Back around the first of May Tim noticed a calf looking a little skinny. We called the vet she came and checked the momma to make sure she was Ok, saying we needed to supplement the calf by bottle feeding. So Tim did this in the morning and then let the calf hang out with all the others. After a few days of this he decided to feed both morning and night. On May 18th he went to find the calf. He came back to the house and was yelling, I thought he was yelling at Coco our male devil donkey. Well it was louder and I heard my name. I go out to find out what is going on and Tim is covered up to his knees and elbows in mud. The calf was stuck in the mud and he had really work at pulling him out. He needed me to drive the four wheeler so that he could get it and bring it to the barn.
We go out there and I swear that poor thing looked dead. It was as flat as a pancake, caked in mud and flies swarming around it. Tim picked him up and we took him to the dogs swimming pool (good thing I had cleaned it out earlier and the water was warm) Tim put Larry (Andy and Alec named him on the previous Wednesday) in the pool and we turned the hose on and started to clean him off. He looked so pathetic.
We cleaned him up, tried to feed him, put him in the barn with a soft clean bed. Even covered him up to keep him warm. Unfortunately Larry died the next day.
The next week Tim went over to the two different pastures we have, as I call it the cows "summer homes" and made sure the fencing was all up and secure (the deer love to run thru it). Tim called the owner of one of the pasture that we have used for about 5 years to say, "hey we are bringing the cows over tomorrow". She says she has been meaning to talk to us about that. She is putting five horses in there and that they are going to have large equipment in there to knock down some trees. First off, thanks for telling us after the fences were fixed and second you had to wait until we are ready to move the cows you couldn't tell us this months ago? Granted we do not have a signed contract with them. Farmers don't usually do that, a handshake usually works. Tim baled their hay, provided the racks, tractor, the driver and usually himself to help pick up the bales plus the help to unload it for the use of this pasture. Every once in while he might get some extra hay for it. No crying here on to plan B. There wasn't one but we had to come up with one and fast.
Tim decided to move cows/calves to feeder calf summer home and leave the feeder calves at home and look for pasture.
May 29th 6:00 a.m. I get a call from Tim, "I need you to grab my gun and come and get me". I thought he said the cows got out, but none the less I heard heading toward 141. I throw on some clothes (it was 6:00 a.m.) grab his gun and some bullets and take off. Well it was one cow, Larry's mom and she was on a mission. She was going to her summer home. Except that wasn't where the others were. Plus how did she now where to go when she had been taken over there by trailer the last five years?
Ole Momma was heading for 141 and there was no turning her back. We drive up along the highway and there are a lot of cars coming from the Woodward area. Tim didn't want to shoot the cow in front of everyone. So I turned on my flashers starting honking with one hand while waving with the other. Tim is waving so that cars will slow down and they do. Momma crosses and heads to the other side (4 lane hwy). She stops in the middle of the north bound lane, thank goodness there is not much traffic going to Woodward at 6 in the morning. A neighbor pulls over and is grateful it is not his cow but telsl us to chase it to his pasture and we can put it in a pen.
Well that didn't go so great. One of the neighbors bulls got out and with all the chasing a lot of corn was ran over. In the mean time I get a call from my cousin. "W H O just said a cow was out on 141 near Woodward would it be yours?" Thank goodness they didn't announce our name but yes we were famous for a bit.
Ole Momma decided she had enough and decided she was going to cross 141 again. Well Tim decided this is the time. He didn't want to do it but no other option by this time it about 7:15 and 141 is very busy. So now we lost a cow and a calf!
My Dad and Tim checked out some of the timber by the creek and decided that with some work some of it can be fence it in and might be good for the calves. For about four weekends Tim with his bobcat and all the attachments he has acquired began to clear some timber so he can have a pasture.
During this time the heat and humidity sets in. I think we have had 21 days of 90 degree temps and 13 days of triple digit humidity. Corn is not looking good.
Good news is Tim got the pasture done and was able to move his calves to their summer home on July 1st. Bad news is now we have to haul water because the creek is drying up.
More bad news we have to haul water to the other cows/calves because their water is drying up and now so is their grass.
We baled hay yesterday, good news third cutting, bad news only 5 bales off of 17 acres.
Good news today we got an inch and quarter of rain. Let's just leave it at that...
