Winter is Looking Better Already

When I went to check on the cows today I noticed two things:

FIRST, Google, the cow nearest me has just 'blown her plug', her cervical plug.

If you click on the photo to enlarge it, you can see the mucus discharge.

You know what that means don't you ?

There is a calf coming.      Guess a date and sex.

Winner gets a funny cow book.


The SECOND thing I noticed was a BIG, BLUE piece of equipment, sitting near the burnt out tractor.

This beautiful used piece of metal will make farm life a lot easier come winter. 

We have been tractor-less for 7 months and 5 days.   A lifetime.    

This is my new best friend.        I have already kissed it.        Several times.

All it needs now is a spear attachment to move hay bales and a barn to be parked in.

Big Blue came from Maine.       Wonderful things come from Maine  : )

Thank you Maine.

Barns of June, 3

This is what June looks like here in Vermont.

The grass is high and thick.

And stetches as far as the eye can see.

Its haying time.

The smell of fresh cut hay envelopes your senses.

At night the fireflies play in the fields and light them up with a thousand tiny Christmas lights.

Its magical.

The big barns are being filled with hay.

This is the back of the barn.

Buttercup fields are everywhere and really add to the colors on the mountains.

Hay is being cut in swirling pattens.

Another type of barn.  

The wind is blowing and will help dry the fresh cut hay.

Mowing down the hay.

Lets hope all the new born fawns will get up and exit the field before the mower gets too close.

He is Teddering, spreading out the hay to dry.

So it can then be raked up into windrows for the hay baler to pick up.

It is hot work.

Going round and round the field.  Mowing and teddering.

Doing the "Dance of the Deeres."

And will you look in that cab and see who is doing the mowing.

A woman at the wheel.

Surprised ?

Tough Decisions

Sadly,  I just advertised for sale one of my outstanding cow/calf pairs and the yearling heifer, Jillian, that I wanted to keep as a replacement.

These are cream-of-the-crop elite bred and managed cows, but my hay and boarding expenses were extreme this winter and now I am paying for grazing rights on the farm.

Not having another consistent paying job plus paying for my hospital stay in March has me stretched beyond comprehension.  Not to mention the recent, very stressful truck replacement.   Something had to give..and in this case it’s the cows….again.   My part time job still has not gone full time yet and I have been waiting almost 16 months for it to.  The grants we rely on are not coming.    Reality is sinking in.  I may actually be laid off.

As it stands right now, looking ahead for the winter months, I will only be able to afford 4 cows for hay through the winter.  I always keep my older cows and most people prefer buying younger proven cows, So Gwen & GrandSlam Kate are the best candidates to go to a new approved farm.  Selling them will provide 2 months of hay for the rest of the herd this winter.

In Jillian's case her dad is coming back to the farm this year as a herd bull, so Jillian must find a new herd and a different bull to go to.     

The bull produces thick, muscled, heavy weaning, growthy calves so I will welcome him with open arms and a few crackers.

But I will miss my goofy Jillian so much.

Even wet, going through a growth spurt AND shedding her winter coat, she is balanced...and goofy.

She is also my #1 Graham Cracker consumer......

Not that I am pointing hooves.....

I am screening every call and email inquiry. Already talked to 3 folks who do not even have fencing or shelter for 1500 pound cows, but they are determined to buy some!    I gently educate them and send them info on basic requirements.  But there is no way I will be selling them my "heartstock"  
NO WAY!       

I am also making other plans to cut cow expenses:

I am planting a lot of squash this summer to supplement the herds outrageous Nabisco Cinnamon Graham Cracker addiction. $$$$

It is an unusual form of a  literal “cash crop” to cut the cost of their favorite treat way back… and save some cash.

I am also offering all those gardening zuccinni growers a place to dump their “over flow.”    I went to a greenhouse this morning and struck a deal to pick up all their squash and pumpkins this fall and anything else that is cowable.  
If I have to sprinkle it with cinnamon to make it palatable for the cows, I will!

That's my plan.

I have thought long and hard about this.

My entire paycheck went to assure the cows had all the hay they could consume this winter.    With no barns, they needed more food to stay warm.

Call me foolish, but its just the way I am.    My cows are my life.
You already know that.

Farming is important.      It's expensive.     It gives me stomach aches and ulcers.       But I love to farm.       It's in my blood.    I wish I could do more.
Wish I had land.  

I have gone from 20 cows because of the 'Big Move' last year down to 5 adults with hopes of growing my herd back to a number that will pay for themselves.

Right now its all about finances and what I can realistically afford with just a part time job and a few other infrequent side jobs.

Worse yet is that my Simmentals are aging.  I need to AI them in the near future, whenever we get a head chute, to a Simmental bull so I have a few registered heifers to carry on.       The clock is ticking.

My only wish right this instant is that someone who is on the "same page" as I am, as far as cows, finds my ads and then comes up here to meet the herd.

If I had another wish, it would be that the job I love would boost my hours to 30. ..with health insurance.

If granted a third wish, it would be to find an honest, hardworking farming partner.       Perhaps someone with a tractor.......

Keep your hooves crossed that my job remains so the rest of the cows can remain.

Holy Cows

You know you are in a small town when there are cows surrounding the church.

2 sides of the church property is munched on by very efficient Holsteins.

   This town has more cows than people. 

Good looking, hardworking cows.

The milk they give is truly blessed.

Barns of June, 2

A nice big red barn.

Freshly painted.

Impossible for me to drive by and not take a few photos.

Off to the side of the barn is this 10x10 farm stand building.

Very very sweet.  Great efficient design.

What I learned once I entered this wonderful magical building was amazing.

All the cakes, brownies, perserves, pickles, jams, plants and veggies were ALL donated by area farmers to help raise funds for a local family in town that has ALS.

 It is a very interesting story of a little community supporting a young man.

Everything is sold by the honor system. It is a self serve farm stand.

This particular newspaper article really tells the entire story about the disease being in his family for 200 years.

I purchsed some fresh rasberry jam and a root beer.

Next time I am in that area I am coming home with one of their delicious pies!

The perfect farmers centerpiece:  A bouquet of June clover.

The Barns of June

I have been on the road for my job for several days and I have photographed some unusual sights.

Extraordinary country crafts, curious livestock, fabulous barns, hidden outbuildings and various fields being harvested for hay.

250 photos.

I will start the Barns of June Series with this post.

So stay tuned for the rest of the series.

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There is nothing more American than a red barn with a big blue sky in the background.

Its all red, white and blue.

I really like the green too!

This town has more cows than people, so their volunteer fire department has only a one stall barn building to hold all of its equipment.

Style and function, all in one cute package.

These cows are right across the street grazing and doing guard duty.

They checked me out while I was taking a photo of "their" building.

I quickly identified myself, showed my ID ( treats!) and went along my business.....

I didn't want to make them angry because there is nothing worse than a Mad Cow......

Many of the lush green fields are full of cows and beautiful daylillies.

June is a colorful month here!

What a Difference 2 Weeks Makes

Two weeks ago it wouldn't stop raining and many areas got flooded and roads were destroyed.

Since then the temperatures and humidity have increased dramatically.

Now the ground is dried out, the grazed pastures aren't recovering and my garden is wilting.  We need rain!

The herd has grazed down all the fields.  Their hay field is ready to be baled and I hope the haying equipment gets here soon to do it, before the cows figure out a way to get into it.

The girls are busy every day scavenging any tasty green morsal they find.

I hope the thunderstorms that are predicted for later today bring some rain.

The hillsides are dry, but green.

I actualy never thought the snow would ever melt....

In the evenings as the sun sets, the Whipporwills sing in harmony with the crickets and night birds.

At 9 pm the Fireflys light up the fields and the trees like mini christmas lights.

June is wonderful.

Now lets hope for a little rain to make my pole beans happy.