Had a beautiful day today. High of 63degrees, bright sunshine and light wind. Good day for drying. Alfalfa field is still soggy wet, but lawn is drying nicely. Forecast for rain tonight and colder for the three days and possible snow by Monday. Hope March goes out like a lamb.

Got a few outside jobs done today. Sure nice to be out without heavy coveralls. Taxes are sent in, just have to waIt for the refund.

Gene

Had a beautiful day today. High of 63degrees, bright sunshine and light wind. Good day for drying. Alfalfa field is still soggy wet, but lawn is drying nicely. Forecast for rain tonight and colder for the three days and possible snow by Monday. Hope March goes out like a lamb.

Got a few outside jobs done today. Sure nice to be out without heavy coveralls. Taxes are sent in, just have to waIt for the refund.

Gene

REfund? We live in different worlds I guess Gene. Weather-wise too as it was -8F here last night. Still cold today and I had the furnace running in the shed this morning while I did a little more work on the Massey. Forecast is for below normal temps for the rest of March for us. The sun has  lot of power though as it is melting in the sheltered spots away from the wind. Cold enough that I am keeping this new calf and cow in the barn until it gets a little stronger.

I have been feeling a little "put out" because the cold weather is hanging on the way it is.  Just for curiosity I backed up a year to see what the deal was then.  Guess I will replay this post from 3-23-13.  Today's comment would be the same.  Now maybe I feel just a tad better.

Quote:

We finally got a few looks at sunshine today, but with the cold N NW wind it did not have much warming effect. It did melt away part of the 2 inches of snow that has fallen in the last two days. At least temperature stayed in the high 20's last night, rather than 11 or 15 as it has been. On the good side, we escaped the heavy snows of two feet to five feet that some folks saw of the SE and E end of Lake Ontario. Usually it seems that by this far along in the year water and air temperature have balanced enough to prevent most of the "lake effect snow", but not so this year.

I read that Gene is still busier than a cat covering dirt on a tin roof and enjoying the Dodge. It sure sounds like a good working truck. If Ralph does not get some better weather soon, I think the polar ice caps may reach his farm. That may not blow very well with the Cockshutt. I have not heard a lot of comment from the wackos about global warming lately. Probably afraid they will get mobbed if they say too much. With only eight days until April first, The weather will have to mellow soon. I for one will be waiting.

Charlie

A couple of inches of fresh white fluff this morning at 14 degrees F.  Cold enough for this time of year but we have bright sunshine.  Suspect the new snow will disappear by mid-day.  I have been saving my empty yogurt cups for a while, thinking that this year I might try starting some seeds indoors.  I picked up two packets of flower seeds at TSC last week, one Marigold and one Zinnia.    I did not look closely enough and now discover that they are giant and will grow to 30" tall.  Might be OK for the ground bed but too tall for the deck boxes.  Will have to try again.  Long story short, put about 24 of the Marigold in soil yesterday and will do the Zinnias today.  Big farm work for an old man.

Charlie.

Charlie, I think the early spring in 2012 had us spoiled. I planted some soybeans the last week of March that year. We are back to cold weather here again. Doesn't look like above freezing till Thursday. Had 12 degrees here this morning. No rain or snow, so things are starting to dry out some now. May be able to get the tractor and trailer into the woods to get some firewood hauled.

May be optomistic but I ordered my seed soybeans this morning. $45.00 a bag now, Ouch.

Ralph, I was wondering how the new calf was doing. Good to see him and mama inside and comfortable. Always liked that part of cattle, not so much the winter care. Always liked seeing the herd on the hillside on a balmy summer day.

The refund is not that much. Not much taken out of my retirement check and the farm income last year was down, so had negative on the farm. Federal tax credit on fuel used was more than my withholdings.

Gene

Gene, I don't know how big the bags are or how many pounds per acre you seed but that price sounds pretty good compared to what the seed companies are soaking us for canola. I complained last year when it was over $10 a pound. This year it is over $11. So that 20 kg bag is going to be at least $550. It will seed ten acres at recommended rates. Of course that price also includes Monsanto's share of the tech fee. There are better varieties that are higher priced than that. There are also guys saying it doesn't pay to grow the crop considering the seed price,, fertilizer, fuel etc. And canola prices having dropped on top of that. Right now cattle look like the best bet but I don't have enough of them to live on.
Cold night predicted with wind chill factors in the -20s they say. Not a good night to be out in. I work a little in the shed on the tractor with the furnace running most days. Good thing furnace fuel is cheap. Sarcasm intended.

The seed price goes up every year. Soybeans are 60 lbs. per bushel and seed around 70 Lbs. per acre, so seed cost is about the same as for your canola. Typically only have one application of glysophate for weed control. Sometimes use canopy PPI to control wild mustard and early velvet leaf and lambsquarter.

Warmed up a little this morning and supposed to get into 50's today and tomorrow with light and back to freezing Saturday with snow. Spring is having a hard time getting through the door. Have a good supply of wood and 25 percent in the LP tank, so will be able to stay warm.

Gene

Been a sad day for me. Bandy was killed in a driveway mishap. He ran under the wheels of a van coming in the driveway. Was able to get him buried before the rain and snow started before noon. I am going to miss the big guy.
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Gene

My sympathy, Gene.  I know just how you feel.  Tough to loose a good buddy that way or any other way.  

Charlie

Thanks Charlie. I will miss him but will go on.

Rain snow and sleet here today and 32degrees with about two inches on the ground.

Gene

Just about the same here, Gene.  Rain started late PM then turned to snow after dark also at 32.

Spent the evening watching the finish of the on line auction that I sent you the Case link from.  One buyer spent $93,500.00 which bought him 25 of the 29 collector tractors offered.  

Charlie

I am sorry to hear of the loss of your old friend Bandy, Gene.

Thanks Ralph. Looks like we are even on our posts.

Gene

Well, that two inches of snow we had last evening turned into 8-10 inches by this morning.  Pretty heavy stuff and loved to stick to the snow shovel like chewing gum on the seat of someones pants.  I rinsed the shovel with warm water and coated it with WD 40 because I had no silicone handy.  I could hardly keep the snow on it then.  Really worked.  The good news is this snow will be all water in a couple of days.

Charlie

Doesn't sound like my kind of sale if one buyer bought that many tractors and spent that much.

Our 2 inches has mostly melted. Just a little in the shaded areas. Was at directors meeting in Portland yesterday and they had very little snow and no rain. Went back to the woods yesterday evening and was really wet Lots of standing water and surface was really wet and soft. Water standing in low spots in the fields. Hand carried the small saw to the back of neighbors woods to check on a couple large oak limbs that that I will cut up when I can get back with the big saw. Was hard walking through the soft ground.

Sunny today, Tuesday and Wednesday with strong winds and in the 60's. Should dry things up some.

Gene