Cash Milk

I made a homemade incubator for my eggs. Found a cooler and added a heat lamp. I took a fan from my computer spare parts and attached it to a battery charger to circulate the air.

Here is a good flow of the beef industry. This is covers the operations that are involved to bring beef to your table.

This is my Rooster

You know there is a rooster ordinance in almost every city. Recently here in Sacramento they are allowing up to three hens within the city limits. Isn't this a gender discrimination against male chickens? I think they should file a lawsuit against the city.

Well it is good to learn that San Diego has allowed 1-3 rooster per household in the city limits.

People who already own several roosters will be allowed to keep up to three of them as pets, provided the birds do not create a nuisance or health hazard; are micro-chipped or fitted with a city-approved legband for identification; and are housed 100 feet from the closest neighboring home.

Sounds like these roosters will be on parole with microchips and ID bands. You can read more at the link below.

http://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/City-Council-OKs-Rooster-Limits-60344532.html








What about the neighbor's dog that keeps barking at late hours of the night? Yeah chickens are dirty pets, what about the dog that keeps urinating on the tree that my girls play around in my front yard? What about them dog owners who leave dog sh!t everywhere? Worst the stupid 2 pound  chihuahua that doesn't know when to shut it. If you haven't notice my hens lay more eggs with rooster around.

I am moving to Fair Oaks, CA. They have a ordinance called "Fair Oaks Village Neighborhood Preservation Act". Why did the chicken cross the road? Because it has the right of way, at least in Fair Oaks. Now if I can let all the roosters know they will sure all flock there.

Fair Oaks Chicken Festival if anyone is interested

"Most recently, Tsakopoulos has been in the news for acquiring a major Yolo County ranch – a deal that gave him valuable Sacramento River water rights. He cut a deal to sell water to Davis and Woodland for $3 million a year."

I went to Starbucks to wait for my girls to get out from school at Freeport and Sutterville, so I purchased a Naked mango smoothie for $3.45 after taxes. The kid behind the counter said $3.50 when the registered clearly rang up $3.45. I don't think he knew I caught that. I didn't want to make a big deal about it but it is the principal behind it. I just let it go because I was reminded that in many cases before the retailer didn't bother me for 3 cents if I was short.





I guess I have been drawing comparison between Freeport Bakery on Freeport and Starbucks. 2 tall lemonade ice tea and a danish is about $3.50 at Freeport Bakery.  I am just not feeling Starbucks and all this large corporation companies, well maybe it is not that bad because I am using free wifi.










The speed is pretty crappy here at Starbucks Freeport. .8 mbps download and 1.2 upload.

After 3 long weeks of waiting for an online purchase of the IBM Thinkpad from Lenovo's website, the unit arrived today via UPS. I must had missed the note that mention that it would take 2 weeks for the notebook to be assemble in China, shipped to Japan, and then USA.

A friend asked me why am I so hung up on IBM. I would have to say from experience, my IBM products have always been reliable. My bad experiences with other notebook are; bad screen hinges, over-heat heat sink, failed fan motor, cracked screen housing. Notebooks take a lot of beating because they are mobile, so a strong durable notebook is a must.

I am disappointed with the thickness of the T-Series. The new T Series is thicker than it's predecessor the T60. The Thinkpad series is looking more like the cheaper version the Lenovo Series. Also I notice the older T series was more compact, tightly put together. The new T series look like a plus model.

When you spend half your day on the computer and your right hand on a mouse for hours at a time, you will start to realize the versatility and ease of using a mouse track pad. It is a lot easier on the wrist and forearm.

The screen resolution at 1600x900 LED has excellent lighting. I have always prefer the matte finish to the gloss.  I don't need to look at a mirror all day, as the gloss screen tend to do so in the sunlight.

Thinkpad Series has a signature key board feel with minimal flex, last I remembered the Thinkpad keyboard is water proof. There is a video of someone pouring milk on the keyboard and the milk was channel through some drain plug underneath the keyboard. And who can forget the red tracking point signature of Thinkpad Series.

The speakers are placed in an area that will receive a lot of abuse. If you carry your notebook around like I do, your thumb will be applying a lot of pressure in that area. Again the titanium hinges will ensure the screen does not flip flop, I tend to carry my notebook by the screen often when it is open.

The Thinkpad is a business class notebook and it serious about its purpose, as I take my work seriously too.

Someday I would like to build something like this out on the countryside. Simple 1200sqft living space.

Newly release planting zone map for United States released by USDA.

Here's a great article in Forbes about investing in farms:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/morganbrennan/2012/01/19/the-most-luxurious-ranches-and-gentlemans-farms-for-sale/


Yeah, what the heck?  Is anyone else as shocked as we are to find out that the late Kelly-Moore founders were going around collecting farms?  Not just some small hobby farms.  But a whopping 124,000 acres of farm land?  Whoa...that's some crazy foresight to collect such valuable assets.  Not only did they collect just hobby farms or trophy farms; they went one step ahead to invested in full functioning farms with farm equipment, fully irrigated farm land producing grain crops and alfalfa hay to feed 4,500 heads of cattle, machinery, staff and the business.

This is some INCREDIBLE foresight.  And now at the peak of the agricultural/ranching boom, they've decided to sell?  That's some great timing!!!

Well, we're calling on all millionaires, billionaires, fund managers, venture capitalists to look into this deal and take us on as a partner.  We can definitely manage this project and make it even better.  This is a great opportunity.  We may be half kidding about this proposal, but seriously, this is an outstanding opportunity to invest in what we call the "last frontier" of investment opportunities.

This is what we are looking to do for our investment company as well.

Other related links on yahoo about this topic:


http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/massive-multi-million-dollar-farms-for-sale.html



UNTIL NEXT TIME...

Where is the rain? A lot of farmers and ranchers are edgy because "no rain" means the winter crops are going to have low yields. Farmers and Ranchers depend on the winter rains to get quality forage. If the production of winter forage is low this year, that means the hay prices are going to go through the roof in Spring. There will be no sign of relief in the rising hay market. Many of us are taking a good look at our own feed management strategy for this 2012 year.

A group of people which included my mom bought 1 ton of rice from a local rice mill today. The cost was $550 per ton. That means there was going to be forty 50lbs bags of rice at about $13.75 per bag ($.28 per lbs). A regular bag of 50lbs rice bag at the local grocery store is about $32, that is 1/3 of what they would pay at the grocery store.

Well I made some rice this afternoon and the rice taste better than the bagged rice. It taste fresh, a bit more starchy, could be the species of rice.The rice I would say is fluffy, has good color. The aroma is also different. This look to be short grain rice.

Rice prices Over 5 Years Per Ton

Rice according to this graft has gone from $300 per ton to $600 per ton over the last 5 years. That is a 100% increase. Below is the 30 year graph. 2008 was the year we had a global rice shortage crisis. You can draw your own comparison.


In case you wanted to know. California is the number 2 state when it comes to rice production, Arkansas is number 1. California is known for the short and medium Japonica species.

*this morning I arose to the smell of a sweet fragrance of jasmine type rice. I then realize that it was the rice my mother had just purchase in bulk yesterday. The rice seemed to be pretty consistent overall after an overnight stay in the rice cooker.

Webster's Burger in Clements, a few miles down from Lockeford Meats, makes some of tastiest burgers. Everything is well price and the menu has a large variety of burgers.Don't forget the floats and shakes.


Across the street is Ricotti's Saddle Co., beautiful crafted leather goods for your horse. Next time the we will get into the different type of saddles.

What I look for in a horse. The first is conformation. The next thing I look for is pedigree. Third, does the horse have a good mind. Other things I look for is personality and good feet. Although stallions are dollar valued higher than mares, the mares have more influence than the sires.

Here is the Sire of "Princess Sails" (my mare quarter horse)

SIRE: Topsail Cody (NRHA Hall of Fame1996) Sired by Joe Cody (NHRA Hall of Fame 1989)

HALF BROTHER: Cee Blair Sailor NRHA Hall of Fame 1995 (Sired by Topsail Cody)

Conformation: Important to match the balance of your horse for the job you need him to perform. A well balance horse will out perform a poorly put together horse and will be less likely to get injured.

Pedigree: Knowing your horses pedigree gives you a better idea about your horses performance capability.

HALF BROTHER: Topsail Whiz NRHA Hall of Fame 2003

Mind: If your horse has a good mind he/she will be more trainable.

Princess Sails (Topsail Cody X Lotsa Dandi Lena)

Yes that would be a 4 lbs free ranged chicken, at $6.00 per lbs, from a local farm here in Vacaville, CA. (I will post more about this later)

Washington Post

Why do we still use horses? Well have you ever tried doing a 3 point turn in a coral while a bull is charging straight for you? The horse can get  in to areas where an ATV can't, this holds true in tough terrain. How about roping cattle off an ATV?


Those are some of the obvious reasons. Cattle is more gentle around horses than ATVs. You can ride right up to the herd without spooking the cattle. You'll need to get right up to the herd to spot sick cattle and sort them out to be doctored.

Swather cutting alfalfa field

Holstein Cow (Dairy Cow)

Alfalfa Bales