7125 Old Stage Road Raleigh NC 919-322-0197
It’s a funny thing when you get the cows up in the morning as compared to letting them get up on their own. All the morning rituals all happen in compressed time. There is a lot of pooping and peeing, some bleary eyes stumbling around, and of course the kids want breakfast.
This little calf was doing it all at once. He was nursing and pooping. Then mom decided she wanted breakfast and this is the part I could catch on video.
Yesterday’s paddock on the left, todays on the right. The grazing looks much better today, with no signs of overgrazing. The wider paddocks certainly make the difference.
The unseasonably cool weather continues with the foggy morning temp this morning at 56. We had to get the cows out of bed to get them moving this morning. They weren’t too keen on waking up but we were earlier than usual. The high today is going to be 85 with 90s the rest of the week. However September is right around the corner and fall with it. I had to break out a cool weather shirt this morning and something tells me I’ll have it back on again shortly.
We are now into the larger paddocks in the front pasture. They look better now that they are wider and the grazing doesn’t seem to be out of line at all. A high of 83, with a steady breeze and low humidity have everything reaching for the sun, including me. Enough sitting here typing, I’m going outside!
Kristen, one of our great friends and customers stopped by. She had her dog in the truck and Cotton took quite an interest.
Kristen is, shall we say, vertically challenged. Cotton, not so much. Darling Wifey was able to catch this moment of farm life for everyone to enjoy.
Not sure who is actually taller here.
I came across this TED talk when it was played on a podcast I listen to. I enjoyed this and thought I’d pass it along.
So I found that the hot wire was shorted out dead this morning. Turns out the interns had about three places where the hot wire was touching the hog wire which will certainly do it. This was the last one I came to. With the full power back, it was kind of exciting.
So I found that the hot wire was shorted out dead this morning. Turns out the interns had about three places where the hot wire was touching the hog wire which will certainly do it. This was the last one I came to. With the full power back, it was kind of exciting.
It’s been a busy few days for me. I have been out of town and have had to rely on the interns and Miguel to handle everything for me while I was gone. I am thankful to be home and back in the swing of things.
Yesterday’s paddock on the left. Todays on the right. Thats not a bad picture, its all the fog. We have smaller paddocks in this front pasture and the cows are over grazing. It’s not bad but they are coming back for second bites on their favorite parts. After todays paddock, the paddock size increases so hopefully we will see the over grazing diminish.
The grass continues to love the weather. Lots of rain, sun, and cool weather. Not only is the fescue back in August, it already has seed heads. I guess the cows are getting their grain.
This morning when Spork and I went to tend all the critters we discovered we had inadvertently created a roach motel out of the chicken feed bucket.
Problems are just opportunities, right? So what to do? After the heeby jeeby dance we decided the beef chickens could use some protein.
We didn’t have time to wait around to see what became of our critters. But this is what we found when we got back.
Sometimes people wonder how we move the cows. Billy Crystal in City Slickers style (for you young folks, go look it up, great movie) with horses and cowboys? The Gator? Cattle dogs?
Nope. Just open the gate, call a few of the cows who know their name and they come running. Moving today was from the lower pond which is heaven to the cows. You can see that even so they come running.
It wasn’t always like this. Switching over to daily moves has really changed the relationship we have with out cows. A few of the cows will even pay attention while they are eating when you call their name, lifting their heads and paying attention to you instead of the food at their feet. I’ve been working on Benjamin on this and he is getting closer every day. He already eats out of my hand, just not always on command.