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I am Sandra - faithful steward. listener. shepherd. dream believer. hard worker. collects brass bells, boots. Jesus follower. contented. star gazer. homemaker. farmer. prayer warrior. country woman. reader. traveler. writer. homebody. living life large.

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Farm Chores

life beautiful giveaway ends Friday, Sept 14.
~ stables at Thistle Cove Farm ~
Behind the stables is a livestock water trough that, fairly often, gets an air lock. The upper left end is where the John Deere is stored, the hay loft is top middle and the lower right is where the Ranger lives next to the tack room. But I digress.
So, I drag out my cut off broom handle, wrapped with black electricians tape and chunka, chunka, chunka the water overflow pipe until the air lock bursts loose and water flows freely again. This particular trough feeds two other troughs so it's vital it works at all times. 
Cattle, horses, sheep, cats and various wildlife are dependent upon this water.
If you don't know, calves are the closest thing on four legs to teenage boys I've ever seen in my life! I swear, if they could talk, all you'd hear is, "HEY! Watch this!" Some of my fences are in terrific condition and others...hmmmm, not so much. Especially now. The Boys, as they are mostly called around here, decided it would be fun to see how many fence posts they could break. Then one calf decided it would be fun to go over the fence, down the bank, out into the road and na na na na na his friends who stood watching. Thank God, all of them didn't decide to do likewise; it was hard enough dealing with one escape artist. 
While I'm using the car to maneuver the calf back down the road, an older gentleman comes up the road. I'm waving him...go to the right, go to the right! when he pulls up and stops. "Do you need any help?" 
Wellllll. Yes. But. This feller looks to be in his mid 70's, perhaps older...? So, I'm torn between saying yes, and praying he won't keel over of a heart attack, or saying no and him thinking I'm an ingrate. As I've heard all my life.
So, I say yes and I head to the driveway so I can open the gate so the calf can, hopefully, be persuaded to go into the barn lot. In the meantime, I also walk to the upper pasture and call the others...."HERE BOYS, COME HERE BOYS. MOOOOOO BOYS!" Oh yeah, it's a sight. You and a camera could be contenders for American's Funniest Videos $10K prize should you film this!
Eventually, all is well...the small herd of calves head to the barn, Daddy John -as I now call him because he has a son named John, then there's John C. and John M. all in the valley and it's getting confusing. So Daddy John is headed up the road on his John Deere which, as almost everyone knows yellow and green are the only colors decent tractors come in, and he herds the calf back to the barn lot. No mean task because the dratted calf has decided to go down the road while his buddies follow alongside the fence. "HEY!" they call out. "We want to come with you!" Meanwhile, the dratted calf is bellowing, "But I want to be with you guys!"
Why do I have cattle?
I take a pile of metal T posts, my post driver and the dogs and I head to the pasture. It takes a while but I'm able to jury rig the fence so the cattle will stay in. Right. As long as they don't decide to go through the fence again, they'll stay in.
See. As they say around here...good enough for gubmint work! 
There's plenty more going on around the farm but I'm too busy, just now, to sit at the computer very long. This morning, the temperature was 46 degrees F so Autumn is on her way and in a hurry. There are still are few hummingbirds hanging around but I trust them to know their business, when this feeder is empty, almost empty now, it won't be re-filled. 
My good news...as I'm going around the farm doing chores, as God brings your name to mind, you're tucked into prayer. Doesn't that sound wonderful!? It does to me too! smile

Blessings ~ Daddy John ~ old feller who was willing even if not much able ~ metal T posts ~ post driver ~ Roy Rogers ~ stables ~ John Deere ~ Ranger ~ the strength to do the work God sets before me ~

21 comments:

  1. Hello Sandra:
    Your adventure with the escapee calf sounds just like an episode from a Buster Keaton film, except in glorious technicolour rather than black and white!

    If calves are anything like adolescents then you certainly do have your work cut out in trying to discipline them. We tried for years [with children not cattle]in our teaching days but came to the conclusion that the teenager is another country.....and a distant one at that!

    Hoping that you are well and that your week is going swimmingly!!

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  2. I wish I were there to help you! I don't know if you'd be any better off but we'd have lots of fun! :D
    Debbie

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  3. Oh you do work hard I know what it is like. We have Red tractors so I don't even know if I should be talking to you:)
    I have had a few runaways a while ago but now since we sold all our stocker calves and we just have Springers (Mothers) and some of them have to go because of shortage of hay I have no problems keeping them in. That is good news bad news isn't it:) ?
    I do appreciate the fixing fence and working hard, take it easy though OK enjoy that prayer it is a nice one I like it. B

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  4. You can drive Tposts?? You must be so strong to be able to do that. I can never get the post through the hard pan. Then I think my arms are going to fall off. I always have to wimp out. Well I am duly impressed.
    I love your barn that is a beautiful barn.

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  5. Anonymous7:20 PM EDT

    Boys will be boys! What a wild morning! You have to laugh to keep from crying. I know you will rest well tonight!

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  6. You're so funny! Way to go with those wayward cows!
    Thank you for your prayers, dear Sandra!

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  7. I enjoyed smiling, (and laughing a bit, sorry) as I visualized you, the calf and the senior John herding away . . .

    Busy as you were, . . . In the midst . . . there was, ". . God brings your name to mind and you're tucked in with prayer."

    I could visualize God smiling too and thinking, "What a woman . . . despite the odds . . . "

    Great post . . . determined, delightful, faithfilled Sandra . . .

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  8. You are an amazing woman, Sandra, and a great photographer.

    Fondly,
    Glenda

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  9. This entire post just made me smile from my cubicle in the city. Wish I was there!

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  10. I love your posts, you should write a book!! Hugs, Kerrie

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  11. There is a lot of happy energy in this text, the style and the content. I feel a big love for all your orders entrusted to you. I can imagine, that Dave is saying: Well done!!

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  12. Nothing brings dread to my heart like escaped animals. Calves are very much like teens. I would love to film some of the antics for the Video contest. The prize would sure make life easier around here. I think most folks who have livestock, at one time or another, ask, "Why do I have____".(You can fill in the blank with cattle, pigs, sheep, goats, or whatever strikes your fancy.)
    I always enjoy reading your posts!

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  13. I give thanks for you as often as you come to mind - great post and yes - fences are a constant in the lives of rural folk - building, mending or checking on them! Moo Mama - there's better times a'comin!

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  14. Oh, my...as i was reading this I envisioned a herd of teenage boys...and how in the world anyone would be able to get them going in the right direction and not lose their sanity in the process...

    It would take a special person...with extraordinary gifts and sincere compassion...just like you...

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  15. YOU are amazing and inspiring. i would be
    ashamed to tell you my day . . . no cows, for
    sure. :)

    i do have some experience with them, though,
    having grown up on a working ranch. thank
    you for the funny but back breaking story.

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  16. Yes indeed...a book would be a fine project should you ever find yourself at a loose end! Your robust attitude, strength & ingenuity as a woman are both comforting & profoundly inspiring..thank you x0x0x

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  17. What a pleasant read before I head off to bed. Jury rigged fences, sounds and looks like what I do to keep the animals in, then I wait for some help with final repairs...often a LONG wait.

    I can just imagine the hilarity of you herding a calf back to the pasture, but I am sure it was not one bot funny for you!

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  18. Sandra, I wish I had been there to help you with the boys -- I've had one experience with a large bull so I feel I'm worthy!

    So happy to see you start enjoying your lovely farm/ranch again. xo

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  19. I'm terrible about commenting on my favorite blogs ~ like yours ~ but I got SUCH a tickle out of this post! lol My husband & parents grew up on farms ~ so often my husband has talked about how stupid his cows were. Funny cow stories abound, I guess.

    Take care of your "boys."

    Blessings from Ohio...Kim<><

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  20. I can so relate to you, 2 weeks ago we were going to move 2 steers from pasture where my daughter has her cows .......... all we had to do was get them in the round pen, let out all the ones we did not want, then after unwanted ones were let out of the outside pen, let the 2 out and get them 10 feet to the trailer. Well one went left outside the round pen instead of going straight to the trailer, then jumped over 5 foot fence in front of the truck ........ they are still out on pasture. Yup teenage boys trick look at me jump the fence.

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  21. I laughed so hard at this! Yes, calves are like teenagers!!! Always getting into trouble!! I think I should send Annie to stay in the field with them. She would love someone to be in cahoots with! Sunday she decided to jump the fence. No, she didn't clear it!! And yesterday she jumped the haycart while Jane was feeding breakfast..Oy! Even though she turns 3 in a month, in her mind she still a one year old :(

    Beautiful here, too. Two days of much needed rain and today is breezy, cool,sunny. Hooray, Fall is coming! Now I am praying a true freeze over the winter as last year we never had one. The bugs this summer sure told that story!
    You are always in my prayers, Sandra.
    xo, misha

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