How'd it go today?

Good deal Stig.

In keeping with the spirit of the year, all of our stock water took a shit this week. Fortunately we still had some springs running so they were getting a little water.

Apparently the pipe line also has a leak, but the ground is frozen so hard that it wont surface. We cant fix it if we dont know where its broken.

In addition, the well driller said that the well is pumped down about to the pump level, indicating that the formation cant keep up or the perforations are plugged up. Kinda crappy, our 50,000 dollar pipeline is now kinda useless. Might have to drill a deeper well.

So we decided to move the cattle to a pasture with "better" water. Flipping well did not work over there yesterday either. Pump man came back out today and we pulled it. Motor on the pump was shorted, so new pump and control box.

That well is going now and the cows are moved. Wife and hired man had to electric fence a half a mile to keep the cows out of our hay that did not get hauled yet. Ground being frozen......it was a bitch!


Got a feed analysis of our safflower that we combined. We should not have even bothered, its basically valueless. Should have left it standing and grazed it.


Now we are applying for a loan to term out or operating shortfall. Kinda nice since its low interest and we can go for 7 years. It could be worse, some producers are going in to term out their third year of operating.

Probably going to end up being 250,000 before this damn year is over.


But, we all have out health, kids are okay, folks are good, we have some equity left and have some assets. Plus the banks have not forgotten the lesson of the 80's farm crash. They dont want the land!

Gonna go on my annual shopping trip with my friend tomorrow. Have a beer with lunch and bullshit some.

Sharing a molasses cookie that my mom made for me with the kids right now.

Hope everyone has a good Christmas and new year. Or solstice or what ever else you heathens celebrate!
 
Crap Jim. Franklin pump? Shorted is kinda weird unless there was a lightning strike. Wires rub bare on casing, more often just a control box.

Did you keep the old motor or did the pump guy take it?
 
+1, FFZ


Rich, gotta love the drama at the tree co xmas party! :lol:
 
Hey Jim how is your wife doing after her accident? Out fencing, sounds like she's making a comeback :)

Ok, time for me to go make the stuffing for the turkey, and wrap the sausages in bacon...one time of year we go on a bit of a meat overload.
 
Yes Peter. He only uses Franklin. Used to be Red Jacket, but you could buy parts for those.....

It was working when we last used it! Could very well have been lightning. The cap in the control box was a little fishy too. Yes, he leaves the pumps when we pull them. Sometimes I part one out to keep another going. He put a 3/4 horse 10 gallon in the hole this time. Was a 5.


Yes, she is much better Fiona. She still has some back pain, and her ribs are a bit sore yet, but she is happiest when she is out working with the cows.
 
CurSedVoyce said:
Well done Stig. Happy you found a keeper too. Good fit or you would not keep him. You needed that after loosing the last one.
Click to expand...

We talked a bit with him yesterday and told him that we'd almost fired him after the first two months, but then he really started to getting into what we wanted him to do and learn.
Then he told us that he'd been close to quitting several times, because we rode him so hard,
Then he went to the forestry school for his first semester and all the teachers were telling him how lucky he were, getting to work with us. That we were extremely hard on apprentices but that if he could hack it, he'd come out way ahead of his class mates.
When he got to work with the class at school, he realized that he was literally lightyears ahead of the others. They did the basic hardwood logging class and after the first day the teachers pulled him aside and asked if he would help teach the class.

I've just had a serious talk with the leader of the school about getting him out of some classes in the 3rd semester on merit, there is no reason he should take logging classes when he is already a safe,fast and precise faller.
The school agreed with that, fortunately, because some of the classes Mathias has had to take, has really been stuff we had already taught him.I've had him on the phone several times, complaining that they were wasting his time.

Like my old apprentice, Anders, who had to take the basic treeclimbing class after we got home from California and the Redwoods and Sequoias:lol:
Martin had done 45 takedowns as climber when he took basic treeclimbing, that was just as big a joke.

Mathias still has 1½ year to go as apprentice, once we're finished with him, he'll certainly be worth keeping.

The fun thing about working with my old apprentices ( Richard is one, too) is that they are literally as close to a clone of me, that you can get.
They do things the same way and look at work the same way.
That makes for an efficient team, since we almost never have to discuss how to do a given job.
 
:) Highly trained team members that all know what comes next...kind of Special Forces mentality. Very efficient, survival oriented, result driven.
 
Popped across the channel for Christmas with the in laws.

Mil got me a t-shirt for my recent birthday.....
 

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Cool!
When spring comes to France, you'll have to take a picture of you on the Norton wearing that and post in the motorcycle thread.

We made a trip to the beach. Cold and windy, but still nice.
The dogs are impervious to the cold, it seems.
P1050200.JPG P1050206.JPG P1050214.JPG P1050219.JPG
 
It's been snowing near non stop here for a few days now. Seems like it's going to hold off for Christmas and let me enjoy the eve and day. I hope everyone is having a great holiday time with family and friends. Stay safe and best wishes.
 
FireFighterZero said:
Bought the kids a single shot .22. They will get it tomorrow for Christmas.

Kinda funny, I am fixing to be the hero and the asshole all in one go.

I figure I will prop it in the corner just like in the Christmas Story.
Click to expand...

That's awesome Jim. From the other pics you've posted of your son reloading he certainly seems focused enough of a youngster for it.
 
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