Dairy Daze...and Now Beyond

1. We have only 3 dry cows up the road; all three are "fluffing up" (their udders that is) so they will be calving within a couple of weeks. 2. Husband did some dehorning on Saturday, so there are a bunch of soreheads up the road. But they are all doing fine. There are a few more to do but we have to wait until we can get them caught in the corral. They are the ones that don't normally go in when we feed them because the older ones chase them out. Do cows have pecking orders? Oh, yes they do. I was going to blog on the dehorning and take a few pics, but I guess not. It's not fun anyway. 3. There is one heifer that is down in the open heifer lot. That is, she has a hoof problem and won't/can't get up and walk. Husband carts her food, water and what grass he can get every morning. I hope she recovers. 4. We moved all 15 calves from the weaner pen into the ummm...bigger calf lot this past weekend. You should have seen them cavorting around, all excited...

One of the things that fascinates me about country living is the different colorful sayings that are used to illustrate a situation. Here are a few of lists of some of the sayings husband has grown up with here in rural Missouri. Those in the know could probably add a few more. There are many sayings for how hard it’s raining: Raining pitchforks with saw logs for handles. Raining like water pouring from a boot. Raining like a cow peeing on a flat rock. It’s a real toad strangler out there. Chickens are common in the country, thus sayings abound in reference to them: Scarce as hen’s teeth. That beats a hen pecking with a sore bill. I’d as soon do without the eggs as to hear him/her cackle. Like a hen after a June bug. Here are a few other miscellaneous sayings: Snowflakes coming down like cats a’fighting. Talk’s cheap; it takes money to buy whiskey. To “crawfish” out of a situation. Too much sugar for a cent. Let the hide go with the tallow. Thick as hair on a dog’s back.

On another blog I follow the question was posed: Why did Christians embrace the cross as their symbol when it represents such suffering? I can understand why. But I guess to my mind the real representation of my faith isn't the cross; it would be the empty tomb. But that would be hard to depict and wear around one's neck, wouldn't it? I think the Catholic faith is the one that probably made the cross more popular. But that is just my humble opinion. Anyway. Today on the dairy. 1. We went to church after doing morning chores. 2. There was a record turnout there; 107 people! Most of them were CEO Christians of course (that would be Christmas and Easter Only folks) 3. Came home, then went to in-laws for dinner. 4. Came home, rested about 40 minutes then went to visit more in-laws. (All in-laws are within less than a mile from us.) 5. Came back home, got a loaf of bread going in the bread machine and got on computer. Have to go now; must do research and answer my regular ...

Here is a list of photos I took yesterday on my walk to the creek. 1. There is something enchanting about the combination of running water and mossy rocks. This is one of the two springs on our place (Hence the "formal" name of the dairy: Two Springs Dairy. But we only use this when registering the cows/calves with the Holstein Association). 2. Here is an overflowing pond that was dry just a week ago. It filled up and flooded the pasture overnight. It is fed by the second spring on our place, which isn't really visible in the picture. Only once before have I seen water in this pond and that was maybe 2-2 and a half years ago. 3. Here is a crawdad (or crayfish...maybe...those of you in the know about these things can correct my terminology if I am wrong) I ran across while wading in the creek. He obligingly swam up and parked here on this twig underwater while I was out wading. I noticed how he lines himself up with the flow of the water so as to camoflauge himself. I actu...

Here again is a list of random events down on the dairy. 1. Yesterday we got I dunno how many inches of water. It came down pretty steadily for over 24 hours. Our yard and pastures were just standing in water. Husband said if he started seeing the animals walking two by two he was going to pack up and clear out. All the creeks and rivers in the area flooded so they had to divert traffic. We are on one of the main detour routes so we found out pretty quickly when they barricaded the roads because of flooding. We are still getting quite a bit of "strange" traffic. I am sure I have said this before in an earlier post, but the locals around here; at least my husband and his family, have this tendency to stop whatever they are doing and look out the window whenever a car goes by. They just HAVE to see who it may be; you never know if you might see your neighbor going by with a new gadget in the back of his truck or whatever. So last night at supper I told my husband he was...

Here's a list of fun things to do in Missouri; besides feed calves, ride 4-wheelers and the like: 1. First off; going on a float trip down the river...see pic above. This was on a section of the Niangua close to us here. Some people like river rafting, I prefer the peacefulness of just drifting along and enjoying the scenery. Of course there are some fast sections, but it was for the most part pretty slow. 2. Silver Dollar City. This is a family oriented amusement park, the theme of which is Missouri life in the 1800s. They have modern entertainment too, but if you're ever there go to the saloon and see the dance hall girls kicking up their heels. 3. Various caves. Missouri is situated over limestone which makes for great caves. Fantastic Caverns is one that is so large they take you on a tour in a vehicle. It's pretty neat. I think they said they used to actually have music shows in one section. 4. Oh, of course; Branson. That is if you like country-themed comedy a...

You have heard of the following: A herd of sheep A parliament of owls A murder of crows...etc I decided to come up with my own terms here on the dairy. 1. A cavort of calves 2. A gallop of heifers 3. A brute of bulls 4. A bag of cows 5. A crank of dairy farmers 6. A weariness of farmer's wives hehehehehe...

Here is a list of what I like to do on the dairy: 1. I guess by far the best thing is taking the 4-wheeler (ATV) on rides across country; the wind in your hair, the complete sense of wild freedom, the almost running into a barbed-wire fence. I almost did that last week. I forgot husband had fenced off a section in the bottoms last spring to grow hay in. I almost took a header into it, but slowed down enough to where I was able to stop and only had the first strand of wire pushed out of alignment an inch or two. HA. Of course with the price of fuel this kind of fun requires a good excuse to get out and do...see #4 below. 2. Bottle feeding calves. This can be exasperating, but it's fun as well. When you are first starting a calf off on the bottle you can get covered in milk and slobber and whatever else they smear on you, but once they start pumping away at the bottle and their little tails are switching, it's cute. You have to be careful or they will get excited and head...

This is a pic of a baby bird I caught roosting in the tomato vines last year. I was out watering them and saw him. I think he was trying to learn how to fly. I rushed in and got my camera. It is hard to believe that it will soon be spring and time to start gardening on the dairy. Here is a list of things I grow on the dairy. 1. Green beans 2. beets 3. zucchini (the everlovin' zukes) 4. cucumbers 5. onions 6. lettuce 7. spinach 8. radishes 9. cantaloupes 10. watermelon 11. tomatoes 12. sweet potatoes 13. peppers (sweet green peppers-but I want to try some hot kind this year.) 14. peas 15. wren egg beans (kind of an heirloom type of shelly bean that the family has grown for years.) 16. I want to try putting in berry vines; raspberries I am hoping. 17. I also usually try to do some flowers in certain spots. The petunias tend to reseed themselves year by year, so they are the easiest. Hmmm, I know there might be more, but I can't think of them now. With the melons it's tricky b...

Here is another list I managed to think up...what I have for entertainment on the dairy. 1. Books/magazines 2. Computer 3. Walk 4. Stereo 5. Gardening 6. Crafts OK, so it's a short list. Also, note the lack of a television. Nope, it's true, we don't have a TV. Many folks wonder how I survive without one and say; "I'd die without my TV." Well, I dunno about that but I just don't have the time or interest to watch it. It's not that we are rabid anti-TV people it's just that we don't really care for it. Sure there are some types of shows I miss, but not enough to have one. I watch DVDs on the computer, or play games. Mostly I read your blogs or emails. I do have a bit of free time when the baby is sleeping or down to her grandma's, but I fill that up with trips down to the creek or reading books or magazines I don't have time to read otherwise. The rest of the time I am busy with the baby or with chores. Hubby doesn't watch ...

Sigh. I have run out of the more obvious dairy lists so will just make a list of random things. 1. The past week or so we have had 3 bull calves. Two have been from first-calf heifers. 2. It is a pain in the kazoo to train first-calf heifers to the milk barn. They don't like the sensation of having things hooked to their nether parts. I don't blame them; I wouldn't either, I'd do some kicking myself. 3. The mud is gradually drying up from the 7 inches of snow we had last week. It takes it forever, it would seem. 4. I have a horrible time with my rubber boots; they always get a crack in them across the top side of the toe on my right foot where it bends when I walk. I can't get a pair to last more than a month or two. When you spend $45-50 for a pair of insulated boots you kind of expect them to last a year or more. 5. Calf #94, the one that went blind from a fever, is still hanging around, fat and sassy. I expect her to croak at any time. She has cataracts...

A list of reasons why the county sheriff might pay a visit to an Ozark dairy farm: (Guess correctly and I’ll send you a free cow skull) A. The cows got out and a neighbor complained. B. A domestic dispute. (Not unknown in our neighborhood.) C. Your house is on fire. (He did come to the neighbor’s house when it went up in smoke.) D. He needs some backhoe work and a load of chat on his place. E. It’s an election year and he wants to put up signs along the road on our place. F. B & C G. D & E Give up? Ding, ding, ding…it’s letter G. (Cow skulls are too heavy to mail anyway; you’ll have to come get our own. haha) Now husband has another potential customer for his new business and the whole county-well those who drive down our road-knows who we will vote for in the upcoming election for sheriff. Our property goes for about ¾ mile along the road so he was able to get a couple of signs up.

The little Birthday chair; as promised. Let's see...my list today is going to be on what's good about snow on the dairy. A couple of days ago we got 7 inches of it. ARGH!!! 1. It covers up the green stuff...in winter that would NOT be grass. 2. It gives your legs a good work out when you walk through it. 3. It gives your arms a good workout when you shovel it out of the feed bunks. 4. It makes lots and lots of nice gooshy mud when it melts. 5. It fills up the creek when it melts. 6. You get to see lots of animal tracks in it. 7. You can make fun tracks in it yourself when you are riding the 4-wheeler up the road. 8. If you have the time and energy after chores you can make a snowman with it.

1. This is the milk tank. Husband got this one Feb 05, soon after I arrived here. It holds about 4800 pounds of milk. I think I have stated in another post that we have only had it overflow one time during spring flush; year before last I believe; that was when it measured 4800 lbs. One thing we haven't yet figured out is what we are going to do when baby Ellen gets big enough we can't harness her in her carseat when she is out in the barn. See the valve in the tank at the bottom left corner...one tug on that little handle there and all the milk comes flowing out and down the drain just beneath it. Hmmmm...I think we will have to maybe keep her in her stroller. 2. Here are the little calf pens DH made. Also in the pic is the hay shed, which is being emptied quite rapidly, even more so since this was taken. The hay used to be all the way back to the furthest strut which is between the calves in the picture. This little red calf is Rosie's calf, who just happened to be in the...

Another day in March...another NaBloPoMo list post... So much is always said about how dairies stink...I agree. You can't get away from it; when you have a collection of large animals you are going to have a stink. However...there are also good smells on a dairy that are rarely talked about. 1. Alfalfa...one of the best smells in the world. 2. The creek (see above picture). I love the smell of water. Not all dairies are fortunate enough to have running water, but we are. Down in the creek bottoms is one of my fav hangouts. It's gorgeous in spring. 3. The cow smell...no, not the poop smell, just the bovine smell. You know how horses have their own smell and dogs and cats, too. So do the cows. It's warm and homey. 4. The cold milk in the bulk tank. I don't like the warm, fresh milk smell, but the cold milk smell reminds me of ice cream. 5. The smell of the woods in spring and fall. It's a spicy, heady, almost intoxicating smell.

The theme for the March NaBloPoMo is "lists." You don't have to follow this theme, but it helps to have a guideline...I have been wondering if I could possibly think up 31 lists that could be dairy/agriculture related. Dunno. Here goes. Make a list of bovine breeds that you can think of off the top of your head: 1 Holstein 2 Red Holstein 3 Jersey 4 Ayrshire 5 Hereford 6 Gelbveih 7 Angus 8 Brown Swiss 9 Limousin 10 Charolais 11 Simmental 12 Black Baldies-I dunno if this is an official breed or not, it's a cross between Hereford and Angus I believe. OK, I know there are tons more, but I can't think of any and I cheated too, I had to look up the spelling of Gelbveih and found Simmental listed there. Anyway.