Canesister's 2019 farm journal

[thistlebloom]

Sorry about your tough summer and losing Rosie, Cane.
The stuff we can't control can be overwhelming, so try to focus on the things you can, and like Seed said, make sure you take care of yourself.
Seasons always change and summer will be back around next year.

 

[canesisters]

Quick update.
Paddy Cow has become a complete nuisance. I spent a couple hours chasing her (escaped) each day for 3 or 4 days. Find the weak spot, tighten it up or repair it - out she'd go the next day. Not GOING anywhere. Not even getting out to graze. Just crossing the fence, finding a shady spot and napping. Driving Eva INSANE with worry.
I locked her in a stall and have been letting Eva in 2x a day so she can nurse. More for Eva's health than BratCalf's. I can't really get rid of her at the moment because I wouldn't be confident that Eva could safely be dried off before I leave in a couple of weeks. And I CAN'T ask someone to come milk - even Eva wouldn't behave for a stranger under those circumstances.
I mentioned to a dear friend that I was temped to send her skinny little butt off to slaughter now at only 4 months old. Next thing I knew, he had arranged to DELIVER several portable cattle panels this coming weekend so that I can let her out of the barn but still be comfortable leaving the farm in Aug for Dad's b-day trip.
Today one of my drivers asked if I happened to know anyone selling a young steer that he could raise up for beef. I told him I might have a 5mo old heifer around the end of August and he said that would work out perfect because he wouldn't be ready till then anyway.
SUCH a relief of pressure. A few more weeks of keeping her confined won't be too bad. Then I'll be home and can either go back to regular milking or let Eva dry off when I can watch for any problems.

 

[thistlebloom]

Whew, that's a good solution, and what a priceless friend you have.
And a nice convenient rehome coming along too. Win win.

 

[canesisters]

Whew, that's a good solution, and what a priceless friend you have.
And a nice convenient rehome coming along too. Win win.

He really is just a DEAR!! He's been fighting cancer for years but he simply refuses to let that slow him down. He is THE FAVORITE of all of the kids at church because - to them - he's never too tired, to busy or too 'grownup' to play with them. He's a regular at local ball games, supporting "His Kids' " teams. I've never heard anyone even hint at anything other than how wonderful he and his sweet wife are.

 

[canesisters]

Can you rinse them and pop them into the freezer in zip-locs, then can them this winter? The skins would slip right off when they thawed. They take up a to of room but it might buy you some time.

THANK YOU @Ridgerunner !!!
34lbs of tomatoes in the freezer this weekend!!

 

[baymule]

Calves that are escape artists like that grow up to be cows that escape and nobody likes that! What a stinker! It is all going to work out, thanks to your wonderful friend.

 

[canesisters]

Got the "playpen" put up and have left them both in for the day to test it. It worked out much larger that I was expecting - yeah!
On a side note - I had decided to use t-posts instead of wooden posts for the chicken coop fencing project and since the fence is 6'tall, I got 8' posts. I needed a few of them to support the playpen end panels. I didn't quite think through the mechanics of a 5'6" person pounding an 8' post into the ground. LOL That was a workout for an entirely different set of muscles!!! Even with the t-post pounder... Just getting it off the top of the post without konking myself in the head was a little bit of a challenge.
If I could remember how to post a video, I'd show yall her zipping around bucking and kicking like a wild critter.

 

[thistlebloom]

I can totally visualize the precarious position of getting the pounder off a high post . Been there done that! It's always an uh-oh breathless instant when you hope your family understands, haha.

 

[flowerbug]

if i haven't bonked myself at least once on such a project it just doesn't seem right...

 

[seedcorn]

Be careful with drivers. Mine weighs about 40#. When I got aggressive-one last big pound-it slipped off of post, hit edge of post, landed on my head-while hard, not as hard as steel-splitting my scalp open and putting me on my knees. I need to be smarter than post driver....