I live in the middle of a high desert valley. The view from here is beautiful and interesting. I never get tired of looking - at the sky, clouds, weather, mountains, vegetation and closer to my pets and livestock, and the activities of the road yard, traffic on the highway. It is winter now and I have been doing a lot of horizontal and down looking. I bundle up for the weather with a stocking cap, and it has a tendency to slide down into my line of vision. I even have a bruise on my forehead right now to prove it. I also put my head down during snow and rain to protect my face. In other words - sometimes it is hard to look in the distance and to look up.
Today I was feeding the goats, sheep and calf hay around 1 p.m. All was calm in the barnyard. This is purely routine stuff. There were no dogs loose to put the critters on alert. All of a sudden, all the goats ran for shelter, while the calf just ate hay. I searched the ground to find a reason for such behavior. I saw nothing to warrant the fright. Then I looked up - there was a good sized hawk flying over the goat pen. So my goats were paying attention even though the hay was their main focus. A similar incident happened last spring; same time of day, same activity scenario. That time I looked up and saw a big black plastic bag floating by on the wind.
So, what are you looking at: Luke 21:25-28 NIV There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.
I want to be looking up, for Jesus.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Dogs and Cats
Dogs and cats: we have two young male cats. That is about the right number to keep the mice at bay, though I have to feed them too. There are four dogs here - that is two or three too many, but for various reasons, they are here. Shadow, German Shepherd, is half scared of the cats. Larado, half Border Collie, sits on the back porch and the cats climb onto him and sit there - warm and secure. The younger dogs, Drover and Tovi want the cats to play with them, but the cats aren't scared. This afternoon, the cat called Ranger sat under a small trailer that Tovi can reach while chained. Ranger knows the exact spot he can sit without the dog being able to reach him. So Tovi enlisted the help of Drover to move the cat. Sorry dogs, it didn't work. I watched you for half an hour from the big dinning room window. Later, when I was outside doing the evening feeding and milking, I saw the same two young dogs playing tug-o-war. It was getting dark, sun already down, and light snow falling, but I didn't recognize the piece they were tugging on. So, I hollered at the dogs. They dropped Ranger and he casually sauntered off. Silly critters.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Wind and Weather
We have no choice of the wind and weather that comes our way. This valley gets lots of wind, we do live in an earthquake zone and because of the elevation, we can get big temperature swings in short time spans. This area is classified as desert, but we did get a flood in our valley in the winter of 2004, that was quite an experience. Since we cannot make choices of weather, I see no reason to complain either.
We have winter weather heading our way. It is actually fun to watch it. I expected to wake up to white ground this morning, instead I saw a big moon and lots of stars. Temperature was a "toasty" 32*, but the wind was the miserable piece. The wind caused waves in the livestock water tubs that prevented ice from forming. How nice!?! So with such good weather, I did a wash load of towels and hung them on the line. My fingers got painfully cold, but that is expected at this time of year, no big deal. As the sun came up the wind picked up. We had a good thirty mile an hour wind going by 11 a.m.. I had to ask Ari to hold the laundry basket so that I could take the towels in (some from the line and some from the ground).
I dress in layers for winter weather. I have ok gear, but sure nothing to look at. I feel sorry for the goats when I have to milk them with cold fingers, but I try to wear gloves when it is cold. The dogs think my gloves are great toys, whether they are laying on the ground or on my fingers. I do not enjoy the wind because it blows the hay around. DO NOT put on chap stick before feeding hay and wear tight clothing to prevent it from sifting down through all the layers. Oh well, I do admit there is usually some green leafy material that comes off in the shower. I think snow is beautiful and usually enjoy it more than rain. (Let me see, the snow shovel is in the lean-to). During one snow storm about Thanksgiving, maybe three years back, we let some stranded strangers spend the night on our living room floor. Poor folks, they were headed all the way from California to Maine.
Rural living - this county does NOT close school for bad weather. I hear my favorite Christian radio station in Colorado Springs announcing school closures and delays. Guess what - no such thing here. A bus run may be suspended as happened here during the floods. One bus (0f about 20) was sent home early and then missed a full day.
Chickens can be real funny in the wind. Mostly they just hunker down in a sheltered place, but when they move across the back yard, the wind hits them in the side and their feathers are all messed and out of place and very often they have problems getting to their destination in a straight line. Another funny thing with chickens is that they have no traction on ice. I have seen chickens blown the 20 foot length of a frozen ice puddle in the back yard. And I have such a good view out a big window in the dining room.
The sheep just seem to take the weather in stride, after all, look at their insulation. My sheep are young, so this is their first winter experience, but last year the three year old ewe just laid down where ever she chose and there she was.
The goats are fussy, fussy, fussy. They complain about the heat, the wind, the snow, the rain, the... I think I have my animals penned in such a way that there is room for everyone under a roof. In the big pen, the calf usually sleeps in the shed and the goats outside as sleeping by a calf is beneath their dignity. Tonight I expect a 150 pound goat to push the 300 pound calf out or lay beside him. My only question is if the the 150 three year old goat will "allow" the 125 pound yearling goat to share the roof. Poor Miracle, she doesn't have a buddy to hang out with and most of the other goats push her around and pick on her. I will be watching closely, but not sure what to do if Lollipop will not give her shed space. How can I tell Miracle that she can hide behind Ole, the calf for shelter and warmth?
Cold is not bad without wind. I own a couple sets of long johns. The last couple of winter we had very cold and enduring temperatures. I got to wondering how life would feel without long johns. I even had most of poem written in my head called "Life After Long Johns", but I never wrote it down. I could have another chance to do that this winter.
Lord of all creation - watch over us as we have winter.
We have winter weather heading our way. It is actually fun to watch it. I expected to wake up to white ground this morning, instead I saw a big moon and lots of stars. Temperature was a "toasty" 32*, but the wind was the miserable piece. The wind caused waves in the livestock water tubs that prevented ice from forming. How nice!?! So with such good weather, I did a wash load of towels and hung them on the line. My fingers got painfully cold, but that is expected at this time of year, no big deal. As the sun came up the wind picked up. We had a good thirty mile an hour wind going by 11 a.m.. I had to ask Ari to hold the laundry basket so that I could take the towels in (some from the line and some from the ground).
I dress in layers for winter weather. I have ok gear, but sure nothing to look at. I feel sorry for the goats when I have to milk them with cold fingers, but I try to wear gloves when it is cold. The dogs think my gloves are great toys, whether they are laying on the ground or on my fingers. I do not enjoy the wind because it blows the hay around. DO NOT put on chap stick before feeding hay and wear tight clothing to prevent it from sifting down through all the layers. Oh well, I do admit there is usually some green leafy material that comes off in the shower. I think snow is beautiful and usually enjoy it more than rain. (Let me see, the snow shovel is in the lean-to). During one snow storm about Thanksgiving, maybe three years back, we let some stranded strangers spend the night on our living room floor. Poor folks, they were headed all the way from California to Maine.
Rural living - this county does NOT close school for bad weather. I hear my favorite Christian radio station in Colorado Springs announcing school closures and delays. Guess what - no such thing here. A bus run may be suspended as happened here during the floods. One bus (0f about 20) was sent home early and then missed a full day.
Chickens can be real funny in the wind. Mostly they just hunker down in a sheltered place, but when they move across the back yard, the wind hits them in the side and their feathers are all messed and out of place and very often they have problems getting to their destination in a straight line. Another funny thing with chickens is that they have no traction on ice. I have seen chickens blown the 20 foot length of a frozen ice puddle in the back yard. And I have such a good view out a big window in the dining room.
The sheep just seem to take the weather in stride, after all, look at their insulation. My sheep are young, so this is their first winter experience, but last year the three year old ewe just laid down where ever she chose and there she was.
The goats are fussy, fussy, fussy. They complain about the heat, the wind, the snow, the rain, the... I think I have my animals penned in such a way that there is room for everyone under a roof. In the big pen, the calf usually sleeps in the shed and the goats outside as sleeping by a calf is beneath their dignity. Tonight I expect a 150 pound goat to push the 300 pound calf out or lay beside him. My only question is if the the 150 three year old goat will "allow" the 125 pound yearling goat to share the roof. Poor Miracle, she doesn't have a buddy to hang out with and most of the other goats push her around and pick on her. I will be watching closely, but not sure what to do if Lollipop will not give her shed space. How can I tell Miracle that she can hide behind Ole, the calf for shelter and warmth?
Cold is not bad without wind. I own a couple sets of long johns. The last couple of winter we had very cold and enduring temperatures. I got to wondering how life would feel without long johns. I even had most of poem written in my head called "Life After Long Johns", but I never wrote it down. I could have another chance to do that this winter.
Lord of all creation - watch over us as we have winter.
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Animals
In my daily interaction with my farmyard full of goats, calves, sheep, chickens, dogs, cats and a rabbit, I have lots of time to observe and think. The animals have a pretty good "relationship" with me. They look to me as their provider and caretaker and maybe even friend. Interactions within species are not the same by any means, in any dream.
The chickens have a definite pecking order. Big papa rooster, Mr. Magnificent, rules the roost. He gets his way, and he sort of looks after the hens, calls them to share food he finds. He has never caused trouble with me, but some roosters will attack people. The "teenaged" chickens mostly just stay out of the way of all the older chickens.
There are only two sheep here now. Elizabeth is older than Gourdo by a month or so. She is a go getter. Gourdo does what she does. They like to bounce around their pen and are very noisy, always demanding more grain or hay.
I only have one Holstein steer calf at this time. His name is Ole. He keeps a pretty cool head most of the time. He lets Lollipop, a three year old milk goat, push him around. Ole lives for food, first his bottle of milk and then grain and milk.
Goats - I could talk about them for a long time. There are two goats that want to be queen and I rarely let them get together. I am afraid that one of them will be injured in the fray. Blackberry is seven years old and now two months pregnant. Lollipop is three years old and milking over a gallon a day. Both of them have a favorite goat to pick on and will run at them with head down from across the pen for no decernable reason. Oh how I wish there was some way to tell the goats to be kind to each other. They don't have to be in such competition.
The Bible says that God created people in his own image. There are so many differences between people and animals. It is God who made us and them. God calls us to be stewards of his creation. We don't have to act like animals. We can value and care for each other.
The chickens have a definite pecking order. Big papa rooster, Mr. Magnificent, rules the roost. He gets his way, and he sort of looks after the hens, calls them to share food he finds. He has never caused trouble with me, but some roosters will attack people. The "teenaged" chickens mostly just stay out of the way of all the older chickens.
There are only two sheep here now. Elizabeth is older than Gourdo by a month or so. She is a go getter. Gourdo does what she does. They like to bounce around their pen and are very noisy, always demanding more grain or hay.
I only have one Holstein steer calf at this time. His name is Ole. He keeps a pretty cool head most of the time. He lets Lollipop, a three year old milk goat, push him around. Ole lives for food, first his bottle of milk and then grain and milk.
Goats - I could talk about them for a long time. There are two goats that want to be queen and I rarely let them get together. I am afraid that one of them will be injured in the fray. Blackberry is seven years old and now two months pregnant. Lollipop is three years old and milking over a gallon a day. Both of them have a favorite goat to pick on and will run at them with head down from across the pen for no decernable reason. Oh how I wish there was some way to tell the goats to be kind to each other. They don't have to be in such competition.
The Bible says that God created people in his own image. There are so many differences between people and animals. It is God who made us and them. God calls us to be stewards of his creation. We don't have to act like animals. We can value and care for each other.
Monday, October 27, 2008
AFRICA - the sheep, not the continent
Africa came to us as an orphan ewe lamb in March of 2005. She was already a month old, and never has really liked us. In March of 2006 she had a huge, darling ewe lamb that we called Kenya. My daughter later changed the name to Satania when she showed her at the Jr.Livestock Show. But the Satania brought her a couple of red ribbons and $450. In March of 2007 she had twins that each weighed about 15 lbs. (big lambs). We named them Zambia and Zimbabwe. They weren't overly tame either (a fact with dam raised lambs) but they both won blue ribbons at the Jr. Livestock Show and Zambia was 12th out of almost 200 in the carcass class (judged with ultrasound, not butchering). Last year I sold Africa, but she came back and lambed with twins again the end of May when I was not home. These twins are Zulu and Botswana - and I am trying to sell the whole family again. Zulu and Botswana are pretty tame because I had bottle babies in the same pen with them and they are so full of curiosity that they came to watch the bottle babies drink their milk twice a day and I can walk up and touch them. But alas, my daughter is now too old for 4-H and they didn't get to go to the Jr. Livestock Show.
Friday, October 24, 2008
SORE HEADS
I own two registered Alpine bucks. The two cannot live together in rutting season, because one has to be dominant and that means they will fight. So one recent dark morning when went outside to do chores, the young buck comes walking up to me. I put him back in his pen and used a pallet to make it more secure. Young buck is a jumper. One side of his pen is the state road yard with an eight foot high chain link fence topped with three strands of barbed wire that tip toward his pen. The south side has a feeder that young buck was using for a launching pad, and now has an eight foot high fence made of livestock panels and pine poles. The other two sides of the pen are five feet high with corner covers. We will see how that all works. Old buck didn't get up for grain that recent morning. When daylight came, I surveyed the damage of the rampage. Young buck had gone visiting to old buck. There was a four by four foot area outside of the west of old buck's pen that had been plowed almost a foot deep. Old buck's heavy duty livestock panel had been pushed out almost three feet. And the heads of both bucks were bloody. That is what I call real sore heads.
LORD, help me not to act like a sore head, but rather trust in you, not push on the fences of security you put around me.
LORD, help me not to act like a sore head, but rather trust in you, not push on the fences of security you put around me.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Konrad, Olga and Ole
Last month I came across a lady that said that all cows were autistic. I challenged her - that she never had had personal experience with cows then, because cows are intelligent and react with each other and their caretakers. Konrad, Olga and Ole are my current calves. Konrad is 3 1/2 months old and ready to wean, but he sure does like his big bottle. I feed him last of the three bottle calves, and he patiently waits over by the hay and grain until his turn. Olga is impatient, but a few slaps and she will not try to steal the nipple away from Ole. Olga likes to suck on the other calves' ears and I am working on teaching her to NOT suck on ears. Ole is the youngest, just over one month old now. He is one month old and on the shy side. All three calves are aware of the world around them and interact with it- not autistic. Their favorite play time is dusk and they play tag or roll the big black plastic tube around the pen.
This evening I fed garden debris to the critters. Konrad has a good healthy boy appetite, and is willing to at least try anything. Beets and carrot tops were great with him. It took Ole some time to get going on the beets. Little Olga is the finicky little girl. I was down to the next to the last beet before I could persuade her to put one in her mouth - and then she wanted more, but I soon ran out. Sorry Olga.
This evening I fed garden debris to the critters. Konrad has a good healthy boy appetite, and is willing to at least try anything. Beets and carrot tops were great with him. It took Ole some time to get going on the beets. Little Olga is the finicky little girl. I was down to the next to the last beet before I could persuade her to put one in her mouth - and then she wanted more, but I soon ran out. Sorry Olga.
Friday, October 10, 2008
ANOTHER CHICKEN STORY
Those little chicks that hatched back in the beginning of July are growing up. I guess they could be called teenagers now. Like teenagers, they make a lot of noise and run around a lot. The roosters are learning to crow and it sure is funny. The first time I heard one, it was dark outside and I was on the opposite side of the shed from where the chickens huddle for the night. I was not able to identify what is was that I heard, but in tuning my ears that direction, and it sounded like something (not identifiable) was being strangled. I checked to make sure there were no dogs in that area. All dogs were secure. Then I realized what it was - a rooster learning to crow. It is so funny to hear them at this stage. They still mostly peep even though they are fully feathered out and 3/4 of adult size.
Psalm 150:6 Let everything that lives sing praises to the Lord" Go chickens! and may we obey that directive also.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
CHICKENS
Matthew 23:37 - ...How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings...
I am a person that really likes animals - cows and goats first. Chickens are way down the line because they are pretty stupid. But I have chickens. There is one big black rooster, two black (Austrolorp) hens, and four black and white speckled hens and ten mostly black half grown chicks.
When the chicks were little fluff balls, the hen would call them and they would all huddle under her wings - with a few little beaks and eyes peeking out. All it took was a couple of rain drops for the hen to call for the chicks. I always thought it would make a good picture, but never got a camera outside and now the chicks are all feathered out and think that are big stuff, off on their own.
There is one chick that I have just named Would Not, because he would not follow the hen. He sure did spend a lot of time calling for his mom when he realized she wasn't there though. There are another two chicks that just have to fight. They stand up on their little toes and just go at it for all they are worth - over nothing. There is plenty food available, but they just have to fight, to prove what?
What a picture of people - we get to thinking that we are big stuff and can live without God. Then the raindrops or dogs or other scary things come by and we run around like chickens - which is really a good picture of stupidity.
Someday I will talk about sheep. I have them too. They are a bit smarter than chickens.
I am a person that really likes animals - cows and goats first. Chickens are way down the line because they are pretty stupid. But I have chickens. There is one big black rooster, two black (Austrolorp) hens, and four black and white speckled hens and ten mostly black half grown chicks.
When the chicks were little fluff balls, the hen would call them and they would all huddle under her wings - with a few little beaks and eyes peeking out. All it took was a couple of rain drops for the hen to call for the chicks. I always thought it would make a good picture, but never got a camera outside and now the chicks are all feathered out and think that are big stuff, off on their own.
There is one chick that I have just named Would Not, because he would not follow the hen. He sure did spend a lot of time calling for his mom when he realized she wasn't there though. There are another two chicks that just have to fight. They stand up on their little toes and just go at it for all they are worth - over nothing. There is plenty food available, but they just have to fight, to prove what?
What a picture of people - we get to thinking that we are big stuff and can live without God. Then the raindrops or dogs or other scary things come by and we run around like chickens - which is really a good picture of stupidity.
Someday I will talk about sheep. I have them too. They are a bit smarter than chickens.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Drover
Drover - big, black mutt. We gave him away once, but he came back. I would give him away again, but we need an outside dog all night. Dover is the son of a dog we took in when the owner died. He is just over a year old and weighs around 70 pounds. If you don't know him, he can be scary. He is mostly tied up, but I let him off to run while I do outside chores in the morning and evening. If the state road yard next door is open, sometimes he goes in there and runs up and down their big gravel piles. He is fast. Drover is obedient when it comes to the command of "come". Many other things he just doesn't understand. He wants to play with the little kitties, but they think he is too big. Drover likes eggs, and has been caught helping himself to them. Now I either pick up eggs before I turn him loose, or keep a real close eye on him. Drover also likes to catch chislers (ground squirrels) and that helps the neighbor if he doesn't dig in the alfalfa field. Drover's name was Dribbles when he was little, but we were hoping that he would outgrow the reason for the name - but he hasn't.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Little Cow - my favorite
Proverbs 27:23 Know the state of your flocks, and put your heart into caring for you herds (NIV)
My boss at Rosedew Dairy must do that because we have some great old cows.
Little Cow is officially known at Rosedew Dairy as 585. That is the tag she wears in her left ear. Little Cow is eleven years old now, has been milking over 500 days in this lactation and still giving over six gallons a day. Little Cow has over 200,000 pounds of milk in her lifetime production. I don't have exact figures, but I am sure it is less that 1% of dairy cows in the United States that last long enough to accumulate that many pounds of milk. Little Cow must weigh only 900 pounds, while the herd average is probably closer to 1300 pounds and we have a few big cows that weigh over 1800 pounds. Little Cow is what you call efficient. She can milk over 100 pounds (12 gallons) a day when fresh. Little Cow needs her feet trimmed, but her udder is the most fantastic soft udder in the herd with no extra fat or meat or scar tissue in it. Little Cow just minds her own business and doesn't want anyone fooling around with her.
Keep going Little Cow.
My boss at Rosedew Dairy must do that because we have some great old cows.
Little Cow is officially known at Rosedew Dairy as 585. That is the tag she wears in her left ear. Little Cow is eleven years old now, has been milking over 500 days in this lactation and still giving over six gallons a day. Little Cow has over 200,000 pounds of milk in her lifetime production. I don't have exact figures, but I am sure it is less that 1% of dairy cows in the United States that last long enough to accumulate that many pounds of milk. Little Cow must weigh only 900 pounds, while the herd average is probably closer to 1300 pounds and we have a few big cows that weigh over 1800 pounds. Little Cow is what you call efficient. She can milk over 100 pounds (12 gallons) a day when fresh. Little Cow needs her feet trimmed, but her udder is the most fantastic soft udder in the herd with no extra fat or meat or scar tissue in it. Little Cow just minds her own business and doesn't want anyone fooling around with her.
Keep going Little Cow.
Old Goats
This morning before the heat was too much for me, I did some cleaning (never ending job) in the south goat pen. Blackberry and Carmel live there. I turned them loose while I worked in the pen. They even behaved themselves for a big surprise. Normal for Blackberry and Carmel is to go to Lollipop's pen and dare her to fight through the fence. I don't dare let Blackberry and Lollipop together for long for fear that they will cause each other physical damage. They both want to be the queen. So today, Blackberry and Carmel just checked out Lollipop and then wandered on to eat grass and weeds. All the other goats and sheep on the farm looked on with jealousy.
Blackberry and Carmel are seven year old twin Alpine does. We bought them when they were 16 days old. Blackberry has kidded six times for a total of 16 live kids. Carmel has kidded five times but we have lost some of her kids. Both of these does had live triplets this year in March and they have been weaned. The wethers (boys) have been taken to summer camp (a friend's guest ranch) to be "pet me's" for the summer. The little doelings are still living here, but in a different pen than their moms.
Blackberry and Carmel are seven year old twin Alpine does. We bought them when they were 16 days old. Blackberry has kidded six times for a total of 16 live kids. Carmel has kidded five times but we have lost some of her kids. Both of these does had live triplets this year in March and they have been weaned. The wethers (boys) have been taken to summer camp (a friend's guest ranch) to be "pet me's" for the summer. The little doelings are still living here, but in a different pen than their moms.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Who's face?
The cows, the goats, the sheep, even the chickens that live around me have personalities. So that is what my blog is going to be about - at least most of the time. I have had cows for more than 45 years. I have fun giving them names (look out friends, if my cow or goat has a personality like you, I could name them after you) and caring for them every day of the year.
My very first calf was General. He was a Guernsey bull and we lived in Selah at the time. His mom was Peggy and she was a cull cow from a dairy, but plenty good enough for my family. The next year he had a sister born that I named Jenny. Both General and Jenny got eaten. After that I got involved in 4-H and bought a registered Brown Swiss heifer named FanLee Joy. I sold her for college money. There was a trail of cows then -Cricket, Jem, Jewel, Sindy, Sebastian, Irene, Patsy...
Now I am a part time milker at a 100 cow dairy down the road. I get to name those cows too. I have four milk goats, two bucks, ten kids, one ewe and four lambs.
But now I have to go start supper.
My very first calf was General. He was a Guernsey bull and we lived in Selah at the time. His mom was Peggy and she was a cull cow from a dairy, but plenty good enough for my family. The next year he had a sister born that I named Jenny. Both General and Jenny got eaten. After that I got involved in 4-H and bought a registered Brown Swiss heifer named FanLee Joy. I sold her for college money. There was a trail of cows then -Cricket, Jem, Jewel, Sindy, Sebastian, Irene, Patsy...
Now I am a part time milker at a 100 cow dairy down the road. I get to name those cows too. I have four milk goats, two bucks, ten kids, one ewe and four lambs.
But now I have to go start supper.
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