Fruit tree Fall colors

Fall has arrived.

Apple tree

Apricot tree

Apricot tree

Apricot tree

Pear tree

Willow logs moved

I finally got around to moving and stacking the willow tree logs.  I'll let them dry and split them for firewood next year.

A person could carve out a seat in this log. I probably won't.

Calves, hay, pitchfork

The calves are doing well.  No more crying.  They are eating well.  They are eating from the new bale in the metal feeder, the old hay in the wooden feeder, the Vitalix protein supplement, and the apples and pears I give them every day or two as a treat.

Here is the hay in a photo taken last week.  Being shorter the calves could not reach the top of the hay bale. So I have been pushing hay off the top.  The hay is very tightly wrapped.    So between an irresistible force (me) and an immovable object (the bale) my pitchfork suffered the consequences and broke.  See below for the fixed pitchfork handle; fixed with duct tape and wire.

Day after crash, etc.

I felt better the day after the crash.  I felt better than I expected considering how hard I was hit. And today, two days later, I am feeling even better.

In the light of the next day I found the only damage to my bicycle was my slightly bent left side of the handlebar, and my seat was crooked. I wasn't able to completely bend the handlebar all the way back to level.  For now it is acceptable.  The bicycle rides true; I am able to ride the bicycle with no hands as it tracks nicely.

I got three more loads of free dirt on Wednesday.  I am done hauling dirt now as I have filled in most areas that could use a little more dirt.

Area near where I got the dirt.

Each time I got dirt the dirt owner and I got to talking about this and that, and one time we talked about our fathers.  In the end he gave me, for my wood stove, this box of kindling his late father had made.  Apparently there is much more kindling his father had made in his spare time.

The dirt owner did have one mishap when loading dirt in my pickup.  He was in a hurry and something slipped and loader's bucket hit the top of the side of my pickup bed denting it.  It's unfortunate, but oh well... what can I do, what's another dent?


I am glad I am done getting dirt and hay and can take a break from driving among Flathead's crazy drivers.  On Wednesday when hauling dirt I saw the aftermath of a wreck.  A pickup was facing north in the southbound lane's ditch.  A goose-neck dump style trailer was in the ditch with its end on the highway's shoulder.  I didn't notice any other vehicles.  A fire truck was hosing the wreck down.  Four highway patrol cars were parked there.

Then as I drove the car (male with Flathead plates) ahead of me turned off the highway onto a road.  While the highway's shoulder was as wide as a traffic lane the driver slowed way down and I had break while hoping the vehicles behind me stopped also.  Highway speed at the time was 65 mph.  This driver turned at a slower speed than the woman who turned the previous night and hit me.

Since four highway patrol cars were at the crash site (when only one was needed), most everyone was driving faster.  Continuing on back at highway speed a car came zooming up weaving both lanes behind me.  Traffic was going 70 mph and the BMW driver must have been driving 100 mph.  He had specialty Montana plates.

I had two cars ahead of me in both lanes, both Flathead drivers. The woman in the car ahead of me overlapped the back of the car in the other lane.  The BMW driver couldn't pass so he tailgated really close to the car in the other lane. The woman ahead of me should have kept the gap closed as the BMW driver would cut in front of her the minute he thought there would be room.  The woman didn't, a gap opened and the BMW darted in front of her with feet to spare.  The BMW driver zipped in and out in very small spaces between vehicles and was quickly gone.

Crazy stupid.

Then at the junction of Hwy 2 and Hwy 40 where Hwy 2 merges with Hwy 40, the woman who had let the BMW through, stopped when the road was designed to merge without stopping.  Stupid!  Both I and the person behind me were paying attention and we also stopped, so no accident occurred.

There was more stupid driving, but you get the point: I wanted to be done driving and off the road.

Today I helped my neighbor Curtis.  He bought a damaged Subaru with a good motor to go with the good Subaru with a bad motor he bought a few weeks ago.  He needed someone to drive his pickup as he drove the damaged Subaru home from Bigfork.  Thankfully the crazies took time off and we made it home without incident.

Cars and crashes

Flathead drivers are notoriously bad drivers.  It's not just anecdotal stories, insurance rates are higher here because of all the bad drivers and all their accidents. Out of state friends and families who visit me often are either frightened or complain about local drivers' behaviors.  Montana's non-specialty license plates indicate the county (7 for Flathead County) on the plates so it is easy to see who is a local driver.

I had errands to run uptown today.  First off, in a 45 mph zone, I witnessed a woman make a sudden right turn from the left lane of a four lane road in order to turn into a business driveway.  She turned in front of and into another SUV in the right lane.  The SUVs crashed together.  There was nothing the woman in the right lane could do.  I don't think the left lane woman signaled her turn.  The women appeared to be ok, the vehicles damaged.

Then I had a car with Washington State plates change lanes right in front of me in a 45 mph area.  He was doing 30-35 mph while I was doing 45 mph.  I was able to slow down to avoid hitting him.

I was able to safely drive home all the way across Kalispell with my new tractor window/door which finally arrived today (it was supposed to be delivered last Wednesday).  The John Deere parts person had even given up and ordered the window/door again yesterday (which should show up in a few days).  Apparently the trucking company delivers from Portland, Oregon to Kalispell via Denver, Colorado and Missoula, Montana.

Later, while driving to get more dirt, a short distance up ahead a 20-something female Flathead driver did a u-turn across 4 lanes of traffic on Hwy 2.  The speed limit was 70 mph and plenty of traffic on the road.  No accident occurred.

Going into Columbia Falls in a 45 mph zone I passed a barely 20-something woman going 5-10 mph less.  She had both hands on the steering wheel.  She also was holding a cell phone and texting.

So... considering the Flathead drivers were crazier than normal, was it wise to go for my nightly 12 mile bicycle ride?  I hadn't ridden Monday night so I was itching to go for a ride.  Wrong move.

The moon is over half full and bright so I only turn on my bicycle light when cars approach.  I was returning home and only four tenths of a mile from the ranch when around the curve came a pickup going fast. The road's speed limit is 35 mph and drivers often go faster.  Before I could turn my bicycle light on the pickup suddenly turned towards the wide potato warehouse driveway.  She didn't signal.  I was in the way.

She had seen me after she started to turn and tried to stop. I veered to avoid the crash as best I could and was hit on my left side. I went under the front of the pickup and she skidded to a stop before the pickup tire could roll over me. 

The driver was a young 20-something woman with an even younger female passenger.  They were both freaking out.  I had to calm them down.  I would have hugged the driver to calm her down but I was hopping on one foot as one of my shoes was still under the pickup.  So was my bicycle.  My hat was off in the distance back of and to the side of the pickup.  The passenger got my hat for me and pulled my bicycle from under the pickup.  I retrieved my shoe.

The driver wanted to do something to make up for hitting me.  She offered to make me supper.  I declined the offer.

Nothing on me is broken.  Nothing on my bicycle appears to be broken.  I'll see better tomorrow when it is light.  My bicycle still works although it feels like my handlebar is bent on one side.

I am bruised and have amazingly little road rash considering I was pushed along a gravel road after I went down.  Even more so amazing as I was wearing cutoff shorts and had bare legs.

A cooler night, I was wearing my red ragged homeless coat over my flannel shirt, so that protected my arms.

I am bruised on my left thigh from the impact of the pickup; have a little road rash on my left arm, even through the coat; and have a cut on my right leg (from?).  Explain all that!

As I mentioned my coat is red (and ragged) and the passenger initially thought I was covered in blood.  Nope.

I was able to ride my bicycle home.  I showered the dirt off my legs.  I am pretty sore and figure I will be even more stiff and sore tomorrow.

Hay and dirt

I hauled two more loads of hay today.  I am done hauling hay.  I now have 58 large bales which should be more than enough hay this Winter.

I hauled three more loads of dirt today.  It is so nice to have it loaded into the pickup.

The sun set as I hauled the third load.

Fixed a post

I fixed the post I bumped into with the tractor the other week.  As you can see the post was rotting away before I bumped and broke it.

Daisy came and kept me company as I dug a new hole for the replacement railroad tie.

After I was done with the new post I was reminded how the distance under the gate to the ground is greater than I prefer.  While the heifers, cows and bull can not get under the gate, I am not sure about young calves.  So back to Craigslist.  I found a person with free fill dirt.  Sandy Loam which matches my dirt.  Few rocks. Not too far way (Columbia Falls).  And the guy has a bobcat type (actually a Case) loader.  Which is great as the last time I got dirt I had to shovel it into the pickup myself.

My pickup is a half ton and the bed sinks with weight.  I was able to take three full buckets before the pickup's mud flaps touched the ground.  I drove the back roads home so I wouldn't have to drive fast.

Before the dirt

After the dirt

Now if Buddy refrains from using the dirt to take a dirt bath, this should be enough.


I got three pickup loads.  One for under the gate, another for a low spot in the corral and the third for near my mailbox.  I plan to get more loads tomorrow as he has plenty left.


Today I also got another load of three hay bales from Dan.  I have a couple loads left to haul.  Probably will get them tomorrow.  So... another busy day.

Weaning calves day 3

The calves have settled down.  They are hoarse, but don't cry/bellow much.  The mothers will sit outside the corral when they are chewing their cud; otherwise they spend their time in the neighbor's pasture eating grass.

Friday I spent $120 on a 250 pound tub of Vitalix #4 Natural 22 as a supplement to the hay.  (http://www.vitalix.com/assets/products/2014%20Products/-4-natural22.pdf)

• Characteristics: 22% all natural protein with Vitalix Proprietary Enzyme Package; #4 Natural is available with added Diatomaceous Earth (#4 DE) or with added Magnesium (#4 Mag) as special order products sold in 3 ton increments.

• Use: Extra energy boost when being fed poor quality roughage or during drought where forage supply is inadequate.

• Feeding Recommendations: 1/2 to 1 1/2 lb per 1000 lb animal per day. Guide: One 250 lb tub for every 20-30 head of cattle.

They lick it occasionally.



I also removed the old broken bale feeder.  Having the tractor is nice.  The newer bale feeder is in the background.  Due to the broken piece that reached the ground I ended up driving in reverse so I wouldn't chance driving on the piece that touched the ground.

Using the tractor Friday evening I carried a bale of hay into the corral. The tractor is so much nicer and quicker than pulling a bale on a wooden pallet.

I used one of the bales I had bought from east of the mountains.  That is my best hay.  I want the best hay to help the calves recover quickly from weaning and to grow well in the 30 days I will have them until I sell them.

As I cut net wrap from the bale the calves realized better hay was available and the rushed in to eat from the bale.  I was able to lower the bale to the ground with no problems.  But when it came to tipping the heavy metal feeder over the bale I had to be careful.  I rolled the feeder next to the bale. I went around the bale and chased the calves away.  Then I tipped the feeder over the bale.  As the feeder came down two calves went up to the bale to eat more hay.  I ran around the bale and chased them away just before the feeder came crashing down on them.

The calves love their new hay.  The mothers stood outside the corral and watched as I prepared the bale. They bellowed their jealousy.

Non-stop day

It was a very busy day for me.

From moving irrigation pipe when I got up I went to hauling three loads of Dan's hay to a load of his corral panels to setting up the corral panels in the neighbor's pasture to checking the neighbor's fence to letting the cattle into the neighbor's field to again moving irrigation pipe in the evening to my 12 mile evening bicycle ride.  With quick breaks during the day to eat a little breakfast, lunch and supper and to check on the calves.

It got colder than predicted on Thursday morning.  The predicted low: 37 F.  Officially it was 24 F.  My thermometer said: 28.

At any rate the temperature was below freezing.  I had my irrigation going and woke up to this...

Where a pipe valve leaks.

One sprinkler line

Another sprinkler line

Alfalfa iced

Yes... the pipes were cold to the touch when I moved them.


The hay.  I borrowed Dan's trailer to move the hay I bought from him.  I could only haul 3 bales at a time.  Each trip took an hour and a half.  It is nice to have my tractor to unload the bales so I don't have to push and roll them off the trailer anymore.

Tomorrow I will haul some more hay.  A load or two or three each day depending on how many chores Dan has at his old place where the hay is located.


After I hauled the hay I borrowed and hauled 13 of Dan's corral panels.  I didn't have enough panels of my own to fence off the neighbor's field.  This neighbor has some of his stuff at one end of his field and I don't want my cattle messing with his stuff.

After fencing off part of his field I checked his fence.  I quick repaired a section and closed a couple of gates.  Then I let the cows in the field.  Most cows understood when I called them though it took them a few minutes for most to understand what I was doing.  The gate to the neighbor's field is a barb wire string gate and the cattle didn't realize I was calling them to a gate.  Two of the heifers stood at the fence looking at the cows inside the neighbor's field.  They were too dumb to come when I called them to the open gate.  Buddy was doing his own thing and once he realized the cows were in the neighbor' field he sauntered over nearby to where the heifers stood at the fence.  I had irrigation pipe to move before it got too dark so I left it up to the three to figure things out.



After bellowing most of the night, finally in the afternoon the cattle quieted down somewhat.  Mainly because they are tired from all their bellowing.  Many calves are hoarse and several cows are close to being hoarse.

Here is a short video of the calves late Thursday afternoon.  Day 2 of the weaning.  Notice the calves are tired and many are hoarse.  40 seconds long.   https://youtu.be/gXGUWUo0W8U

Weaning calves

Wednesday morning when I went out to move irrigation pipes I discovered Rose was on the other side of the fence and in Wyatt's field.  By the time I reached the gate to let Rose back into the pasture the herd had come and all stood on the pasture side of the gate.  I opened the gate a little bit but Rose just stood there looking at the gate, me and the cattle.  The herd wanted to join Rose more than she did them.

I called Donna.  As she walked out to the pasture the herd saw her and walked towards her.  I then was able to open the gate wider and herd Rose back into the pasture.


I planned to start weaning the calves on Friday the 18 when the Farmer's Almanac said were the best days to wean (Sept 18-26).  Donna suggested I start the weaning now as the cattle were willing to follow us to the corral and she was here to help me sort the calves from their mothers.

It was easy to get the cattle to follow me into the corral.  And it was easier than expected to sort the mothers from the calves.  Mama was the exception as she knew something was up.  Before we knew it the cows, heifers and Buddy were back out in the north pasture.  Buddy was there before Wednesday as he had broken the top fence wire when reaching for apples on the other side of the fence.  He then was able to jump over a two strand fence (which I fixed today).  To the rest of the cattle the north pasture was 'new' to them as they hadn't been in the north pasture all Summer.  And the grass was the best in the north pasture.

Weaning was off to a good start.  A few hours in and the calves and cows were happy.

It didn't last.  By late afternoon the bellowing and crying was non-stop.  The calves cried and cried.  Other than taking short breaks to eat, the mothers mostly stood outside the corral fence and bellowed.  Buddy and the heifers eventually made their way to the river side of the pasture to get away from the noise.

Into the evening the calves cried and the cows bellowed.  Some of the calves are getting hoarse from their non-stop bellowing.  The cows still have their voice.

This is the worst weaning ruckus I have ever had.  It will be a very long three days.  Early evening I worked on replacing a fence post and the constant noise was getting on my nerves.  I imagine the neighbors aren't thrilled.

Very start of weaning.

The bawling is beginning.

Here is a 2 minute video of the cattle's bawling near its start: https://youtu.be/h8vBZDycik0

-

In the shed

Rain came by 1 am Tuesday night/morning.  With a broken cab door it was important to get the tractor under shelter.  I cleared out most of the stuff temporarily stored in one stall of the pole shed.  It was dark by the time I was done.  I found that the tractor's lights front and back are massive and bright.

The tractor just fits in there. Part of the bale spear sticks out from under the roof.  I have to remember to turn the radio's antenna down closer to the cab when I drive in here.

I put the block of wood in front of the bale spear point so I don't accidentally run into the spear.

I ordered a new cab door.  The "$300 plus shipping" door is for tractor serial number 420001 and up.  I have an earlier serial number before John Deere made a slight modification to the cab and door.  So I have to get a door from John Deere itself instead of an after market company. The cost... $497.

Stump and hay

Sunday Wyatt helped me with the routine maintenance on my tractor.   I bought all the coolants, oil and lubricants my tractor's operating manual said was needed for my tractor.  Some items were bought in five gallon buckets.  $250 later...

When we started we discovered the hours last changed were written on most of the filters.  So I didn't need to replace many filters and oils right now.  Saved $100+.

I need to get an air compressor and a power washer.  The large tractor air filter was very dusty.  The tractor and its engine wasn't too dirty but the pressure washer cleaned it up nicely.

After the maintenance was done I did a few chores with my tractor.  I moved out to the pasture the large stump base of the willow tree that had fallen on the garage.

Then I went back to moving the large hay bales I had been doing when I broke the tractor's door. To get the bales off the ground I put all the large bales on wooden pallets. As you see below the bales were killing the grass even at the short time I have had the bales.  The bottom of the bales were damp from ground contact even dry as it is.

Tractor door

Two weeks.  I have had this tractor for two weeks as of today and I already broke it.   *argh!!!*

This evening I broke the left hand door on the tractor's cab.  I was moving hay bales so I can put wooden pallets underneath them so the water that runs off the loafing shed won't get them wet and create moldy hay.  To get the first few bales right I was in and out of the tractor cab numerous times.  I had 6 to 12 inches to move the bale and because I would be getting out of the cab to check again, and because I had such a short distance to move, I left the cab's door partway open instead of closing it like the other times.

I drove forward and apparently the door swung open farther, caught on a hay bale near the tractor, and shattered.  Into a million pieces.

The cab's door is glass surrounded by a rubber weatherstrip.  No metal frame.

I'm upset. For a number of reasons.  For breaking something on the tractor so soon after getting it.  For not closing the door.  For not seeing the door swing open.  And for yet another thing to fix.

This year has been nothing but fixing broken things.

1. The house well
2. The garage roof
3. my car
4. The loading corral gate and board after Dan's cow broke them
5. The corral board the calves broke
6. The gate the bull bent
7. the corral's railroad tie that leaned
8. the post I bumped with the tractor (yet to fix)
9. the tool shed roof that leaks (yet to fix)
10. The fence I cut to let the semi in with hay (yet to fix)
11. The irrigation pipes' gaskets (still working on)

and now the tractor door.

Add in the time I spent to get a new pump and the time I am spending getting the irrigation pipes and gaskets into working order.  No wonder hardly any improvements gets done.

I've had it up to here with stuff breaking.  I would like to upgrade more of my fences, especially as Buddy the bull is going where he pleases over the three strand wire fences between the three pastures.

So I am in a bad mood tonight.  Good thing I live alone.  If I drank, I would be drinking tonight.  Heavily.

I found a couple of places online that sell replacement doors. $300 plus shipping.  Apparently I'm not the only idiot who has broken his tractor's door.  In one site's comment section a wife complained this was the second door she ordered for her husband and wished he would learn to keep the door shut.

I got most of the glass up off the ground and out of the tractor.  Tomorrow I will get the pieces I missed as it was getting dark.

ARGH!

Corral fix

I've found time between moving irrigation pipes to work on other things.

I finally trapped the last of the pocket gophers (for now).   September is a tough month to trap pocket gophers. Over the years I have noticed gophers around this time of year would  fill the traps with dirt rather than go inside the traps.  Over and over I would clear the trap and reset it.   This morning after going around and around clearing the traps I trapped the final two gophers.  That makes 33 for the year, a few more than the total trapped last year.


I finally got the last of the corral repairs done.  I replaced a board the calves broke last Spring when reaching for grass outside the corral.  I also straightened a railroad holding a gate and also the gate itself after Buddy had bent it last Spring.  I used my tractor.  Otherwise I would have had to use a chain and the pickup to pull and straighten the railroad tie.

Straightening a railroad tie

Straightening a gate

Bird and lock

This morning I woke up to scratching sounds in the metal pipe between the wood stove and the chimney.  A bird had fallen down the chimney.  It happens every few years.  Once the bird finally made its way down into the wood stove itself, and settled down, and Daisy lost interest and went into the living room, I used an old towel to grab it.  Then I released it outside to fly away.

Please kind sir, could you let me out?

This afternoon the house's door handle broke off.  I always tug on the handle to make sure the door is closed tight.  That over the years, and my strength, did the handle in.  These handles usually have a lifetime warranty - but who keeps receipts of things like this?  I bought and installed a new door handle - and deadbolt to go with it to keep things on one key.

September sunset

Early evening on Monday the rain and clouds slipped east over the mountains.

The sunset to the west.

Daisy watched the sunset with me.

Semi load of hay

A record dry Summer here in the Flathead.  Barely an inch of rain over June, July and August.  Hay is much more expensive this year and is in short supply.  My sources for large round bales had no extra hay to sell to me.  I had to look for hay outside the Valley and east across the mountains.  That meant getting a semi load of hay.  A semi load meant needing a tractor to unload the hay.

I now have a tractor so I looked in earnest for hay.  The closest I found hay was near Browning, MT just east of the mountains.  More hay was available farther away but having hay hauled in on a semi also meant paying shipping.  Shipping runs $4 to $5 a mile.  Ya... that can add up quickly over the miles.

Talking on the phone with the Browning rancher selling the hay I had a good 'vibe' so I order a semi load of hay.

His semi hauls 30 large round bales: 16 bales on the bottom and 14 bales on a second row on top.  The bales are suppose to weigh 1200 lbs to 1300+ lbs which works out to be about 18 to 20 tons of hay.  He charges $4 a mile to haul hay.  Between the cost of the hay and the cost to haul the hay, a semi load of hay for me cost $4000.

I didn't need the hay right away and we both wanted to avoid the rain in the forecast. Lots of rain and he couldn't get his semi in the field to load the hay, and after the rain quit it would take a day for the field to dry before he could load. When the forecast looked right he would load his semi the afternoon/evening before and call me to tell me he would be coming the next morning.

With the forecast I didn't expect the hay until Sunday or Monday but Thursday night was rain free for him (not me) and Friday morning looked good for both of us.  I got a call late Thursday night.

Okay... but I had something to do before he arrived.  A semi truck cannot turn into my driveway or the two separate gates along the road to the fields.  The plan was for the semi to come through my neighbor's property (as he has a large driveway that semis have driven on in the past, and gave me permission to use) and then through my fence onto my property.

Well... not exactly "through" my fence.  I would cut an opening in the fence.  My plans were to do so and put a 16 ft gate there for this semi and any future semis or large trucks.  But.... this busy Summer I had not gotten around to putting a gate in yet.  Now this would be a quick cut in the fence to make an opening large enough for a semi to drive through.

The rancher called 7:30 am in the morning when he left and I had a little over two hours to make an opening.  I did.  My neighbor came outside and helped me.

Due to a stack of long metal pieces on the neighbor's side of the opening the area was only about 11 ft - just enough for the semi to squeeze through.  It did.  The pine tree on the left was brushed by the semi.

After the semi left I placed two corral panels over the opening in the fence.

My camera's battery was too low to take a photo of the loaded semi. 

I went to work with my tractor.  First I moved my existing four bales out of the way.  In doing so I backed into a post by the gate to the north pasture.  I had planned on replacing the post with a railroad tie - next year.  Now I will be replacing the post this year - the sooner the better.

The tractor seller was correct in saying the tractor's tires had ballast in them.  The tractor's loader could just reach the top bales.  A few times I lowered the bales rather fast and had to quickly stop before the bale reached the ground.  The tractor bounced a bit but did not tip forward.

The rancher was an older man, chatty like me, and quite knowledgeable about hay and cattle.  We talked for quite a bit before he went on his way.  Being from east of the mountains he drives a large tractor.  My tractor is a lower mid sized tractor.  Several times the rancher referred to my tractor as a little tractor.

The hay is a alfalfa/orchard grass mix.  It looks to be the best hay I have ever bought.


Below... part of the reason for high cattle prices.... $4000 worth of hay.  And this is about 3/5's of what the cattle will need over Winter.