So I know I'm being cursed by most of you, and judging from most of the Facebook status updates, we all have been enjoying the warmer (read: freaky) Illinois weather (I had three kids sleeping at once yesterday...can I get a high five??), however, right now, Joe kind of needs it to freeze up a bit.
I'm wincing just writing that.
I heard your groans. I felt your confused looks.
So, here's why:
Joe is in the midst of getting ready for calving season. Just a few more weeks and we'll have babies, babies, babies all over the place. That requires a lot of work...big shock. It requires him to move cattle around, prepping areas for them that will be out of the elements in case someone goes early (Elements, what elements? It was 60 degrees and sunny yesterday!). And, if you were ever an expectant mother, you will remember that towards the end, you require a little more sustenance for you and your unborn child. No, he's not delivering ice cream and pickles, or in my case, Peanut M&Ms and Diet Coke (it's amazing my kids came out without M&M stamped on their foreheads), he's feeding hay he baled this summer, along with a little feed, carefully measured and mixed to the cows out on stalks. Both of these tasks require using the chore tractor, and if it's frozen, when one needs to get out onto the rough corn stalk ground, it's a little bumpy, but there's no damage of sinking into the ground.
However, if it's 60 degrees during the day, and then frosty and not frozen the next morning, things can get a little sticky.
So, as much as I have loved having warmer weather, and have even browsed through the new spring arrivals (but not purchased...remember, I'm SAVING) on nordstrom.com, we kind of need it to freeze.
I'll eat my words and be complaining about the 75 feet of snow we'll get because of this post.
Regardless of whether you need it to freeze, or if this lovely weather is helping your January mood, know that there is always some one who needs something different than what is currently on the literal radar screen. Ahhh...fickle farming!!
Happy Saturday!
I remember loving how the "mess" lessened as the ground froze up when we farmed. I'm with you! (Although this sun and temps do make you wonder if it is really winter.) What's ahead?
ReplyDeletehere in florida we have had two morning of temps in the 20's, farmers have lost a lot of crops already and usually our coldest weather is in late Jan.
ReplyDeleteit's been in the 40-50s here too. and we need some colder weather to start hauling manure. we may jus have to stock pile. and the calving pens and heat box go up no matter what. the weather changes too quickly.
ReplyDeleteGood Luck in your calving.
I'm (sadly) with you. We've got too much mud in our pastures for safe calving right now. We need a couple of days of really great freezing weather. (And I just got back from AFBF convention in Hawaii. Talk about culture shock!)
ReplyDelete