Good & Naughty Cows

It's been a while since I've posted, so there's much updating to be done.

    First things first, the trade show (first weekend in March) went over wonderfully! I had the wonderful opportunity to meet several people from the community that not only were "friends" on facebook, but readers of this here blog. =) I also had the chance to talk with several people about Double D Beef, answering questions and sharing information and such. It was great to know that there's such an interest in getting back to wholesome foods and supporting local agriculture. The only part I didn't like was having to leave the munchkin. She was in her Daddy's capapable hands (even if they did eat pizza the whole time) but I still had to deal with the "Mommy don't go" and "Momma feed cows, no go work". My hats are off to the working mommas out there that have to leave their little ones behind. I've always counted myself lucky that I either don't leave, or take my little one with me. I'm blessed.

I was right next to my friend Pure Fusion, so she snapped some pics for me. My booth won the "best booth" award, wahoo! With the great help of another friend Skye who shared the space with me. =)



 
Ok so this was at the end of the show, and we were a little bored.....

    Next on the list of happenings around here is calving. The sheep are done and have been moved to their more new homes where they can graze during the warmer weather and whenever summer gets here. The cows were rolling right along but have now stalled out a bit. They'll get back at 'er when the next spring storm shows up! We did however get the usual dose of scour guard in them and sorted out the 1st calf-heifers. (Scours is a deadly disease that affects calves after they are born. The idea is to catch them a couple weeks before they're born to build up anti-bodies against it with momma's help. If the calf gets scours it's like the worst possible flu you can imagine for an infant.)

    We also have been sorting heavies off (mommas that are about to pop) to keep them closer to the barn in case of problems. Well while sorting, there was a snorty red cow that wanted to blow a little snot in my back pocket. The Cowboy and Boss Man might have laughed a little more than I would have liked when I screamed like a little girl and headed for the fence. The problem was the melting snow made a huge puddle in the one end of the corrals that we were sorting in. Guess who was in ankle deep mud while trying to run from a mean cow? Yup, me, as is par for the course. All was ok though, she really didn't want to eat me that bad or else she would have had me for lunch!

    It was worth the trouble for that sort in particular. It was three days later that first thing in the morning there was a cow in trouble. She was wilder than bull snot. She ran at least 2 people through the fence and even ripped the Cowboy's pants a bit. She was a Naughty Naughty cow. We finally got her in the "calf pulling" pen safely and went to work. The Boss Man and Cowboy jumped in and pulled the giant heifer calf. She was huge! All ended well though, even if the momma was still head-butting the fence when no one was any where near her.

    Later that day, we headed out for another check before it was dark. The pulled calf was up and moving with no ill effects from the trauma earlier in the day. There had been a new addition to the nursery when I saw it. Another momma had popped, but still had a bag of water hanging out. She wasn't pushing or even trying. Toes, I could see toes through the bag which only means one thing....twins! =) This momma was nothing like the one we'd pulled earlier in the day. She was the kind you want to keep around. Easy to handle, good momma, and just a nice personality.

    The Cowboy and I got her in to the "pulling" pen with no problems. When we started to pull, then momma helped and started pushing again. In no time at all, there was a second heifer calf on the ground. So far so good. She's taking both of them and being a great momma.

    The only other bit of news is kinda big actually. I've been in touch with a wonderful ranch wife that is starting up a Wyoming chapter of the American Agri-Women. I can't believe that Wyoming doesn't have a program like this already! So long story short, I'm helping her get this off the ground and it's going to be great! Any time you can raise awareness about agriculture and the people involved it's always great! So far we only have a Facebook page till we can raise some funds for a website. So if you're on Facebook come see us and be a part, even if you're not in Wyoming! ( go here)

Till the next time, try to stay out of the mud while sorting crazy cows!

 

Comments

[Gaylene]

I will try to remember that, we have about 20 cows all getting ready to pop any time, every evening when I get home that is the first thing I do, go look for new babies!

[Nancy~The Wife of a Dairyman]

I'm new here and just wanted to stop and say hi! Love the looks of your blog and I think it's great to have American Agri-Women start up in your home state:) I'm sure you'll be a huge help in getting the organization off the ground.

[sam]

HAHAHA stupid cows- nothing worse then a first time mama-cow all hopped up on hormones trying to take on the people trying to save her hide! Glad she didn't eat your lunch though and I'm glad she took the calf. Hope the rest of your calving season is less eventful than that!
~Sam from the Soesbe Clan

[Texas Ranch For Sale]

It was many to recognise that there's such an involvement in getting back to nutritious sustenance and sustaining restricted agriculture. And I've been in feel with a magnificent ranch wife.