Travis Johnson
Member
- Messages
- 2,369
Well the boys were chopping my corn fields today so I stopped in and rode in their new corn chopper for awhile. What a rig that is, but first things first.
I had a few things to ask these guys about. The first was my planted hackmatack. I have 12 acres that have been growing since 1994. It has this Bark Beetle that is slowly killing off the trees. The trees have also started to slow down in growth, so it leaves me with this question. Do I cut 12 acres of these trees down, recoup what I can and turn my land into crop ground like it used to be? Or do I replant the land into some other type of wood like Spruce, Pine or Fir? Well before I can figure that out, I need to find out if these guys are willing to farm an additional 12 acres. It seems they are very interested as they will be looking at milking several hundred more head in the next year or so. They need feed!
Unfortunately, they need feed. I asked about getting several tons of corn silage to start my shop heat composting idea, but they were not willing to part with any. I asked several different times and in several different ways, but right now they need every ton they can get. I have some other means to get silage, but not this year unfortunately. So it looks like my experimental shop heat might have to wait. I got a few other options, but for right now their need for cow feed outweighs my crazy idea of trying an experimental heat source. I am bummed, but can wait.
The last thing I talked about was getting pay for renting my crop ground. If you remember from a few weeks ago I talked about how they have not paid for a few years now despite my taxes going up by over a grand this year. It gets complex because without them farming my land, well I lose my farming status and would have to pay more taxes. It really is a catch 22. Anyway they were adamant that they did not want to lose use of my farm just because it has a lot of value to them. So that was good news.
Overall things are just normal here in good old Thorndike Maine. Still wished I could get some silage off them in the tonnage I need, but that's okay. It can wait. As I said, a working dairy farm is far more important than some experimental shop heat idea.
I had a few things to ask these guys about. The first was my planted hackmatack. I have 12 acres that have been growing since 1994. It has this Bark Beetle that is slowly killing off the trees. The trees have also started to slow down in growth, so it leaves me with this question. Do I cut 12 acres of these trees down, recoup what I can and turn my land into crop ground like it used to be? Or do I replant the land into some other type of wood like Spruce, Pine or Fir? Well before I can figure that out, I need to find out if these guys are willing to farm an additional 12 acres. It seems they are very interested as they will be looking at milking several hundred more head in the next year or so. They need feed!
Unfortunately, they need feed. I asked about getting several tons of corn silage to start my shop heat composting idea, but they were not willing to part with any. I asked several different times and in several different ways, but right now they need every ton they can get. I have some other means to get silage, but not this year unfortunately. So it looks like my experimental shop heat might have to wait. I got a few other options, but for right now their need for cow feed outweighs my crazy idea of trying an experimental heat source. I am bummed, but can wait.
The last thing I talked about was getting pay for renting my crop ground. If you remember from a few weeks ago I talked about how they have not paid for a few years now despite my taxes going up by over a grand this year. It gets complex because without them farming my land, well I lose my farming status and would have to pay more taxes. It really is a catch 22. Anyway they were adamant that they did not want to lose use of my farm just because it has a lot of value to them. So that was good news.
Overall things are just normal here in good old Thorndike Maine. Still wished I could get some silage off them in the tonnage I need, but that's okay. It can wait. As I said, a working dairy farm is far more important than some experimental shop heat idea.