Baymule’s Farm

flowerbug

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Wait, I thought no tears in Heaven?

i love weeding... (i didn't see this until after i just posted a thread about weeding techniques). i would rather weed 10hrs than mow for 1.

i will probably have to do some spraying this year or next but i have to talk to the neighbor who owns the field to the south of us first since it is their property. bad thistle infestation getting worse each year. the field is fallow now. probably about 1000-1500sq ft of thistles there.
 
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baymule

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I hitched the flatbed trailer this morning. Met the hay guy, he put one in the back of my truck, I paid for 21 bales, made bill of sale, for 20 to be picked up in a couple of weeks. Then I did grocery shopping. Went to McCoys for 11 treated 2x6x20 for new trailer floor. Went home about noon. Time to put Sheba and Buford in the front yard! I didn’t see them again until after 6 when I got off the tractor.

Put away groceries. Went to drop trailer and unload hay. Dropped tailgate, backed up fast, stomped brakes, bale rolled out.

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It’s nice hay, net wrapped. I wanted it in the shed so I can take hay to the horse, instead of giving her the whole bale. I tried to pick it up with my tractor. I wrapped a chain around the bale and hooked to the bucket.

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Marigold tried, she really did, but just didn’t have enough horsepower to pick it up. The front end came up, but not the whole thing. I put the chains away. Can’t pick it up, so I pushed it. I got it where I wanted it. LOL

Then I decided to mow down some goat weed. And some more, those little ones over there, the grass that got tall and tough so the sheep wouldn’t eat it, and finally stopped after 6 to do chores. I mowed 3/4 of the middle field. Sheep are on dry lot. I mowed around a few patches of thorny Carolina horse nettle. I’m going to spray it.

I was hot, tired, coated in dust and dirt and sore from tractor bouncing over ant mounds and crawfish mounds. Did chores and took a shower. It’s been a productive day.
 

baymule

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Neighbor Chase came over yesterday morning to trim feet on the ewe he is getting. Dogs started barking at the fence, so we went to investigate. It was a large snapping turtle, on the other side of the fence. Chase scooped it up with a shovel and put it in the back of his truck to haul it away. Nasty mean things!
 

Branching Out

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You are getting a very small taste of why organic farming will not feed the world. (Couldn’t help myself from getting on soap box.)
A close friend spent his whole life as a plant scientist, with some of his energy focused on policies to support sound agricultural practices in developing nations. Towards the end he was not even able to discuss pesticides at dinner parties, lest he be seen as a pariah. I recall him telling me about the women in some of these places; they were responsible for weeding the fields, and their backs were permanently hunched over from bending all day. He told me that 'Bread is cheap because of glyphosate'. While organic has become my preferred method of weeding and fertilizing, it is clear to me that organic gardening takes far more time-- and costs a lot more. As a home gardener I can attempt this, but even on my small scale it is a challenge at times. I honestly don't know how large scale organic producers manage to supply grain to commercial customers, many of whom likely have zero tolerance for insects or other impurities like weeds in the crop.
 

seedcorn

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A close friend spent his whole life as a plant scientist, with some of his energy focused on policies to support sound agricultural practices in developing nations. Towards the end he was not even able to discuss pesticides at dinner parties, lest he be seen as a pariah. I recall him telling me about the women in some of these places; they were responsible for weeding the fields, and their backs were permanently hunched over from bending all day. He told me that 'Bread is cheap because of glyphosate'. While organic has become my preferred method of weeding and fertilizing, it is clear to me that organic gardening takes far more time-- and costs a lot more. As a home gardener I can attempt this, but even on my small scale it is a challenge at times. I honestly don't know how large scale organic producers manage to supply grain to commercial customers, many of whom likely have zero tolerance for insects or other impurities like weeds in the crop.
They don’t. There is an exception that IF your supplier of organic feed can’t provide organic feed, you can substitute GMO. Many people paying for organic but getting just ordinary products. Organic labeling is the largest scam in agriculture.
 

baymule

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I got notices from the county extension office for a 5 hour pesticide conference and beef and forage workshop. Going to pay for the pesticide license class so I can learn what I’m doing and not do anything stupid with these chemicals. Going to the beef and forage workshop to learn. I’ll be the oddball with sheep. LOL
 

baymule

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Been working outside, just came in, heated up some Hamburger Helper. I haven’t made that in years. I’m remembering why.

I mowed next to the woods/fence line. Mowed some nasty weeds. Drove truck in field to pick up branches. I want to get back on working on this fence.

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I filled back of truck, drove it to gate of sheep field where the burn pile is. Stopped to have a water break and cool off. Got back on truck annnnd……. It’s dead. It’s maybe batteries, starter, alternator??? Chris is bringing sons trailer back sometime this afternoon and he’ll take a look at it. He’s going to take my flatbed to put a new floor in it.

Dead truck.

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So I mowed some more weeds and put tractor away. Then I stacked the 2x6x20’ in the trailer and tied them down.

Hope truck is an easy fix, I need it next week. Starting Monday.
 

baymule

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It was dead batteries. Went to Sam’s and bought 2 new ones. Chris wanted the old ones and paid the $20 core charge. They aren’t strong enough for the truck, but will work for small things, like a winch.

He came over yesterday afternoon to put them in. Then I unloaded the truck on the burn pile. Then I went to Apple Springs and filled up.

Had a water line break, resulting in mud bog water in my neighborhood for several days. No shower! Bottled water for the next week. Water finally ran clear yesterday afternoon.

It was clean enough to take a shower last night. I never turned it on, so no mud crud in those pipes. I didn't come in until after 8:00 last night. I was soaking wet, hot, dirty and needing that shower. I checked air in truck tires, have a tire with several plugs and it leaks. Aired up tires. Carson ALWAYS rides to go hitch the trailers. He won’t get out, in the field. It’s a big deal to him. Hitched up stock trailer, pulled out on driveway. The 20 yard roll off box is still sitting here, I backed trailer between it and a big stump. Didn’t hit either one, followed curve in driveway, didn’t hit my car, and backed it up to the shed where the air compressor is. I was kinda proud of myself. Checked tires, added a little air.

Chris came over to check alternator, it had a low reading after putting in new batteries. I drove it to the nearby small town and filled up, so new batteries and alternator had an opportunity to get acquainted. LOL. Alternator reading was where it was supposed to be.

Going to haul 2 ginormous hogs to slaughter this morning. This couple doesn’t have a truck and trailer and didn’t know what they were going to do. They live about an hour from me, so I’ll get an early start. Naturally I woke up at 3 AM.
 

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