We are back from a mini vacation.

Christmas Eve we went to Mass as usual. Each year there is a pageant put on by second graders as part of the Mass. For as long as we can recall, this program has been put together by one family. We can recall when the daughters of that family had a role in the pageant and now their children have parts.

The pageant tells the story of Mary and Joseph arriving in Bethlehem to find that there is no room in the inn. My wife, Mary, especially likes the ancient wooden donkey on wheels who follows Joseph down our church aisle. Our son, Jim, had the great honor of playing Jesus when he was a few months old and he reappeared several years later as the Emperor. Eileen was an angel one year.

We have a new priest this year. He is from Kenya and he clearly enjoyed the pageant. Just another wonderful reason to live in small town America.

Christmas morning we drove to Vermont. We had rented a house near a ski area for a few days with my sister and her family from Arkansas. My oldest daughter and her family came over from New Hampshire.

A young lady who is a family friend has been taking care of our cattle while we were away. She does a great job with them.

I used to ski but don't anymore. So I went to see some cattle. There is a farm with excellent Lowlines about an hour from the ski area. I visited with the owner and really enjoyed looking over his operation.

Then there is a world famous Belted Galloway farm near the ski area. Jim and I had met some of their people last year. So we went over to visit. It is a world class operation.

My daughter and her husband and two boys and I went to tour a farm that has become a National Park. It goes back to 1869 and the most recent owners were the Rockefellers. As part of their arrangement in giving the farm to the government, they must continue to maintain a herd of Jersey milkers. The cows are immaculate and they ship milk just like everyone else. It is really hardly different than the farm a friend has about ten miles from here. He and his ancestors have been milking cows in the same spot for over a hundred years. He also has Jerseys.

Jim and I had to come back early for a meeting about the Naval Academy. He has received what is called a competitive appointment from our Congressman. This doesn't mean he is in but certainly moves him closer.

Today we went to the Adirondacks to pick up our larch wood. There was one area of Lake effect snow along the way that was troublesome but we made it safely.

There was a huge thaw and high winds over the last few days but it looks like we came through unscathed. It is supposed to snow again overnight with lake effect later tomorrow. It would be better for the cattle and us if we could just get a steady temperature range instead of these wild swings. I am believer in the theory that you need a period of good cold days to knock down the various germs etc.

We have gone away until Monday 12/29 and have very limited access to computer. I will resume blog then.

It snowed some more over night so I started the day out by plowing. Things are pretty quiet at the diner. Must be all the problems of the world are on hold for the Christmas season. The wind died down and it was a pretty nice day.

We've been having trouble keeping a water trough open for the heifer calves so we installed a new heater. When I just checked it, it seems to be working. It's 24 which is a lot better than 4. They're talking some light snow followed by ice then plain rain for the morning. I've been wanting to go up to the Tug Hill to pick up my larch wood but the weather hasn't cooperated. Tug Hill is not a place to go during inclement weather.

I went off to my consulting job in the afternoon. We've drilled some more wells and it looks like we've got the water problem pretty much under control.

We went in the evening to a Court of Honor for Jim's Scout Troop. It came as a bit of a surprise when the Scoutmaster mentioned that two of Jim's contemporaries will be eighteen in a few weeks. Eighteen marks the end of your career as a scout. Jim is good until next fall.

ThenI had to go to a Town Planning Board to see about adding a parcel I bought to my commercial parcel. It is amazing how you can live and work in small town America but have to deal with a rather elaborate bureaucracy worth of a big city.

We live in the part of New York where the Erie Canal is located. You can envision our leaders of the time saying " get your shovels and mules, we're going to build a canal." The President Elect is talking about a massive Public Works program. I can envision him saying " get your permits and remember that you are not allowed to build anything until all paperwork is place." This, I suppose is today's definition of progress.

The weatherman was correct. We had snow Friday. A lot of snow and the beginning of lots of days of plowing. Jim had a snow day so he was around to help. Eileen was due home from college but had to stay overnight in Detroit when they closed the airport.

Saturday, the weather was clear and cold. We worked on our new cattle lean to shed. Eileen made it home in the afternoon but her luggage didn't.

It snowed again Saturday night and we plowed again Sunday morning. Eileen was able to pick up her luggage at the airport.The last two snow events have been wide area snow storms.

The wind picked up Sunday evening and blew quite hard. They had to call out the fire department overnight to block off the state highway while they towed several cars out of drifts. Monday morning we had another foot of lake effect snow. Jim had another snow day. They usually allow for five in the school schedule and he has had three already and it's not Christmas yet.

Monday afternoon, I plowed again. We reconfigured the pens in our coverall barn to move the cow and calf over against an inner wall. We put down more bedding. The cattle all seem healthy and well adjusted to the weather, Some of the Minnesota Lowlines are starting to look a little chubby. They are all assumed pregnant for March delivery. The baleage seems to agree with them.

The weatherman is now predicting rain and mild for Christmas.

Snow arrived on schedule Wednesday morning. By our local standards, it didn't amount to much. The school felt they better delay things for two hours to get a handle on it. It has been quite unusual to have several regional snow storms as compared to our usual highly localized lake effect snow.

The cattle didn't mind much. I went with a friend to the green dealership. The battery in my four year old tractor has become weak. The dealer didn't have one but promised to deliver one tomorrow. We then went to the lumber yard so I could order materials for my new cattle shed. My friend's son works there. I'd much rather deal with someone local than the big box stores.
We got everything ordered and headed back home.

Thursday morning my friend was at my house by 7AM. We were going to take his blue tractor back to his dealer on my fifth wheel trailer. We got everything loaded without any difficulty and went off to the dealer. We had a lot of fun bantering with the salesman on the relative merits of various tractor colors.

I got home in time to unload the lumber I ordered yesterday. One benefit of dealing locally is the lumber tends to be straight rather than twisted up like a snake at the big name stores. The battery arrived and the tractor started right up.

I need siding for the shed. Cattle are not respectfulul of metal siding. We have some nearby goats that live in a hut that had plastic siding when new. They've eaten it off as high as they can reach.

My friend's son told me about a sawmill in the foothill of the Adirondacks that saws larch. It is also called tamarack. I fell out of a tamarack tree when I was a kid so I figured I'd finally get even by ordering some larch wood. It is supposedly highly resistant to cattle waste which will be abundant in and around their shed. I hope to go get it next week which should be another adventure.

They are talking a big snow for tomorrow. We put out extra bedding and got everything ready just in case the weatherman happens to be right. We'll see what the morning brings.

I've fallen a bit behind in my writing. Sunday was a pretty calm day. We did chores and went to church. In the afternoon, we went over to Verne's to help him work the cattle.

Monday was another unusually warm day. It was in the low 50's at lunch time. Our electrician came and I am happy to say that the work is done. In the afternoon, I went back to the sewer pumping station to resume being a consultant. We installed another deep well and it seemed like that would take care of the problem. Being a consultant is a little different than being a contractor which I was for many years. Contractors sign checks on the front and consultants sign checks on the back.

It was still mild in the evening. It turned colder overnight and it was about 27 Tuesday morning. The weather man is getting everyone warmed up for another snow beginning late Tuesday night

One of the diner regulars surprised everyone this morning when he announced that our group was "unevenly yoked." When we got over the initial surprise of the rather unique remark, we asked him what he meant. He alluded to the Bible. A little research showed the source to be "2 Corinthians 6:14: "Do not be unevenly yoked with unbelievers."

This remark is almost as memorable as the time my college soccer coach announced while standing at the front of the chartered team bus that he sensed a dichotomy. It took quite a while to figure that one out as well.

After we got the yoking figured out, a new arrival with documentable experience behind a horse announced that they invented eveners to deal with uneven yokes. So today's trip to the diner was quite educational.

Not to be outdone, our barber announced that he was one of the few businessmen around who could categorically state that he stood behind his work.

After I got through all that, I went home and did chores. Then I had to go to a meeting about a new radio system for the county emergency services. They've created a committee and hired a consultant. Like all consultants, he seems unwilling to listen to what we think we might need and plowed ahead with a lengthy presentation on what he thinks we need. I was very glad when it was time for lunch.

No snow yet but they're getting pretty worked up on the TV.

Thursday was a pretty calm but busy day. Verne wanted to work the cattle. We went over to his place and ran a whole bunch of calves and cows through the chute. We got their weights and checked them over.

The snow was here on Friday morning. Jim's school closed for the day. We had about six inches of non lake effect snow. I plowed the road and worked around the farm. Jim went over to Verne's in the afternoon to help Verne.

In the afternoon, I went off to help on a construction site problem. A contractor friend is responsible for building a sewer pumping station nearby. They have an excavation that will go about thirty feet deep which is about twenty feet below the water table. They have tried unsuccessfully to lower the water table. I had made some recommendations and my former company had brought in a drill rig to construct a test well. I went to observe. I had forgotten how cold you can get when you are watching but not working. We got the well installed and I'll go back on Monday to see what to do next. I enjoy these assignments.

Saturday was a big day for Jim. He had his second interview for the United States Naval Academy. The interview panel is selected by the local Congressman to advise him on whom to appoint. Jim hopes to hear by Christmas.

It was the coldest day of the winter so far but everything worked. We started to assemble a prefabricated lean to that we will use as a pasture shelter.

Wednesday was a busy day. It had turned very mild over night. It was 53 and raining when I got up. As the morning went on it got colder and the rain changed to snow. It didn't accumulate much, just enough to make the roads slippery.

We had a little excitement on the next road. A ready mix concrete truck got tangled up in an overhead power line. The line dropped on the cab. The driver knew to stay in the truck until help arrived. The fire department came and everyone waited a while for the electric company to arrive and shut off the power.

In the afternoon, I went over to Verne's to help work some cattle. The weather wasn't too bad and the cattle were fairly cooperative. So, it wasn't too bad a job.

In the evening, Jim and I went to get a haircut. The barber is a friend. Being a small town, he built a little barber shop wing off his house. He holds court there a couple of nights a week. It's a family business as his daughter cuts hair also. Now, his son has decided to take up the trade and is learning under his father's watchful eye.

The barber is one of our diner regulars. He is trying to be able to read this blog on his computer but seems to be having technical difficulties. Jim gave him a few tips and I'll see in the morning if he was successful.

They are still calling for a major snow storm to begin tomorrow afternoon. I'll see how it looks in the morning and adjust our schedule as necessary.

Sunday was quite a cold and snowy day. A weather front blew through around 9AM and the temperature dropped sharply and lake effect snow set in. After church, we went to the American Legion monthly pancake breakfast. You can't beat the food with real maple syrup. We always get to see lots of friends and neighbors. The politicians have mostly faded away for another year although a few continue to come because they seem to like the food.

Chores are pretty routine by now and the animals have become accustomed to the weather and they have developed new routines to deal with it. It is always interesting to see how they prefer to remain outside even though they have ready access to shelter.

By Sunday evening, I thought I had better plow the road. We don't notice the wind too much by the lake as we are sheltered by a hill to the west. It must have blown pretty hard up on the roads because there were pretty good sized drifts and patches of windblown bare road.

Monday morning was quite cold but everything worked including the troublesome yard hydrant. A friend stopped by and we went off and ran some errands. I had to go to the bank and he wanted to check out a tractor battery. When we got back, I fluffed up the cattle bedding and everything was fine.

Monday evening, I had my monthly County Fire Board meeting. I enjoy the meeting and going out afterwards with colleagues for typically some chicken wings. It was still cold and windy when I got home.

I was surprised to wake up Tuesday to a few inches of snow and a little ice. The local school was running a two hour delay. That didn't do much for Jim as his school was on time and he had to be here. He said the roads weren't too bad.

Tuesday afternoon, we brought out the bale processor and built up the cattle mounds and cleaned the pens. I had to go to the city again to give a report to the County Legislature on our Fire Boards activities. That was early and I was able to get back in time for the regular monthly meeting of the local fire department.

There was an email from the Weather Bureau when I got home advising that we might have a good storm Thursday. We'll see. I think it is better to wake up in the morning and deal with the weather at hand rather than have a several day build up for a storm that may or may not happen. Every time they give early warnings, the grocery stores get mobbed and everybody goes into a panic shopping mode.

Still not much good to be said by the diner crew about all the government bailouts.

It's Saturday evening and it has been a quiet week. On Thursday, it looked like the weather was going to turn cold. I scraped the mud more or less level in the barn yard and our gravel roads and pads. Sure enough it did turn cold and everything froze solid but fairly level. So at the moment we have no mud or snow to deal with. Rough ground is tough on the snow plow blade.

Thursday evening we took the governor from our old AC over to the mechanic. He was puzzled as to the cause and said he'd look into it and get back to us. It will be interesting to see what caused the problem.

Friday, a friend came by and we moved two trailer loads of soybean waste round bales over to Verne's to use as bedding.

Saturday, Jim and I got a lot done. We have a yard hydrant that intermittently freezes which causes a problem. The way it works is that when you shut it off, the water drains back below ground through a little hole in the valve. The valve is three feet deep and surrounded by gravel to let the water weep away. Last week, we blew compressed air back trough the stand pipe and we thought we had the problem solved. It was frozen again yesterday and we had to thaw it with a torch. Today we bought electric heat tape and insulated it and plugged it in. We'll see what happens tomorrow morning. We also blew a bunch of waste hay and bean waste onto the cattle mounds. They really like to burrow into it.

The new calf is doing well and the cow is an excellent mother. Calves really grow quickly and this one is quite lively. We plan on putting an ear tag on her tomorrow. We'll have to think of a name pretty soon.

It's 28 tonight but supposedly quite a bit colder with lots of lake snow tomorrow. We hope we have the hydrant problem under control.

The boys in the diner are discussing the automakers problems. Not much sympathy there. We also got in a conversation about some of the figures of speech that the old farmers used. We agreed that they were all based upon not taking chances and being careful. Apparently the bankers and automakers were not familiar with many of them.

My all time favorite which was directed at an errant plow horse is " Hold her, Knute, she's headed for the buckwheat."

Tuesday and Wednesday were quite nice by early winter standards. No sun but no wind and highs around 40. As I have mentioned before, we are now into our winter chores. They are quite simple and repetitive: feed baleage, take care of the bedding, remove manure and make sure the water works. All our bales are now over at the barn from the fields down the road.

Tuesday, the technicians came by from an Ag Consulting firm we've hired. They will be taking soil samples, map the farm and provide a Nutrient Management Plan. Hopefully, this will give us a good baseline of where we are and some idea of what we need to do to get the most out of our land and animals.

I was surprised to received my soybean check within four days of calling the grain elevator and asking them to sell the beans. It is amazing how interconnected agriculture is. The beans were at an elevator in western NY which is owned by a Pennsylvania COOP and the check came from Perdue Chickens.

I mentioned that we had gotten our turkey, as usual, from a rather famous farm across the lake. It looks like it will be our last. They were bought out last year by a big conglomerate. They announced yesterday that they were moving the operation to Pennsylvania. All the usual talk about how difficult it is to do business in NY. They are laying off 90 people here. They claim they are going to start up again here in the Spring doing Kosher turkeys. We'll see what happens. We liked buying a non frozen local turkey. If we want a mass produced frozen turkey, there are lots in the grocery store.

The warmer weather was a bit of a bonus for the new calf. She has had a few days to get accustomed to her surroundings without having to worry about staying warm. She is doing well and the cow seems to be a good mother.

Wednesday night, Jim and I went over to a neighboring Counties Beef Producer Meeting. This is a monthly potluck supper at a farmer's house. We each bring a dish to pass and then talk about beef. Our County is sorely lacking in this regard. They just don't do much for the beef farmer.

Last night, they had a local vet present to pass out a checklist and lead a discussion on things to work on and think about through the winter. She recommended giving animals tetanus and rabies shots as a preventative measure. I am going to speak with Verne about this and get his opinion.

Interestingly, the farmer that hosted the meeting does small scale turkey raising. We spoke with him a bit and we might try raising our own turkey next year along with a few for friends and neighbors.

When we got home, I had an email from a good friend's wife that he had a hopefully successful surgery in Florida. They are from here but winter down there. He has gone through a lot with his ailment and we all hope that he will soon be his old self and pain free.

Sunday started out with a surprise. When we came back from the diner after church, we had visitors. One of the buyers of our Angus had stopped by with his wife. It turns out they are third generation on their farm. But the farm was originally purchased from someone named Galloway. The wife thinks they ought to have a Galloway. While we were talking cattle, we walked over to our Coverall barn.

Surprisingly, there was a newborn calf with the cow we brought over yesterday. We didn't expect her to freshen for a few weeks. Our guest is a Holstein man and was amazed to see a 37 pound calf. It seems like Verne's young bull Natemin had been feeling his oats last February. We were glad it was fairly mild in the mid thirties. We mounded up some straw and stretched a tarp to provide a windbreak. They seem fine.

In the late afternoon, we took Eileen to the airport. She texted at 1AM to say she was safe at home in her dorm.

Monday had a nice start. I walked into the diner to be greeted by a chorus of Happy Birthday by all the regulars. A nice surprise. They suggested that this might be a nice year for to explore Route 66.

A friend stopped after chores. He is a great mechanic and he came by to see if we could find the source of a noise in our restored Allis Chalmers B. It looks like the weights in the governor are traveling too far and hitting the inside of the housing.. There is a real motor doctor in a neighboring town. I'll take the parts over to him for his examination.

I've been pretty worked up over an email from Coop. It seems that the EPA thinks cow flatulence needs regulation. Their idea is to charge $175 per dairy cow and $87.50 per beefer per year. This is real. Like they say you can't make this stuff up. I intend to tell everyone I know or run into to call or write or whatever to protest this asinine tax. You can relate to the folks in Boston.

The heifer calf is doing well. Fortunately it was 40 again today and should be for a few more days.

Mary made a nice dinner of Beltie beef and made my favorite grape pie. She topped it off with a fruit cake. A real treat.