The "look"

Sometimes our cattle give us "the look". I have been trying to interpret this "look" but to no avail. Its generally a sideways stiff look.....like, "I see you, do you see me??" Not menacing, not threatening, and usually when they are just standing around waiting for something to happen...
My children give me all sorts of grief (and 'looks')about my stopping the car in the driveway, opening the windows and talking to the cattle, our pastures flank each side of our long driveway. I especially enjoy watching the cow birds (yes, that's right) walking up and down the faces of the animals, picking flies off their noses and closed eyes, backs and heads. After the birds get their fill, the wasps start buzzing around the animals flanks and legs, but not to sting; they are actually picking flies off the cows as well and carrying them off!
Now I know most everyone must think I have no life after reading this, but I actually do, really; but it is just fascinating to me how all the animals and insects serve a purpose, and serve eachother as well.

Thunder

Here is a recent picture of a lucky little boy who will be going to his new home shortly as a pet!

Sweet Sunny

This cows name pretty much describes her disposition....Sunny!
She is my youngest daughters favorite cow, as you can see. Sunny is also one of my favorite cows, not only for her unique bloodlines and small size, but her fertility (breeds back every time) and ability to raise an outstanding calf every year. She knows her name as well, and will come when called. My daughter is not pleased that I have Sunny offered for sale, so I hope whoever purchases Sunny gives her a good home. She is bred back to our polled bull, Hawkeye, for a due date of May 8th 2010.

For all those who appreciate Hereford cattle

I just love talking about the cattle business with others, primarily the registered miniature Hereford, which, as you all must know by now, is what I raise here on my very simple set-up I call a "farm".
Now when you come to visit, you will not find a custom barn built just for the cattle: no post and beam, no board and batten, just a simple three-sided run-in barn , painted a federal blue and sided in humble T-111. Nothing fancy, nothing expensive, nothing impressive I suppose. There are no board fences, just simple woven wire and 3-strand electric on locust and cedar posts. You will not find expensive feeders, loading chutes, watering systems, no security cameras or monitoring devices for the cattle. No caretaker or hired hand keeps watch here. The pastures are frost seeded, dragged and mowed each year, the wire fences checked and tightened, repaired as needed. Every year some upgrade is added for the comfort and well-being of the cattle.
You see, what matters most of all, in any livestock operation, is ultimately, the livestock itself. By being able to identify closely with the stock you raise, one can figure out that the animals don't need impressive housing, fancy fencing and a gold-leaf farm sign. They don't care if you take out the manure with a brand new John Deere tractor or the 4-wheeler you use to mow the pastures with. The art of animal husbandry is 50% genetics, 25% providing the basic necessities, and 25% common sense. Anyone with a true concern for the well-being of animals can raise these miniature sized cattle, they are surprisingly simple to keep and care for. The return you get from having these cattle gracing your property is immeasurable, and certainly not solely monetary.

The four adult cattle pictured grazing are for sale as a group for those of you who may be interested in starting a herd of your own. They are the picture of health, quiet disposition, and would make anyone a fantastic starter herd or addition to an existing herd. Multiple animal discount most certainly applies. We are accepting deposits on 2008-2009 calves and bred heifers at this time as well. Please don't hesitate to contact us.
Thanks for visiting, check back for updates!

Instant Trellis

Here is a great idea for an instant trellis that is actually used in England on large estate gardens. Chains and ropes make wonderful supports for vines, especially vines that twine, such as grape and Virginia Creeper. The chains are inexpensive to buy, cheap to install, can be clipped anywhere and hang with a graceful drape.
We had grape and Virginia Creeper vines growing under our deck, and they were always trailing and twining their way up the railing, the stairs, etc. So instead of fighting them, I got some medium weight chain and attached it to the house on one end, and the upright support of the deck on the other end. Then, I bought 3 shorter lengths of the same chain, and some clips to attach them, and hung the smaller pieces of chain down off the one hung horizontally over the deck, sort of like a chain curtain. The bottoms of the vertical chains didn't need to be attached to anything, as they hung down slightly past the deck framing, plenty close to where the vines could be brought up to get them started up the chains.
Since we needed a little privacy behind our deck bench, this severed as a soft, light-filtering curtain as the vines grew up the chains. Some vines we allowed to cross to the chain next to it, creating a slight , woven curtain of green. The morning light illuminated the living curtain from behind, giving the whole deck area not only the privacy we desired, but the lush freshness of a living, softly swaying privacy curtain of green.
Check out these pictures, and see if there is somewhere around your house you can turn those twining vines into shade or a privacy screen for you to enjoy.
The possibilities are endless, and a whole patio or deck could be shaded this way.
In England, they use ropes and chains as swag supports for climbing roses. Honeysuckle would work nicely as well. We went with what was growing naturally, and next year I may plant a lovely Clematis to join the "curtain club" of climbers.
The best thing about this is no lumber, no nails, screws, sawing. Just measure your distances, go to the hardware store, get some chain, clips, and you are good to go!
Just one little thing; make sure your chain is attached to something secure so your beautiful living trellis doesn't pull your siding off, or break a too light chain. My chain had a 220# load rating, so it should hold grape vine with ease.

Yes, they do eat pumpkins

So we have this pile of composting manure out back behind the neighbors fence (I did say composting, which means no odor) and that is also where we buried the little calf that we lost this spring, and buried our pumpkins from last Halloween there as well. Of course everyone knows the best stuff grows when you don't pay any mind to what is going on; meaning, I have seen the best pumpkins growing out of waste piles in many a field.
So our pumpkins were incredible as you can imagine; huge leaves, long vines, and the beginnings of some pretty good sized pumpkins! This is where we also take our kitchen scraps to compost away through the winter. The pumpkins were coming along beautifully, and I was wondering if we may have too many for just our family alone.
Well, wonder no more! When I went to take the scraps to the pile, it looked a little barren as I approached. As I swung one leg and then the other over the single electric wire fence, I realized that the entire pumpkin "pile" was missing. Gone. Zip, zilch, nadda, MIA. Simply not there. Your kidding, right? No. All that was left was a few shriveled traces of vine, a couple of thick pumpkin top stems, a piece of forgotten yellowed pumpkin, a scattering of seeds. Bees had taken up in a hole in the center of the pile. My beautiful lush wild pile of pumpkins was gone forever!!!
Moral of this story: don't count your pumpkins before you actually get them out of the field. Apparently others had been eyeing them as well.
And here I was, wondering "what the heck are those cattle doing back there by the fence for so long?", and "gosh don't the animals look good for this time of year!"
Yes they do, yes,.. they do.

Beautiful baby bull

Little babys first day on earth.