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It’s Hot

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Today’s Farm Update comes from Ben.

It’s hot. Been like this all week. I turned on the fan for the big chickens and opened the back door for more air movement. 

We moved the chicks out of the tank and into the bigger pen and I unplugged their heat lamp; they’re not needing that anymore. 

Here’s a link to a video of the chicks making their happy little chirpy noises. https://youtu.be/yi9hqYbf5aM

The guineas are making a racket in the background. 

So here’s a video of them yelling at me. https://youtube.com/shorts/Ojzd5cqJ3pY

We’ve got the 5 little guineas in the entry way yet, but one of them jumped to the top of the water bottle, and it’s only one more hop out of the box, so we’ll need to get them in the big tank down in the crib soon. (In fact, an hour after I wrote that, it was out) One of them has a bad leg; seems like it’s up at the hip, and it’s out sideways. We’ve tried to make splints for it, and we tried wrapping the leg up to the body. That was something; the chick sure didn’t like any part of this. Didn’t like being picked up in the first place, didn’t like being manipulated, and didn’t like the wrapping job. I got the wrap to stay on for about 3 minutes. Course I was holding onto it for 3 minutes… once I set it down the wrap was off. 

Google has lot of suggestions on this. We need to try it again. 

We’ve been watching a red headed woodpecker mom and dad feed their family. A maple tree with one large dead limb full of holes and the woodpeckers climb halfway into this hole and we can hear the babies chirping. 

And one morning, I saw a heron flying away. It was right by the barn and it wasn’t very high yet; not sure where he came from. They’re always fun to see. 

I was mowing some grass the other day down behind the barn and knocking down some tall grass that had been too wet to mow earlier this year, and one of the roosters killed a large mouse. He was pecking at something and backing off, then going in again. I’ve heard of chickens getting mice before, yet I’d never seen one. They didn’t eat it.

The lightning bugs are back. It’s fun to watch them at night over the corn fields. There’s an article in this month’s Smithsonian Magazine about a guy studying fireflies. Did you know they’re classified as beetles? They’re not “bugs”. 

Bailey has finally started to shed and she loves being brushed. Except back on her hips; she doesn’t like that. Humphrey loves being brushed too and he’s got a bit of undercoat coming off, but not as much as Bailey. 

The auction is happening this week where I took the fertilizer wagon. It runs through next Tuesday. I’m bidding on a few things too. With any luck, I’ll come out ahead on this deal and not in the hole. Normally it’s the last hour the bidding frenzy happens so we’ll see. 

Crops: 

I talked with crop insurance last week. Soybeans can be replanted, and still covered by insurance, until July 5th. Of course the shorter season varieties produce less too. And unless it rains, there’s no point planting anything. The co-op is ready to spray for weeds, which is the only thing making the fields look green right now, lambs quarter and velvet leave. Stupid weeds. The wild turkeys are out there digging up soybean seeds, and the deer are eating the tops off the corn. Stupid turkeys, stupid deer. 

I’m at a point, I’d almost rather it didn’t rain until mid-July. By then, we could skip the expense of spraying the beans, declare them a loss and plow it up. Just be done with it. If we do get rains this weekend, Then I will need the co-op to spray so I’ll have that expense, and we’ll see what kind of stand I get going. Replanting in July is tougher as it all depends on the weather this fall. PHOTO

I just read an article from the University of MN Extension service, saying you can tell how stressed the corn is by what time of day the leaves curl up. The sooner they curl, the more stressed it is. Here’s my corn at 10:00 AM.

Here it is at 4:00 in the afternoon.

I noticed on Friday, the corn was curled up at 11AM. 

The oats is all headed out and we’ll see how that does. I haven’t heard much from the food oats people since spring. 

My shop project progresses. I sure do have a hard time focusing on any one project and getting it done. I have my weekly ‘to do’ list, plus a general ‘do this summer’ list. And something like ‘replace tractor light’ gets more involved because the connector isn’t the same between tractor and the new light and I ordered some connectors which fit the tractor, but not the light, and so I had John Deere find the right ones and I’ll pick up. And the tractor cab roof light bezel I did get replaced. Took me about 6 trips climbing up on top of the hood as I had the wrong wrenches the first 4 times. (brain fart) then one of the wires had come loose inside. They work now.

When I write down an item like ‘Install window’ it is a lot more complicated than that. I have built all three rough opening frames. But now I need to mount them on the wall, cut out the steel, frame up the opening, and then figure out how we’re going to get this 250 lb. window up there outside. I need some strong young men or women. 🙂 

I also need to remove a lot more stuff in the middle. I move something every day and it’s getting cleaner. I predict the first snow storm in December and I’ll be scrambling to finish some part of this to get machinery in the shed. I’m telling you right now, that’s what’s going to happen. 

I reserved a scissor lift this morning to pick up on July 7. There, now I have a deadline to work towards; I need the floor area mostly clear, I need the walls mostly clear and with the lift I can install ceiling joists and steel and seal off one rafter, and then I can call for insulation on the walls and above the ceiling.

I made sure I dressed the part before I went into the rental place. Sometimes when I take daughter into her programming I just wear my crocs. It’s a rule, you can’t wear crocs into an industrial place like this and order big boy toys. I made sure I was wearing my boots, and a dirty enough hat, my sleeveless shirt, and I dropped enough names so they know I know what I’m doing.

I haven’t had to buy any new tools for this project. Yet. I may pick up something at this auction, but that’s not directly related to this project. I’m still using the worm drive circular saw Kelly gave me for my Birthday back in about 1992. It’s a great saw!

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE BLIND MAN THAT PICKED UP HIS HAMMER AND SAW?

LET’S DO BUILDING SONGS THIS WEEK.

97 thoughts on “It’s Hot”

    1. OT, I am back home after being in Iowa with my mother most of the week. She died peacefully yesterday around 5pm surrounded by her family. She was 94 yrs old. I will do a blog post later about her. Next will be her memorial service.

      It was a long week and I am glad it is done now.

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      1. Jacque, it’s hard yet it’s what we know is the right thing. And it’s all emotionally exhausting.
        Warm thoughts and hugs to you and the family.

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      2. For a certainty, we Baboons will appreciate your relating memories of your Mom. And thanks for the song submission. Was your Mother a songster person?

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        1. No, unfortunately not. She could have used some of the joys music brings. She was so overwhelmed by the need to establish and home for us after Dad got sick, that she was all about the work. She and I fought about Dolly Parton. (And a long list of other topics), because I loved Dolly and mom thought she was a “cheap looking slut.” In the world of success and finance, Dolly won that argument. Is there a song about fighting about Dollly?

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        3. I sent Dolly’s comments about herself to mom in a letter. Specifically I quoted, “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.” I did not get a response.

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    1. My City Was Gone
      Christie Hynde’s politics were diametrically opposed to Limbaugh but had no say in use of her song while royalties were being paid. She did force payments to be made to PETA. Stick that knife in and twist it!
      A similar “building” song is Big Yellow Taxi. “They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.”

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  6. The path I walk each day is well wooded. Some of the sycamore trees stand nearly 100 feet tall and, considering the local history, are at least 200 years old.

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    1. Molly Malone was among the handful of songs I sang and knew all of the words to by the time I was four years old. Admittedly, I didn’t have a clue what a fishmonger, or cockles, and mussels were, but as has pretty much been true most of my life, I didn’t let that get in the way of the enthusiasm with which I’d belt out the lyrics.

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  9. Husband is reading John Lahr’s biography of Tennessee Williams “Mad Pilgrimage Of The Flesh” which can be considered a book about work, I think.

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      1. Thank you everyone for your kind words. In a lot of ways, this is a great relief for everyone. This has been such a long journey, and it’s hard to comprehend that we have reached the end of it. I think the finality of it is what’s difficult to grasp . I’ll need a little time to lay low, and come to grips with my emotions. Thinking of you, Jacque, and all that you’re processing emotionally. Glad you have a puppy to distract and amuse you.

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  13. Ben – I can’t really tell the difference between the two corn pictures – what does it mean when “the leaves curl up”.

    And it’s good to have your guidance on things like: “you can’t wear crocs into an industrial place like this and order big boy toys. ”

    The blind man/saw joke was one my mom’s dad used to say – he loved puns.

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    1. I wondered if people would be able to tell a difference in the corn by the photos. The leaves roll inwards, protecting itself from the sun. They appear very narrow and pointed then, rather than more broad.

      No rain for us again today. Still chances at midnight and more chances this week. We shall see.

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  21. I hope I’m not too much of a nuisance. It happens that when I was producing thematic CDs, that “building,” both positive and negative aspects, were included. As fellow Baboons have experienced loss, this is my final offering today.

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  23. Ben, when I played your videos of chick sounds, Phoebe wanted to get ‘em. She founded a dead rabbit in the yard today so she is softer stuff.

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    1. I’m trying to figure out what you mean you mean by this. Didn’t get enough rain to matter today. The corn is still hanging in there. 🙂

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    1. Brain dead. Did anyone put up charley McGuire’s Home Improvement?
      Spent half the night and half the morning in emergency at about my least favorite place in the world. Now very sore and worn down. Did not see Sandra today which makes me feel guilty.
      Will watch chick videos after my next nap and be taken back into my childhood
      Clyde

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      1. Thanks, Clyde. I have been searching the internet for about an hour looking for it, to no avail. But yes, that was played occasionally on TLGMS, and I’m sure we’re all familiar with it, and it’s a perfect fit for this category.

        Hope a nap will do you some good.

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  31. The Bustle in a House
    The Morning after Death
    Is solemnest of industries
    Enacted upon Earth—

    The Sweeping up the Heart 5
    And putting Love away
    We shall not want to use again
    Until Eternity.
    – Emily Dickinson

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    1. The 5 is the line number, standard form in poetry to number every fifth line so you can reference line numbers in discussion and research papers.
      Clyde

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  33. We had an inch of rain last night, much needed and so welcome!! Ben, did you get any? The weather map looked like you did.

    I heard a little thunder then went back asleep. I am still exhausted from the events of last week and all the driving.

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    1. Very little. 0.03”
      We’ll see what happens today.

      As I wrote, I have mixed emotions about getting a rain at this point. And I’m trying to convince myself that whatever will be will be. It’s not gonna be the end of the world for us either way. I’m just along for the ride. 🙂
      It’s a good thing I have my shop project to keep me occupied this summer. Or maybe it’s the medication’s 😜

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