Happy Thursday…and it’s gloomy grey and wet. It almost feels worse than miserable since we were treated to those beautiful sunny warm days only last week ! Farm chores go on regardless of rain, snow, hail and wind around here, we just dress accordingly. Layer after layer and topped by rubbery waterproofs we try to protect ourselves from the elements as bleary eyes head down to the barn for the morning shift.
Ginger, long time member of the reserve team is off for a day in the city and this morning, Song, from South Korea, our newest Intern and Greg loaded up Bran the Border Collie for another day on the ranch..in the rain. Song has been with us for a week now and although her big smile tells us she is having fun… I sense sore muscles and at the end of a busy day and heavy weary eyes over the dinner table.
The three rescue calves have been with us just over a week now and are growing fit and strong. We had some anxious moments firstly with Delilah the very frail little heifer who refused to feed. Hours were spent coaxing and cajoling, heat lamp and feeding tube, anything to give her the strength to fight….. and just as she looked like some life had been breathed into her, her twin, Samson seemed to fade as we watched. As we lit up the barn last night for the final feeding three healthy dewy noses were anxiously waiting behind the stall door. Three bouncing calves searching for the bottle which couldn’t connect fast enough with hungry mouths. Greg has mastered the art of feeding both Goliath and Samson at the same time, not an easy task as both boys gravitate to the same teat, heads and legs colliding in their enthusiasm. I get the easy one, little black and white Delilah, the smallest little waif but that girl now latches on with a strength that flattens the teat and manages to inhale her bottle before her siblings have had their first burp ! Way t’go Delilah !!
Macho the Man, the Boer goat buck has started getting a little forceful with his significant other, Alissia over the past few days. Alissia is currently very heavily pregnant, due to kid within the next few days and clearly in no condition to be pushed around so an executive decision was made that it was Macho’s time to return to bachelor status. Where to put a redundant sociable buck goat with an overload of testosterone….in with a redundant sociable ram who also has an overload of testosterone seemed to be the answer…and so it came to be…but not without a significant protest from Rodney. Rodney has been residing in the cow pen, his quiet companions Molly Moo and Daisy Mae have allowed him to be alpha male without protest and the band of three daily set off to the pasture together. Macho’s arrival upset the peaceful equilibrium in an instant, alpha male met alpha male with a clash of skulls and hackles raised. Macho the man reared and struck out, Rodney backed up and charged again again and again…Macho retaliated and we held our breath, the cows watched…and we waited. The older ram was the victor, Macho suddenly appeared to recognise that he had been usurped as alpha male and retreated in submission. This morning all was calm, the band of three is now the quartet and all four are quietly grazing ..in the rain.
Thoughts and prayers are with both Mom S and Mum J who are both undergoing tests today, we love you. Safe flight for big brother John who is currently heading over the North Pole ( hey, I found flight tracker and I know he is 2 hours and 59 minutes into his flight. The wonders of technology !!!) on his way for another term of rest and relaxation on the farm…NOT. smile. We are looking forward to your visit. Chore list is full !!
Time to go, it’s still raining and still miserable but I guess it is still February.
Take care, keep safe, M
Ginger, long time member of the reserve team is off for a day in the city and this morning, Song, from South Korea, our newest Intern and Greg loaded up Bran the Border Collie for another day on the ranch..in the rain. Song has been with us for a week now and although her big smile tells us she is having fun… I sense sore muscles and at the end of a busy day and heavy weary eyes over the dinner table.
The three rescue calves have been with us just over a week now and are growing fit and strong. We had some anxious moments firstly with Delilah the very frail little heifer who refused to feed. Hours were spent coaxing and cajoling, heat lamp and feeding tube, anything to give her the strength to fight….. and just as she looked like some life had been breathed into her, her twin, Samson seemed to fade as we watched. As we lit up the barn last night for the final feeding three healthy dewy noses were anxiously waiting behind the stall door. Three bouncing calves searching for the bottle which couldn’t connect fast enough with hungry mouths. Greg has mastered the art of feeding both Goliath and Samson at the same time, not an easy task as both boys gravitate to the same teat, heads and legs colliding in their enthusiasm. I get the easy one, little black and white Delilah, the smallest little waif but that girl now latches on with a strength that flattens the teat and manages to inhale her bottle before her siblings have had their first burp ! Way t’go Delilah !!
Macho the Man, the Boer goat buck has started getting a little forceful with his significant other, Alissia over the past few days. Alissia is currently very heavily pregnant, due to kid within the next few days and clearly in no condition to be pushed around so an executive decision was made that it was Macho’s time to return to bachelor status. Where to put a redundant sociable buck goat with an overload of testosterone….in with a redundant sociable ram who also has an overload of testosterone seemed to be the answer…and so it came to be…but not without a significant protest from Rodney. Rodney has been residing in the cow pen, his quiet companions Molly Moo and Daisy Mae have allowed him to be alpha male without protest and the band of three daily set off to the pasture together. Macho’s arrival upset the peaceful equilibrium in an instant, alpha male met alpha male with a clash of skulls and hackles raised. Macho the man reared and struck out, Rodney backed up and charged again again and again…Macho retaliated and we held our breath, the cows watched…and we waited. The older ram was the victor, Macho suddenly appeared to recognise that he had been usurped as alpha male and retreated in submission. This morning all was calm, the band of three is now the quartet and all four are quietly grazing ..in the rain.
Thoughts and prayers are with both Mom S and Mum J who are both undergoing tests today, we love you. Safe flight for big brother John who is currently heading over the North Pole ( hey, I found flight tracker and I know he is 2 hours and 59 minutes into his flight. The wonders of technology !!!) on his way for another term of rest and relaxation on the farm…NOT. smile. We are looking forward to your visit. Chore list is full !!
Time to go, it’s still raining and still miserable but I guess it is still February.
Take care, keep safe, M
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