Finding Good Help

Well, we live in the middle of nowhere. When I drive out to go check cows, this is my view for about 2 miles.

I enjoy living out in the country, but it is hard to find good help. But, having a family farm, means that I DO have some help.

My help is little right now, but they're learning! My Cowgirl is great. She can open gates, and with the help of a good dog, she can move cows pretty good!

Here are our cows grazing after being moved to some fresh grass. Now is once again a busy time of year. We are starting to wean, and get some club calves ready to sell, and the beef calves have been banded.

We are also going to harvest some GROUND BEEF this month. We have some 100% grass-fed animals that we harvest for GROUND BEEF or Steak-burger, as some call it. This is a premium product that is MUCH leaner than you can find in any store. You will have to add some water to get this meat to cook, its THAT lean.

If you would like to have some of this STEAK-BURGER, e-mail me or leave a comment, and I'll give you a blogger (*smiles*) discount and if you're close, I'll deliver it free too!

Pasture Pictures

A week or so ago, we invited Diana to come take pictures while we moved cows. (She's designing a super fantastic website for us)

I didn't really tell her what to expect, other than, we were going to move cows.

When she was close, I asked her if she or her husband could drive a stick shift, & what type of vehicle they drove. Well, yes, her husband can drive a stick, & they brought the van. I told her we'd meet her in town & they could take the Jeep from there. Oh, but they could drive there she assured me. I apologised & explained that we would be driving through a mile of pasture before we even got to the place where we would ride to the cows.

So, her husband was excited that he would get to drive the Jeep (CJ-5 & he had one in High School). The followed us the 7 miles to the pasture & we explained (the basics) of what we were going to do & where they should drive & follow.

So Honey & I rode out about 100 acres with them following in the Jeep. We got them parked a little back from the eventual gate & we went to gather the cows. Honey went South & I went North. We grouped the cows from about a 130 acre piece. Great, we had a new calf. But Momma Cow wanted nothing to do with us putting the calf in the saddle with Honey. So she was a little slow moving with a still-wet calf. That's ok, we like to walk them if they're moving in the right direction.

Then the cows saw the Jeep! The headed straight for it. I didn't know if Diana & her husband would get nervous or upset. & Heaven forbid they honk the horn. We wouldn't get any pictures then, because they would have to go in front & lead the cows (honking) the rest of the way. But, I was able to get the cows off the Jeep and headed back towards the gate.

As usual with a group of cows once an old cow found the gate, she knew where she was going. Thank goodness, because we had added about 20 new cows, who didn't know the way.

We were able to keep the little calf going with his cow & eventually herded them to the gate. Honey hopped off his horse & tried to grab the little guy again & throw him in the saddle, but Momma-Cow wanted to eat his lunch rather than let him grab her calf. Koda jumped right in front of her without any nudging (Thank GOD for a great Cow-Horse!). So, the little guy got to wade across the creek on his own.

Below, you see the picture that I have always wanted. Us moving the cows up the hillside. The first time we moved cows up this hill, I thought it was BEAUTIFUL. And Diana captured it beautifully!

So, I hope you enjoyed our little cattle drive. I sure did! And once again THANK YOU DIANA for the beautiful pics. They will look great on our website (& on our wall)

Blogger and my cell phone ate my pictures

I had some great picture posts.
One that honey snapped of me with Squeak on my back while we were fixing the manure spreader....Adventures in BabyWearing on the Ranch

A pic of A.Cowgirl riding 'Koda our Stud after we pulled him out of the mares & moved cows

A pic of Squeak leading 7-up around. The TRUE reason I saved him (other than I couldn't imagind putting him down)


So, as soon as I find them, I will post them....or re-create them.

Pasture Picture

To me, this picture is great. (taken at the end of July) You see that this is a first calf heifer that we raised, and she will probably wean about 60-70% of her own body weight!!! Wow, and she is still in good condition. She won't need too much extra feed this winter to get her ready for her next calf.

I'm very proud of her. And, she is one that I picked to keep. The horse girl in me likes a little chrome (white) on my cows. And, somehow we didn't notice that she was horned and not scurred, so she has a pretty little set of horns to look at too.

I know, I'm wierd. My cattle choices aren't typical, neither are my management choices. If you could read the tags of these two.... You would read....."Baby Joy"

Well.... that's her name. I can't remember her number. Just her name. Even the kids know her name. Honey saw how I tagged the calf & laughed. He knows I can't remember numbers, and why should I when she has a name. Yes, the calf will get another tag at weaning with his "proper number"

WOW!!!

Once again, life has gotten in the way of blogging. LOL.

A few tidbits, WE HAVE PUPPIES
8 puppies, 6 females, 2 males and only 2 are blue merle's

We made Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream
I will have pictures and blog posts soon, I PROMISE