From the Barns: Cracking ice

I DO NOT like the cold. Cracking ice this morning 6 inches thick is not that much fun. But, on the bright side is the fact that winter grazing has been a real treat with open forage and lots of it. Cold weather has made us watch the water supplies more closely, but all else has been very pleasant. I see Carson has brought in quite a supply of round hay bales for winter feed when the stockpile is all finished. The custom cows will stay here to winter and calve and the big group of WCC cows will head to the confinement manure pack barn for the rest of the winter and calving. At least that is the plan as last I heard it.

I think I will finally have to dig up the shutoff valve for the pipeline and four waterers here. I worked with it, a 4-inch tube, 5 feet in the ground, where the valve should be easy to see and turn off and on. After four hours of vacuuming stones, sand, and water and finally actually getting to the valve, we got it turned off. Some strange things are going on around that valve underground! Everything else seems winterized and working OK.

I hope to get back to the brush and dead ash tree burnings if some good north winds will help me. So far, have been able to burn 6 of 12 piles with very good success. Delivered some of the big ash sticks to the wood burner friend just in time for cold weather. I like the feeling I get from helping him with fuel to avoid high electricity bills that he cannot afford. I did also have to furnish a good chainsaw to help with the log slicing. I like to have two good saws with, but suppose if I am careful, I can work through the winter with just one.

Are we in for a cold winter? Cows seem to have really laid on a heavy coat. With them all looking very bred and always full of good forage and an extra heavy coat, they are looking fine. We did have an inch of snow last Monday morning, very unexpected, but no harm to the grazing.

Lots of planning going on for winter and early spring events. The Illinois Grazing Lands Coalition Annual Conference will be March 12 and 13 in Springfield. One of the highlights will be the recognition of Master Graziers. If you would like to nominate someone you feel has been outstanding and deserves recognition, please do so at IllinoisGrazingLands.org .

Stay safe and sane and plan to attend some of the great winter events. Oh, and of course, take in some of that great sport of basketball.