Silo Filling 2014...

Last year at this time, our silos were all full, and fall was heading our way in a hurry.

This year we had a cool spring, so the corn was planted later than usual. So...we're about two weeks behind in harvesting, as compared to other years.  Usually it's the last week of August when the chopper pulls in. (here and here are some of last years' pics) We remember many times...waiting out front with the kids for the school bus, hearing the unmistakable whine of the chopper coming up the road.  We would hear him long before we saw him...

Last week we ran out of silage here at home.  We were expecting it, but it meant lining up the chopper to cut at least a couple of loads of corn so that the cows had some silage to eat.  Jim had been taking moisture samples, and the corn was borderline as far as being ready to chop.  (The ideal moisture for in our small silos is about 67%)  It's not always easy to get silage chopped at just the right time.  When using a custom harvester, you not only have to get the corn at the right time, but you also have to juggle around the schedules of several farmers, all who have the same goal in mind.

The plan was, since the moisture was borderline...to fill one silo and then pull out, planning to come back this week to fill the other silo here and also the one at the other farm.

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The chopper is a fascinating machine, at least to me.  It's quite intimidating, especially when you're this close in front of it!  You want to be sure that the guy in the cab knows you're there before getting close!

The sides are folded up here, for travel on the roads.

Jeff took some time to write out some bills while he sharpened the chopper blades...

In the center of the picture, you can see the knife sharpeners.  This was something new to me, and I can't explain how they work, but it was interesting to watch.  I climbed up in the cab and took this picture looking down from the top...

Once everyone was set up, they cut a couple of loads, taking off the outer rows of corn from this field.  I can finally see the neighbors again!  (This is something I look forward to every fall.  I don't like to feel isolated behind corn fields!)  Hmm...who left that mess of silage on the road?  Don't worry...we cleaned it up...

Still trying to decide if the corn was a little too green, Jim squeezed a handful of silage to see how much juice was there.  His hand came away pretty wet...

After much discussion, they decided to pull out and come back in a few days to finish up.  Too much moisture makes a lower quality silage, not to mention a lot of smelly, messy silo juice!  Gotta keep those ladies happy...good silage translates to more milk!  By waiting a few days, hopefully it will be just right going into the silo.

Those "few days" are almost past, and we're expecting to chop the rest of the corn tomorrow.

Moving the Ag Bag...

Today was the day...

It was time to "move the ag bag"...or in other words...transfer the silage from the ag bag to the silo.

Back in the fall, Jim put out a 150' silage bag on the west side of the barn, with plans to transfer it to the silo mid-winter.  It became a bit of a puzzle, figuring out when it could be done.  The ground needed to be hard (not a problem for most of the winter!) and the snow couldn't be too deep (not usually a problem, but this winter??) to move the bag.  The heavy silage trucks had to be able to maneuver easily or it wouldn't have worked.

Last week we had a major thaw, and a lot of the snow melted.  Then this week, the temps plummeted again, well below freezing and were accompanied by a bitter wind.  Enough said.

First and foremost...the owls were removed from around the bag.  They enjoyed their temporary perches in the tree by the outside pen...

Next, the bag had to be cleared of ice and snow.  Jeff (the guy who transferred the bag) came last evening with his loader tractor and removed a lot of snow from around the bag so the equipment could maneuver. However, there was still a thick coating of ice directly on the outside of the bag that needed to be knocked off before they could remove the plastic. That took lots of elbow grease...knocking it off with shovels.  I helped with that part, and now I know why my arms are tired tonight!

Jim cleared away more snow, and the ice that was knocked off the bag, with the skid loader...

Getting ready to start...

Jeff began cutting a big slit in the bag.  Only when the bag was removed, would we know for sure just how nice the silage was.  Jim had taken samples to be tested...and they were good...but until you see the whole thing, you always wonder just a little what it will really be like!  The tiniest of pinholes can let air into the bag and cause spoilage...

 The silage was very nice!

Jeff began loading trucks.  Some of the silage went to the other farm for the heifers...a couple of loads were sold to another farmer...but the majority of it went into one of the silos here at home for the cows...

Yes, that's a smudge on my camera's lens...and I took the picture in the wrong direction, looking towards the sun...but that's the silage uncovered, being scooped up by the loader...

So...now that the bag has been moved, spring is welcome to come.

Antyime!

Please?!