Cows and Tall Corn = Not Good

Upon arrival from an afternoon at the pool, we were summoned for back up. No not for any police hold up, but for cow back up. We had cows out (in the neighbors shhh) in the corn field. This is a HUGE deal for a number of reasons:

-damage they do trampling the corn

-if they eat to much, which the WILL do, they will get bloated and die

-they are SO hard to see b/c the corn is so tall.

I quickly turned the boiling pot of water for fresh corn on the cob, to simmer and told the kids hurry up we got cows out.

And here is where the fun begins. C'man looking for cows in the field:

This job can be very hard without cooperation from everyone, including the dogs. Here Boji is on watch. KDee is inside the pickup and is a great cow chaser.

We almost have them in at this point.

And now for real coverage:) Warning no animals or people were injured during the taping of this. BTW foul language could be used, however I think I shut the camera off just in time:) At one point with the cows standing in the corner of the field, they turned around to head back in. I dropped the 'S' word and was promptly echoed by Mr C'man. Opps...

Spring Time On The Farm

So remember that snowstorm I posted the other day that we were supposed to get? Well guess what?? We got like a trace of snow! We were SO DARN LUCKY! Other areas to the north and south got @ 8-11 inches but we got as good as nothing! Now tell me, how does that work. For 5 days straight that's all the weather channels talked about. In fact events were cancelled already Friday night in anticipation of this huge snowstorm. Even at the 10 news that night, they were warning us. And I wake up Sunday to a dusting. But that's all OK with me. I was thrilled they were wrong! But I also know that here in the next couple months, as the weather gets warmer, they speculate about storms like they did this one, it's not going to be snow but tornado's! Had that been the case there is no doubt I'd had had our entire house packed in our basement:)

I think it's safe to say Spring has sprung! Know how I know?? The cows have started having babies. We went looking for baby's today and here's some shots of our little adventure.

Here are the kids, DH, and the dogs, heading down the road. Shhh I know no carseats.









The kids in the pickup getting ready to check out the babies.












This would be C'mans first calf from his momma cow. I guess he has some weird hair 'do' on his head. To far away to see it.















The momma cows are real good at hiding the baby. We looked and looked for this one and found it all huddled up in this pile of tree branches. Do you see it? We were actually able to get out and pet it.

Here's a protective momma! You really don't want to get b/w momma and her baby. We were lucky we could get out and pet this one b/c the momma was not near us. But you need to keep an eye out and be quite. Unfortunately Miss A does not know how to be quite and as soon as she got near the calf she was busy yelling for it's momma and it jumped up and took off. But C'man did get to touch it.

And the our ever so stylish Miss A. I don't know where she comes up with her outfits but they are pretty classic!

Does this 'life' interest any of you? I always find it so fascinating so see how others live, do you feel the same? Oh and speaking of that, the families that i met in Florida, are you out there? Do you have blogs and if so would you mind sharing??

Only me...

It hasn't been one of the best days for me today, well even week for that matter. I actually cried today. Something i haven't done in a long time. But will get to that another time. I have to just tell this story and hoping i can tell it in a way that doesn't make me look like a fool or live like a.... I don't even know!!

OK so this afternoon I was talking to FF-L when this car pulls up. I tell her I'd better go b/c some man was here. She instantly is like 'do you know him? are you scared? are you by yourself?'. (thanks for being concerned!!) I had a pretty good idea i knew who it was and I was correct. No, no Jehovah witness or broom sales person. It was a nice gentleman from NFIB which stands for National Federation for Independent Businesses. He came wanting to sell me a membership which i did get for $100 and you'll find out why shortly.

But really it's a national organization representing small businesses in the US. They represent us in DC on issues such as health care, SILO tax, etc. to senators and congress. Basically a lobbyist group.

But that's not where I'm going with this....so he pulls up and immediately is introduced to C'man who is in the back of DH's yucky ol' pickup. I come out of the house talking on my blue tooth to La and dressed to kill. Hardly, i had on gauchos and frumpy ol' shirt, no make up and i didn't do my hair today. But whatever, the last person he visited that i knew, she was still in her jammies, no bra and pink fufu slippers! So i wasn't to worried. I did suggest he start a lobby group for SAHM's LOL!!

I tell him i really can't go in the house b/c i know C'man won't come in. He says that's fine. I offer him my grill to use as a table!! Oh the fun is just beginning. While we're talking c'man has pulled out boards and a chain out of the pickup and now is building. I look at C'man by DH's pickup and i see this black blob on the road. I was like hmmm...is that the dog? no way to big. The light comes on it's a fricken calf. I immediately say 'oh my...we have a calf out and if it's out I'm thinking the rest of the cows may be too'. I call DH and he can't get over quick enough to do anything and by now the calf is on the bridge. The nice man offers to go get it in. Knowing he has no experience what so ever I'm like ahhh no that's OK. Excuse me for a minute tho. I load C'man up in the van and off we go.

I get to the calf and the darn thing will NOT move. Rather then run the other way he's busy looking at the guy standing 900 ft away. So i move closer and still he doesn't move. Lovely!! I end up being able to pet this thing!! It just stands there while i call DH saying what am i to do. I tried pushing the thing, clapping my hands to no avail he wouldn't move. The 'visitor' then comes to help. I'm REALLY embarrassed now.

Here he is in dress pants, white shirt, tie and nice shoes and he's pushing a calf!! Did i mention the calf is covered in crap on his rear! Also not sure he will kick us either! WE both pushed a couple times. Eventually he gets moving but of course the calf has no idea where to go. I open the gate and the visitor is running down the road after this calf!! I just kept saying 'oh my gosh, this can not be happening to me, what a sight we are!!!'

A pickup comes over the hill and sees our tired less attempts at working with this dang calf. He asks if we have it under control...ahhh does it look like it?? Eventually we get this calf in the pasture but not before Mr Visitor is in the ditch. I told him oh dear me, i can do this you have such nice clothes on you'll get covered in ticks and i'm worried he'll fall. I had to give him a ride back to his car which is still parked 1/2 on the road 1/2 on the shoulder and then we could continue back to where we left.

I guess i couldn't say i was really embarrassed b/c I'm at the point in my life where it is what it is. It's HILARIOUS!! He came to my house therefore he'll have to bear with me as i continue my job (mother, cattle Herder, business owner, etc) I'm sure he goes to many businesses where business must carry on, especially if you don't have an appointment. I told him 'really this is a typical day in my life. Stuff like this happens more often then i care to admit. But I've learned that if i don't laugh I'll cry and it's not worth crying b/c it's funny!'

Now do you see why i paid him the $100 i felt that's the least i could do for his assistance with a stinky, tick covered, shit covered, calf!

Holy Moly it's a Cattle Drive

I think that's a name of a book right?? I can't remember now as I had just gotten it from our local library a couple weeks.

Yesterday just after I got done posting about my new nephew, and was enjoying some quite time downstairs, DH called my cell phone from up in bed. I was like 'oh get out of here you're calling my cell phone from bed???'. I said 'yesssss' and he said 'go over to the neighbors the cows are out and get them in'. I was like you've got to be kidding me at 645AM I'm going to get cows in alone.

Certainly not the first time and sure as heck not the last. I loaded up the 2 dogs (3rd one is to fat and heavy for me to hoist in to the van) and off I went. I couldn't find them damn cows. But i also couldn't see them in the field. I called DH and said who ever called your dad is blind OR the cows are home already.

When i say home i mean back 'on the farm' b/c we had just moved them 3 miles to our place from the 'home farm'. BUSTED!! I found most of the herd 3 miles from where they were supposed to be on their way home!! I was like oh lovely now what....do i let them go back home or start chasing them the 3 miles to where they belong. At which point my FIL came racing over the hills to help.

He wants to move them back over here b/c I guess there is no where for them to go back home. I'll explain some other time. Well a/b 6 cows are in the neighbors field and the rest, 18 of them are with me on the hwy. Did i mention these cows have calf's making them VERY aggressive. While FIL was trying to get the ones out the field the rest of the cows were freaking me out. They don't like the dogs and the dogs like to tease them. Most of the cattle drives they help move them a long by barking at them. Yesterday they were pretty worthless. Boji got head butted by one of them right of the bat. So anyway this cow here, yeah the one with HORNS was coming after me. I kept walking further and further backwards yelling at my FIL to HURRY UP!!! See my shadow there with my arm out....i was trying to look big:)

The rest of the drive was uneventful other then the passerby's. Not a good time to be on a road (this is a county road so not nearly traveled like a major hwy or even a slower hwy) b/c a bus came by (which actually he helped move them along) and a/b doz other cars. A neighbor drove by at the beginning and asked which way we were heading and when i said the other way I said and can you help us watch gate holes. Put him to work!!

Eventually DH and the kids came. They were awake and he put them in the mail car and off they went. They were so cute in their John Deere hats and just so excited. We had them all in the field by then and DH and FIL were yelling at one another as to how they got out. Yelling is the form of communication b/w them two. Couple years ago FIL got a hearing aide but prior, and still, they got used to yelling at one another. Drives me nuts.

FIL kept saying 'you dumb ol' cows what you thinkin? You got corn stalks to clean up and green grass on the hill. Now get in there you dumb ol' things' He's quite a character and I've learned to laugh at him. The first 2 years of our marriage i was thoroughly irritated with the man. Not now, love him (thanks BFF-E for pointing out what a cute ol' man he is b/c that's what changed my way of thought!!)

At any rate there's a perfect synopsis of how life can be around here. I love excitement. Oh and last night DH had to pull a calf. I'll let him explain b/c actually he's working on his post a/b food prices (during a storm he shut down the computer and didn't save it) and he's also talking about starting his own blog about farming. I think it sounds great, I'm just not sure he's up for the time commitment.

I'm sure some of you have questions about this cattle drive....really, ask away. There is no stupid question so don't be embarrassed. I'm sure if you're wondering it, so our others. D.C. Em I'm sure you have questions right???

Oh and another thing I showed DH the picture of the cow coming after me and he said 'oh her? she's a nice ol cow, i had to pull her by the horns one time when the vet was scared of her and we were trying to pull a calf from her'. He then points out 'i'm sure it was the bright orange sweatshirt you had on didn't help'. He then said 'but yeah the cows are pretty aggressive with the calfs and no your orange sweatshirt had nothing to do with it'.

Trust me i was seriously thinking it was my orange sweatshirt and i was about to take it off.

Working Cattle

For those of you thinking DH got beat up over some hot Thomas toy @ Target, fear not. He actually was beat up (by me) while working cattle. Let me explain. The day after T'giving isn't only for shopping but the day DH, his brother, dad and the vet work cattle. Working cattle means shots and de-nutting them. You know, Rockie Mountain Oysters?? Ever heard of them?? Well it's the nuts/testicle of a cow!! EWWW but you want to know what?? there are Rocky Mountain Festivals around here!! and 'stags' where the men EAT THEM!! They are a delagasie!! Yup people actually eat them. Around here the only ones eating them are the dogs and that grosses me out to no end then we're talking people eat them??? oooffftttaa.
In order to do this someone, DH, had to coral the cow into a shoot. From there the gate is slammed shut (brothers job), and well you know the other 'stuff is done' Well DH is the lucky one that usually ends up getting the cow coraled. The vet is a chicken and wants to do things in a more complicated way then DH and brother prefer which means more stress gets put on the cow. I mean come on, would you like to be shoved in a shoot and then realize you're going to get your manly hood chopped off. So the cow kicked DH in the knee and the door got slammed shut on his face.
That's what happened to poor dh. Every year he can get pretty beat up but this is the worse. Now he's hobbling around and that blood won't come off of his nose. His head is looking much better and actually so is his nose. I'll have to take an updated picture much to his displeasure.
There you have it. I know i have some readers that aren't familiar at all with this 'farming' stuff so if you have any questions, ask away:) Or email me.