On January 1st we became the proud new owners of two jersey steers. We have named them "About" and "Time" as this has been both mine and Steve's lifelong dream. It has been a pleasure getting to know these two fellows these last few days and I have enjoyed listening to their moos as I head to the barn for daily chores. This is a huge step for us and we are so excited, as are the kids, to enter into yet another adventure on our farm.
We look forward to posting pics of them soon as they are way too cute not to share.
We are also in the R&D (research and development) stages of revamping the chicken coop wanting to get in a larger breed and getting a better quality and size egg.
There has also been some discussion as to the addition of a pig or two here in the near future.
My Dad & Mom are also in the process of setting up their retirement home here with us, and there is building and sorting out of things there too...Dad is as excited as we are with the farm and daily phone calls with progress reports are almost a must. I am so very excited to share the raising of my children and farm with my parents. What a blessing!
It appears that 2010 is going to be quite a year for us.
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I was NOT raised on a farm. I am this Dream Girl’s mother.
ReplyDeleteAs a pastor’s daughter, I’ve been fortunate to have lived in both rural and city areas. I was somewhat familiar with horses and cows which looked picturesque out on the hillsides on the other side of the fence! We went to the farm to get milk the farmer contributed to his pastor’s family. I tread carefully, never taking my eyes off the cows when we had to walk through pasture to get to the barn. When we moved to suburbia Boston it gave me a short retrieve. But during my first college semester my family moved to a farm community in western New York.
Farmer church members tithed their produce, and that’s how we got our milk, eggs and veggies. During my first visit during break, my dad invited me to go along and meet Mr Farmer when he went to get milk. My sister came along. It’s important to note she was still in school clothes—a skirt and sweater.
The man was a proud farmer eager to show off his prize-winning pig and to the barn we went.
I was astounded. It appeared the cows were jailed. I kid you not! There they were, in rows with big heavy wooden things on their necks. The wooden things had chains holding them in place. I learned these are called stanchions.
The prize pig had recently birthed. We had to walk on a narrow walkway in front of the cows. If you lost your step you got your feet dirty! Opposite the cows was a large bin.
In this bin was a creature I had never seen the likes of. The farmer said it was a pig! I thought, this is not a pig or else they lied to me in kindergarten! You know those cute little pink pigs in the story “The Three Little Pigs”? Well, this was not anything like those pictures! This animal thing had slitty eyes, a large offensive snout and was putrid. It was as long as I am tall and as tall as my mid-thighs. And hairy! I looked and was convinced this, in no way, could be a pig!
My sister asked Mr. Farmer if she could pick up a piglet. I thought she was crazy! He consented. She had to stand with her back to the cows’ heads and stretch as far as possible to reach down into the bin. She reached and scooped up a piglet. Suddenly the world went wild. She jumped up, screaming. The piglet went flying. Every creature went nuts. The sow jumped up snorting, The cows jumped and kicked, banged and clanged their bars and chains, screamed moos. Dogs barked, cats hissed, roosters crowed, ducks and hens came out in a frenzy.
I had one of those frozen moments in time because I could not comprehend what had happened. I couldn’t move. I thought the world had ended.
We learned later that when my sister stretched out, the cow behind her reached out and ran her wet scaly tongue up her leg. I have not been in a barn since that time!
Years later, my husband developed a small farm with a sampling of animals. So we had roosters, hens, ducks, dogs, cats, goats, and yes, a big ole ugly pig.
I was alone at home washing dishes. There was a window to my left which reached to within a foot of the floor. I caught a movement in the corner of my eye. I turned and looked. Shock. A sow was standing on the outside looking in at me. I called a friend. She laughed and told me to go to the barn, get a bucket of feed and walk her back into her pen. THERE WAS NO WAY I WAS GOING OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE! She continued laughing and said she her husband would come take care of my crisis. The pigs were butchered shortly thereafter and that was the end of any future home-grown ham and bacon!
And now our Dream Girl has visions of our being there with them on the farm. How do you think this is going to work?
well Mom - you got 22 or so months to adjust and get ready - I am already looking at personalized mud boots (we'll call them mud for your sake) for you and I am looking for a pitch fork in just your size!
ReplyDeleteI'll do great working in the produce garden - with the mud boots, and raking leaves. Just fine.
ReplyDeleteThe mud boots and the just-right size pitch fork will work very well in the produce department!
ReplyDelete