Rest in peace, Toy Story.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/a-breeder-apart-the-bull-who-sired-500-000-offpsring-is-gone-1421196530
Toy Story the Bull
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Cow Update!
Another long day at the farm. That is me on the left trying to fix the gator with help from the cows.
The second picture is the cows on the hayfield. They wintered there for three months and now the wheat and fescue is starting to grow faster than they can eat it.
Thought we would go back and look at some of the cows and how they have grown over the winter. This is Grace one of Vicki’s favorites. She is only four months old. but she has really grown.
Everyone’s favorite, Blue. She is now five months old. She is looking great.
This was one of the smallest calves we had. She is not named, but she has really grown.
This is a calf we call Smokey, because of her color. She is almost a big as her mother.
And finally, a picture of Vivian the day she was born, and a picture last week. She’s going to be a great cow.
First Snow at the Farm
Here’s a look at what last week’s snow did at the farm. Stay warm out there!
New Year, New Post!
We had a calf get out this week. We tried to figure out how she got out until we found this tree through the fence.
Lucky for us some fat man came and fixed the fence with a fence stretcher. It looked like he knew what he was doing, but only time will tell.
We have some new faces on the farm. We are now up to 96 cows and calves. It seems they are coming from everywhere. A couple of our favorites are Bonnie, #402 with big pink ears,
and #404 that just has this look that says “what are you looking at me for?” I think I will name her Clyde. You know Clyde the camel. If you don’t know, look up Ray Stevens.
Some of the cows in the feeding pens and in the corral. Note we have changed the numbering system. The mother and the calf have the same number. Never have to wonder who the mother is again.
Cows in front of the frozen pond in late January. It has been the coldest winter we have had in many years and the cows are having a hard time.
Good thing we fenced off the bottom pasture so we can open it up for them to graze on a few times a month.
It has been very cold this year. We have feed over 200 round bales of hay. Each bale weighs over 1000 pounds. Vicki gets tired of carrying these by herself, but they are too heavy for me. With the hay, minerals, and protein supplement the cows are doing great. We feed them no hormones, all they get is natural grass, and hay supplemented with protein. If you want to have some great beef, you need to check out our sales department. Too bad, we do not have a sales department, and our calves are not for sale, yet. Maybe someday…
Ring Toss
While other people were doing black Friday and Saturday, we at the farm were doing the ring toss. We pride ourselves in a flawless placing of the hay ring around the hay bail. Who was the driver who scored 100 on the ring toss?
If you guessed my daughter, you would be correct. The ring toss champion. Whenever we need a clutch ring toss we call on her.
Wooly Bully has an new girlfriend every single day. Today it is #131. What a lucky girl she is.
Two week old calf. Looking good.
Two calves on the same cow. This is a crazy herd. They will feed on anyone. It also makes it a great herd.
That is all we have from the farm the week of Thanksgiving. We give thanks to God for everyday we spend together.
Fall on the Farm
Finally the trees are have changed color. The wheat is coming up. Great time to be at the farm.
A few pictures looking down to the hay field, then back up from the hay field.
We keep missing feed. The cows blame the buzzards, the buzzards blame the cows. We just can’t catch anyone doing anything. That is until today. #140 was caught in the action.
This is me counting cows. Jethro Bodeen and I repeated the third grade three times. It took most of the day for me to count the cows.
Bottom hay field I planted at midnight Labor Day weekend.
My daughter’s house at the end of the hay field today, and her house one year ago.
Going into the special time of the year, we hope everyone has a special holiday season, and hold those close that you love. Many miles may be between you, but the love and memories overcomes those miles. May God bless you all.
Why Name a Cow Blue?
We now have 25 cows, 19 calves, one bull , and one donkey. This calf we call Blue. She looks like a blue tick hound. Big floppy ears and runs around like a a dog on a trail of a deer. The bottom picture is me putting out feed one Wednesday night. If you double click on the photo all you see are the ears on ole Blue. We hope to keep Blue for many years, she will hopefully be a great mother in a couple of years.
Wooly Bully and I have not been getting along. Two weeks ago Wooly Bully flipped me head over heals over a feeder on my back. I felt like I was in a car wreck. The first picture is of Wooly Bully yelling at me to get out of his pasture. Two stubborn males trying to get their way. This time Wooly Bully gives way. Something tells me I had better watch my back.
I want to share with you what a great God we serve. Anyone who has doubts about God needs to come to the farm. There is no way the following pictures could happen without a gracious and merciful God. This calf was born while we were at lunch. The first two pictures are within the first two hours of birth. The third picture is in the second hour. The fourth picture is in the third hour as they are running to join the herd. Thank you Lord Jesus for all you do.
I hope you enjoy the farm pictures. Sorry they are not very frequent. You are welcome to come and visit anytime. It is a lot of work, but it is a lot of fun. It also brings us closer to God.
On the Mooove
Time to move the cows to another pasture. I finally sweet talked this cow into following me to the new pasture. Once they were moved we gave them a little treat.
Cows after on the new pasture ate all day long.
We spent most of the afternoon moving hay. Last cutting was just over 100 bales.
The Birth of Abraham
Amazing how the Lord works. We had the live birth of a bull calf at about 4:00 Sunday. What a great sight. The calf was so full of energy and the entire herd seemed to want to protect him.
The calf was born in front of my daughter’s house. It was born to the first cow we vaccinated and tagged. Since this was the first bull calf born on the farm, we are calling him Abraham, for he will be the father of many.
Abraham has many cousins to play with and many aunts to watch over him.
Our herd had been terrorized by a coyote most of the week. This all came to a halt about 6:30 tonight at the end of the barrel of a ruger 10/22. Thanks to a buddy of mine for showing up at the right time with the right gun. Can you say stink, stank, and stunk? That is how he smelled.
At the close of a great weekend, we see the sun setting and the canadian geese leaving the pond.
Come and join us anytime. There is always lots of work to do, but also lots of fun. We will even let you drive the tractor.
Meet Ginny
Meet Ginny, our new donkey. We hope she keeps the coyotes away; they hate them. We saw a fox again tonight, but no coyotes.
