilary milked this morning.
I made red, white & blue oatmeal pancakes. Shot off my mouth last night and said ‘we need to have red, white & blue pancakes in the morning!’ Hilary hesitated just slightly (she is finishing up the Uncle Sam’s top hat cake….truly awesome) so being quick on the pick-u and without dropping a beat I said ‘I’ll make em!’
I was trying to get across the same enthusiasm that Donkey had when he first visited Shrek’s house and said they’d make waffles in the morning. Apparently i carried it off because Hilary & Bruce jumped right on.
Clayton Michael got here at 7:00 he’s going to be baling the straw in the field right across the road from Da’ Farm. Just after milking he & Bruce worked on the round-baler. Yesterday Bruce & i transferred the baler instruments to the ‘new’ tractor. The feed-tractor used to be the one used for baling, but this involves removing the feeder and putting on the baler. Now we have a new 8410 for hauling the grain cart and (now) the baler.
Had pancakes at about 8:00. Fortunately Hilary saved me. Remembering that my idea of dinner when i’m on my own is opening a can of Campbell’s Split-Pea Soup with Ham and eating it out of the can, she stopped through the kitchen to check….thank God.
By 10:00 Hilary is in the kitchen, Bruce is cleaning up the front yard around the cow shed and Clayton Michael is baling straw. I’m heading out to chop weeds, do a little welding and take some pictures.
We’ll get together right after this afternoon milking to have some Uncle Sam cake. One of the things about a dairy farm….there are no ‘days off’. We just try to party a bit more. LOL
Will post pictures later, just wanted to say happy Fourth of July.
4th of July (continued)
Sunny: 93 degrees
Humidity: 40%
Dew Point: 59 degrees
Wind: SSW @ 15 mph
Forecast: Sunny
Time for fireworks!
But out here there are none! Not that Western Kansas is not patriotic….just the opposite…..but it is way too dry. Fireworks are banned, even for the lake! So we turned on the Capital Fourth….big show in Washington DC.
About half way through bailing, Clayton Michael called to ask Bruce to bring a fire extinguisher! He smelled fuel. Got the tractor and baler back to the shed and found the fuel leak; an injector.
After considerable discussion, surfin’ the net it was decided to call the John Deere folks in the morning. No place to buy an injector today anyway.
Hilary spent most of the day finishing her Uncle Sam’s top hat cake! Truly awesome! Check out the photos….follow the link on the right (Harvest 2012).
Clayton Michael went ‘back West’ to check on the steers, then headed home.
After milking we had dinner with Bruce & Joyce. Barb-B-Qued ribs, potato salad, baked beans & pasta casserole….All American.
Bruce & Hilary brought two calves into the calf barn. Once they were done we all had a cake worthy of any 4th of July table.
Although it wasn’t a ‘day off’ and there were no fireworks, we did spend the day celebrating. Eating cake (trimmings) all day long. Laughing, Clayton Michael found some very funny YouTube videos (check out I’m Farming and i Grow it). It was a good day to be an American and be on the farm.
Side Note: According to Clayton Michael and #262 there is a tear in the cow shed cover and the struts are made of tubular steel, not aluminum. This city boy still has a lot to learn.
Hot….Really hot
Sunny: 113 degrees
Humidity: 9%
Dew Point: 50 degrees
Wind: S @ 13 mph
Forecast: Hot
OK it is hot.
Of course last year at this time it was hot and were cutting wheat. Just like this year the wind is out of the South. Although it pretty well dries the sweat almost instantly it just doesn’t cool.
Oppressive my mother used to say. Never quite knew what that meant until this year….and yah’ mom, its oppressive.
Everyone is walking slow.
Even the cows.
Not saying its hot and dry….but if we don’t get some rain there won’t be much corn.
Rascal
Sunny: 90 degrees
Humidity: 34%
Dew Point: 56 degrees
Wind: W @ 14 mph
Forecast: Sunny
Rascal has died.
He was 14.
He was a good dog.
Rascal loved to ride. Especially in the combine. Especially with Bruce. Oh he’d ride in the truck, 4-wheeler, tractor, pretty much anything with wheels and he’d ride with other people if Bruce was not around. But Bruce was Rascal’s buddy and riding was Rascal’s calling.
The combine was ‘home’.
The combine front window goes all the way down to the floor. Rascal could sit or stand or lay and bark at the rabbits and birds that were ‘flushed-out’ as the combine came through. In the days of his youth Rascal would run in front of the combine just to see if he could catch a rabbit. Occasionally he did. But as age came on he seemed to find more enjoyment sitting in air-conditioned comfort and voicing his opinion about the wildlife.
Rascal was a corgi. From a long line of royal dogs. But he wouldn’t talk about that much. He certainly downplayed his ‘royal markings’ and seemed to have nothing much to say about show dogs or even house dogs.
For Rascal the outdoors was the place to be. He was the farm ‘foreman’ at heart. Rascal loved to ride up in a pickup or 4-wheeler, get down (or just stand in the seat) bark once or twice at the livestock then head on to the next group that need encouragement. For years all other dogs and cats, even the cows, stepped aside when Rascal walked up. He wasn’t afraid of anyone or anything. Cows, combines, milk trucks and tractors all deferred to Rascal. He had a royal attitude that was much deeper than looks.
Even in death he showed incredible dignity. When he decided it was time….he just stopped eating and drinking. He spent his last days sitting and watching and an increasing amount of time sleeping. Never showed any signs of being in pain. He still liked to follow Bruce around and would sit in the shade of the barn or Grandma’s house if he knew Bruce was inside.
He died early Monday morning.
Went to sleep in his favorite spot on the floor in the barn. Joyce took his body to some folks in Hays who do pet cremation. Rascal is now in a small sealed wooden box up on the mantle at Bruce & Joyce’s house. The only ‘pet’ ever at the farm to be so honored.
Country
Cloudy: 69 degrees
Humidity: 87%
Dew Point: 69 degrees
Wind: NNE @ 15 mph
Forecast: Chance of rain
There is change in the air…..but how much, how soon, what kind, will it do any good….we’ll have to see.
Several folks have emailed/commented on our ‘Country’ lifestyle. I guess most folks think of ‘Country’ as dirt roads, well water, up & down with the Sun, acoustic guitar music, etc. It seems our WiFi, high-tech life style doesn’t go.
Well, we do live on a dirt road. We get our water from our own well. Bruce is pretty much up before the Sun and down just after it goes down and we’ve got some fair guitar pickers.
Yah we do have electricity, in fact we have our own generator; the milk must stay cool once it is out of the cows (see ‘new generator’ story). We do have computers and as of this Summer we have WiFi, this is after all the 21st Century.We also……
Rain!
Barn Boots…..its raining. Need to go outside….will finish this later.
Ah well it was a short shower but it is still cloudy and the dust is settled.
We have satellite.
Even have Netflix, but we’re still pretty ‘Country’.
We live in the country, we work in the country. ‘Going to town’ is, well, going to town.
I went into town (1,738 people) to run errands a few days ago. Since it was early and not too hot decided to use the power wash to get the bugs off the grill.
Almost every car wash has signs about car washing dos and don’ts. I guess ours pretty well sums up our country attitude.
YouTube video
Cloudy: 72 degrees
Humidity: 78%
Dew Point: 64 degrees
Wind: NNE @ 179 mph
Forecast: Clearing
We now have a link to our YouTube short videos. On the right side of this page are links. At the bottom are the YouTube video links. Please check out the videos.
While you’re looking over on the right, please check out the photo links.
Cow Down
Sunny: 84 degrees
Humidity: 39%
Dew Point: 57 degrees
Wind: S @ 23 mph
Forecast: Sunny, windy
Obturator paralysis vs milk fever?
Whatever 335 wouldn’t get up. Her calf was stillborn and she was lying down with her head on the ground.
Now usually when cows lie down the have their heads up, kind of leaning on one elbow so it is easier to see the TV. OK, they don’t watch TV, but if a cow was in the front room watching TV with everyone else, their posture, at least, would fit right in.
Not 335.
Clayton Andrew, Bruce and i went out and got things set up to help get 335 get on her feet. We used was two sections of panel. We put the panels on either side of 335. Joined them at her head so they formed a V shape around her with her head facing the angle of the V. We put on a special set of ‘hip-lifters’. These are large rings that fit around her hip bones and are joined together in the middle. We then attach the hip-lifters to the bucket of the front-end loader, which is on one of the tractors. As the front-end loader raised her up we helped to get her feet under her. Once she is up for a little bit we take off the hip-lifers and let her stand on her own for a while. Then take away the panels and she’s good to go.
A downed cow is one of those areas of animal husbandry that spans debate. Some folks say to just let her lay. Take her food and water but don’t intervene. Of course the longer she is down the less likely she will get up. Some folks say to just go ahead and euthanize her because if she is once down then there is an increased chance she will go down again.
We operate from the point of view that the cows are a lot more than ‘just numbers’. The folks (Bruce, Hilary, Austin, Clayton Michael) who work with the cows a lot know them. They know which cows like to be milked on the right side and which on the left. Which cows like to come be first in the milking line, middle and last. Some cows like to have specific cows standing next to them in the milking line.
Their not quite pets but they certainly have personalities. So when it comes to a downed cow we’ll do all we can.
A little while later 335 went down again. She would struggle to get up and even walk a couple of steps. So we took her water and food, morning and evening. We got her to switch sides occasionally to make sure her skin didn’t get sore from laying on it too long.
After a few days we got her up again and she’s been doing great ever since.
Normally just after having a calf a cow goes into the ‘milking line’. But 335 is now back out in the field with the other ‘dry’ cows. She needs time to get over all this and with any luck she’ll be back in the milking herd next year.
Leather Gloves
Sunny: 95 degrees
Humidity: 32%
Dew Point: 56 degrees
Wind: SW @ 10 mph
Forecast: Sunny/hot
For years i’ve worn leather gloves. My sister got me into the habit. Bought me my first pair of leather gloves. Deborah is into horses and barns and farms and when i moved to Colorado in 1988 i lived with her for a while. She had a place outside of Golden. West. Up Douglas Mountain. 7800 foot level. A house (new barn with living quarters at one end. A few acres. A few horses. Dogs. Occasional sheep.
Second week i was there she came home from the Co-Op with a Land Rover full of hay bales, bags of animal food, pellets, nails and a brand new pair of leather gloves for me.
I took the hint.
Unloaded the stuff and i’ve never been without a pair of leather gloves since.
Always wear them at the farm.
Always wear them when working with barbed wire.
Always amazed at how cows can put their nose, then head, under a barbed wire fence to get at the grass on the other side. If the fence is even a little loose they will push their way under it and suddenly be on the other side.
No scratches.
No scrapes.
Just a funny facial expression as they realize they want the grass on the other side. It dawned on me as i was pulling on my leather gloves to tighten up the fence.
Cows are covered in leather.
Twins
Sunny: 113 degrees
Humidity: 6%
Dew Point: 31 degrees
Wind: SSW @ 20 mph
Forecast: Hot
232 had been in labor for long enough. Bruce & Hilary got her into the calf barn and set up for a labor check.
Completely dilated.
100% effaced.
Head at….heads?
Sure enough she has twins. Although not common, twins do occur (3.4% in Holsteins).
Bruce could fairly easily get to the front feet of the first calf. Once he got the feet out he was able to use the obstetrical chain to help deliver the calf. Unfortunately it was a stillborn. A boy. Stillborns are more common in twins than singletons.
Another exam revealed that the second calf was headfirst but the feet were tucked back. Time to call the vet.
He is on Bruce’s speed dial.
Bruce and the vet are very much on a first name basis.
Often through telephone conversation it is possible for Bruce to work out the problem. They talk. They compare experiences. They come up with a plan. Like all dairy farmers Bruce has accumulated a wealth of knowledge and skills when it comes to cows.
After a little discussion the best option for 232 was to reach in a little further, un-tuck the second calf’s front feet and get them out, then use the chain to help. If at all possible vaginal delivery is best. Just like people a cesarean delivery is a major procedure. Recovery is hard; really hard for cows.
Bruce got one front foot out. Then the other. Applied the OB chain and pulled as 232 pushed.
Another stillborn.
The delivery intervention was ‘uncomplicated’. Which is to say that it was long and took a lot of effort but 232 was uninjured and will fully recover.
All part of life, and death, on a dairy farm.
Art?
Sunny: 98 degrees
Humidity: 28%
Dew Point: 63 degrees
Wind: W @ 10 mph
Forecast: Sunny/hot
Scrap metal.
We’ve got scrap metal. All working farms do. From nails to horse-drawn hay rakes we’ve got scrap metal in all sizes and shapes. One year ago we had a blog about kids picking up small bits of metal in the drive….saves time….fixing flats. (7.1.11 ‘money for metal’)
For years i’ve seen pieces of scrap metal and thought, ‘if i put that on top of this and cut those off….it would be….beautiful’.
This year’s early harvest meant i had a little more loose time. Over the years Bruce has taught me a bit of cutting, grinding, welding. This year’s refresher course was augmented with new torches, regulators, hoses, oxygen and acetylene. Have had an idea for several years.
Barbed wire has a lot of symbolism, no matter which side of the fence you stand on. (Farm Tip #271: Don’t stand ‘on’ the barbed wire) Crosses also have a lot of symbolism. Put them together…. just maybe art. One way or the other it keeps me busy.
Cinnamon rolls again
Cloudy, 55 degrees
Humidity 63%
Dew Point 43 degrees
Wind SSW @ 14 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, 80% chance of rain
Talk about Grandma and cinnamon rolls come up….
again and
again
and….
OK….I’m now willing to confess that on several occasions I tired to sabotage Grandma’s cinnamon rolls. Generally when she made cinnamon rolls they were already claimed before she even began to mix. Often Carolyn would have someone in mind….perhaps they just had a baby, moved, birthday, etc. Often Grandma would have someone in mind, perhaps they gave her a lift to the WELCA meeting at church, mowed the grass (I never seemed to fall into this category), just looked like they need a cinnamon roll (seems Pastors often fall into this category….not so much son-in-laws).
However any cinnamon rolls that left the house had to be ‘just so’. If they didn’t come up to Grandma’s standards then they had to stay home for the family. Hence my clandestine sabotaging of cinnamon rolls.
Just a little sabotage.
Just enough so the rolls were OK for family but not quite good enough to leave the house.
Add a tablespoon of water as the dough is being mixed for the second time….they won’t rise right.
Add an extra 90 seconds onto the oven timer….they get just a little bit ‘too’ brown. Actually this only worked a few times and that was years ago. For the last six years Grandma has sat on a kitchen stool in front of the oven watching the rolls.
Switch the new yeast with older yeast. Worked well a few times but then Grandma became ‘very particular’ about checking the yeast and throwing out the old.
Don’t believe Grandma ever realized that some of her flops were not ‘just bad luck’. But the simple fact of the matter is that Grandma’s bad batches were better than 95% of other folks ‘first class rolls’.
Note: Carolyn spent all last Friday making a batch of cinnamon rolls. They were good. They were real good. And they were ‘spoken for’ before the mixing ever began….ah well….back to sabotage.
Blizzard
Snow, 27 degrees
Humidity 86%
Dew Point 24 degrees
Wind N @ 35-43 mph
Forecast: Snow, blowing winds
Well the wind and snow have come!
The cows wear form-fitting leather, but the farm hands….have cold hands.
There is a family get-together at Christmas. Some will be there a few days before, some a few days after. Some on Christmas itself.
Carolyn and Hilary are going to be doing some music at Zion Lutheran for the Sunday before Christmas and maybe something at Christmas. Will try to get some shots and maybe a little video.
308 plans to start Tweeting
308 just got a Twitter account
Join our Twitter feed (on the right). Several of the cows now have Internet access (the farm now has WiFi) and they are planning to post some comments. 308 is also talking about getting a Facebook page. Should be interesting.
Draco
Snow, 22 degrees
Humidity 80%
Dew Point 15 degrees
Wind N @ 25-35 mph
Forecast: Snow, blowing winds
Draco!
Didn’t even know we named ‘land storms’. Just found out from some Kansas folks who are in Charlotte, North Carolina at the airport on the way to Nashville. Actually they were going to Kansas City, but the flight to KC was cancelled, as were about half of the flights anywhere North of the Mason-Dixon. So they are going to Nashville, then getting a ride to Columbia, Missouri. Their family from Topeka, Kansas will drive over and pick them up. Just one of the many stories winding their way around Draco.
Bruce reports that one of the biggest problems now is coffee. Can’t seem to make it fast enough. This morning it was 15 degrees during milking. One of the TCD baristas is on the way with about 4 pounds of beans. So hopefully we’ll get through Christmas.
Not much snow from Draco but enough. About 3 inches on the ground and then an inch or so was blown away to somewhere in Missouri. The wind, the snow, the change in milking times have some of the cows mumbling about indoor accommodations and heated milkers. Afraid that a lot of this may be my fault. I was one of the people pushing for WiFi at the farm. Now that the cows have internet access they’ve come to realize that there is a bigger world out there. 308 has been sending out texts with pictures of cows in Hawaii. I’ve been countering with photos of Big Macs.
New Combine
Snow, 20 degrees
Humidity 81%
Dew Point 14 degrees
Wind N @ 25-35 mph
Forecast: Snow, blowing winds
Went into the ‘shed’ to make sure Heidi had water. Heidi is a Brittany hunting dog with a nose that can’t be beat. Her pen is in the shed up against the South wall. She has a new water dish that is heated so it doesn’t freeze.
All of the big equipment is in the shed. And i’m glad to say my ‘new’ grain cart tractor is tucked away from the wind. Actually, it is right next to the field tractor, planter, grain cart and i have to admit Bruce has perfected the art of parking the equipment so that everything fits.
A little while later Bruce and i were walking toward the shed and he asked if i noticed what was missing. With my usual lightening assessment skills i accounted for the trucks in the yard, the semi’s out back of the shed and by Bruce’s house, the tractor with the front end loader in the Quonset, the feed cart, the combine next to the…..
Where’s the combine? It should be in the shed with its header parked along the South wall. Right next to Heidi’s pen!
Totally missed missing it. The big tractor and planter take up about the same space and are parked where the combine should be. Of course every thing in the shed is John Deere green, except Heidi.
Seems there is a new combine in our future. An STS; Single Tine Separation system. Instead of having big flat beds of ‘teeth’ to separate the grain from the chaff, it spins the wheat and centrifugal force separates everything. The John Deere dealer down South had some custom-cutters traded in a couple of their combines. Two years old (almost new in the combine business). Not many hours on them. Extended grain bins. Pretty well ‘loaded’.
Bruce and the John Deere folks were able to work out a deal, so we’ll be running a new rig this coming harvest.
Also getting a new header. All and all it should run faster and hold more. Seems like the grain cart driver may have more to do this Summer.
Mayan Moment
Snow, 22 degrees
Humidity 80%
Dew Point 15 degrees
Wind N @ 25-35 mph
Forecast: Snow, blowing winds
Well it seems the cows want to be milked today.
Bruce tried to explain to them that the world had come to an end. In accordance with the end of the Mayan Long Count Calendar. The cows complained that anyone who would use base 18 or 20 for a calendar had way too much time on their hands. They also pointed out that this year’s solstice was due at 5:12 Central Standard Time so Bruce should share the coffee or get to work.
A few weeks ago Bruce changed the milking times to 3:15 am and 3:15 pm all because of the light. (Check out Hilary’s blog ‘this i believe’ 9.28.11). The ‘normal’ milking time (this time of year) means that we milk in the morning, in the dark, and milk in the evening, in the dark. So by milking earlier at least the evening milking begins in the light.
The East Coast farm hands road trip was bolstered by a stop in Nashville to pick up three Outer Banks Kansans on their way home to Topeka for Christmas. Draco had cancelled their flight into Kansas City yesterday. They could ‘re-route’ to Nashville, which is right on the road trip route of the East Coast farm hands so…. the Sequoia suddenly had six people instead of three. Even tied some luggage to the roof rack to help maintain the proper image. A fun drive to Columbia, Missouri. Singing. Stories. Subway Sandwiches and Starbucks. Grandpa (farm boy/lawyer) from Topeka drove to Columbia, picked up the Outer Banks folks and headed back to Topeka.
The East Coast farm hands settled in for an evening of pasta and research….the physics of cooking an egg.
Seems the world didn’t, end so Bruce, the cows and road folks have gone to bed….3:15 comes early….for man or beast.
Cow Smell
Clear, 30 degrees
Humidity 76%
Dew Point 25 degrees
Wind N @ 8 mph
Forecast: Clear, cold
Cows!
The smell of cows!
The grunt, cough, moo of cows!
It’s too dark to see them, but they’re there.
Ah, it’s good to be back on the farm.
We pulled into the drive at 8pm sharp. Drove straight to Bruce and Joyce’s house. Drove straight into a party. Clayton Andrew, Jessica & Kyler are here. Clayton Michael, Rheta, Colby & Kayla. Any kid not sleeping is helping adults play with toys.
After a roomful of hugs we were given a place to sit, something to eat, something to drink and a chance to swap stories.
It’s good to smell cows again.
And that’s no bull.
Except #37.
Getting Ready for Christmas
Clear, 28 degrees
Humidity 90%
Dew Point 26 degrees
Wind W @ 6 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy, cold
There’s a lot to be said for industrial space heaters. Especially if they are in the milking parlor. There is also a lot to be said for memory. Remembering there is an industrial space heater in the parlor.
I didn’t.
Dressed for a morning of milking Yaks in the Afghanistan highlands.
Half way through my first group of cows, my hat, scarf and jacket were gone. By the time i was down to long-johns and barn boots Bruce agreed to turn the heat up. But word spreads fast in a herd. The cows began to act up. Especially for me. I finally figured out that the cows like to come into a steaming parlor when its 15 degrees outside and dark.
Got out my ‘Summer milking clothes’.
Carolyn played for the church service today. Played very well.
Hilary sang in the choir with Bruce. Sang very well.
The Mai clan, took up several rows of pews.
After church, lunch at Bruce & Joyce’s then finish setting up Grandma’s for Christmas. Bruce already had the tree up. Carolyn and Rheta got the lights on. Bruce and i got the ‘21st Century’ icicle-lights up on the outside.
Another dinner at Bruce & Joyce’s that couldn’t be beat, and then a trip to the lake. Not for fishing this time, but to look at the lights. On the ‘forestry land’, down by the damn, the trees, and cabins, and shelters and bushes are covered with lights. Even had some folks at the lodge area with hot chocolate, S’mores and singing.
Well worth the trip.
Throughout the day Hilary & Carolyn have been baking. Hilary has a vision for Christmas desert. Fortunately the first cake recipe did not work….at least for what it is intended. Cake for breakfast!
Joyce, Rheta & Jessica have been busy cooking and baking. They have made sure that there is always food and drink. Anytime. And in abundance.
Grandma would be proud. As soon as the tornado was a mile past, she’d be checking to see which stove still worked and what pots & pans were undamaged. ‘Got to make sure we’ve got something to eat and drink for everyone who will be here to help clean up.
Yep’ Grandma, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.
Christmas Eve
Partly cloudy, 18 degrees
Humidity 82%
Dew Point 14 degrees
Wind NE @ 6-11mph
Forecast: Increasing clouds, snow?
Cake for breakfast!
Hilary helped w/the morning milking. Clayton Andrew came by for coffee and brought Kyler who went with Bruce to do the morning feeding.
Rheta & Clayton Michael went back to town early this morning, because Rheta has to work. They’ll be back later. Colby & Kayla (their kids) stayed at Bruce & Joyce’s to play w/cousin Kyler.
Carolyn & Hilary spent the early morning practicing for church tonight and baking.
Lunch again at Bruce & Joyce’s. Joyce, Rheta & Jessica have made all the meals. Anytime i’ve stopped by there is food on the table and drinks in the fridge. Grandma would be proud….really proud.
Rheta & Clayton Michael got back to the farm about 4pm. Stopped by Grandma’s to drop off a bunch of ‘church clothes.’ Our hanging bag with ‘our church clothes’ was lost during the road trip. Long story….will post later.
Milking went a little better for me this time. I wore Fall clothes and the cows seemed to appreciate the gesture since the parlor could stay warm.
This evening’s church service was really good. The children sat in the front pew, for easy access to the altar. They were there several times. Singing at the start, then telling the Christmas story and finally leading the processional hymn. Several other folks did songs. Hilary did an awesome (no prejudice here) offertory song. Carolyn played (organ & piano) for most of the service and also did an awesome job (again no prejudice here). We’ve got video.
We all ended up back at Bruce & Joyce’s for snacks and cards. Pinochle is a mandatory pass time at the farm.
Now everyone is settling in for a long winter’s nap.
The cows are quiet.
The dogs are quiet.
The coyotes are quiet.
Maybe it’s just because it’s so cold. Or maybe it’s because it is Christmas Eve.
Merry Christmas
Cloudy, 12 degrees
Humidity 67%
Dew Point 6 degrees
Wind N @ 23 mph
Forecast: Snow flurries
Merry Christmas from the farm!
Coffee Plan
Cloudy, 10 degrees
Humidity 73%
Dew Point 3 degrees
Wind N @ 11 mph
Forecast: Cloudy cold
A few days ago Bob & Lily (from Greenville, NC) were having their second cup of morning coffee (Peets, percolated strong, half-and-half, pure cane sugar, no chemicals thank you) discussing the coffee problem we have here at the farm…trying to make sure there is coffee in the pot. Today at 9:45 am we’ve started our fourth pot. During harvest and other ‘family-get-togethers’ there may be 25 or so walking in and out.
Bob & Lily who are very technologically savvy came up with a way to provide coffee and perhaps curb 308’s texting….station her with the coffee. The plan is to use a 50-gallon drum (we have a number) with a gas burner under it to make coffee. This will provide approximately 880 cups of coffee. By having 308 next to the set-up we can get fresh cream on the spot. For a few hours, at least, she will be too busy to text.
The idea received very favorable comments around the kitchen table. A 30-gallon alternative attached to the ‘field truck’ was suggested for harvest. May run into a small problem getting 308 to the harvest-field, but a small cattle trailer towed behind the truck……
Da’ Bull
Cloudy, 21 degrees
Humidity 59%
Dew Point 11 degrees
Wind NNW @ 14 mph
Forecast: Sunny
Right after lunch the vet came by.
The bull is just not feeling well.
Three days ago he was out with the cows and very ‘frisky’…..doing his ‘bull thing.’ He is a Hereford. A good-looking young bull with a bright and comfortable future in front of him. He has a laid-back attitude. He’ll walk into the holding pen at milking time or maybe just hang out next to the milking parlor just to keep track of ‘his’ cows.
There have been a fair number of bulls at the farm.
Grandma used to tell a story about getting cornered by a bull. She’d been out bringing in the cows by herself. No one else around.
The bull chased her a little ways. Finally got her cornered. He was mad. She says she was never really sure why he was mad, but she could see that she had upset him. He stood there facing her a few feet away, head down, snorting. Started pawing the ground with his front feet.
Keeping her eyes locked on his eyes, Grandma reached over and picked up a large stick. A piece of a tree branch.
Stood there for a few moments, eye to eye.
Then whacked him on the nose.
He jerked his head up and gave Grandma a confused look. She whacked him on the nose again. He jumped back a foot or two. Looked Grandma all over then shook his head, turned around and trotted off. He’d had enough.
Carolyn tells a story about trying to push a bull out of the way. He shook his head and one of her fingers got caught in the ring in his nose. When he pulled his head back she almost lost the finger. It did get cut. Bad enough she had to go get stitches, but not until she finished milking.
Tough women at the farm.
When the vet checked the bull today he was able to do the exam in the holding pen. Even did a rectal exam….did the exam without having to restrain the bull. The bull just stood there. Not normal for a bull. Not normal for any other bovine for that matter. The bull is definitely not well. No temperature. No runny nose. The vet said he could feel a mass, almost where a lymph node should be, but the mass was way bigger than a swollen lymph node.
The vet gave the bull some meds.
He’s a young bull. He’s tough.
If he is as tough as the women on the farm he’ll make it.
Only time will tell.
Christmas lights: three state judging
Cloudy, 12 degrees
Humidity 76%
Dew Point 10 degrees
Wind NW @ 5-7 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, cold
A few weeks ago the Western Kansas World (http://www.smalltownpapers.com/newspapers/newspaper.php?id=418) reported on the annual Christmas lights contest. This is for the town only. No farms, which is probably good. A few years ago we came up w/a plan to do several tractors and the combine. Sequential lights so it would look like the combine header (the part that cuts the wheat) was moving. Same with the tires. Same set up for the grain cart and tractor. Even had a plan for lights coming out of the combine auger so it looks like it is off-loading into the grain cart.
Saw a YouTube video of some sheep in Wales with LED lights on their backs forming pictures at night. Figured the cows would go along with this. Once the plans were laid a quick search of the internet showed that the lights, timers, power supply would pretty well use up the money from the entire wheat crop for a year.
This evening John & Jan (from Kansas), Pam & Don (from Colorado), Carolyn & Bob (from North Carolina) headed into town to drive around as a three-state judging crew. For an hour we drove around. We even ended up driving down dirt roads that were clearly not within the town limits, but John, Pam & Carolyn insisted that someone they knew used to live ‘right down here on the North side’. Our first place went to some folks on the Northeast side of town. They even had lights on the ground outlining some trees and these were covered in snow. The lights shinning from under the snow was a definite plus. A search of Google Earth shows that their house is visible from low earth orbit.
WaKeeney has a real ‘old time’ feel at Christmas. Kind of like A Christmas Story. All the ‘kids’ (John, Bruce, Carolyn, Pam) say the street decorations are just like they remember from their youth.
But just wait until the oil well comes in! We’ll show them a farm to be reckoned with.
Butterball Soup
Cloudy, 22 degrees
Humidity 71%
Dew Point 16 degrees
Wind N @ 9 mph
Forecast: Cloudy, cold
Pam & Don & their kids got here on Christmas day. John & Jan got here yesterday and left today after Janelle & David & their kids got here. (Janelle is John & Jan’s daughter). As always family are coming and going. Since there is no fieldwork to do there have been a few more Pinochle games. Sometimes two tables full of players at a time.
Today has also been filled with work in the Quonset. Bruce and Clayton Michael moved some stuff around….including the big metal working bench. This is where i like to play metal artist. Bruce has also been putting scrap metal on the big flatbed trailer. This rearrangement led me to cleaning out scrap metal under some of the cabinets, just to make sure no potential art was thrown away. My cleaning led Bruce to come out and help just to make sure no potential repair materials were thrown away. The upshot of the whole effort was that we made a fair dent on cleaning the Quonset and a fair pile on the trailer.
Butterballs for dinner!
A Mai family standard.
Butterballs are small dumplings, awesomely rich, cooked in chicken noodle soup. This time the soup was a mix of chicken and turkey. Also had a vegetarian version. We’ve had more vegetarian fare over the last few years, because more of the family are leaning toward vegetarianism. Some are hard-core. Some moderate. But it has certainly spiced up the menu.
But vegetarian or carnivore, butterball soup is a standard.
A Good Bull Goes Down
Partly cloudy, 23 degrees
Humidity 59%
Dew Point 10 degrees
Wind N @ 10 mph
Forecast: Partly cloudy
The bull died today.
All indications are that he died without pain.
All indications are that he had something seriously wrong. Five days after he started showing signs of not feeling well he was dead.
He got sick fast. We hoped it was one of those cases where you get sick fast/get well fast. Didn’t happen.
I’ll miss him. He was a good bull. He had a peaceful personality. Didn’t seem to mind my standing next to him. Would move (sometimes) when i pushed him.
I’ve always had a ‘healthy’ respect for cows. They’re big. Really big. They weigh about 1200 pounds.
Cows move quickly. Especially in an enclosed space….like the holding pen. They also spook easily. Will jump when they see a shadow. Of course, they can be stubborn and sometimes they won’t move at all. But cows have legs. And necks. So, by pushing a leg or neck they can usually be convinced.
Bulls don’t have necks. Or legs.
They are solid rectangular blocks. 1800 to 2200 pound blocks of muscle. My healthy ‘cow respect’ is doubled around the bulls. There is no chance of bluffing them. If a bull decides he is standing when i want him to move, no amount of shouting, waving my arms or threatening will get him to move.
Standing next to a bull is a lot different than standing next to a cow. Around bulls i’ve always got one eye on the bull and one eye on an escape route.
#37 was different.
Maybe whatever killed him had changed his personality long ago.
Maybe he was just peaceful. Whatever it was there were times i could stand next to him and occasionally have both eyes on him, instead of one on an escape route. He was different.
‘The dog is a gentleman’ said Mark Twain, ‘I hope to go to his heaven, not man’s’. Same could be said for #37.
He was a good bull.
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