Checking on the Steers: The County Fair Countdown
Posted: May 29, 2012 Filed under: Our Animals, Our Farm | Tags: livestock, farm life, raising cattle, 4-H, beef cattle, cattle, farm, steers 1 Comment »I was a bit shocked when I looked at the calendar and realized that we’re only a couple of days away from June…and a little more than a month away from our county fair.
And that made me very, very sad, because that means it’s almost time for the boys in the barn to leave us.
There are currently five steers in our barn. The black and white-faced steer, a.k.a. DQ, is the boy’s show steer. Two others will be auctioned off at the fair as carcasses, and the remaining two will fill our family’s freezers.
Nothing better than a nice bale of hay for breakfast.
Our 4-Her has been working with his three almost every day, and I have to say that they (the boy and the steers) look good.
Here is what DQ looked like back in December and the official weights for the 4-H projects.
Here are what the boys looked like yesterday:
They’re all turned this way (and quite content) because there’s an industrial-sized fan blowing on their butts.
Though some people may not be happy about how this story will end (including me), I can promise you that while we have our animals, we take the best care of them that we can.
My big baby, 110.
Most farmers will tell you exactly the same thing.
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Wooden Buckets: Random Photo Friday
Posted: May 18, 2012 Filed under: My Photos, Our Farm, Our Garden | Tags: antiques, buckets, farm, farm life, old buckets, photography, photos, wood buckets 1 Comment »
The vintage wooden buckets that protected my tomato plants from frost a few nights ago.
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It’s Planting Time
Posted: May 16, 2012 Filed under: My Life, Our Farm, Our Garden | Tags: farming, gardening, busy day, farm life, farm, planting, garden, corn, tractor, Ford tractor 7 Comments »The 2012 planting season (or #plant12, if you’re on Twitter) has officially started at our family farm…and the minor catastrophes that seem to go with it.
Here the guys are discussing what’s not working right on the field finisher:
Here is the tractor sitting idle while Farmer D tried to find replacements for some broken bolts:
And here’s dirty Farmer D after dealing with whatever today’s breakdown was:
Thank goodness the corn in the garden is looking good:
(And Farmer D’s amazing humble wife planted the garden all by herself.)
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How High’s the Water Mama?: Random Photo Friday
Posted: May 11, 2012 Filed under: My Photos, Our Farm | Tags: farm rain "rain gauge" Leave a comment »
Farmer D was pretty happy when I pulled this baby out of a gift basket I won at the Jr. Fair Board breakfast.
Monday Musings
Posted: March 19, 2012 Filed under: Around the House, My Life, Our Farm | Tags: covered bridges, dog, farm, farm life, field, life, motorcycle ride, our farm, pets, shoes, walking 3 Comments »It’s Monday, and I’m sure making up for taking some time to relax over the weekend.
Are there legs hanging out of one of these?
While the guys are hauling soybeans and fixing a faulty stirring system on one of the grain bins, I’ve been shopping for paint and decor to redo the spare bedroom…just in case the soon-to-be-here grandbaby will be spending any time with us.
Weekends are usually just as crazy busy, or even more so, than the rest of the week, but the past two days, we got lucky.
After work on Saturday, the family headed down to the church for a benefit dinner and Chinese auction. (We won a tote bag and two baskets of assorted foodstuffs). Afterward, Farmer D suggested we air our brains out for a bit.
Translation: Get on the motorcycyle, lady, and ride, ride, ride.
I didn't get my bike in this picture, but you do get to see one of my favorite covered bridges.
After church on Sunday and dinner at the in-laws, D decided to snuggle up in the recliner while Miss Annie and I took a walk.
The guys keep the lane mowed just so we can walk it.
We didn’t have to go far: there’s a lane behind the farm and between two fields that goes all the way back to the woods. It’s perfect for a leisurely stroll.
Except when some idiot tries to walk in rubber shoes.
My red garden clogs. Great for puttering around outside, but certainly NOT meant for walking.
So, since the grass was short and the ground was soggy soft, Annie and I both decided to walk naked.
I shed my shoes…and Annie didn’t wear a thing.
Look Mom, no leash!
She can get away with it because…she’s the dog.
(And I might be just a tiny bit jealous.)
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It Sure Helps If You’re Handy
Posted: February 2, 2012 Filed under: Around the House, My Life, Our Farm | Tags: diy, fixing stuff, handyman, make your own repairs Leave a comment »As I was reading this article about the many advantages of doing things yourself, I had to chuckle and wonder how our lives would play out if Farmer D wasn’t as amazing and resourceful as he is when it comes to keeping things working around the house and the farm.
I’m not a total idiot when it comes to minor repairs, but my darling husband seems to know how to do just about EVERYTHING.
Do you wonder how he got that way?
"Did you try fixing it with 'duck' tape?"
He does have more than a bit of mechanical aptitude, but the main reason that Farmer D has learned to fix so many things is because, as any farmer will tell you, things tend to BREAK on a regular basis, generally at the MOST INOPPORTUNE TIMES.
I have no idea what this is, but I do know that it's broken.
Even if you’re in the house, making your own repairs is sometimes a great idea because:
1. You’ll save money.
2. You might learn something new.
3. You might invent something new.
(If you’re wondering, #3 is for our 16-year-old. The kid is always modifying or designing something that’s supposed to make life better.)
4. You sometimes get the chance for lots of scenic drives while running for parts and rented equipment on a Saturday afternoon.
(Okay, so maybe that one isn’t exactly something for which to look forward. )
5. You get a real sense of satisfaction from knowing you tackled (and managed) it yourself.
Don’t get me wrong – there ARE times when the smartest thing you can do is call a repairman, but it doesn’t pay to call them for every little thing.
Today’s Bonus: Want to see some of the ingenious inventions rural and farm folk have made? Check out Farm Show Magazine.
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The Steers Say, “Moo.”
Posted: January 25, 2012 Filed under: My Life, Our Animals, Our Farm | Tags: angus, beef, cattle, farm, livestock, steer Leave a comment »Actually, they don’t say much of anything, which according to Farmer D is a good thing, unless you’re in the barn around supper time…then you’re serenaded by a bunch of lovely guys with beautiful baritone voices.
The boys in the barn.
Is that too weird for you?
It’s a little weird to me, and I’m the one that just wrote it.
DQ wishes I was carrying the curry comb instead of the camera.
Anyhow, the cattle are doing fine. The oldest of the bunch will be one year old in February; the youngest is a little over six months old.
Since the weather is cold and endlessly wet here, I’ve been spending a lot of time reading about raising beef and about the processing process.
In the food world, the grass-fed vs. grain-fed thing—and which one is best—is a huge (non) issue. Many proclaim that grass-fed beef is the only way to go…but read what Jeff Fowle, a California beef farmer and agvocate, has to say about Grass vs. Grain.
For the record, Farmer D subscribes to the “grass-fed, grain-finished” school of thought.
Milton showing off his good side.
As for the processing part (though I have no desire to do it myself), I’m fascinated with Megan Brown’s article, Brown Ranch: From Pasture to Plate. Ms. Brown is a 6th generation cattle rancher, and a strong voice in the agvocate world, who loves to share what goes on in her family business.
T couldn't be bothered to come over and visit.
If you want to learn more about your favorite meat, and how it gets from the farm to your table, read everything you can from Jennifer Dewey at Chico Locker & Sausage Company, Inc., and follow @KYFarmersMatter (on Twitter.) You’ll find amazing ladies in both places that really know their stuff.
(And by now, you’ve probably noticed that I love to read and love to research.)
I’m sure I’m missing more great info out there, but it’s time to go outside and check on the boys in the barn.
Baby's my fave he loves to snuggle (and there's nothing more attractive on a woman than cow snot in your hair).
What other beef-related sites do you think I should check out?
Our Winter Weather: What the Heck?
Posted: January 18, 2012 Filed under: My Life, Our Farm Leave a comment »Though now is the time I’m supposed to be getting things done inside the house, my recent obsession with Pinterest, the 365 Project (and more than a few games of Hotshot on Facebook) have left me behind on the projects I thought I’d get around to while trying to avoid this weird, wet winter.
After an exceptionally soggy spring and fall (which made harvest a bit of a challenge), winter in our corner of Ohio has been more of the same—gray and wet.
Thank heavens this isn't one of our fields...but there are many around here that look like this.
But as The Farmer’s Almanac predicted, it’s been warm.
Yesterday the daytime temperature reached 55°F , which is nearly unheard of for January in Ohio, and nearly 20 degrees warmer than the January average.
It also rained cats and dogs. Everything (including the car I took to the car wash on Sunday) was muddy, including the yard, the dogs, and my kitchen floor.
Thanks, guys.
And this morning, I woke up to a scene like this:
What winter normally looks like.
What the heck?
I wish the weather would just pick a season and make up its mind.
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Random Photo Friday: Fence Line
Posted: December 16, 2011 Filed under: My Photos, Our Farm | Tags: farm, fence post, hay field, pasture, photography 1 Comment »
This is the fence next to the barn at our house. Hope the cows like their new pasture.
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Random Photo Friday: Snowy Field
Posted: December 9, 2011 Filed under: My Photos, Our Farm | Tags: bare trees, December, landscape, nature, photography, snow, winter Leave a comment »
Right now we have lots of rain, but this was the view from the kitchen window last year.
