February 1, 2007

Well here it is the beginin of February already. I guess the weather is on everyone’s mind. At least up in these parts it is. Extreme cold with high winds makes it dangerous for travel and hard on all things livin and mechanical. Vehicles won’t start and if they do it is by luck or by golly if they break somethin or not. I like to hunker down in times like this and just wait things out. Suppose to be Groundhog Day tomorrow. I’m tellin ya no groundhog is comin out in this deal. Wife and daughter have gone off to church to help with the play again. Wish they didn’t have to go because I don’t like them on the roads when it is like this. But they committed and I guess ya should stand by your word. I read on the http://ndhomekeeper.blogspot.com/ND Homekeeper blog this evening that they are havin some problems with their animals because of the cold. Ya wonder how any livin thing can survive in this stuff. Actually I think they are worse off than us because if I’m not mistaken I think I heard a blizzard went through their area a day back. The forecast says it is goin to get worse before it gets better so we better take er as she comes and get er done.

I had a vacation day from work yesterday and decided to go to the Brokenhead Ag Conference in Beausjour. I had a fine time. Listened to a couple of talks. One was on grazzin cattle on turnips and the other was on biodiesel production for the farmer. I also sat in on a talk about hirin farm help and how to hire and keep good people. Now my little two bit operation is never goin to require me to need staff (that’s what we have kids for, right?) but I do have those requirement in my other job so I found the info interesting and I think I will be able to put some of it to good use. The biodiesel deal was interestin but unless ya got 75 grand to invest in equipment it ain’t going to fly (or at least that is what the fella said). The cost of production of biodiesel per gallon is actually higher than regular diesel. The only thing its got goin for it right now is it is produced from a renewable resource. The conference cost 10 bucks but with that ya got a good lunch, all the donuts and coffee ya can get in ya and spent the day in a warm hall learnin stuff. Good way to spend a cold winter day.

Got some of my chicken plucker parts ordered from the Wizbang Chickenplucker guy. I think his name is Herrick. Should be here next week (I hope). I will get the frame finished and painted this weekend (again, I hope).

Another birthday comin up this weekend. Oldest daughter had her 18th last Saturday and now my youngest daughter is goin to be 13 this Sunday. Man, life is goin by fast. Need to slow it down but there ain’t no way. Just got to hang on and enjoy the ride I guess.

Egg production is almost nil with this cold weather. Cost more in food than what we are gettin in eggs. I guess they are usin all their energy to keep warm. Ya know it is cold when ya look forward to gettin into that stinky chicken barn to get out of the wind.

I started doin my farm taxes this evenin. Man, that’s depressin. Ya start addin up your expenses and look at your income and ya got to wonder why would any person work like this for so little return. It’s a way of life and I can’t think of a better way to live. I really don’t care if I make a nickel. It’s like that old joke. One ol farmer says to the other, what would ya do if ya won the lottery. The other ol farmer says, Oh I don’t know, I guess I will just keep on farmin till it is all gone. That’s me. If I won a million dollars. I’d buy me some cows and hogs and some machinery. No holiday or new boat for me. Well, maybe a new boat for fishin but not one of those fancy ones. Just a 14 footer allum. with a 20 hp motor. Not that I have thought about it or anything.

Ya know I,m getting tired so I am goin to end this deal and head off to hit he hay. Talk to ya all real soon