The Wet View Today

We haven't seen the sun in 5 days.   Lots of rain and dark cloudy skies.

Some of the hens were camped out on the porch yesterday, not wanting to venture out into the rain.

They kept themselves amused.

Marilyn, the blonde hen, insists on sitting in my chair and peeking into the kitchen windows to see if anyone is headed her way with some treats.

When the rain slowed down, the flock got closer to the porch edge.

They almost left, but decided to wait, and good thing they did because it started to pour again.

The hens that stayed inside the chicken coop missed all the fun.

These porch hens got a few lasagna noodles and some left over boiled cabbage and rice to sustain them while they waited for the monsoon to stop.

Whats the weather like in your neck of the woods ?
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Double Trouble

All the rain of the past few days has turned the barnyard into a muddy quagmire.

I am greeted each morning now with GlenNora  inside the hay ring.  Even though it irritates me because I have to get her OUT of it before I can drop a bale to the herd, I do realize she seems to be the smartest heifer in the bunch.   She has found an easy way to stay out of the mud the past few days.

 

She has finally found the special opening in the hayring by which to exit (and enter) from.

Glennie doesn't seem fond of exiting.

 

She at least stands up when she sees me coming, which is an improvement over the past 2 weeks when I have to entice her to wake up, get up and get out of the hay ring amidst the herd chaos of waiting to get fed.

This is a good sized girl. She won't be a year old until May.

 

The rest of the herd seems to delight in my tongue lashing of this red lass each and every time I find her in the hay rack.

 

If this group could talk I often wonder what they would say in response to my morning frustrations with Miss Glennie.

 

Smudgie and Shorty say the same thing every morning and evening;

Feed us, I want that box of treats, got an apple ?

 

Yeah, that dog cookie looks good too, is that a carrot in your vest pocket ?

 

Just when I think i have seen it all.....

I return in the evening to again water the herd and tuck them in for the night and I see this.....

Maybe I need glasses.     I was seeing double.


Nap time IN the hay ring.    The Heifer Clubhouse

Glennie on the right and her sister, Gouda Giggles on the left.

 

The rest of the herd was eating the hay around them and bumping the heifers as they pulled out the good hay pieces they lay on. 

The girls didn't bother to get up as I walked over.  I think I surprised them. They actually look a little embarrassed.

I assume they will be out by morning when the next roll comes in.

At least I hope so.

 

Smudgie says:  Its my birthday today, yesterday and tomorrow...can I have that carrot ?

Sure Smudgie.  Just stay OUT of the hay ring, OK ?
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Alien Cows

Rain, cold, fog.

Perfect recipe for alien cows at 6:30 am

Seen any alien livestock near you?
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Rain Cows

We are getting lots of rain in Vermont the past 24 hours.  The brooks, streams and rivers are full and moving swiftly.  I hope these heavy rains do not re-damage the areas destroyed by Hurricane Irene last summer.

The grass here is growing as it rains and my eggplant, brussel sprouts and potatoes are growing by the minute.

The cows have been moved to a very lush field next to a stream and a waterfall.

The rain does not deter the mission of each and every cow:  graze, graze, graze.

The calves are practicing running up and down the hills and investigating new places under the trees and bushes.  Every field is a new adventure for the growing group of calves.

They are lucky that they can look forward to a nice long drink of warm milk after a long day playing in the cool rain.

Hope the weather is behaving in your area.
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RAIN !!!!!!!!

I heard that wonderful "noise" at 5 am and woke right up.

RAIN.

For an hour it downpoured and the dry earth soaked it right up.

I heard the flowers moan with pleasure.

The birds landed on the half full birdbath and drank, bathed and rested.

The dirt rolled off my old truck and the cat came running into the barn.

Flys dissapeared or were killed by the short deluge.

Its just sprinkling a little now, but it will last most of the day.  Probably only a teaspoon of relief for a drought ridden area, but at least its a start.

Tails from the Field

Finally got some fast rain yesterday afternoon and boy did it come down hard!
For 45 minutes the sky gushed and the fields soaked it right up.
Still need about 2 more days of solid rain to undo the damage from the lack of rain.

The cows are fat, slicked off and milking heavy. The calves are thick and growing every minute.

Red Sox Faith & Fielder are still here waiting for their Texas cowboy to get his USDA loan to buy the farm he wants. Then he is coming to pick them up and make them the first cows on his new farm. 
He is buying the cow, I am giving him the steer calf and I do believe Faith has now been bred back to the bull as I saw their romantic interlude last month. So it will be a nice 3 way package for the young cowboy and his family to start their new herd here in Vermont.  The story & photo of his family and their visit is about 15 posts down.

Speaking of bull........
I have one cow who STILL has not had her calf.   This cow is almost 10 years old and has always had her calf before June 10th.    I hope this isn't the start of an infertility issue.
This cow has an interesting history and a very interesting story.
Tell me when you think she is due.  Here are the telling photos. Please chime in.

And the Bull.....seems to be visiting each of the cows privately for meals....just like the "Bachelor" does, except this guy doesn't give them roses.....

This Polled Hereford bull has alot of Felton's breeding in him.  Similar to the previous bull we had ( kept him for 3 breeding seasons because he was so terrific ) He throws large, fast growing, heavy weanling calves.   Its been a fabulous cross on the Angus, Shorthorn & Simmental cows.     Repeat buyers reserve calves right before or right after they are born because of the carcass and meat quality of this magical breed mix.
This bull is an easy keeping bull too.  He does not jump fences.   The neighbors bull jumps fences, blocks the road and sometimes chases the mailman.         I don't tolerate that kind of behavior with a bull.

This is my favorite steer, Gibbs.  He follows me all around the fields. He is the largest, goofiest and most curious calf in the field.    His attachment to me is perplexing.

I have to sneak out of the field or he will follow me the half mile to the gate and make calf noises, which gets the entire herd in an uproar and they stampede over hill and dale to see what the heck Gibbs is screaming about.  Needless to say, when Gibbs is being my shadow while I check the herd I seem to stay many times longer than I need to because I have to hide behind cows to make my way out of the fields.

Thats the news from here, how are things in Your fields ?