This week in homesteading didn't quite go as well as planned or hoped for. It started off very cold and then we got a bit more rain and snow which made the ground muddy but then froze hard. It would melt some during the day and then refreeze at night which meant you never really knew what you were going to be stepping on or in and guaranteed any movement of large equipment was going to leave ruts.
I hate ruts....
The sheep separation went well as did the market run but because we waited too long we actually ended up costing ourselves about $1200.00 overall. What happened was the yearlings were allowed to get too heavy and the average weight pushed them up into the third sales category. The 75 to 90 pound division and prices for that weight average were almost a dollar less per pound than the 55 to 75 range we usually aim for.
I know it doesn't make sense to some people but had I taken them in back in December when I usually do we would have gotten more money overall and not had the expense of almost two months of feed either. Of course the market price was lower then too because supply was heavier. Either way it's going to hurt the numbers for this year and more than likely we are going to get pushed into the red. That was expected though as this last year has been anything but normal and I have been sinking some huge amounts of money into the operation so there is no way we are going to hit black on the bottom line. More than likely won't this year either unless I scale back some big purchases and the fencing project and I don't plan on doing that.
Speaking of fencing. Yesterday was a beautiful day with a high in the 50's and little wind. I decided to start tearing down the old fence and made a little progress until I got to a section of woven wire that had the bottom six inches or so buried in the ground. The ground under about an inch is still frozen solid as a rock and no amount of pulling was going to get that woven wire out of the ground. I brought out the tractor and tried to pull it that way and only succeeded in lifting the front off the ground. Eventually the wire broke and I now have woven wire sticking up out of the ground I am going to have to dig out after it thaws.
This was when I discovered the top inch or so was thawed and I ended up tearing the top soil off the Alfalfa field a bit. So the tractor went back in to the barn and I tried working on another section that had been patched with a cattle panel. I got it pried off the posts easy enough but the bottom was stuck in tall grass and wouldn't come free. I didn't want to bend the panel up since it was in good shape yet and I hope to reuse it so I was pulling it out by hand.
I only got it about halfway free before I gave up as I felt a heart attack coming on :)
Well I over did it. If I don't injure myself at least once a month around here I feel like I am not working hard enough. This morning I woke up and can't straighten myself out past a bent over old man stoop and my lower back feels like it has been crushed with a sledge hammer.
Guess that will learn me.
So here is an even more beautiful day with highs projected into the 60's and I am stuck inside moaning every time I have to move.
Maybe the pain will reduce itself enough to at least allow me to hobble out to the bee hives and watch the girls fly for a bit. At least I will know some work is getting done around here today then.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!
Take some ibuprofen then go outside & lay in the sun like a lizard to warm up the back. The fresh air would be good for you, too! We got hammered with rain last night and the majority of the snow has melted, so you best get yourself outside and enjoy the day since it will probably all be heading your way.
ReplyDeleteHope you feel better soon and are back to your ornery self again. :-)
Hobo - Our 10 day forecast is saying 40 and 50's highs from now until the 17th. Of course that can and will change tomorrow though won't it. I took your advice and am now feeling much better this evening.
DeleteBack and knees sir, back and knees. You will need them later...
ReplyDeleteTB - Ya I know. I tend to forget I am at a point in my life when it is much easier to hurt myself than I am used to :(
DeletePreppy - It is happening to me once in a while as well. Yesterday I was trying to lift something from a kneeling position and just went right over to the side. That would not have happened 5 years ago. Must get stronger.
DeleteTake a hot shower and let it hit your back, then take the pain meds.
ReplyDeleteRob - Good advice and it worked too!!!
DeleteHow old are you pp if you don't mind me asking. I'm forever hurting myself but normally cuts and bruses.
ReplyDeleteAs for lamb prices it used to vary loads here as well (I'm sure it still does) but I remember the first time we got over £80 per animal. He was walking on sunshine that day as the average the week before was about £44. This is all about 15 years ago though when we used to keep a lot more sheep
Kev - I will be 50 in just a couple of weeks. I didn't start noticing doing any real damage to myself by pushing to hard until I hit about 47 or so. I mean sure I had over done it before but the recovery time seemed to grow exponentially at around 47. I am sure it will get worse when I hit 60+ :(
DeleteYa I would love to build up to selling about 50 to 60 lambs a year myself. I have the land to actually feed em if the horses are gone and keep the overhead low enough to make a tidy profit. Enough I could afford to focus on sheep and bees as a livelihood I think. The number work out but it's the unknown disasters that are the problem.
Ibuprofen and my very favorite thing for back pain, thermocare stick on heat pads. Feel better friend!
ReplyDeleteLW - That sounds interesting. I just used a hot shower but heat pads and a stick I may have to remember that and give it a try.
DeleteThis is why folks don't want to farm! It's work! But good for you for hanging in there and making at least some progress. If we can do at least that, I'm usually fairly content with the day.
ReplyDeleteLeigh - Yes it is work and more than that it's an everyday commitment that I think a number of people are just not willing to be tied down too. The whole free to do what ay want craze I guess :)
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