2022, animals, Farming Update, gardening, Nature, Seasons

Farming This Week

63 Comments

The weekend farm report comes to us from Ben.

Another Minnesota spring, jumps from rain and cold to 90°. Bailey still has her winter coat, she needs to start shedding soon. 

Remember the three Roosters? The dynamics are changing. Number Three is the boss now. Number Two can hang out with Three, but number One has been outcast. And three is kind of a bully. One and two got into it a while ago, full on neck feathers raised and jumping at each other with their claws. Bailey ran over and broke it up. Later, all three of them got into it. Again, Bailey ran over and broke it up. 

This week was supposed to be all about commencement. Turns out I spent more time at the doctors office than I did at commencement. The backache became a kidney stone, which became legs and feet numb. Lots of tests that are negative so far but I’m having kind of a tough time getting around.

Commencement went well, it was a real team effort and it wouldn’t have gotten done without student worker April, my brother Ernie, my theater partner Jerry, and Kelly, who drives me everywhere and helps out before going to get Amelia and doing all the chores at home. 
The lights were rented from a local guy, and he even offered to deliver them, which was a huge savings especially since I’m not driving. Had all the helpers getting things set up, hung, cabled, and focused. I was there some of the time pointing and giving helpful suggestions. Some phone calls, one video chat, and several text messages later, April is running lights for the nursing graduation and she did good and it looks great! 
Had help to take it all down again and the local guy picked it all back up. I am so lucky to have friends like this. 

Weather looks to be nice now for a week. Get my brother going in the tractor and I’ve talked with the neighbors about planting my corn.

Ducks and Chickens are still good and hanging in there. With the nicer weather, we could open the screen door so the chicks get some sunshine and fresh air.

When was the last time you stirred up trouble? Was it worth it?

63 thoughts on “Farming This Week”

  3. Sorry to hear that you’re going through these physical issues, Ben. I hope it can be sorted out and resolved with a minimum of pain, and soon. You’re right, a good support team is so important. I will say this, though, I don’t think it’s a matter of luck that you have one. When you treat your student workers, colleagues, and others you deal with on a regular basis, well, they show up for you when you need them. From what I know of you, you’re in the category of people that Fred Rogers’ mother referred to as helpers.

    It’s such a glorious morning. I’m sitting outside, and everything is greening. I just picked a small bouquet of violets in three different colors for our dining room table; so lovely. In another day or two the lilies of the valley will be blooming.

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    1. I’ve not heard that song before. I’ve heard OF Coldplay, but sure don’t know their music at all. Didn’t know they did ballads like that.

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  5. I too am outside with coffee. Perfect in the bit of chill. Sorry Ben. Farmers are usually a support network. Our valley was in my childhood.
    What are you doing with more than one rooster?
    In 1970 we bought a small house right on Lake Superior. In 1972 we expanded it. I had the summer off of course to build it. Sandra the city girl was upset I asked friends to help every now and then, even though I had helped them build houses. She never got beyond that. Maybe being abused by her father had something to do with it.
    In early July I broke three ribs but had to keep working. I once broke ribs as a child at about age 13 in haying season and had to keep working.
    So I feel for you. May it all pass. And as PJ says, you are a support network all by yourself.

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      3. If you click on the above link it takes you to a page that has information and links to covered bridges in Minnesota. In the left hand column, if you go down to 23-16a and 23-16 b (sixth and seventh lines) and click on them, they’ll take you to photos of the two bridges that were destroyed.

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    2. Why do I have three roosters? Well, when a boy chicken lusts after a girl chicken…
      And I prefer collecting eggs to butchering chickens.

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  6. Rise and Shine, Baboons,

    Ben, this sounds really uncomfortable. I echo the thoughts of the others, and I am so glad you have a lot of support around you. It makes all the difference.

    The roosters are defining “pecking order” right there in the farm yard, aren’t they? I love it that Bailey is the one who breaks up the fights. Every place needs a sheriff and the dog is yours. We will have to get your dog a Sheriff badge.

    I have been making family trouble by setting limits with siblings. No one is happy right now, but I guess it just must be at this time. I certainly am not willing to back down

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      1. I actually knew it was national chicken dance day. Because my Sandra Boynton calendar tells me so. In fact last year I actually made a couple of chicken dance day cards and sent them to a couple of people.

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  8. I wanted to post a link to Richard Shindell’s Howling at Trouble, but unfortunately the video has been removed from YouTube. I did, however, find this link (https://mozaart.com/en/t/howling-at-the-trouble-richard-shindell) to a whole bunch of soundtracks of Shindell’s music. If you’re not familiar with him and his work (he’s a very fine songwriter), it is worth exploring. Actually it is even if you are. I’ve seen him in concert a couple of times. You may be familiar with him as the male member of Cry Cry Cry.

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  12. I have never stirred up trouble on purpose.
    The “trouble” was the problem with/ for others.
    While working at a retirement center in Lisbon, North Dakota, things were not going well. The general contactor supervisor was a drunk. After I introduced myself the very first day, he said the crew drinks at this bar. We were all staying at the same motel so I was well aware of the comings and goings of my fellow tradesmen. The guy needed drinking company and got but nothing from me. After a few weeks of horrible progress, a conference was held with the owner, contractor and the trades. The question was, why the delays.
    I pointed directly at the supervisor: “There is your problem!” I described my observations. He came close to hitting me but his boss restrained matters. At that point, all trades except for mine in flooring, were suspended. I had the place to myself and finished it.

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  15. My mom was pretty “thin-skinned” to start with, and her dementia made it more pronounced. When she told me one of her caregivers was being mean to her, I didn’t pay much attention, but she kept saying this, and eventually mentioned it to… the nursing supervisor, I suppose. Ultimately that caregiver was moved to a different floor, and I thought the matter was settled – Mom would feel completely safe again. Then she started saying the same thing about the new aide, and I realized that some of it was in her imagination.

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    2. Sandy has a nemesis who imagines and sees false things that do not focus on her but her room. Now he gets up in the night and no one knows it. They found him confused in her room so now they lock her door at night. Monday I am going to have a strong talk with manager. This has consumed much of my time for two weeks. When I left he was in the common room. He was upset about a person who was not there. So sad for him but it seems too much for tge staff to handle.

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    3. Conspiracy delusions were part of my Dad’s failing physical and mental health. All the staff were drug dealers. The female members were prostitutes. They killed people and flushed the dismembered bodies down his toilet. He “saw” all this in detail.

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      1. Oh man, that had to be hard to watch.
        My friend, Ken, was non-verbal for about two years prior to his death, so at least we were spared that. His restless pacing, up and down the halls, into other patients’ rooms, was heartbreaking enough. Add to that he had no inhibitions, and needed really innovative solutions to prevent him from taking off his clothes, he was a challenge, to say the least. Because all of the other patients on his floor were also late stage dementia, and had own unique manifestations of a sick brain, I can only imagine how difficult that must have been for the staff, no matter how competent, caring, and vigilant, to deal with. Short of restraining or drugging them all to a catatonic state 24/7, I don’t know how anyone could deal with that long term. These folks are saints!

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        1. They sure are. My mom gets frustrated with the help but she also knows they’re trying and most are
          Really good. It’s basic communication causes the most trouble. She can’t see and them saying “It’s right here!” Doesn’t help her.

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      2. My usually rational aunt Roberta went through a period of time after being moved to a new care center when she didn’t trust the staff at all, She thought they had a giant bathtub where they were drowning the residents. She also had the activities director confused with a night nurse, and insisted that this nurse would come into her room and pinch her at night. Another conviction was that her bed had a heater installed which the staff would turn on to make her uncomfortable.

        She eventually was moved back to her original care center, and returned to her normal more rational self.

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  16. OT – This is a message to Linda, who usually checks in on the blog late in the day. Linda, please check your email; I sent you a message.

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  17. Cause trouble? What me?
    I have the gift of doing so with no intent or wish to do do. In my second novel I gave the main character my gift, which was fun to play with. But it made me wish i do not ruffle feathers so easily, speaking of Ben’s fowl.
    I ruffled lots of feathers by how and what I taught, often about what I did not teach. I guess I never should have read research. I did not prove much.
    The more reclusive I am the fewer feathers I ruffle. Above I declared I was going to ruffle feathers at Sandra’s home. I withdraw that plan.

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    1. I might have ruffled feathers by trying new things in the classroom, but all my superiors were on board with my ideas, so I didn’t have to. I was just lucky that it was the early 70s, where a lot of folks were willing to try alternate things.

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      1. No, no, no, Wes, it’s not National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day, that’s not until August, I think. It’s just the chocolate chips, in and of themselves, that are celebrated today. No need to go through the trouble of baking cookies, for gods sake, just eat the chips right out of the bag or box or whatever they come in.

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        4. You are just stirring up trouble again, BiR.

          Just came in from sitting in the back yard looking at the lunar eclipse. What a peaceful, easy feelin’…though I’m pretty chilled. It was cool to watch, though. G’night, all.

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