My Life KNOWS When It's Canning and Weaning Season!

We had an incident that led to housing Dodger and Stormy in separate stalls inside the barn for a few days prior to Patty and Killian being taken to Hampton’s.  Mr. Stormy gave us a little bit of a struggle helping him through a bout with Scours.

Jen and I had headed to Academy in Knoxville to pick up bag rolls for the FoodSaver.  Naturally – Hell always breaks loose when I leave the house.  Never fails.  Stormy managed to get his Easy Wean out of his nose.  It was raining.  And of course – he nursed on Cora – who had not nursed in over a week.

We won’t be using these Easy Wean appliances in the future.  They come off our Dexter babies too easily.  Our little yard seems to be a really good place for the babies to be fence-weaned from now on.

I’m just glad we got home when we did.  Dwayne had also forgotten to go get feed.  And Co-Op was closed.  He got to drive all the way to Lenoir City and buy feed to get us through until Monday.

Dishing out a completely different feed to our cattle in an instant is something that can downright set me to pulling feathers out of my butt.  But I had enough of the other left over to mix in for the next couple of feedings.  And we handed out extra hay.

It turned out to be a positive.  These animals went nuts over the Purina Stocker Grower.  Cora’s previous owner used that feed.  After watching them eat without flipping feed bowls and leaving absolutely no waste – we decided to stick with what works.  Our cattle have begun to lay down in contentment and chew their cud a lot more.  This is what we want to see.  It means they’re actually digesting their food properly.  The mountains of manure in the paddocks are nowhere to be found.

We’ve been able to reduce Cora’s ration back to the same feed and amount as everyone else.  We compensated a little with morning hay until we got her moved over with Artist and April.  All in all – everyone is now grazing more productively as we want.

We’ve been putting Stormy and Dodger through a gamut of training centered around their halters and lead ropes.  They’ve also been going through conditioning for getting used to us removing their halters when they come into the stalls at night – and putting them back on before they step outside for breakfast in the mornings.  The routine of off and on helps with being able to stand beside them anywhere and put a halter on them for any reason in the future.

We’re now able to stand around with them.  They have no problems letting us pet and love on them.  Both boys are settling in with common routines and almost walk right beside us.  They take no issue to walking up to us now – as well.

It’s the petty little things you can do during feeding time that can be used for big reasons down the road.  I use my ‘buzz words‘ as I did with the others.

They even stand still out in the little yard and let us adjust their halters without any need for a lead rope.  I always give a few minutes to connect ‘does that feel better?‘ to a problem being fixed – long enough for them to focus on the difference in how the fix feels.

They connect the dots in no time at all.  And a strong sense of trust blossoms enough to allow us all the time we need.  They come to understand that we’re doing something for them that will help them feel more comfortable.

There have been several various routines we’ve begun to teach and swap.  These routines allow helping them become comfortable with things like being tied to posts with enough excess lead rope that lets them eat from a feed bowl on the ground.  No more stretching in attempts to break free.  No more need to tie them up taut – as is done when they are being administered to for any animal care or grooming.  This was an issue while they were in the same paddock with Patty.  But it is – pretty much – something normal to be expected.  That’s why training is important.

They were allowed to keep their feed bowls all day for the first day.  They had not finished their rations.  But we let them slide.  They both left a little bit of feed in their bowls on the second day.  I gave them time until I finished feeding everyone and tending to the chickens before pulling their bowls and passing the leftovers to Artist and April.  Leftovers don’t get left inside the barn to encourage rodents.  And both boys decided to finish up all their rations before I took up their bowls that next morning.

The really cool thing about all this training and conditioning is that we don’t have to spend months going through boring repetitions.  One of the many wonderful traits that Irish Dexter Cattle possess is a strong level of memory retention.  For example – Bruce went months without a halter and not being put on a lead rope.  He still throws a fit when we try putting his halter on.  Always has.  Until we bring out the bucket with a treat.  And when we hook that lead rope – it’s as if he spent the day before walking all around the entire area with us.

Artist – April – and Cora are now in a paddock together.  The girls will remain with Artist until a week or so out from their due dates – if we’re lucky enough to get our young man to succeed.

Dodger and Storm will remain in the little yard for a while longer – while they go through more continued training.  Soon - they’ll be moved back to the paddock where they were born and nursed.

Bruce is now in a paddock by himself – but center to the other two larger paddocks.  He’s able to commune with everyone at the fences.  He’ll have the best of both worlds – until he goes to Hampton’s in November.

Already – in the short time since Patty and Killian were taken to Hampton’s – all the others seem to have calmed down so much.  You can feel the quiet and the peacefulness in the air.  You look at all of them during mid-day and there might be 1 or 2 standing.

Cora has already started her assertiveness toward April at the feed bunker.  But we’re working on that.  She gets a special treat for being a good girl if she shares.

Our cost for a 50lb. bag of feed has gone up almost $2.00 per bag.  And we’re driving all the way to Lenoir City to buy it.  Yet - the feed bill has gone down.  There is no more waste – period.  And we’re able to work scheduling for buying feed alongside other errands requiring driving to Lenoir City.

I’ve been really tickled by our little Fig tree this year!  This is its second season growing here.  And that little puppy has just loaded up with gorgeous figs!  I only get about a half-dozen ready each day now.  But if all goes well – it’s a sure sign that I’ll be canning fig preserves next year!

If that little Fig tree doesn’t double up next year – it’ll triple up with some wonderful fruit!

Our dominate Americauna Rooster is coming up absolutely gorgeous!  Took him a while.  But he finally got a handle on his ‘crow.‘   He had a pubescent ‘Bobbie Brady Thing‘ going on there for a few weeks.  We laughed every time we heard him!

He’s funny to watch.  I’ve caught him resting a couple times and it looks so weird!  He doesn’t lay all the way down!  He only bends his knees and ends up resting on his drumsticks!  Haha!

And the Girls are growing so big and so pretty!  Amazes me how we can end up with 24 chickens that are 95% more quiet than the other 5 we had before!  Never again will I even look at a Buff Orpington!!

We are struggling to keep up with the grass around here.  And it’s got the upper hand on us at the moment.  But we’ll get there!  One way or another – we will win that battle.  I can’t stand high grass!  Words start crawling all over me – like ‘snakes‘ – ‘ticks‘ – ‘rats‘ – ‘chiggers.‘

Eeewwwwww!

The garden’s going good.  I’ve been breading and freezing Okra for bagging with the FoodSaver.  I’ve been blanching and freezing green beans.  I’m gaining on a few packages of Purple Hull Peas.  We have tomatoes coming.  God willing – they’ll make it to harvesting for sauce and diced tomatoes to be canned.

The Eggplant just seems to be refusing to die.  We’ve had an awesome season of Eggplant Parmesan this year! And we have more eggplant coming every time we harvest a few.  All from 1 single plant.  I don’t get it!

There is one thing I think I goofed up on.  I thought I planted Spaghetti Squash in one of the tractor tires.  The little babies on these 2 puppies are way too round and dented – like a melon.  And if I’m not mistaken – the seeds may have come from an envelope that I forgot to mark.

I think I had one of those ‘ Screw it – let’s do it for shits n giggles ‘ days.

I only know this.  If I’d done it deliberately – they would have croaked.  With my luck – we’ll end up with some really delicious melon for Christmas.

There it is again.  The story of my life!

Surgery Tomorrow - Next 4 Months Crazy

I decided to drop a few things on the list and get a posting in before I go in for Carpal Tunnel surgery tomorrow morning.  They’ll be doing my left hand first.  The right hand will come a few weeks later – once the left hand has healed enough for me to be able to use it.

I’ve put up with the pain for so long that I’m not even worried about the surgery.  More than anything – I’m worried about my husband.  To begin with – he’s having to use all his vacation time to be at home taking care of me and our little micro-farm.

I’ve been trying to get as many things taken care of and out of the way since my last posting.  There’s been quite a bit going on.  And this deal with the Carpal Tunnel has just wedged itself smack in the middle of some crucial events going on here.

The 2 bull calves have some major turning points coming this next week.  Thank God – Dwayne has a couple of friends that will be able to come help.  Dodger and Stormy are being tagged and de-horned.  Both will be given their intranasal vaccines.  And Stormy will be banded.

I’ll be in the babies’ sight for dispersing the intranasal vaccines.  But I’m disappearing for all the other work.  I’ll be honest.  I’m not happy about these tasks being taken care of so far from the date of their birth.  But I am not the only human living here.  I haven’t been able to get in there and do it myself – no thanks to the Carpal Tunnel.  My choices were outvoted somehow. So – Dwayne gets to deal with all that stuff without me around.  He gets to work 3 times harder to regain trust with those 2 boys.

And if the flies bring problems after the de-horning - he'll just have to put up with another Vet bill.  End of THAT conversation.

Speaking of Vet bills…

We had to have Dr. Kate come out to help us with Miss Cora.  My eyes fell upon a nasty surprise at the feeder bunker a couple weeks ago.

Long story short – it was an old nail in one of the boards from the barn – all from time before we bought this place.  Cora had shoved on the Cattle Rub enough to yank it off the barn wall – and the piece of board went with it.

Apparently – her foot got tangled in the mess and she took a nail to her leg above the hoof.  Dwayne had cleared all the debris from the outside stall.  But I found the projectile that evening – at the feeder.

It’s always been a habit for me to check my animals out while they’re feeding.

I conned her into the barn with no sweat – before Kate arrived.  But it took 2 darts before she went down.

We got lucky.  The nail went in and out – in 2 different places – completely missing anything significant.  Would have been able to drain.  Even better that I found it before that became any issue.  All that was needed was a thorough cleansing and a Tetanus vaccine.

Well - Dwayne ended up searching the bedding with a magnet - until he found the nail.  It popped out when she stood up after her first drunken fall.  LOL

Took advantage of Cora while we had her down.  Finally – Kate was able to hit her with her annuals and replace her tag.

She was pretty drunk for a while – even after she could maintain standing on all four legs!  We took advantage of that opportunity as well!  Dwayne and I spent time loving on her – just petting her pretty face and – finally – getting to touch her!

She’s just like me.  She doesn’t remember a thing.  We’re back to ‘ don’t touch me, ‘ again.

At this point in time – the garden is coming along.  We had to replant tomatoes.  I had to re-seed squash and melons.  Oddly enough – the squash that are coming along are from seeds I saved out of Spaghetti squash that I purchased at the grocery store last year.  All others failed – including all the melons.

We’ve already harvested 4 eggplant and a mess of Cilantro and Jalapeno peppers!

Purple hull peas – Okra - and Green Beans are coming along just wonderfully!  We’ll be amending the tires around beginning of August and seeding the one where the melons failed – with Kale.  We’ll be planting more cilantro and spinach seeds.  If I find room – more carrots.

The 18" rubber stepping stones I ordered from Home Depot arrived!  I picked them up from the store in Lenoir City last week.  Hoping I’ll feel up to getting them set in sometime this next weekend.

I am flat-dab loving my  little $9.99 yellow rose bush that I bought at the Flower Shop inside Food City!  So perrrrty!

And the Butterfly Flower bush that we bought at Garden of Eden is putting out a new wave of flowers.  That tells me it has established its roots nice and comfy in its new home and feels quite content!

Our Gang of 24 is doing just fabulous!  Everybody is growing and staying perfectly healthy – minus one of our Roos that bruised his hip – and his ego - by jumping from the coop rafters.  Both the boys have began crowing.  Not quite perfected.  But enough to stir the sense of humor out of us and our neighbors!

Yet – we are all amazed by how quiet 2 dozen birds have been – compared to the 4 that we sent to Heaven before bringing these chicks home!

The date is set for August 13^th – when Dwayne will be taking Patty and Killian to butcher.  All in all – we have Decided that behaviors in Patty are something that do not fit in the plan and hopes we have for our herd here.  Most of all – we’re not happy with the obvious fear of humans she manages to instill in the cattle around her.

And she has a very bad habit of hurting the others if you threaten to not let her have her way with anything.

Through all the moving about and swapping out roommates during various stages of ongoings around here – I’ve seen enough to know how much of a difference in gentleness is exhibited by others when Patty is nowhere around.

I’ve also experienced a second go-round of a difference in time and techniques I’m having to try and find during training with her calves.  Once I get them away from her and give of myself to them – they become absolutely lovable!  My concern is her bad behavior showing up in her offspring and other cattle after watching her behavior.

Something I am seeing in both of Cora’s calves – Killian and Stormy – is possible aggression.  Stormy is already behaving very headstrong as he becomes older.  It is a trait far from the gentleness we are looking for in any bull.  Therefore – Stormy will be banded and tagged for the freezer in the future.

Killian’s bad feet are the main reason for his trip to the freezer.

We jeri-rigged half the barn alley for the bull calves as a creep feeder and a place to just get away and rest during the heat of the day.  Dwayne and I yanked out the divider a couple days ago – to give more room for training the boys to walk on their lead ropes.

Miss April has chosen to start laying in front of the door since we pulled the dividers out of the alley.  She knows those babies are in there - and the dividers are gone!  She turns 16-months-old on August 1^st.  Once she shows signs of going into heat – we’ll be introducing her to Artist!

She's getting so big now!  And she just becomes more beautiful every day!  She is ' Mama's Girl ' through and through!  And she loves her Mama!

Bruce will be going to Killian’s paddock while this takes place.  I bet he’ll miss the baths given by Artist.

We expect Cora to go in with Artist around the end of August – after Patty and Killian are taken to butcher.  This will - also - give the calves more time around one of the Moms to aide in a smooth transition during weaning for both calves.  Cora is known to nurse both the boys!

I’m pulling tail hairs from Dodger today.  The more time I spend with him – the more he just melts in my arms.  But more importantly – all visuals of his physique give both of us reason for seeing possibility in a really nice bull out of the line coming from PF Little Big Man!

So far - there is no other progeny – that we know to be registered - to carry on the line between Patty and Little Big Man.  And it is a really good line with great potential.  If we get testing results on a few other things that please us well enough – Dodger will be kept intact and registered.  If not - he'll be banded as soon as we receive test results.

I would say things will be quite different within the next 4 months.  But I think we’ll be quite pleased!  I’m even counting on the replacement of tomato plants as a sign that tomatoes won’t be ready for canning until after both my hands have healed from surgery!

I hope all of you are hanging in there and receiving blessings from God along the way.  I’ll keep everyone in my thoughts and prayers while I’m away from the keyboard.

Well – I might try cheating once in a while – henpecking on Twitter when I get a chance.  Ha!

Bad News from Our Vet

Our Vet came for all the annual vet care and getting a status update on our 2 pregnant cows.

The news is not good.  I've posted here.

It's a very sad day.

And Then There Were... Seven

This was the “ Alley Count “ during evening ration feedings in the barn yesterday.  What a thought.  There's actually 5 butts there.

That would be ( from left to right ) Cora – Patty – and Bruce.   Man Alive - what a day.

We endured a dumping Monsoon from early in the morning throughout the entire day.  Our entire property looked like this.  If not – worse.  So did everyone else’s – as far as I could tell – while driving the back way to get to the post office.

This became a little ‘ flow ‘ running from the front of the barn inside Artist’s paddock.  We had rain – thunder – lightning – nervous animals.

And the day progressed to some of the most frightening gusts of wind.  Middle April, 2011 was the last time this log cabin home was shaken enough to feel like an earthquake.

We’re in the last trimester with Patty and Cora.  Seems the rest of the clubhouse ( that’s what we call the temporary set-up in the barn ) has started to recognize something’s going on – just not sure what.  The attitudes and behaviors are offering very strong support of that assumption.  Killian's found his ' Bull Moo ' again.  Only now it sounds just like Artist.

We keep looking up and asking - " Who's doing that? "

We’ve known we would need to separate the girls soon.  We had intentions of doing so – following given advice from our Vet after she gets a chance to examine the girls.

We had to reschedule our appointment with her until March 12^th.  You can probably guess why.  Anybody know if Mother Nature knows sign language?

I am so sick of all this rain and mud.

Anyway – I’ve been noticing Artist becoming very obnoxious toward Patty over the past week.  He pulled the last hair off my back the other morning.  He had me pulling feathers out of my butt yesterday morning.

I ran for the car to warm it up before going to the post office – in the middle of all the dumping rain.  I busted Artist sitting smack in the center of the stall he’s supposed to be sharing with Patty.

Patty was standing out in the storm – clear out in the back of the pasture.

I turned my car back off.  Stomped back inside the house.  Changed into my waders and barn coat.  Went out to get a bucket and some feed.  Snuck out to Bruce and Cora’s paddock.  Opened up the gate between the 2 paddocks.

And Patty gave me very little apprehension – as she made her way to the barn with each spoken, “ Good Girl, Patty.  There ya’ go, Baby. “

Artist has howled.  And shoved around that dad-gum feeder bunker.

But we’ve given him extra attention – extra hay – a bigger than normal dose of cookies.

And Dwayne will be hotwiring a paddock before going back to work.  He’s picking up a grounding rod tomorrow.

The 2 Preggers and the Steer are getting along - so far.  They know they have no choice.  I’m sure they’re grateful to have a dry place to rest.  We went through 2 rounds of dishing out hay and feed.  We even survived a confusing round of alfalfa cubes ( cookies ) without anybody stomping anyone!

But you know what they say about Honeymoons.  Right?!

Yeah.  I know.  I'm just waiting for the first pretty day of sunshine.  But that hotwire fence is really gonna slow down the gray invasion breaking free on the top  of my head.

Okay.  Alright.  Too late to stop that.

But maybe my tail feathers will grow back sooner.