July 03 - Happy 4th of July!!

Take a moment to remember what this date really means! Click here and reread the Declaration of Independence, Good stuff and we should all take a look from time to time. I am having a movie fest tomorrow, Patton, In Harms Way (for John Wayne), Strategic Air Command,(for Jimmy Stewart), and Independence Day (Will Smith seems to be a pretty good guy). I know they are very militaristic, but they are good films and make you glad to be American.

We received .8 inch of rain during last evenings storms. High winds and a lot of electrical activity. The corn and grass liked it even if the cows did not. The wheat still is a week or better from harvest around here. The cooler temperatures that we have now won't be pushing it very hard either.

July 10 - weird Summer weather

We have been having some weird temperature swings around here this summer. Normal July temps should be 84º F, (I looked it up). Tuesday it was 94º F and Wednesday it was barely into the low 60s F. It could drop into the upper 40s tonight (still Wednesday). I had to put a sweat shirt on to walk the pastures, and several neighbors were seen in their coveralls.

I have been clipping (actually, peeling hair down with a sheep head clipper with 20 tooth goat comb) our Fall & Winter calf crop the past two days. Removing the baby hair that is bleached and looking woolly really makes them look fantastic. They will regrow a new black velvet coat that always gets us an enormous amount of compliments at our county fair in August. It seems to make a really big difference in the way a lot of visitors look at the calves. People who have seen them before and after being clipped can't believe they are the same animals. It really pays off.

July 15 - Wheat harvest started

We started wheat harvest yesterday evening. Moisture is just getting down to the 14% range. Yield looks decent but not a bin buster. The heat and humidity were terrible yesterday. Temperature was 97-100º F and humidity felt to be near that. There was a slight breeze, which was the only thing that made it worth living. I don't care for the heat but I really hate the humidity!

We started mowing down the second cutting of hay this morning. After we get it up it would be nice to get some rain. The grass is starting to get quite stressed both in the pastures and in the lawns. The flies seem to be getting very bad. Hopefully we can eliminate some of them by being able to haul manure onto the harvested wheat ground.

July 17 - Hot & Humid

Had visitors from Southern Ohio, near Athens, looking at heifer prospects this morning. It is always nice to visit with fellow breeders. We round baled 33 bales of straw yesterday. There was a lot of grass in the field and it will make nice feed. Temperature is expected to be near 100º today with very high humidity. There is a slight breeze.

We are starting to bale second cutting Alfalfa this afternoon. It looks nice and there is a decent yield. We will need rain to get a good third cutting though. I put up the new "Plus2.com" Internet design pages yesterday. I have had quite a few inquiries from people with other breeds or operations wanting design work done and not wanting to be listed under Angus1. Now there are two options. The logo at the top left sends you there.

July 21 - Drilled Sudax®

No-till Drilled 18 acres of Dekalb Sudax® into wheat stubble this afternoon. A lot of people drove by the field very slowly, probably thinking I was drilling soybeans. I am sure that they thought that I was a little crazy. Sudax® is a hybrid cross between sudangrass and a male sterile forage sorghum. We hope to get several cuttings from it in the next couple months, both as a greenchop and possibly some hay. This has been an excellent year for our red clover and it is very strong in the wheat stubble. After a couple of years of short hay supplies, it will be nice to have enough, but I want to make sure!

We received light rain late this afternoon, about 4 tenths inch with more expected overnight and into tomorrow. We were just getting to the point where we really needed it. The corn is in tossle and the soybeans are blooming very well. Temperatures are only to get into the upper 70ºs F. for highs. These are a little nicer temps for walking cattle.

July 26 - New Pup

We received just about two inches of rain this week. It all came very slowly and really soaked in well. The only way it could have been better was if it had started about an hour or two later. We still have about 18 acres of Wheat to finish. We will do it today.

Dad & Mom brought our new pup up from Cincinnati last night. My brother-in-law got her from a co-worker in Indiana. She is a 4 week old medium size Boxer. Her mother had been killed by a car. My first pup was a minature boxer and was my chief protector and cow dog while I was growing up. "Indy" is just as cute and is really taking to the farm. The older dogs, and even some of the farm cats, are really excited about her as well.