Thursday, 23 June 2016

Crazy Weeks!!






Unlike other farmers, we are still calving.
Let me rephrase that! Our cows are still calving! It's been a crazy month so far! But I wouldn't trade it for anything! I LOVE calving season! There's something about new babies that I love! Ok, I don't like to train them to suck off of a bottle or deal with (sometimes) kicky mommas, but all in all it's the best season!
I better introduce you to our BIG, happy, cow family! :)
Meet our babies!!
+++++++++++++++++++++

Dopey(left) and Stormy(right)

Marshmellow(Left) Bashful (Right)
Lady
Grumpy
A over view of our lovely calves!!
 Sleepy






and
Tiny!
 
Here's a list of the moms and their names.
 
Girls!!
=======
Ginger had Stormy
Dillybar had Molly
Hope had Marshmallow
Roseabell had Lady
 Doughnut had Tiny
 
Boys!
=========
Lucy had Dopey
S'mores had Bashful
Lil' Red had Grumpy
and Rosebud had Sleepy!
 
I don't know if you caught on or not, but the boys are all dwarf names off of Snow White. I thought that since we have a solid white calf, we should have some dwarfs!
 
Ok, So each calf has a story behind their names. Grumpys name wasn't an accident....
 
We where driving to VBS when we noticed that there was a new calf. I decided that Becca and I would go get it after VBS. Well, when we got home I walked up to the calf and it was even walking towards me, when it suddenly took off like something was chasing it! I stood stunned for a moment and called to Becca who was visiting with the cows. I started to walk towards it and I noticed that it was caught to the fence! I yelled to Becca and ran over trying to get my phone out of my pocket. Becca was right behind me. I thought for sure I was going to be trying to untangle a wild calf from a electric fence. Not very much fun. As I got my phone out of my pocket, the calf busted through the fence. I heard a awful pop and crack sound. (Still not sure what that sound was.) Running the rest of the way as fast as I could, I tried to climb the fence to get to the calf. (Of course I was wearing a skirt then.) I scanned the ditch trying to get a hold of mom. I finally got a hold of someone! Grandpa Steve! He was visiting. So, I called him telling him we have a crazy calf that went through the fence and I couldn't find it! Becca came and I explained to her. I found the calf laying funny, still on the fence. I pet it's head and whispered to it. " Ok, Becca I'm going to try to get it through the fence and I want you to....." Before I could finish it jumped up and went through it again. Becca jumped back and it took off in the fence. Away from it's momma, us, the farm and on it's way to our neighbors. I spun around and ran down the fence line on the highway while Becca was trying to get it to stop jumping in and out of the fence. It veered and went into the swamp , Becca followed it.
 
I paused for a breath and ran back to the gate, climbed over and waited for help. Soon Grandpa , mom and Kaity arrived. We were figuring out a plan when the crazy calf came shooting out of the woods and kept running towards the fence. Mom and I try to cut it off. It was too late, through the fence and in the ditch and across the highway. Luckly for us the Speeddee guy slowed down for are crazy calf. We watched it cross the road and run in the field across from us. I am here to say, that wow that calf can run!! Grandpa was following it while mom went to get rope! It ran all the way aross and then towards the dirt road!    Mom finally found the rope and drove towards Grandpa. Kaity and I run across the field trying to catch up with them to help. Kaity stops, "What is it Kaity??" I yelled quickening my pace. "I think Grandpa is hurt! He just fell and mom is running towards him!!"


Kaity takes off to Grandpa I vear off to the truck where Becca and Ali were. Becca was holding her ears, she was scared.  "Something is really wrong Grace!! Ohhhhhhh!!!" Becca said, freaking out more by the second. "It's all right Becca, Grandpa is ok. He probably just jumped on the calf." I assured her as my fear grew.


And I am now here to tell you now that my Grandpa was just fine! He jumped on that calf and pinned it down while mom was tying it up like a rodeo calf. It was a site to see him holding the crazy thing down! I drove the truck up to them so we could throw the monster in the pickup box. Mom had to sit on it so it wouldn't jump out.


Grumpy was the strangest calf I have ever seen! After having him with the other calves for a few days he decided to go crazy again and go through the fence. Well, it's a little hard to go through cattle panels, so he kept running into it until he broke the fence  a part! And believe it or not we have him with the calves and he is as calm as he could be. I don't trust him though. 


That is Grumpy's story. I thought we should name him that since he always seems grumpy with his life. :)


He's no Farmer! He's an inventor!
I call it the "Bottle holder!" Nice name, huh??
Ok, every famer needs to be an inventor at one time or another, and this was that time! It's so nice to not have to hold two bottles and fight off the other 6 calves! Thank you daddy for making life easier!!! :)






Warning
For the younger reading audience, please go have your parents proof this before you keep on going.
This picture is NOT for the weak hearted, it will make your inside turn, your head spin and  your heart melt.
Proceed with caution.


























I warned you!!!

We got ducks!!! My mom , always wanted ducks! They are so cute!! This is Milly or Billy. (depending on whether it's a boy or girl.) It is the runt of the group and the cutest!!


Yes, the chicks and ducks are living together! I think some of the chickens are confused and vice versa. 

They love our mud puddles that we have! :)
Yes, duck are a nice addition to our farm.


Meow!!!!! Meow!!!
I know what your thinking, "Oh no, not that time of season again!" Yup, the kittens have arrived, but a month or two late.
We knew that Cheetah had kittens, we just couldn't find them. Well, we found them a month old, and as friendly as can be. Ok, ok, we snuggled them and made them friendly. So, we have two kittens that we will give you for free!!! I'm sorry, but one found a home, So, all we have are two boys. Mathew and Mittens. (Names optional.)  The black one (on top, Mittens) and the white with brown ears and head. (bottom one, Mathew)  


Well, that's all for today! Thanks for reading and may God bless the rest of your summer!!                                 
 

Friday, 3 June 2016

What happened on Friday




It's a nice, windy, rainy day for a field trip! Do to do to do to do deeeeeeeee dummmmmmm.

Ok, go back and read that in a singsong voice. I promise it will make more sense. :)

HOWDY!
Last Friday we had the pleasure of having the Kindergartens from the Floodwood School over!

It was a TON of fun to have them!! The kids were really sweet and well behaved!

So, we had stations for the kids to go to, a bunny station, pig/piglets, chicks, and calf station. The kids went in groups and pet the animals.

They requested to see the big cows, donkey, and horses. So, we let them in one of the empty pens so they could see them. There were lots of excited kids when they saw the horses, donkey and a few astonished expressions when they saw our big bull Sir Walter.

I had a ton of fun leading Stormy around and letting the kids pet her. (I'll introduce you to her soon.) Austin, (my cousin) was proudly showing off his bunny, Luke's fort, and running off with the boys. ;)



Rolling, Rolling, Rolling.
The kids thought the animals were fun until they started to climb in the culvert. I think there was 16 out of 19 kids in this thing! I always knew that it was fun, but this confirmed it! 


BABY BUNNIES!!??
I would say the top favorite things the kids liked to do was probably, holding bunnies, feeding pigs, and rolling in the culvert. It was so cute watching the kids hold those bunnies!!!



Let's pause for a moment and behold the beauty of this picture.
"Oh it's so beautiful!!" (Wiping a tear and smiling.)
Yes! My wonderful Grandmother bought like 7 watermelons!! I was very happy until I found out that we were sharing with the kindergarteners. It was a sad day. It was gloomy out, raining, and the watermelon was going fast. (If you haven't noticed yet, I LOVE watermelon!)  I must say though, once I saw how happy the kids were about it, I was ok with sharing! We even had two left! Score!!! :)






Then after showing them all the animals, they sat on a wet picnic table to eat watermelon and watch my mom (Cora) attempt to make butter by hand cranking it. We did end up doing it in the mixer because it is a lot faster. :)

And that's all the pictures I have! I had the calf most of the time. It's pretty hard to hold onto a wet calf with one hand, while taking pictures with the other.



New members of the Family!
Meet Stormy!!!! My little girl, the daughter of Ginger and Sir Walter.




She's a lot of fun to walk around! She actually enjoys going for a walk! :)
I could go on and on about Stormy because she's my calf and who doesn't brag about a pet you have!


Meet Molly!!
Yup, this is Molly. This picture tells it all. Her mother is Dillybar.
Molly is NO fun to walk, it's mostly tug of war or drag the calf around. (Praying she gets the idea of the halter and lead rope.)

I have had my fair share of calves taking off running while I was walking them, but never have I been dragged!

Pulling out my phone I turned to Molly. My stance not braced at all, I quickly snaped a picture and was posting it when I felt a jerk on the lead rope in my hand. I looked up at the calf and I felt the ground as I landed on my belly. I hung on to the rope with one hand and holding my phone with the other. Molly jumped and took off. A few feet later I was able to get on my knees and stop the calf before I was dragged to the driveway. I crawl my way to the calf and grabbed her halter. Putting my phone in my pocket, I turn to the sound of laughing. In the stock tank with the bunnies, was Becca. She witnessed the whole thing and was laughing really hard. I sat there glaring at her for a minute and stood up dragging the calf with me. I walked to her. She shrieked and laughed harder. Now you have to understand that when my sister laughs you can't help but laugh with her. So, I will get my revenge soon! She can try walking Molly sometime! :)
 




Last but not Least...........
Dopey and Snow white!

This is Snow White, soon to be something else. We are probably going to change her name.
What do you think? Comment if you like her name or if you have a better one! :)
She is the daughter of Hope. Strange angle of Hope, but this is the only picture I have of them together!


And Dopey!!!!!!!!!

There's a story behind his name. So, when we found him he was just born! He was still wet and his ears where drooping! He looked too funny and cute that I started to call him Dopey! Also, his half sister is Snow White, so, might as well give him a dwarf name! :) He's also the only boy to three girls! Poor thing!




TUG OF WAR
Every one likes a good game of Tug of War and it's even better when your dog gets into it!
 Go Missy!!!!! Go Ali!! Go Luke!!! Yippie!!!!!!
"Welcome to the Tug of War games! Today it's Luke and Ali, with our guest star Lassie! Ummm, cross that folks, the dog's real name in Missy. Any who, the game has started and it looks like Luke might win, no wait, Ali, No, Luke has it in the bag! Hold it, hold it!! We have a cheater on the court today! That wonderful dog is cheating!! She isn't pulling straight back! She's pulling them around like rag dolls! Back and forth, back and forth! Well, I guess we'll never know who the winner is this time. Stop back next week to find out about the water racing! This is your top reporter GJ signing off."






    Down by the River side, Down by the River side
 We have been doing a ton of water things now that it's warm out and kayaking is one of them!!


Ali having fun pretending to be in the water!







Thanks for reading! Come back next week or whenever I post again!
Catch yeah later!

Grace.