January 21, 2010
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calf exercises
hello my loves! wanted to update while i had a few minutes. things are so busy here!
things are forever breaking on this farm, soon everything will be new, so things will have to stop breaking.
so far weve replaced a well pump, then had to reroute a whole room of frozen pipes, and 2 days ago the hot water heater went out, so josh had to pay 600$ for a new one. It stinks that its all water related, and you have to have hot water to milk. (something ive learned.) If theres no hot water, you cant clean all the pipes after you milk, then someone calls you and says the bacteria level is high in your milk, and they dock you about $1000 bucks in your milk check. on top of however much you just spent fixing the problem. Sheesh!
three of joshs best friends from high school came and spent last weekend here, it was really fun! One of them, Weston, just got his vet license, so he spent some time during the days checking all the cows which was really nice.
He also took the balls from all the young bulls. eek! And they kept telling me they were going to cook them and make me eat them- Mountain Oysters. SICK! no thanks. i told dad later, and he said that mom had eaten them before. Any comment on that one momma? i still dont understand why they have to take the lil guys menhood anyway.
Ive been taking care of alot of the sick babies, we had four that were all born during that really really cold spell, and they all had problems. Weston said the mommas must have been using all their energy to keep warm. Weve lost two, one looks great (her name is weeble. shes awesome!) and one is on the fence. Its really hard to spend so much time with the sick ones though, it makes me believe i could never be a doctor. I get too attached.
we had to move calves about 200 yards yesterday, you would think this would be easy, but we were moving the big ones, and they all weigh 3 times what i do- so basically i got drug around by calves all day yesterday. seriously, just imagine me holding onto a rope (that im supposed to be leading with,) but instead im about 10 feet behind, running trying to keep up with this huge calf that is running and pulling me through the pastures. I was absolutely cracking up by the end of it.
it really is a wonderful life.
love you more.
s
Comments (4)
Things will probably stay fixed and in working order when it warms up. It seems like all plumbing problems happen in the winter when it’s cold. Always. It’s so much more critical at the dairy so I really hope everything holds up now. I don’t know if your mom remembers but the first calf fries I had were at Fat and Vera’s (Uncle Charle’s mom & dad). It was great. Cooked outside by the men and Vera saved tin cans for events like that to serve iced tea from. I don’t know why that memory stands out – maybe because it was good. It’s so stinkin hard not to get attached to some members of your livestock family, I KNOW this. Try to remember it’s a business…first and foremost. I used to cry when I had to take a favorite ewe to the salebarn or sell favorite lambs. I did it though and you’ll do the same thing because the rewards of working with livestock balance it all out. You’ll see. I can just see those calves dragging you around! It makes me laugh just to think about it! I love love love you
awww, Sars! This brought me to tears. I love it! i miss yoooouuuu!
@shellisland - I do remember – yummmmmm
Yes I have a comment Mornin Glorie… Calf Fries or Mountain Oysters are good – if you learn to like something before you know what it is – or are too young to understand what everyone is talking about – it takes the sick part away…. all you know is they taste good. They taste a little like chicken fried steak
(which is an oxymoron in it’s self) They have to cut the young bulls or you end up with a whole pasture full of bulls all wanting to be king of the heifers….how would you like a whole pasture of mean and frustrated bulls chasing after you?
Soon enough you will be experienced on the farm – and will know how to make the calves follow instead of lead….ILYM I Miss You More Too
Your Dad just called from the UPS store…he mailed your stuff and Anna’s too
Well, the expound on Mom’s comment. I used to make complete PETS out of my pigs. PETS, they were like dogs…and I would bawl every time they were loaded up to go to the packer. Bawl. I was about 12 when I decided not to make pets out of them anymore. It helped, except there were always a few special creatures that you just loved despite yourself. I did have a few favorite ewes, too. Even though I knew better, they were pets, too. We had some for years, Dixie and Becky were my favorites. I delivered quite a few lambs. It never feels good when you lose one, never. You just feel defeated. You’ll have more triumphs than losses, though. I laugh everytime I think about you and the calves. I’ve been drug by more than one type of animal that I was “supposed” to be leading. Good stuff. You will have mountain oysters one of these days, you will. I love you sooooooo much!