Friday 2 March 2012

March - Lamb or Lion? Here it looks like Lion!

     Well maybe a baby lion! We got snow yesterday and this morning, strong winds today. They tell me the highway is icy, but after the beautiful winter we have had how can one complain, and being March it will be over soon.(I hope)
     Thanks for the great comments on my last post, nice to hear other peoples view.
I have got some plants up and almost ready for transplanting into bigger flats, yes I started them to early but I had the bug, and they will be fine as I will get the fan on them for a while everyday and do some pinching. I started more today, and will get another bunch going in two weeks, so great seeing them grow, and to play in the dirt.
   Well I guess you could say we are ready for calving to start, checked the list and I think we have everything ready,maybe could do more baking and get some more soup made for the freezer but other than that  we are ready , I think.  The calving cupboard is stocked with extra flashlight batteries,o.b.gloves,tags and marker, tattoo ink,powdered colostrum,bottles and nipples if needed. The shop fridge has fresh bottle of selenium for the babies to give them a little shot to help their immune systems,calving chains are all washed and disinfected in case someone needs a little help.The Vicar stopped for a visit the other day and asked if I was done nesting, and I guess I must have looked at him strange,so he explained  that I was like a expectant mom getting everything ready for the impending birth, had to laugh as he was right, I have been cleaning organising,cooking and baking,stocking up on things so I won't have to worry about that during calving  I have learnt my lesson well after one year when I was still working in town, and did not have everything ready early.Fuzzy had a surprise one morning and needed things to work on the little surprise, and we had more that day too. He called me at work about 7or 8 times wondering where things were,I was quite busy that day with patrons and finally lost patience  and responded to the last phone call that I would get my special glasses out that could see from town to our house into the cupboards and find what he wanted,well that did not go over really well, but the customers had a good laugh,and there were no more calls that day. I learned my lesson well as I got a frosty reception when I got home. Don't make the same mistake twice around here, if you can help it. We have been bringing in a few girls into the yard everyday so the pens are starting to reach there limit, like to let them have lots of room to exercise and be comfortable when they are close to delivery.After they calve we will rotate them with ones that have not calved yet. With the cows though you sometimes get it wrong and haven't brought the right ones in, but we have things set up pretty well in case we have to get somebody in quick.  I laugh as some of the older girls are looking to come in as they think it is pretty nice even though they may not be ready to calve for about three weeks, funny girls. We are doing the walk  four times a day now but when things get rolling it will be every three hours or less depending on the weather. I usually take the night shift , its so peaceful, but sometimes quite busy
   Fuzzy has had time this winter, with it being mild to get more welding done and has made more gates in the alleyways, makes it so much nicer to move the cattle from one area to the other, so much less stressful for them and us. He has also been working on my big rototiller so it will be ready for spring. I cannot wait to play in the dirt and get gardening.
    Well I hope all is well with you and that you have a great weekend. God bless! I'm off to check cows.

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