Shelling Corn

Saturday-I guessed wrong.  Bruce fed everyone last night and when I asked what time he came in he only told me "late".  Ed is done combining for now so he has been getting a load of corn silage from his silo for Bruce. It is nice to have that taken off Bruce's to do list for now. Joe came for morning milking so he and I started while Bruce was still feeding.  The new heifers are adjusting to their new home.  They have all figured out how to use a drinking cup and get up and lie down.  They have already decided they like the feed cart when it goes by, even if it is only an opportunity to steal a little cow TMR.  There is one that gets a little excited when we touch her yet so we are extra careful when we milk the cow next to her.  Every day we scratch her back and talk to her.  Already she is better but still a bit excited.  Bruce always leaves some lights on the first night cattle are in a new place.  They have settled in enough that he can turn them off.

Sunday-Jim came home last night to help us today.  He is always good help since he grew up here and he and Bruce make a great team.  Bruce got the plank barrier next to the blower set and Jim moved the screenings pile into place to form a driveway/ramp for unloading.  While he was doing that Bruce was adjusting the chopper we rent to its original settings so it can be returned before the rain.  As intended, we hauled one pen of animals over to their winter home in Ed's yard so Jim helped Bruce uncover the silo and get the unloader running so they can be fed in the bunk.  By early afternoon Ed was home and ready to combine for us so Jim climbed the Harvestore and opened the hatch and set the blower pipe so we could fill.  Jim and a friend hauled loads while Bruce and I moved cattle.  The combining day was shortened some by a chain that tore off but they managed to get 7.5 acres done is a pretty short amount of time.  Ed says the corn is yielding well, guessing close to 200 bushels per acre.  With everything going on, feeding got started late so milking was late.  In self defense I did start milking myself.   It was a very productive day!

the third load of breaker rock for building up the driveway.

This is the current system for getting corn silage.  The trailer has a hydraulic lift and we have a reload area to put it in the mixer with the skid steer.

It was 28 degrees yesterday morning.  Mike's swimming season is over.