Today is a beautiful Indian Summer day. It looks like it might stay this way for the next week.

It's a second chance for getting things prepared for winter. One of our friends was able to get his soy beans combined. He came by and borrowed our dump wagon to help move his beans from the combine to the bin. When we checked this evening, he was still going. Kind of the bean equivalent of make hay when the sun shines.

Soy bean prices are up a little over the last few weeks but still much lower than earlier this year.

We got our grain drill all cleaned up ready to be put away. We also did some fine tuning to our new fences. It's a lot nicer doing it at 65 than 25 degrees. The new cattle have settled in well. They pass time visiting over the fence with the other cattle when they are not eating.

I took advantage of the good weather to backblade manure away from areas where they congregate. I recently found out that this is not my barnyard but a high impact area in government speak. We're also working to develop a more efficient way of feeding. Tomorrow Jim and I are going to look at some precast concrete bunk feeders.

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The weather improved today. There was brilliant sun and bright blue skies. It was only forty five but it felt terrific after the terrible weather earlier this week. The forecast looks good for the next few days. All our soybeans are combined but a lot of farmers still have a lot in the field. The good weather hopefully will last long enough for them to get their beans.

My fire department duties continued to take up a lot of time. I had to go to the county seat at Auburn to get a title for our new pumper. The woman at the Motor vehicles was very helpful but it still took a while to get all the forms figured out.

In the afternoon, we moved six big full size Angus cows from Verne's to our woods pasture. Two are mine and four are Verne's. These are fifteen hundred pound three and a half year old cows that are bred back AI to registered full size Angus for next springs calves. We thought we had them sold but the deal fell through. We had originally purchased them as virgin heifers and implanted Lowline embryos. They are nice cattle but too big to be running with the Lowlines. They are prime animals and we don't want to take them to the sale barn. We'll keep working on trying to sell them by private treaty.

I stopped by our local farm store to pick up a few items. It has only recently been opened by a young couple. As it continues to grow, we jokingly call it the Walmart of farm stores. It's nice to be able to buy locally. It's also a welding shop so we see our neighbors there getting things fixed up.

We finished up our chores and continued to feed baleage. The animals all like it and they are doing well on it.

The weatherman was only partially right. Today was a thoroughly miserable day but we didn't get any snow here. It rained hard and the wind blew steadily. We had 1.1 inches of rain.

We live on a lake. A neighbor had purchased a sailboat earlier this fall and left it tied to a mooring. The mooring let loose around lunch time and the boat floated over to the opposite shore and grounded. Unfortunately, there are no boats in the water at this time of year to go rescue it. Late in the afternoon, the owner brought over a motor boat to go get it. We haven't heard any more and we hope it all turned out successfully.

It was a great day to do paperwork. I worked on trying to get some of our calves registered. The Lowline Association was having an Internet cattle auction from the American Royal in Kansas City. I watched it for a while.

When you live in a small town you have many hats. In addition to serving with our local volunteer fire department, I am a deputy Fire Coordinator for the county. This means I am a liaison to eight departments in the northern part of the County. The County Association had their monthly meeting at my department so I went to attend.

Mary serves as Treasurer for the Boy Scouts and sits on their Board of Review. She had to interview candidates for advanced ranks in scouting tonight. Jim, who is an Eagle Scout, went to his regular scout meeting.

The cattle didn't like the weather but they chose to stand out in it rather than going into the barn. They'll be happy when the wind and rain die down. Just east and north of us there is snow on the ground making travel difficult.

The fine weather continued on Monday but it looks like it will be the last good day for a while. Rain and then measurable snow are forecast to start by Tuesday morning.

I had a meeting which took up the whole morning. I am the VP and Trustee of the Volunteer Fire Department. We have a new insurance company this year and I had to go over lots of questions with their representative. The Chief and President also came by to help. We were very pleased that the insurance company found that everything was in excellent shape and our paperwork was in order. There's a lot more to be a volunteer fireman than going to an occasional fire these days. Like everything else, the government has gotten involved and created lots of rules and paperwork.

Earlier this fall, we baled a number of round bales from our soybean residue. They seem to be best when we follow right behind the combine. We made them 42 inches in diameter to make them a little easier to use as bedding. They tend to unroll like a blanket three or four inches thick and are an excellent under layment for straw. Late in the afternoon, we took a number over to Verne.

We stopped in the Village for pizza on our way home from Verne's.

Sunday was another beautiful fall day. We moved the two yearling bulls into their new winter area- the " bull pen." It's a roomy fenced area with their own shed. They'll have some new residents as soon as we wean this years calves this week. The young weanling bulls will move there as well.

We weighed the new Lowlines from Minnesota and moved Verne';s bull Natemin in with them. We think they are all bred but we'll let Nate make sure.

Remote Control moved over to the main herd, taking over for Nate. We likewise think they are all in calf except for one. She has not calved since we got her. We're going to have the vet check her. She might have a cyst.

Right after dark, an impressive round of lightning came through but very little wind or rain. The weatherman is predicting measurable snow by Wednesday.

We have fallen a day behind in our blog. Yesterday, Jim had a school holiday. We finished up our fence to partition the barnyard for winter quarters for the bulls. It was a beautiful day again.

We had to finish early so Jim could get to his interview for the Naval Academy. It was very interesting as the interviewer wanted Mary and I there as well.

We all then went out to celebrate Jim's birthday.

Today it's very rainy. Mary and I are going off with friends for our annual tour of Finger Lakes wineries. Before we go, we've got to get our chores done. One of our 3/4 cows is in heat this morning and we've been discussing which semen to use.

Today was a beautiful sunny fall day and about 50 degrees. The cattle seem to be enjoying the good weather as well. I had a meeting in the morning so I was away until after lunch.

After I got back, I went over to our friend Verne Montana's farm to work on the cattle. We have some of our cows and young stock at Verne's. He also has Lowlines and we have his bulls at our farm. Jim came after school and his help was greatly appreciated. We did a herd health checkup and separated this years calves to be weaned. I 'm sure it will be quite noisy at Verne's tonight.

We also separated six full size Angus cows that we have for sale. We have a prospective buyer that is expected in the next day or two so we wanted the cows where he can look them over. They are excellent animals but a bit too big to live comfortably along with the smaller Lowlines.

We got done late and came home and got our chores done.

Well, we didn't get any snow but it sure was a rainy, raw day. The electrician was here finishing up a few odd details.

We have started feeding haylage that we have stored over on Fire Lane 11. This means a trip down Jordan Road for a half mile then carrying a round bale back. The tractor heater was on for the first time and it sure felt good.

In the evening, Jim and I went over to a beef producer meeting and potluck supper in the next county. They did some hands on work measuring cattle and developing ratios for fitness etc. The cattle were very calm Charolais who didn't mind being measured.

It is also Jim's 17th birthday. He will always remember it.

Today is October 21, 2008 and will likely give us our first taste of snow for this winter. We have had a cold front come through with a cold rain and wind and there will probably be a little snow by morning.

Our cattle are getting accustomed to the change in season. It will soon be time to wean this years calves. All of our new cattle have settled in well. We have been feeding haylage for the last week.

All of our soybeans have been harvested and initial yields look very good.