Moving the Cattle

It’s the time of year we move the cattle from their winter home to their summer pasture so the beans can be planted. I wanted to leave them up north for as long as I could to give the pasture a chance to grow since we’ve had such a late start to spring.   I love reading about this process on other farms:  sorting cows from calves, loading them onto trucks or trailers and then driving them to the new location.  For me, it means I open my mustard and ketchup gates.

Then I return to the barnyard and shut the goats and llama in so they can’t go join the cows on my bean field, while I leave the gate open all night.

In the morning, Djali was a bit irritated that his freedom had been restrained, but I opened the panel and let him back into pasture when I went to see if the cattle had moved themselves into the Back Forty.  I planned on shutting the gate either way.

When I looked over the hill, I saw the cattle hadn’t come into the Back Forty, but they were just thinking about it.

I encouraged them to come on through.  MJ thought about it some more and took the time to scratch his face on the mustard gate.

Then he slowly took his time coming through.  My old man really is starting to show his age.

Next Maxine came closer.  What was she checking out so closely?

Her big hunk of steer.  He looked quite happy, so she decided to join him.

That’s all there is to moving my cattle from their winter home to their summer pasture.  How easy!

You might notice Maxine’s very saggy empty udder.  I don’t think she’ll be having a calf this year.  The injured bull was obviously too injured to breed her, but I do credit our plan with saving his life.  Once he had company, he really perked up and started showing some improvement.  Now you can’t tell he was ever injured!

Linking to Friday’s Fences, Skywatch Friday, and  Farmgirl Friday

It Was a Dark and Stormy Night

Somehow with the drought last year, it didn’t dawn on me that we could also be in the midst of setting a good record.  But we were until it came to an end yesterday.  We had 359 consecutive days without a tornado warning in the state.  It was hot and humid, and we were warned of storms coming.

I did my storm preparations of picking up feed pans and then I went out to pasture to tell the goats and llama they needed to come to the barn.

Millie

The bovine wanted to go back north, and I tried letting them, but I opened the gate too late.  They’d changed their minds and were going to stay in the pasture.  Now, if you think I can convince a 3000 pound steer to move when he doesn’t want to, it’s not going to happen.

MJ and Maxine

I jumped up and down behind him and hollered, “Get up, Hyiah!”  He stood.  I had a hand firmly on each rump roast pushing as hard as I could, and he didn’t notice me.  I finally gave up and reminded them they could come to the barn. They drive me crazy when they stay in the pasture in stormy weather.

I sent my nephew a text saying it was time to quit farming for the day and then went into town to get my mother since she doesn’t have a basement.  We got back to my house just as the first jagged streak of lightning hit.  Mom went in, and I went to make sure some silly Cinnamon goat was getting her butt out of the pasture and into the barn.  About that time the thunder came and everyone was scared inside.

By the time I got inside, I saw we were under a tornado warning.  I looked out the wind0w again (yeah, I know that’s not what you’re supposed to do in a tornado warning, but still) and saw I had a goat outside.  I headed for my boots and had just gotten them on when my mom told me the goat went in the barn.  For some reason the geese just sit out there in the tornado warning.  They could go in.  Really.

Then they said a tornado had been spotted five miles south of State Center.  Well, that’s just north of town.  Then we got a text from my son asking if we had electricity and did I have any ice cream.  I can’t make this stuff up.  Of course his next text was that he’d driven through the funnel cloud (I believe he meant the rotating wall cloud that is associated with tornadoes and not the actual tornado).  That would have been just about five miles south of State Center.

Well, our streak of no tornadoes has ended, but everyone in my world is safe.  The cows survived. The geese are all here and everyone is fine.

We had more storms come through in the night and there are more chances again tonight.  So how do you prepare for storms?

Linking to Homestead Barn Hop and Clever Chick’s Blog Hop

Earth Day

Happy Earth Day!

I was happy to have nice weather this weekend to spend time out with the animals.  They are all enjoying the greens.  Alas, we are back to rain and possibly snow, so they will be huddled back in the barns.

MJ and Maxine

Millie

After a long day of hiking up and down hills chasing after kids and counting them to make sure all were accounted for, I decided to relax by doing some more still life photography.  I decided to try to incorporate the elements (earth, air, fire and water) in honor of Earth Day.

I had to buy more flowers.

If the temperatures warm up, I might actually have some flowers around here.  You might be getting lots of pictures from the weekend.

Linking to Farm Fun Friday, Barn Charm, Tuesday’s Muse, and Ruby Tuesday 2.