I think Sunday’s weather was the type we’ve all been waiting for—it felt incredible.
It will take a few of those days to dry things up again, and maybe we will be complaining then about the dry conditions. We haven’t had a lot of rain, but I did cut the grass around and through puddles. I knew I wouldn’t get to it until next weekend, so it was a much-needed task to be completed. By next weekend, it would have been a bigger mess than the water I was driving through.
I was able to get the last of my fertilizer spread on Friday night, so the drizzle on Saturday would have been good for that. It is nice to see the fields greening up, but we are behind! I see people from other parts of the world grazing cattle in knee-high grass, and I am jealous.
I likely shouldn’t jinx myself, but my cattle have been very patient and respectful of eating hay and staying put. I trust they know their time will come, but I am afraid it won’t be this weekend. I generally plan to send them to pasture around June 1, but it won’t be ready for that this year.
The worst part is that my hay is getting low. I have to keep a couple of groups on hay a little longer until breeding is finished, so I have to keep a close eye on what I have for hay. The sheep are booked for shearing on June 6, so they won’t be going anywhere until after that job is completed. I am hoping to get them vaccinated, dewormed and have their hooves trimmed before that.
If you are driving past the Research Station, you will notice the plots are coming along nicely. We will continue with some further planting of forages and plots for the upcoming diagnostic day as well. The hops are finally starting to show growth, but like many other things, they are very behind.
The three of us participated in a first-aid course on Friday. I always say that I hope I never need to use those skills, but at least if I do, I should be somewhat prepared after taking the course every three years for many years now.
On Monday, I had to leave work early to head to Queens Park for a couple of days. I hadn’t made it to Thunder Bay, and the girls texted to say a rock must have gotten tossed from the lawn mower and broken the back window in the parked truck. It is too bad, but better than hitting someone! Lawn mowing is dangerous, especially after snow plowing through the winter and rocks getting moved around.
I hope everyone gets a chance to get out and enjoy some sunshine this week! No complaining about the temperatures. I think we are going to have a fast summer since we are nearly a month behind.
