6 September 2025

First Frost

‘They’ say the full moon has nothing to do with frost.

The old stories say that frost will come with a full moon.

As much as I would like to trust and believe the collection of data, watching as the first frost rolls in every year with a big bright full moon I have to say I have my doubts.

The forecast was for mid to upper 40s. The moon was coming full, but it was going to be warm enough, we’d probably escape frost until late again this year. If we could get past this full moon we should be fine until the next time around.

Without doing any preparations to the garden we went off to do other things. My husband took a tractor over to work the summer fallow. Instead of checking cows earlier in the day, like usual, the kids and I waited until it was time to go pick him up. Get everything done in one trip.

We got to the pasture to find a handful of calves out. They have plenty of grass but have cleaned up the wheat they were grazing and think they are starving. At least that’s my theory. Maybe they sense a bad winter coming and want to com home. Now. I held the gate. The kids took the pickup and chased the calves in, no problem. There was a cow out. I walked her in. The kids took the pickup and went to open the gate. It needed the fence stretcher to get. They managed it all alone. As the cow and I slowly walked the length of the fence towards the gate the whole herd of cows leaped into a gallop alongside up and charged the gate. The kids held it!

The cow and I finally caught up. She turned two fence posts before she got to the gate and plowed through the fence.

The kids and I had the pleasure of fixing fence with the whole herd gathered around to ‘help’. They stoll the hammer from the fencing bucket. They tried to eat everything else, including my daughter as she put on the wire ties.

Finally done there we made it up to check water. Water was good. The herd didn’t come to help us with that.

Leaving, through a different gate, we found wires broke in the gate, wires broke in the fence. This must have been where the calves originally left their pasture for new fields. My son had come along without any shoes. He didn’t know we were going to have to get out of the pickup. Ever. That makes all the trouble obviously his fault. He cursed us.

It was nearly dark when we reached my husband waiting in his tractor at the field. He had been able to get more disking done than anticipated while we fixed cow problems. All squeezed warmly into the cab of the pickup we compared weather forecasts on the drive home. Now they were predicting frost. Not earlier when it would have been easier to do something about it. Once home instead of running to work in the garden we ate a quick late supper and went to bed. The garden would do whatever the garden did.

What the garden did was freeze. With next week predicted to be in the 80s again. As always, an early cold snap followed by warm weather mocking us over the blackened burnt remains of the garden.

But, the frost was kind this time. The garden is only lightly nipped by frost. The pumpkins, of course, and the east side. Why the east side instead of all of it? Looks like we will be roasting and freezing peppers today after all! We should be safe from frost until the next full moon now. Not that that has anything to do with the freezing, not according to ‘them’.

Category: Cows, Family, Garden, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
21 August 2025

Doctoring Cattle

His lack of worry and understanding was frustrating to say the least. Here I was dealing with what seemed like a major emergency and there he was being all calm and not getting what a big deal it was.

I tried to explain that the dart had mostly disappeared into the hindquarter of the calf and he was checking the company website to see that it should drop out within half an hour. I understand that this is weird, rare, and unusual, when something has never happened before it’s hard for someone to understand what is going on. Something was wrong enough for me to call my husband, at work no less, and ask for help, that means something is really really wrong.

He likes to help me, but he thinks I need his help. Which makes me vow to never need his help.

The calf had a touch of pink eye. I was there to doctor a different calf, and to go through the herd carefully to make sure there wasn’t anything else that needed help while I was there with supplies. My daughters calf, her only calf, is a bald face, pink eyed, black Hereford. Yes, I know, Herefords are red, not arguing about it, he’s a black Hereford. Those pink eyes make him so delicate to out bright sunny summer days. It wasn’t surprising to see him with signs of pink eye. I’d just give him a quick shot while I was there.

A quick shot out in the pasture means the dart gun. Loaded with a blank 22 shell it shoots a dart full of medicine at the calf. In theory the needle goes in, sticks for long enough for the dart to discharge it’s load of medicine, then it falls out.

Immediately after shooting the calf I was impressed with how long the dart was hanging on there. All the medicine would get into the calf. Yay! Then it still didn’t fall out. Then I realized I could only see the very end of the dart. I had shot the calf! For real. I had shot an 8 inch long at least a quarter inch wide dart deep into the calf!

Panic did set in a little. This was my daughters calf. Her only calf. She lost her calf last year to coyotes, she didn’t need to lose this years to her mother.

I called the neighbors. If I could rope the calf on foot, like I did the last one I had needed to get a hold of out in the pasture, then I could pull the dart out. But the long drive home to get a rope would take forever. If I could get one from the neighbors that would save some time. They weren’t home. Fat lot of help they are (which I say because I know she’ll be reading this 😉 ) But their daughter ran back home to get a rope and meet me. She brought two ropes just to be on the safe side. Smart girl. I need to get a rope to leave in the pickup.

My husband called back to see how things were going. Still smarting from his lack of concern over my predicament I told him not to bother to come out. I would figure something out. That might be going home for a horse and waiting for the neighbors to get home, but I would manage something. Then I got back to work.

The other calf that needed doctored still needed his shot. I was scared. I was also in the middle of a text conversation with my vet. She was unconcerned about the first calf. Calves are tough, cattle are tough, amazingly so. If I couldn’t catch the first calf, it would fall out eventually. I suspected that like my husband she didn’t understand how deep the dart was embedded, but was still comforted by her lack of concern. She also assured me that I would be fine, this sort of thing doesn’t happen. Go shoot that other calf!

I did that first so I wouldn’t be tired or injured for the chase if I waited until after. This time the dart bounced off and I have doubt it made enough contact to deliver any medicine. Sheesh.

The I went calf hunting. It was mid day and most of the cattle were at the tank for a drink and they settled in to hang out and nap. The calf in question stood next to his mother. I walked up close. The cow is quiet. Not a pet, but not worried about people either. Knowing my only chance at holding a three or four hundred pound calf was to heel both hind legs I tried. I almost got it too. I’ll blame the stiff rope made for heading not heeling. It’s possible it could be my complete lack of roping ability. Either way, I made contact, but did not get heels.

My husband texted. He was on his way. He had a moment he could get away from work and would come help me. I was grouchy and mean. There was no point in him coming out, nothing he could do anyway. He said he was coming anyway.

I spent the meantime stalking the calf around the tank. The cow herd is quiet. I squeezed my way between cows who saw no reason to move. Walked by my napping bull quite a few times, he saw no reason to get up. All the other calves hung out or came to check me out. I could have caught any of them. Except the one I was after. I got a few chances, but missed my loop. I am no cowgirl. A horse might have made it easier, unlikely though.

My husband showed up. He parked his suburban at an angle to my pickup so we would have a spot to corner the calf if we got that chance. Then we went hunting together. The calf was by the tank. We split up to try to catch him between the tank and the windmill pond. If we could hold him up there for a minute I might get a shot.

It was working. The cows just needed to get out of my way! How did they always know to stand on my right of the calf??!! Then, I aw the calf go to squeeze past my husband. Why was he letting it go! It stepped into the pond and went right around him. There went that chance.

My husband turned back to me and held up his hand. He was holding a dart!

As the calf slowed and squeezed by him, not wanting to get too deep in the pond, he had reached out and grabbed the dart. As simple as that. I had been fighting for a couple of hours by then. Some of that was doctoring the other calf. But I had gotten to the pasture about 11 and it was now 2. He showed up and solved the whole problem in five minutes.

Sometimes I forget that just because he doesn’t like cows doesn’t mean he isn’t completely capable of handling cattle. Being a farmer with no interest in being and no pretenses of being in any way cowboy doesn’t mean he isn’t completely capable. Boy did I need to apologize. Guess there was plenty he could do after all.

He did admit that he had never seen anything like that dart and wow it was deep. That doesn’t quite make us even.

The calf is going to be sore. That was a very deep injury. Luckily he’s already been treated with an antibiotic. Hopefully that helps. I sure wont be shooting him again with a dart. Cattle are tough and can take amazing injuries and be fine. This one is one for the record books.

As my husband headed back to work, slightly more dirty than he had left, he called to tell me his suburban was reading 99 degrees. Hadn’t even noticed the heat with all the other fun we were having.

 

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14 August 2025

My Trusty Green Mount

The 4-wheeler lurched then coasted to a stop.

I was a half mile from the pickup. In the middle of the pasture. The day was warm but not yet nearing the 100 degrees we had been promised. There were cows all around, but nothing too close. Now to figure out what to do.

My trusty and well loved green mount of Japanese breeding had been having issues. At first she would refuse to start without a battery charge once a month or so. Then weekly. Then she kindly started giving us warning she was having battery issues as all the lights on the dash would start blinking, we would rush her to her stable and hook her up to life support. Then finally she would blink at us briefly before dying. My husband had been stranded not far from home the week before now here I was out in the middle of the pasture.

I hated to leave her in the pasture. Cows love to chew and scratch on anything they can find, it gets hard on a 4-wheeler in otherwise, mostly, very good shape. We don’t hold this temporary sickness against her. No matter what I would be walking back to the pickup. At least I had boots on instead of my usual hot weather footwear of sandals. During my walk I called and made an appointment at the vet for my girl to get worked on. Soon she would be back to her normal dependable self. But for now I needed to figure out how to get my girl to safety. In order to get the running 4-wheeler loaded into the bed of the pickup I needed a bank, something to decrease the slope of the ramps. I am not brave enough to drive up there from ground level.

In order to get a non running 4-wheeler loaded I would need the perfect ramp. There was nothing like that in the gently rolling hills of the pasture/wheat field where she was currently stuck.

Coming back to the old girl with the pickup I thought maybe she would tow better backwards. The front wheels could turn freely to allow her to follow the pickup.

Nope. That sure didn’t work. It broke the old rope I had found amidst the other useful junk laying int he back of the pickup almost immediately.

So I hooked up to the front of the 4-wheeler.

That worked better as long as we were going straight very slowly. A few times I was able to send the pickup ahead without me, 1st gear low is a wonderful thing, as I ran back to do some steering. Then back to the pickup to get her back on the proper path. It was slow going but we made it to the gate out of the pasture. Now, even if I was unable to get her loaded, she would be safe from the cattle.

I had left my ramp at the place where I unloaded in the first place. It was a good place and I thought we would make use of it. But after the knowledge I gained from the experience of getting across the flat straight pasture it was clear that getting to that place would be impossible. It was on the other side of a steep draw with twists and turns. We could do straight. Anything else was out of the question.

Looking around, closer to the gate, I realized that the side of the road going into the draw might just be perfect. It was close, flat leading up to the possible point of loading, and close!

I unhooked the baling twine that had been serving as a tow rope, because of course baling twine! and backed the pickup up to the bank. It was great. Now I just needed to walk across the draw and get my ramp. Which was burning hot on my bare fingers. Back to the pickup for gloves, then after the ramp again. Then back to the 4-wheeler which in hind sight might have been nice to have pulled with the pickup to somewhere a bit closer to the loading site.

The kids push the 4-wheeler around all the time just for fun. I could push it the little ways across the flat to get to the ramp.

Being able to and enjoying the process are two different things. It was warming up quickly. Even flat isn’t ‘flat’. It took a while of huffing and puffing to get the 4-wheeler that short distance. Then there was the forward and back of getting it lined up just right with the ramps. My ‘perfect loading spot’ was perfect. It had a nice downhill slope to get to the slight up hill of the ramp. And if things weren’t lined up just right with the ramp before hitting that downhill it was going to be a wreck.

Finally deciding we were squarely on target I gave the past push over the edge of the hill from the handle bars, then jumped on. It was just a short hill, but it was as exciting as a roller coaster none the less. Just enough break to keep her going slow, not enough to ruin the momentum. Steering with a white knuckle grip and in a second or two the front tires were on the ramp! Where we stopped. If everything wasn’t lines up perfect I could injure my trust Japanese mount, and probably myself. So I dismounted to double check everything and pushed her the rest of the way in. It was done. She was loaded. I hadn’t died of heat stroke, or been run over. Floating high on the success I headed off through the pasture towards home. The rest of our days work would have to wait.

Sometimes I feel like an imposter. I’m not ranchy. My days are no longer spent horseback, checking cattle. Am I really even cowboy?

Then I spend a day wrangling my injured mount into the pickup like this and think I must be authentic after all. Never mind that my days are spent taking care of the cattle, working the horses, doing all the things, just usually done farmer style, instead of ranchy. Is there a farmer term alternative to ranchy? Instead of cowboy up do we farmer up? We’re definitely still getting western here sometimes. Just doing it farmer style.

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20 June 2025

The Brockle Face Calf

That brockle face calf had been nothing but trouble from the time he was born.

Sickly and weak I doctored him and kept him coming along. He made it to branding time. We hoped the vaccinations would keep him healthy enough to get to grass. He made it to pasture but I kept a close eye on him and he wasn’t thriving like the other calves. I let him go, he was on all the grass he could eat and with his mama. The best thing for him was to stay out there.

Until it wasn’t. It became apparent that he was not getting any milk. His mom was showing signs of sickness and they were quickly getting worse. The swollen brisket meant heart failure. I would need to catch the calf and bring him home where I could supplement his feed. Maybe one of the milk cows could still adopt him. But, I had a 4wheeler in the back of the pickup and nothing on me to catch or tie him with anyway. No way to get him home immediately. He had survived this long, he could wait a couple days till I was back that way again.

As I pulled into the pasture I saw his mom. She had been grazing with the other cows and they were headed in to water as the day got warm. The calf wasn’t with her. Maybe I had been wrong and he couldn’t wait a couple days. Or maybe he was off with some other calves. I drove on to the tank.

Walking through the calves there, checking the water and salt, I wandered around the water tank. Then I saw him. In the pond that catches the over flow was the brockle face calf. Laying there with his head barely above water level I had to look close to see if he was alive.

He was alive, but barely. I stepped to the edge of the mud and reached to pull him out. He didn’t budge. Like not even slightly. It was like pulling on an anvil.

I kicked my sandals off, because of course I check cows in sandals. I might get bitten by a rattle snake but I’m guaranteed to die of heat stroke if I wear boot on a hundred degree day.

Sandals off I waded into the mud of the pond. Reaching into the water I grabbed him around the chest and lifted him out of the water. Except he didn’t budge. Reaching down one hind leg to pull it out of the mud. I kept reaching and it kept going deeper. His leg was buried in the mud clear up to his belly. Grabbing hold of it I pulled with all my might and finally managed to drag it free. The procedure as repeated with all four legs. It was iffy whether I’d manage to pull them free or not.

He must have gotten in the mud and struggled until his legs got worked in deep. There was no way he would have gotten out on his own. He could have been there for a full day, his legs were cold, he hung limp as I drug him away from the waters edge. I left him and went to bring the pickup closer. He was tiny but water logged and a lot to carry. The cows gathered around sniffing him while I was gone. His mom even came over to take a look.

I heaved him into the pickup bed and took off towards home. Pansy dove through the back window into the cab of the pickup. There was not enough room in the bed for her and a calf.

At home I wanted to take him into the cool darkness of the barn, but his legs and mouth were still cold. As wrong as it seemed on a 100 degree day, he needed to be warmed up. With painkillers and feed he made it through the afternoon. After a couple of hours he lifted his head and was looking around.

Only time will tell if he lives or not. He has some scratches, there is a good chance they walked on him while he lay in the water. There could be damage inside. He was already in bad shape before this ordeal. Hours spent submerged in mud and muck would have been hard on a healthy calf. Hopefully he makes the morning.

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31 March 2025

Calving Season

What a season it has been. Now that we are all of one week in.

The Goblin Child has somehow managed a one day calving season with her whole herd calving today. Her heifer calved this morning. I saw a single hoof and went to check on her. She was a bottle calf. I do love very tame heifers like that. I was able to ‘check’ for a second hoof while she stood there quietly out in the pen. It was there. The calf was big. I went back for supplies. She laid there, not terribly concerned about me while I helped her deliver the calf laying out in the pen. A pretty, not little, red heifer.

Her cow had a darling little black white face calf this evening. I think it might be a heifer too. She was brand new when I was out last, I didn’t want to bother them enough to look. That cow was NOT a bottle calf.

Over the weekend one of the cows presented a single large red hoof. The kids were with me walking through the herd. They helped bring her up. Or one of them did. 8 got in there and tried. He was too scared to actually try to stop her when she wanted past him, but he tried. His sister cowered outside the fence. We managed to get her brought up to the front. They were much better help getting her into the chute. Beg safely on the other side of a fence gave them great courage.

Once in the chute they got together and managed to get the puller down off the wall. It took some team work and they didn’t drop it on their heads. I checked the cow and found the second hoof, thankfully, and the head. The calf was all there, just big. She gloved up and helped me pull while he held the tail out of the way. We ended up not not needing the puller after all. Between us and the cow we managed to deliver a BIG bull calf.

With him moved into the barn where his mom could clean him both children who had been wonderful up until then broke down. She had gotten some on her arm. A remarkably small amount all things considered. She needed a shower immediately. And could I please do a load of laundry. He had seen more than he could handle. I thought he had helped with this before. Maybe just not as closely? It was more than he could handle. He didn’t quite empty his belly but it was close. He was rather traumatized. I felt awful. Tried to huge him, but I had more than a small smear on my arm.

He seems to have recovered nicely.

Both kids have been coming with for the night check. They bounce all over the place having fun scaring each other in the dark and generally raising quit the ruckus.

Ghost and her calf got cold in the rain and snow the day after the calf was born. I was going to bring them up to the barn to get warm and dry. The calf didn’t want to get up and moving. It occurred to me that they were laying in the straw that had been put out for them to keep warm in. I covered the calk with straw. He was toasty warm in his blanket so I went to rubbing Ghost down. Trying to get her dry so she could be warm. Then I decided to give her a blanket too. She seemed to like it. She didn’t shake it off immediately.

Category: 8, Cows, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
29 March 2025

Calving

By the time calving ‘officially’ started March 25th, we had ten calves on the ground, had pulled three and lost two. It’s been busy.

The weather had been in the 60s and up to 80 degrees. So hot, windy, and dry that dust was blowing everywhere. A welder was out to fix some of the older feedbunks. He quit around noon because the wind was coming up and he worried about starting fires. The kids spent the afternoon hauling water to dump on the hot spots that were smoldering away despite his quitting early.

Acorn calved. I brought her up front, really, leading her in a halter was so much easier than trying to push her and the calf. We have been milking her once a day. First for colostrum to save for future needs but now we’re starting to keep some of the milk. Made our first batch of caramel yesterday. It got burnt. Guess we’ll have to try again today! Dang. What a shame 😉  Then cheese, and butter, and hmm, what else can we do besides drink it?

The kids slept outside in the new tent they got. They said it was chilly, but it stayed well above freezing and they didn’t give up and come inside. The next morning we made them take it down. Snow was predicted.

We woke this morning to freezing rain. It has alternated between the rain, sleet, and snow so far today. Not complaining of course. This is beautiful weather. Going from 80 and dry to 32 and wet is hard on the animals, but so is not having grass to eat all summer.

The low pressure has brought on more calves. They had taken a break over those really warm days. Ghost calves first thing this morning! A big healthy bull calf 🙁 Oh well. She does tend to have bulls. We were pulling for another heifer. Maybe next year.

Category: 8, Cows, Family, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
27 March 2025

Why Are My Cows Wet?!

It may be slightly hard to tell, these pictures are of my pet cow Ghost from last nights check.
The night was gorgeous. Perfectly still and clear. A million stars shining overhead. Dust kicked up with each step I took. I love night checks. Ghost came over to visit as she so often does while I walked quietly through the herd in the dark. Following along while I walk she demands her share of scratches. I need to remember to bring a curry comb.
As I scratched her itchy spots I noticed my wrists, above the gloves on my hands, got damp where they touched her. I turned on the light to see her glistening with water drops.
She was covered in a fine mist.
I went looking for another cow I could get close enough to see the water drops on and found Rose laying nearby. She was wet too.
I rechecked the sky. Still clear and bright. I kicked at the ground. Still dusty.
The going theory is that the cows were warm from the very nice day. The dew point was 27 degrees. It was no where near that, still well above freezing. But maybe the added warmth from the cows cooling after a hot day caused condensation/dew to form?
I stopped and checked the horses on the way back to the house. They were dry.
Why were my cows wet?!?!
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20 January 2025

Cold

It’s officially cold out. Yesterday was chilly but the temp did climb above zero and the wind didn’t blow. Today we are up to -4 with a stiff wind.

The cattle are eating as much food as we can get to them. I’m taking a short calving course from the extension office. They were just saying that 17 degrees is when a normal healthy cow starts needing to put in a bit more work to stay warm. Today they were bunched behind windbreaks looking decidedly chilly as they soaked up what warmth the morning sun had to offer.

No school today. which means the kids get to go break ice! Lucky they let them stay home from school so they don’t have to go out in the cold. Usually on weekends they take a fourwheeler and drive out to the tanks. It’s to cold to do that. Yesterday I said they could take my pickup and drive themselves out there. But it was to cold for the old girl to start. No point in even making an attempt today. That’s the only vehicle they’re allowed to drive so I went along the last couple days to drive. And help out a bit.

The feed truck can get around the fourwheeler. With a suburban parked in the middle of the lane I need to move around to get out of the way. When I got back from maneuvers today I looked over to see my son picking ice chunks out of the water with his gloved hands! I ordered him to the vehicle immediately. He may not be feeling the cold yet but it wouldn’t take long to set in. His sister and I finished pitching the ice out, with a pitchfork this time. Then we all headed back. When I got in the car he showed me his snow pants, frozen solid and stiff already from the knee down where he had been playing in the water.

They went inside. I went to check horse water. They are heated and had only a ring of ice around the edges. The horses were sleeping in the sun or grazing on their hay. They looked happy. Hopefully there wont be anything to trigger Rusty’s random cold induced lamenitis.

Their father finally made his way inside after finishing feeding the cows. He did get to ride a fourwheeler and was nearly frozen. Now we will all fight the dog for a seat in front of the fire. It’s a good day to spend looking through garden catalogues and ordering seeds for next summer. It’s nice to be reminded that although it is so cold outside seed starting time is coming soon. Spring not too far behind that. We are grateful for a toasty warm house and plenty of feed for the animals.

Category: 8, Cows, Family, Goblin Child | LEAVE A COMMENT
30 December 2024

Chores

It’s snowing.

Not enough to add up to much, but it’ll keep the dust down.

We brought the cows in from the corn stalks yesterday just in case.

The wind is supposed to get bad as the day goes on. There’s no shelter out there. So we called them to the payloader and they followed a load of hay to the corrals. The children and I on 4wheelers to bring up the stragglers and to be there just in case.

I circled one way while they went the other. A long ways from when all four of us and a dog fit on one fourwheeler together. I could see them across the field as I circled. They tried to chase heifers who, curious and tame, circled them back looking for treats. Smart kids. They quickly gave up on chasing and lead with heifers following. I came around to bring up the rear, just in case.

A couple old lame cows eventually took their place in the rear as heifers galloped off to join chase on the bale. We walked them slowly along. Smart kids, they hung back and let the old girls set the pass. No chasing and hurrying here. In no time the whole herd was safe int he corrals. Fed up good and sheltered. Just in case.

One old girl is left behind. She hurt her hip somehow since we brought them home from pasture. She’s following slowly behind. We let her follow at her own speed.

This morning the promised snow did arrive! Not a whole lot, but enough to get us wet and make the cows unhappy. I forced one child to leave her school shoes in the house and switch to mud boots. Gloves and a coat might be a good idea too?

I drove the feed truck, pouring hay and corn to hungry cows. Peering out at a water color world, colors streaked and blurred through the dripping windshield. Window cracked just enough to let some fresh air in and maybe keep the windows from fogging too much worse, but hopefully not enough to let more than a little snow and chaff in.

Through the crack I watch as the children bring the old cow the rest of the way into the corral alone. She’s feeling better, moving better this morning and covers the last little bit of ground much quicker. We’ll keep her up when we let the other cows back out. Keep her where she wont have to move at all between feed and water. The kids do a great job all on their own, then are sent off to break ice.

Through the crack I watch as they get caught by their father and brought along to cut the net wrap off bales of hay for the cattle. Not long ago they were too afraid to get that close to the cattle and cutting net wrap was too big a job for them. They get gates and do all the odd jobs that make life so much easier. All in sweatshirts, and gloves! At least one concession made to their mother.

With cows fed and tucked away we all head back to the warmth of the house. They laugh when we say the work will build character. But we know it is helping them get ready. They’ll have the knowledge, experience, and confidence ready for one of these days when they need it. Just in case.

 

 

Category: Cows, Family, It's a God thing | LEAVE A COMMENT
27 October 2024

The Cows Are Out!

What is it with cows out this year!
I know it’s dry and everyone is running out of grass, but it’s getting a little out of hand.
Taking the kids to meet a friend to send them off with to church this morning we looked over and saw cows in our cornstalks. My daughter messaged my husband to let him know I knew they were there and would get something figured out as soon as I got back.
He called me on my way back to let me know he could see a couple of goats in with the cows. That told us both immediately who the cows belonged to.
Us! 🤣
I Picked him up on my way home. He was out building fence, in that particular field. We got 4wheelers, I got a bucket of corn, and went after the heifers.
Yearlings are famous for being difficult to chase. They’re like teenagers, slightly crazy and a little bit stupid 😉 They run off in every direction.
Luckily mine are treat trained, just like my horses! I got close to them and called. They came running and quietly lead back to the pasture.
We went round the pasture looking for where they got out. It was a gate in the far corner that we never use. We never use it partially because I can NOT open it. My husband can open it, bug strong manly muscles and all that. But he couldn’t even get it closed.
I went back and got fence stretchers. He went back to building his fence.
It is possible that the cows rubbed it open on their own. They can manage strange things like that once in awhile.
It seems more likely to me that someone opened the gate. Let themselves in to do some hunting. It was opening day of pheasant season yesterday. Then couldn’t close the very tight gate.
So they left it.
In leaving it they let a whole heard of cows out, and two goats. Who then happened to wander the right direction, up to our road, past the mail box, then back down the next fence line and still on our property. If they had gone the other way they wouldn’t have been missed for awhile. Either way they could have been hit on the gravel roads or just quietly disappeared.
I know there are good hunters out there, but the rude inconsiderate, dangerous ones give everyone a bad name. And hunting or not, always close the gates!
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