Needed to get away. They were gonna work cows at the lease on Sunday, so I decided to go play with some feed. When Wifeypoo found out I would be my myself, she insisted on going. I think she just wanted to be there in case something happened and she could immediately notify the life insurance companies.

Got down Saturday AM to wait in line in Poth to buy feed. They was a lil' busy. Picked up 20 corn, 40 cottonseed and 80 protein - yep, that's 140 bags. They were pretty efficient. Didn't take as long a I thought it would.


I hate using the trailer due to the multiple times you have to handle bags. Now that everything is stand & fill and since we can now open the gate and back up to each protein feeder, it has become much simpler. Now that we the roads in good condition, I can take out 45 at a time instead of loading up the Taco with 16. Makes for much less lost time going back and forth.


From my vantage point, this is one dang good looking feed pen. Corn is spitting out for a brief interval at 10 PM. There is 1,200 pounds of 20% in that protein feeder and that there cottonseed basket is full to the top.


This is a different pen, but as you can see, it is "doing its job".


Wifeypoo got to see the helicopters herd about 80 cows and three bulls to the pens. Nope, they didn't get them all. One of the cowboys was wearing sneakers, but I wouldn't have messed with him. Those boys separated, drenched, applied rubber bands and a myriad of other things all while the lease operator was recording everything. They took 27 heifers to be weaned and about 40 to the auction barn. They were pleased.

Wifeypoo did help by putting together a table (almost cost me a divorce - more on that later) and did pick up the last forty bags I emptied. Btw, it takes a lil' while to burn 140 sacks in a burn barrel.

That’s a lot of work for one man. Those helos are neat to watch. Had a group of 4 working simultaneously last year at the place on county line road.

I bet you were tired...that's a lot of work.

That would be a good day in my book! I can only imagine what that cost you.

Im confused. Why didnt you take the trailer around to each feeder?
That is way more work than I am able to do anymore. If you can still do that when you reach my age I will be disappointed in myself.

Can't imagine the flats I would have with the trailer tires. Pretty easy to keep the P/U on the road. Thinking here the trailer would be a whole nuther level. of commitment.

Deck of the P/U also higher making getting the bags into the feeders easier.

The pets down there sure eat good....I guess now we know where those 25% insurance increases are going.

Klappenbach will pay half. He just wasn't there.

Been doing this for years and before the current economic environment.

Others can afford it and never will go to the trouble.

Somes can afford it and will pay others to do it.

It's not like I lined up at the public trough to be able to do what I do.

Life is good, very good.

Have you ever considered buying in bulk - have to have the equipment to put it out but would sure save the stress on your back!

AMen

And I agree with you that doing it yourself is the way to go while we still can do it!!! Good on you Hud!

Yes, we have. Eight hunters on the place. One has his own blow buggy and keeps it to himself. Three others offered us the opportunity to go in on a silo and blow buggy. It would have been quite cost effective split five ways, but we declined. They have been using this for two seasons now. We have our reasons not to participate - didn't want to get caught up in the "accounting" for one.

When I can no longer do this physical task, I may think differently. For now and as in years' past, this is the way in which we "roll". It is a lot easier when you have another with you and that is typically how it happens.

need a narrower trailer

I guess. Another issue is I don't pay enough attention to the pressure on the trailer tires. Most often they are under-inflated making them more susceptible to thorns.

Ive had my 32nd annual 39th birthday and I still run all my feeders myself it takes a pallet of protien, a pallet plus 2 cottonseed,and most of 2 pallets of corn and no help on the money, but I think my addiction is still cheaper than dope, now days it takes 2 days to recover when I get back, nothing like doing the clean and jerk with a couple hundred 50 lb bags

It's time that I need to make that similar trip to lease but takes 2 pallets of corn for just two feed pens. Takes 6 pallets to do the whole lease but other members fill those. My pens are large enough to back truck and even trailer in which is best way to go. UTV can't carry enough for the trip from camp to pens to save on back/forth time, truck sets up plenty high making easiest to fill but I like only handling the bags once so usually just drag the trailer and back up to feeders. If by myself it is a much much more slow go especially with 50 vs 40lb bags. It's my 'fix' too but dang recovery time for me is also 2 days. I hope to be able to continue doing it for a long time. My Dad just turned 82 and can still put me to shame with his activiness. City life has made me too soft.

The more pain, the more gain.
Success comes about through an entire process. The more I am involved in the entire process the more I enjoy the success. Its evidently not for everyone, but its the way I roll.
You could compare it to a volunteer coach on a youth sports team. Its exciting to sit in the stands when your team wins, but its much more satisfying when you are in the dugout.

This the stuff that makes the reward all the more meaningful.

I feel your pain

What are y'all paying per bag in those quantities?

We just got 120 bags of corn and didn't get any KY with it...

Corn - 11.40 X 20

Cottonseed - 16.85 X 40

Protein - 14.30 X 80

>$2000, ouch!

Well, if we hadn't paid $12.50p/b I would have said you got robbed. lol

HUD, where did you buy that feed?

looks like the Jones have me 2 laps down with those fancy cottonseed feeders, and the shinny new 1000 lb timed protien feeder, talk about abusing your credit card