Good Morning!!!!!!

[mike89]

mornin all, 64 here and heading towards 85 today...  got some rain over night and I didn't hear anything..  looks like maybe 1/4 or so..  I'll check the rain gauge later..  got a few things done outside yesterday, did them slowly..   got a few more for today..  have a good day all!! 

[LPS]

Morning boys.  It's a nice 62 degree morning here.  Pretty damp too.  Well we got the lawn/pasture mowed yesterday.  Could have almost baled it for Bucko.  The fox has been terrorizing the dogs this morning.  Running by the house and then sitting on one of our round bales looking at the house wondering where the dogs are. Drives them nuts.  LOL  Well I may try to mow our ditch.  Hasn't been mowed all summer so it is long and will be wet.  Will just try to hack through it.  I had it so nice and maintained before the hip.  Well you all have a nice day. 

[markn]

Headed into town for my monthly trip to the bone cracker. Not sure what I'll do after that. Might stop by Harbor or FF to see if there's anything I can't live without. Have a great day all; later.....

[Dotch]

Mornin' fellow gulag comrades! 68 at choretime heading for a high in the lower 80's. .08" of precip at the ranch and a surprising .64" in Bugtussle. Was a nice visit with my brother Saturday but after that things went downhill. Wife was gone all day to the Freeborn Co. Fair yesterday. The Steele Co. Fair starts Aug. 13th. The Steele Co. neighbor 4-H kid hasn't been up to work with her ewe yet. This is the wife's project, not mine. They were past the deadline getting their entries in but somehow managed to get a one-time late entry grace entry. Last nite I get a call from the kid's dad when I had 15 minutes of chores left, wondering if they can come up to work with it for the 1st time. It's hot, I'm sweaty and ready to take a breather. Plus I have a bunch of other crap to do yet. So they come up & he whines about how tough the spring was. I know. I measure the rainfall. In the next breath, he says they needed to work with the sheep this week because they're going on vacation next week! Guess who gets to take a chunk of his time to deal with this mess all week? It was after dark when I got in the house and I still didn't get everything done. So mad I could spit tacks!         

[roony]

Don't 4-H kids take ownership of their animals anymore?

[Dotch]

Seldom do 4-H kids actually own their livestock anymore other than on paper unless their parents are raising livestock as well. Especially on the market animal side it's no longer who raises the best, it's who's parents bought the best and have connections. Ridiculous how much they'll pay for a market wether for example just so they can potentially get into the 4-H auction at the State Fair. That's brought about lots of cheating in the form of performance enhancing drugs. Know some people locally who were recently banned because their market show lambs tested positive. Meanwhile, kids showing purebred breeding stock get nothing other than a premium check and a pat on the back. We've tried to make our voices heard on that issue but no one's listening. It's all become a far cry from the days you and I remember roony. Sad really because it sends the wrong message and we wind up with issues like we're having. Late with your entries? Can't get off your butt to work with your animal? Tough bounce. Not my job to do all that for you & not my 4-H project. You get out of it what you put into it.     

[roony]

I'm mostly glad I'm not involved anymore. Our last year in 4-H with the kids their hogs were disqualified because their ears weren't notched correctly. The boys had the pigs in plenty of time and we had taken pictures of them with their hogs when we got them. On the other hand, some of rge winning hogs were obviously ear notched just before bringing them to the fair, they were still bleeding. These pigs were selected out of thousands and were not taken care of by the kids. I don't get angry often but I did this time. The cheaters were rewarded by Mn Extension.
I had good memories of my years in 4-H and wanted the same for my kids. We quit and never looked back. Up theirs.

[Steve-o]

Y'all see that Google Artificial Intelligence ad on TV?   "OK, Google, help my daughter write a letter to her sports idol..." 

This next generation coming up isn't going to be able to do anything for themselves.



And Google is taking heat for it.  Google Turns Off Comments For Olympics Ad Facing Backlash Over Questionable Use Of A.I.

[Dotch]

My sister had the same take roony. She took her two boys to some 4-H meetings and events to check it out. She was so appalled by what she saw, she pulled the pin on it quickly. Not the 4-H she remembered or one that would teach the proper values to the boys she was suddenly raising herself after her husband died.

Ya I agree Steve-O. AI has crept into a lot of places. It's become part of Microsoft Office & several others when they do updates whether they tell you or not. When I write using agronomic terms, the autocomplete function on Word has become obnoxious about suggesting things when they need to be left as is. Otherwise it comes off sounding completely nonsensical. It's getting worse. When they ask for feedback, I send them nasty grams telling them they are fools and Bill Gates sucks!         

[glenn57]

afternoon fellers.....got back home about 12;30. pretty much unpacked.....do some garden stuff i reckon!!!

we had 3/4 inch of rain last night!! to warm and sticky for my liking......but i'll plug away!!!!!

[roony]

Dotch I give you credit for helping keep our youth involved with livestock projects. It's too baaaad their parents don't have the same commitment.

[LPS]

I agree Roony.  Dotch good for you for helping those kids but don't their parents have any manners to call a day or two ahead of time?  They must think you are in the barn just waiting for them.  ???  City kids are supposed to do other 4H things and Farm kids do farm animals.

[LPS]

So my gas pump arrived.  Ordered it back when we were talking about them.  Kept having shipping problems.  Finally they refunded my money and told me it wasn't coming.  SO I ordered the $49 one since the $39 didn't come.  Just got batteries so will try it out tomorrow.  Has auto shut off too.    Thanks for the idea Mike!

[mike89]

I can't take the credit because Gunner and Bobber got me thinking about it...   I do like my elcheapo one, just have to watch for when it's full is all...   so thanks guys!!!   

[roony]

afternoon fellers.....got back home about 12;30. pretty much unpacked.....do some garden stuff i reckon!!!

we had 3/4 inch of rain last night!! to warm and sticky for my liking......but i'll plug away!!!!!

You're such a martyr!

[glenn57]

  i managed to pick cukes, tomatoes, green beans and dill !!!   AND cleaned up sticks in the yard!!!!!

[Dotch]

I agree Roony.  Dotch good for you for helping those kids but don't their parents have any manners to call a day or two ahead of time?  They must think you are in the barn just waiting for them.  ???  City kids are supposed to do other 4H things and Farm kids do farm animals.

Haven't had very many kids who aren't actually from a farm but that doesn't mean what it once did. The farm family who did the Waseca fair are top shelf. When my wife broke her ankle, they came up & helped with chores in the dead of winter, mom, step dad & 4-H kid. They call ahead at least 24 hrs. too when they want to work with the animals.  The farm family just down the road showing in Steele Co.? Nary a peep out of them until they want something. Then we're supposed to drop everything apparently because they don't think we have anything else to do the way they act. Hoping this is the last year with them. Rather spend more time with the other folks anyway. As far as city or town people, some are quick learners. My friend's wife grew up in town and they got some sheep from us. They used to bicker & don't think he really liked the sight of blood so she helped me dock, tag & vaccinate their lambs tails. She was excellent at holding them. Held them exactly how I told her, didn't argue or gripe & had good questions. Got thru them in no time. Couldn't ask for better than that. 

[roony]

Are you getting a lot of maters?  We managed to have one with our burgers tonight.

[roony]

I agree Roony.  Dotch good for you for helping those kids but don't their parents have any manners to call a day or two ahead of time?  They must think you are in the barn just waiting for them.  ???  City kids are supposed to do other 4H things and Farm kids do farm animals.

Haven't had very many kids who aren't actually from a farm but that doesn't mean what it once did. The farm family who did the Waseca fair are top shelf. When my wife broke her ankle, they came up & helped with chores in the dead of winter, mom, step dad & 4-H kid. They call ahead at least 24 hrs. too when they want to work with the animals.  The farm family just down the road showing in Steele Co.? Nary a peep out of them until they want something. Then we're supposed to drop everything apparently because they don't think we have anything else to do the way they act. Hoping this is the last year with them. Rather spend more time with the other folks anyway. As far as city or town people, some are quick learners. My friend's wife grew up in town and they got some sheep from us. They used to bicker & don't think he really liked the sight of blood so she helped me dock, tag & vaccinate their lambs tails. She was excellent at holding them. Held them exactly how I told her, didn't argue or gripe & had good questions. Got thru them in no time. Couldn't ask for better than that.

You described the difference between people in Waseca County vs Steele County. There are exceptions of course.

[glenn57]

Are you getting a lot of maters?  We managed to have one with our burgers tonight.

i picked about 8....most of them are small variety and for the life of me cant think of there name!!!!

  I remembered... there campori tomatoes   

[Dotch]

Picked three tonite.

[Jerkbiat]

Morning boys. 67 here and heading for 86 it says. To hot. Glad I got the grass cut last night. Otherwise just getting ready for another day in the salt mines. Have a good one boys.

[mike89]

mornin all, another warm day in the forecast I see, 65 here and heading to 85 again.. 
not much going on today..  have a good day all!! 

[Scenic]

Good morning All.  Currently 65 with very light rain.   Heading for another hot one today.  Going to be a great day to spend in the shop.  Have a good day!!! 

[LPS]

Morning boys.  It is 64 here and hazy.  I see 89 and sunny for today with poor air quality.  Will be and AC day for sure.  I went to the landfill yesterday which was fun but I am sore today from clutching the ol Ford.  Will put some bone in chops, spuds, and onions in the crock pot today.  Lots of gravy too. That's about it so far.  Mayhaps read a good book. Have a good one.

[markn]

Stopped at FF for a jug of car wash soap and a bottle of RainX. They didn't have the RainX and the bill was $114.00. Guess I found more stuff I needed than I thought. Ordered some parts for the welder and they were $108.00 on Amazon. Good thing it's pay-day on Thursday. Shot trap last night with the son and grandsons. Hit 97. Noticed one of the tail-lights is loose on the truck, I'll have to look into that today. Stay cool today, later.....

[glenn57]

morning fellers.......yep gonna be warm and humid again.........and through the weekend...... got a visitation to go to tomorrow, my granddaughters grandma passed away.  my daughter is no longer married to the dad, but he never did anything to us that would warrant not going!!!!!!!

lawn needs to get cut, do some garden stuff.. on the agenda the next few days!

[Gunner55]

Mornin boys, 66 @ 1st peek & we had some light rain too. The rain looks to be over now, only ~ .2", when I looked last time & it sounds like around 85 will be our high. Went out yday but it turned into a boat ride instead. I did have some action but never even got the hook into anything. BIL volunteered to help me with the old lift, so that might be the day's project. Bout it here, have a good day.

[Dotch]

Mornin' fellow gulag comrades! 71 at choretime heading for a high in the mid-80's. Some rain on the radar with the potential to give us a shot glass full perhaps. Put out corn rootworm beetle traps yesterday. Appears the wet conditions earlier might've been good for something. After the warm winter, assumptions were we'd see all kinds of rootworm beetles emerged after the larvae pupated. Apparently they don't like living in anaerobic conditions any better than corn roots do. Normally when putting those traps out we at least see some beetles in the silks or flying around. Nary a one yesterday & others are reporting similar findings. Night off from helping 4-H kids, I think. Should give me time to move some bales around & water garden after chores tonite. Wife is crabby. She should be at the fair until after 9 tonite. That's a good place for her. Sounds like the Canada trip may be back on for Aug. 8th. Finners crossed...🤞 

[Jerkbiat]

Morning boys. 75 here already and heading for 91 today. Radar shows rain over us, but still dry outside. We had a bear in the yard yesterday afternoon around 2. Odd time. It kept trying to reach the bird feeder  then it came sniffing around the house door. I yelled at him thru the camera and it took off running. Wonder how long before it is back after the bird feeder. Otherwise just getting ready for another day in the salt mines. Have a good one boys.