working on a sunday

buffalobilly

what do you guys think out there about sunday
working on the farm i am not talking about the
necessities (ie milking, calfing,lambing, ect ect)
but the small job that can wait personally i think
everybody needs a day off get the good clothes on
and chill out what do you think

GERMAN ROCKS

i wouldnt spread fert/slurry but might aggitate the pit if i was going to go spreading slurry then for that week. or i might set grass sedds if i was at reseeding if there was rain coming monday. i would go power washing alright or cut the grass or jobs like that. or i could take it completly off especially if its raining.

locky76

buffalobilly wrote: »

what do you guys think out there about sunday
working on the farm i am not talking about the
necessities (ie milking, calfing,lambing, ect ect)
but the small job that can wait personally i think
everybody needs a day off get the good clothes on
and chill out what do you think

speaking as a part-timer (with a full time job thank god) and with two small kids i think Sunday is a day where i can get jobs done at my ease with the young fella and it frees up the week for domestic duties etc...
Farming is kind of a hobby for this part timer anyway so I wouldn't fully consider it work, even if it's forking dung with a four prong fork:D

1chippy

Being part time its often hard not to work on a sunday. This time of year its cleaning out calving pens and yard,juggling cows from pen to pen seems to waste a lot of my time also loading in feed for a few days and maybe setting up an odd paddock. Usually try to be finished by 12-1 and then back for the loading in feed at6-7. Summer usually is a lot easier but from nov-march its pretty tough going. The old man is great for getting the very odd sunday off.

moy83

I would just do what needs to get done , the week is long enough . I try to get the kids out somewhere for awhile .
I have actually started taking a bit of time off work during the week just to be sure the weekend doesnt get too clogged

bbam

Bare minimum only on Sunday's. From now on the days are improving and we try and get away on a Sunday, walking or on the bikes with the girls.

Conmaicne Mara

Just another day for me, depends on the weather and what needs to be done, I could as easy take a Tuesday off.

Muckit

tools down ... unless there's hay on the ground ... and that hasn't been for a while!

bob charles

usually busy enough, have a bit of help around so sorting and drafting cattle etc. if is planting/harvest time is full trottle. Usually do double feeding up and bedding up during winter so as to free up time on Monday.

If its a Sunday after a heavy night on the beer, scratch all I said above

pakalasa

As my AI man says, "the cows don't know it's Sunday".

sea12

As a part timer it can be tempting. But I also need to make time for the wife and my daughter who are very good and understanding during the week. So generally I don't do anything unless its Absolutely necessary like at lambing time or if hay was on the ground.

whelan1

have a neighbour, he got out of dairying a few years ago, and is suckling, you only ever see him working around the yard on a saturday evening or a sunday... could be cutting hedges or spreading slurry, he is a "fulltime" farmer... we often wonder why

bbam

I think some people fall into the habit of working on Sundays and forget they have a young family.
I'm not saying we never do it but try to keep Sunday as a family day. If we can't get away well often spend some of it gardening or just playing board games or on the wii.
Even on a wet and windy day a walk on the beach gets the blood pumping and clears the head.

"Make time for your kids when they're young, and they'll make time for you as they're older"

Don't remember where I read it but it stuck in my head.

whelan1

bbam wrote: »

I think some people fall into the habit of working on Sundays and forget they have a young family.
I'm not saying we never do it but try to keep Sunday as a family day. If we can't get away well often spend some of it gardening or just playing board games or on the wii.
Even on a wet and windy day a walk on the beach gets the blood pumping and clears the head.

"Make time for your kids when they're young, and they'll make time for you as they're older"

Don't remember where I read it but it stuck in my head.

very true, there are aload of mammies on the mumsy forum i am on complaining that their farmer husbands work all weekend and are not back in the house til 8pm on week nights, i just said in years to come they will regret it, missing out on bedtime stories etc you only get that chance for a few years.... if you cant work around family time whats the point in having a family

TEAT SQUEEZER

whelan1 wrote: »

very true, there are aload of mammies on the mumsy forum i am on complaining that their farmer husbands work all weekend and are not back in the house til 8pm on week nights, i just said in years to come they will regret it, missing out on bedtime stories etc you only get that chance for a few years.... if you cant work around family time whats the point in having a family

you should direct a few of em onto this thread ,it would keep this one going a while i think with the 2 different perspectives....:)

KatyMac

I do only what needs to be done like feeding and herding cattle etc. Obviously if a cow is calving or needs AI or has gone AWOL I'll deal with it I'm a firm believer that you need a day to rest even if you're not religious. A day spent with family, hobby or goggle box will set you up with recharge batteries much better than killing yourself 7 days a week.

dar31

do the bare minimum on a Sunday, every thing is double feed for the day, including milkers. milk, calves, herd and home.
bank holidays are the same, but have to feed everything as well.
if we are not bussy, id usually finish early on a saturday as well.
if things are that bussy, that work needs doing on a sat/sun, would get contractor in to do machinery work to free up time,
life's to short to spend it stuck under a cow.

weekdays i finish at 6, and 630 during the spring

jesus i do f@@k all when you write it down...............:D:D:D

Mulumpy

I work every second sunday with ofj so try to keep a bit of time on the other free ones. Have a young family so agree with other posters that family time is crucial. Always worth getting the relief guy in from time to time

jimmydkid

Just do the herding and feeding on a Sunday, as a guy said to me before if you can't make enough money on the other six days of the week your either in the wrong job or not very good at it!!

delaval

With us only essential work. All feeding done on Sat. Milk fry, church, sofa or muck about with kids

Having said that I mowed silage on two Sundays last summer but that was the exception!

We start at 5.45am and finish at 6pm, 7 at calving.

We try to take Sat afternoon off till milking time and we get milkers on Sun evenings

My father attended every match or whatever we were taking part in and I always remember it fondly so try to follow that example

Viewtodiefor

delaval wrote: »

With us only essential work. All feeding done on Sat. Milk fry, church, sofa or muck about with kids

Having said that I mowed silage on two Sundays last summer but that was the exception!

We start at 5.45am and finish at 6pm, 7 at calving.

We try to take Sat afternoon off till milking time and we get milkers on Sun evenings

My father attended every match or whatever we were taking part in and I always remember it fondly so try to follow that example

Jeeze that's early delaval. Think u r milking two herds? Don't start here til 7 try finish at 6. Most evenings, used not start milking til 7.30 but milk tank comes earlier now d fecker! Costing me half hour kip! Maybe we r lazy sods! Only do d bare minimum on Sundays unless really have to.

delaval

Viewtodiefor wrote: »

Jeeze that's early delaval. Think u r milking two herds? Don't start here til 7 try finish at 6. Most evenings, used not start milking til 7.30 but milk tank comes earlier now d fecker! Costing me half hour kip! Maybe we r lazy sods! Only do d bare minimum on Sundays unless really have to.

Only guy going for cows rises at that time to have coffee and get cups on by 6.20. We have invested in a timer that opens the cow paddock for this year hoping it will mean less time bringing cows to milking. It will ensure 70% will be in collecting yard at their ease at 6.20 and just a matter of rounding up stragglers during milking.
We have a rule here that the bike stays 1 fence post behind last cow so it can be slow!!!

Timmaay

Viewtodiefor wrote: »

Jeeze that's early delaval. Think u r milking two herds? Don't start here til 7 try finish at 6. Most evenings, used not start milking til 7.30 but milk tank comes earlier now d fecker! Costing me half hour kip! Maybe we r lazy sods! Only do d bare minimum on Sundays unless really have to.

Similar here, 7ish start and the aim is to be done by 6pm. Sundays are the bare min also! I've no family myself yet, but just for yourself its important to have a weekly routine and change of scene. Hard to do over the winter/calving season, but if you don't the days all become totally muddled and long term its not healthy in my view! On that note time to turn off the laptop and make sure I don't waste it here :P

Viewtodiefor

delaval wrote: »

Only guy going for cows rises at that time to have coffee and get cups on by 6.20. We have invested in a timer that opens the cow paddock for this year hoping it will mean less time bringing cows to milking. It will ensure 70% will be in collecting yard at their ease at 6.20 and just a matter of rounding up stragglers during milking.
We have a rule here that the bike stays 1 fence post behind last cow so it can be slow!!!

What kinda device is that sounds like the job? Expensive? Don't bother wit d coffee myself

delaval

Viewtodiefor wrote: »

What kinda device is that sounds like the job? Expensive? Don't bother wit d coffee myself

It's called a Batt-latch €400 or there abouts.
It's a springloaded gate handle wtih a solar timer that can be programed

aidanki

delaval wrote: »

Only guy going for cows rises at that time to have coffee and get cups on by 6.20. We have invested in a timer that opens the cow paddock for this year hoping it will mean less time bringing cows to milking. It will ensure 70% will be in collecting yard at their ease at 6.20 and just a matter of rounding up stragglers during milking.
We have a rule here that the bike stays 1 fence post behind last cow so it can be slow!!!

Timer tell us more?

delaval

I took photos of it set up last pm I will see can someone here upload them as I can't

If you youtube Batt-latch you'll see it in operarion

Timmaay

I had a quick look at it there on google, great idea, but 400quid does seem expensive for what it is! I'm sure I could knock up something that does the very same job using an alarm clock and the likes of an electric boot release system from a car for about 50quid (I am an engineer also though!)

Timmaay

I had a quick look at it there on google, great idea, but 400quid does seem expensive for what it is! I'm sure I could knock up something that does the very same job using an alarm clock and the likes of an electric boot release system from a car for about 50quid (I am an engineer also though!)

delaval

Timmaay wrote: »

I had a quick look at it there on google, great idea, but 400quid does seem expensive for what it is! I'm sure I could knock up something that does the very same job using an alarm clock and the likes of an electric boot release system from a car for about 50quid (I am an engineer also though!)

I'll take one if you succeed, we need another;);)

royalmeath

Every farmer should take a rest on Sunday, and if you are that busy that you cant take a rest you would want to be making a
fortune out of your farm, or maybe your just a total fool.

delaval

€400 too dear? We will save aprox 30min/milking during grazing season.

At 300 days grazing that's 300 hrs@€40/hr=€1200. I would not consider it too dear. Cows get to walk at their own pace and some of our walks are up to an hour so we will benifit from it.

whelan1

delaval wrote: »

€400 too dear? We will save aprox 30min/milking during grazing season.

At 300 days grazing that's 300 hrs@€40/hr=€1200. I would not consider it too dear. Cows get to walk at their own pace and some of our walks are up to an hour so we will benifit from it.

i see where your coming from , some people complain about prices etc and then go out and spend hundreds on crap.... :cool:

pakalasa

Timmaay wrote: »

I had a quick look at it there on google, great idea, but 400quid does seem expensive for what it is! I'm sure I could knock up something that does the very same job using an alarm clock and the likes of an electric boot release system from a car for about 50quid (I am an engineer also though!)

€400 is steep. It should be possible to make up something simple with a timer, batteries and a simple mechanism. I'll get to ye on it. :rolleyes: Timmay, I'll throw down a challenge to ya. See who comes up with the best idea.

delaval

whelan1 wrote: »

i see where your coming from , some people complain about prices etc and then go out and spend hundreds on crap.... :cool:

Yea but if Tim's alarm clock worked he could be on to something. Imagine the cows alarm going 30mins before your own, who'd have ever dreamt it? :o

mf240

Does the hours walk impact on yield delaval? How far would that be and is it on the public road?

Its a great job giving them all there time walking it really helps lameness, seeing lads with dogs after dairy cows pisses me off no end.

Timmaay

pakalasa wrote: »

€Timmay, I'll throw down a challenge to ya. See who comes up with the best idea.

Watch this space! delaval can be the judge, and let us know if he "wasted" 400quid :P

delaval, is that an hr in total, or 30mins each way? I assume you keep them closer by night? Also, do the B&W cows do that walk, or just the JEx ladies?

delaval

Timmaay wrote: »

Watch this space! delaval can be the judge, and let us know if he "wasted" 400quid :P

delaval, is that an hr in total, or 30mins each way? I assume you keep them closer by night? Also, do the B&W cows do that walk, or just the JEx ladies?

That would be the longest walk. It would be once a day 30mins average. All cows do it with slow ones are kept beside parlour usually last row. Last row always gets 2 pulls of meal because they are last for a reason. Another thing we do when we stop meal feeding is to feed last two rows as it speeds them up and they are not last the next milking.

On the waste of €400 that would be common with me and often a lot more:mad::mad:

I wasted 100 in the pub last night, I'll tell ye one thing I won't need a story tonight:pac::pac:

delaval

mf240 wrote: »

Does the hours walk impact on yield delaval? How far would that be and is it on the public road?

Its a great job giving them all there time walking it really helps lameness, seeing lads with dogs after dairy cows pisses me off no end.

It would no doubt if it was everyday. It is all on farm roads with one road crossing 60% of the time :mad::mad::mad::mad:

TEAT SQUEEZER

delaval wrote: »

It would no doubt if it was everyday. It is all on farm roads with one road crossing 60% of the time :mad::mad::mad::mad:

same here ,some torture holding them in yard .. forget the 400 euro and spend ,god knows how many times it, on an underpass:D

keep going

.the upside of farming is you have certain flexibility with going to the childrens stuff but the downside is when jobs have to be done they have to be done.

F.D

royalmeath wrote: »

Every farmer should take a rest on Sunday, and if you are that busy that you cant take a rest you would want to be making a
fortune out of your farm, or maybe your just a total fool.

bit of a sweeping statement
Full time farmers yes
Part time farmers dont have that privilage,
I'm part time, because we are investing a lot in the farm to build it up we have to work sundays, and cannot justify taking a day of work mid week to do the farm work, or pass on and potential profit to a contractor so weather permitting its fencing, tidying up, dosing/moving cattle, slurry or fert spreading or what ever needs to be done, is done.
theres enough wet saturdays and sundays in the year where we don't go near the farm.
plus side for me is i'm in an office all week so the work and fresh air on both days has hopefully some health benifits overall
Longterm maybe i'll be a full time farmer and sundays will be a day of rest

delaval

pakalasa wrote: »

€400 is steep. It should be possible to make up something simple with a timer, batteries and a simple mechanism. I'll get to ye on it. :rolleyes: Timmay, I'll throw down a challenge to ya. See who comes up with the best idea.

Well how are ye getting on? We are all waiting for white smoke and also to see whom Boards will send to Tullamore show with their prototype:cool::cool::cool:

I recon I have saved the €400 already in this miserable wet weather. As we were expecting a deluge last night I set it for 3am, all cows in yard this am and no damage to paddock. We let cows back to graze at 8.30 this am and set it for 11.30 and bingo all back to the yard to stand off. Cows back out tonight and I have it set for midnight. We are really seeing the benefit of it now. We would usually have had to go out at night to open the gap to allow them stand off:):):):)

moy83

Does it make a sound or anything when it opens up or do they just notice the gap open and head in then? Handy job

bbam

delaval wrote: »

€400 too dear? We will save aprox 30min/milking during grazing season.

At 300 days grazing that's 300 hrs@€40/hr=€1200. I would not consider it too dear. Cows get to walk at their own pace and some of our walks are up to an hour so we will benifit from it.

Can see why every dog in the country is looking at going into milk. €40 an hour for your time on your own farm . (only poking fun)

delaval

moy83 wrote: »

Does it make a sound or anything when it opens up or do they just notice the gap open and head in then? Handy job

All low alarm sound but I think it is to warn humans as spring flies back. Cows as you know are creatures of habit and they know when it is milking time. They also seem to know that I don't want any damaged paddocks and come in when it opens in this weather

mf240

Im not being mean but if you didnt shut them out at all would they not do the same thing?

delaval

mf240 wrote: »

Im not being mean but if you didnt shut them out at all would they not do the same thing?

I know but a fresh cow or a dumb heifer could undo the whole show an lead them all in after an hour. I need them to least stay 4 hrs in this weather. We do not live near cows and would be scared to leave to their own devices

Timmaay

delaval wrote: »

Well how are ye getting on? We are all waiting for white smoke and also to see whom Boards will send to Tullamore show with their prototype:cool::cool::cool:

Ha, Rome wasn't build in a day! But found a better solution than what I had originally suggested, just waiting for it to be delivered now!

delaval

Timmaay wrote: »

Ha, Roman wasn't build in a day! But found a better solution than what I had originally suggested, just waiting for it to be delivered now!

We will only accept an original, you may buy components but not a unit. Be very careful or you may be disqualified;);););)

delaval

I got the latest on the gap timers
Paka is going to power his by steam and smaller components are being kindly donated by Whelan circut board from moo monitor as it doesn't really work anyway. Bob Charles is funding the project as he will need it for a break out sometime soon. Getting it into a cake will be tricky though!!

Timm is using a piece of baler twine donated by myself and a timer from Freedom's Acr's, as he has also seen the light since I joined boards and no longer needs them. We were thinking of donating this one to whelan but since she has no grass and no need for it we were then going to give to Mf240 but he is going very low tech and leaving gap open.

I was thinking Mahoney or Stan since their cows are so large and hungry they would need regular acess to the feed passage in the sheds. Only one of them can have it so choose carefully!!