May
2009
The great cattle drive… and chase
May 9th, 2009 at 07:28 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Family Cow, HorsesTwo horses, two sometimes cowboys, a cow and calf, and a pickup truck made this whole 1l2 mile process look like we were herding cats.
Our ranch horse, Neche, wasn’t really wanting to work today. This is the first time she’s been asked to actually work, as in help herd a couple of cows. She’s spooky and sometimes prefers to avoid us. We think she was a hard broke horse, that never got much love and attention.
Cindy and I spent a couple hours working her from the ground in the round pen this morning. That included a good brushing, and playing “follow the pellet bucket”, while we waited for our neighbor. read the rest of the story
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May
2009
Sparrows take over one of our saddles
May 8th, 2009 at 07:08 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, HorsesGuess neither Bev nor I will be riding for a while. This morning while Cindy and I were straightening up the tack room, we re-arranging tack and lo and behold… a sparrow had built a nest under the saddle cover.
Not only that, there were at least two very tiny naked birds. They’ve got to be less than a day old. We very carefully replaced the nest and cover, hoping mama bird continues to care for her young.
They’ll only be squatting for a couple of weeks.
In the meantime, Cindy will be the only one riding, and won’t be riding the youngest filly, Dakota, as that is the saddle we use on her.
We were also noticing we’re in need of new saddles as the trees and bars are too wide for all three of our horses. We don’t ride far, or hard, but still, we want our horses to be as comfortable as possible. Guess we’ll have to add another $1500 or so to our wish list.
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May
2009
Cow needs to get bred… and the fun begins
May 2nd, 2009 at 08:04 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Family CowClyde and Amber came over last night and picked up their ram. We like to use their pickup truck as it sits lower to the ground than ours, and lifting a 250# woolly critter isn’t the easiest thing in the world.
Clyde mentioned he has a young “Beefmaster” bull at his place servicing his girls. Our plan has always been to get our “Sweetie Pie” cow over there… so now, just how is that gonna happen?
She’s pretty food oriented. Suppose we could walk her over with a lead rope and a grain bucket? It’s only half a mile. But wait… she’s pretty food oriented, not sure any of us want to RUN over there.
Oh, and she’s not lead trained, or even halter broken. We don’t even know if she’s ever been roped (since she grew up). She’s half Corriente (Mexican Range Cow) and half Jersey (according to her bill of sale).
Oh, and she has a pretty good set of horns, which she’s not the leat bit bashful about using. Even the baby has learned to get out of her way.
So, what about us sitting on the tailgate of the truck, shaking the grain bucket? Wonder how fast she can run… we could drive pretty fast, but the dirt road is pretty bumpy… not a good choice.
Guess we’ll have to break down and borrow a trailer. You’d think with three horses one of us would be able to “drive” her to the neighbors… but none of us have ever done that, either.
All we know is that we’ve got to get her over there soon.
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Feb
2009
Oregon day on the desert
February 23rd, 2009 at 03:15 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherWow, thought I’d been mysteriously transported back to Oregon. I woke up to a dark, dreary, soggy day on the desert. But I gotta tell you… the air smelled so-o-o-o-o fresh!
As Cindy and I donned our muck boots, hats and coats, went off to feed, it just looked and felt so much like Oregon, where I was raised and lived for over 50 years.
Our livestock aren’t too sure about this rain. The cows are soaking wet, but not minding it. They seem like they’re really getting tired of their mushy pen, though. I try real hard to feed them on the little mound we built.
The sheep have so much wool, they’re clueless. The big thing with them is their last month of pregnancy. I was telling Cindy “lamb watch” begins in about a week.
At first, we’ll be watching for “bagging up”. Some of the older gals should bag up pretty well. The young gals may or may not do the same. Our records indicate the first ewe is due mid-March. Of course, last year, no one was “on time” by my schedule.
I’m just praying we dry out. Right now, the sheep pen is a muddy mess. Even the area we use for lambing is pretty soft. The two things the negatively affect lambing are dampness and wind.
As for the horses, well the other day, they graciously showed me just how they got all that mud on their backs… by rolling in their very sloppy corral!
The new hens have edged their way into the flock. They’re still having discussions with some of the older gals at feeding time, but sharing the nest boxes is no longer an issue. Mom is getting over a dozen eggs a day… Boy is she happy!
I just peeked at the weather forecast and it looks like this weather hangs around for several days. Oh well, if we only have 20 days of the “dark and dreary’s” out of the year, I guess I’ll survive… and know I really live on the desert.
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Feb
2009
Some dogs just never learn
February 14th, 2009 at 09:24 pm by Shari Thomas in Dogs, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherWe’ve had another round of snow, about 3 inches. Not enough to shovel, just enough to make it really white and sparkly.
Our old gal, Mindy has been bugging Cindy and me to take her out with us when we go feed. So, most mornings, about the time she thinks we should be going out, she begins to patrol the hallway, the kitchen, both bedrooms until finally we gather our coats, hats, and gloves.
Each morning, it’s game on!
... the rest of the story...
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Jan
2009
Snow: Five inches in three hours
January 25th, 2009 at 08:36 pm by Shari Thomas in About Beryl, Around the Farm, Chickens, Dogs, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherShortly after dinner, Cindy suggested we feed, even though is was about an hour early. Good thing we went out when we did. The wind was already sustained from the south-southeast at better than 20 mph.
We got the chickens fed, and closed in again (with high winds we keep their door closed), and turned our attention to the rest of the animals. As I tossed a couple flakes of hay into the cow and calf, I couldn’t help but think of the Arnold Palmer Classic Golf Tournament, where they had sustained winds in excess of 30 mph. Talk about golf balls going where you didn’t want them… the hay didn’t exactly land where I wanted it, either.
On to the sheep… C’mon girls, go that way so I can throw the hay over here and miss your woolly coats. You’ve done well this year. Maybe your wool will be worth a little more with less alfalfa tangled in it.
Cindy fed and watered the horses and called our two dogs back to the house. By then, it we spitting rain and we still had to reposition a couple bales of hay at the cow stack. With that done quickly, we stopped by the hen house to gather the eggs and head inside.
Within about 45 minutes, it was snowing… hard! It’s been doing that now for the past three hours. Weatherbug tells me we’re supposed to have five to 10 inches by tomorrow night.
Hmmm, we already have five inches and there’s a lot more storm to come yet. Bev’s not gonna have much fun tomorrow, digging out to go to work, only to have to dig the Senior bus out, too.
We’re even expecting a thunderstorm or two this evening… better known as “Thunder-snow”. Right now it’s 29.5 degrees. The wind had shifted to the northwest about time the snow started. That’s our indication that the front has passed. Never mind the jet stream is going the opposite direction.
I know one thing, the “arctic dogs”… Sarah the Finnish Spitz, and Koda the part Siberian Husky, would rather remain indoors, while our two lab crosses just love the snow. The shepherd… she’s not sure but will go play as long as someone else goes first.
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Jan
2009
Curious chickens, growing calf, pregnant sheep, muddy horses…
January 16th, 2009 at 07:12 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherThe weather was nice enough this morning to spend some time constructing a photo journal of what it looks like in mid-January on the SW Utah desert. Yeah… we have winter.
Curious chickens
Buttercup's growing up
Aren't I cute?
Don't bother me, I'm eating!
Two pregnant yearlings
Dakota, the 3-yr-old filly
Dusty showing off his hay belly
Neche, our oldest gal
We’re still good as far as our hay supply is concerned.
No hay left here.
Nearly 4 tons left for the horses
Over 4 tons left for the sheep.
About 3 tons left for the cows
Lamb and calf bedding straw.
There you have it. Our muddy little farm in the middle of winter, on the SW Utah desert. Those pregnant sheep will begin lambing in mid-March. Sure hope this mud is gone by then.
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Jan
2009
Snow won’t leave… Christmas lights must go
January 13th, 2009 at 04:05 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Dogs, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherToday’s the day. It’s as warm as it’s gonna get (with the wind not howling), so Bev just donned her heavy sweatshirt to head outside and remove the Christmas lights.
Thankfully, all she has to do is find the extension cords (buried under 6 -8 inch snowdrifts, disconnect all the pre-assembled pieces and put the displays back in their boxes until time to put them up next year.
In the mornings, the ground is still frozen at the surface, so feeding the cows, horses, sheep and chickens is quite pleasant, but the evening… well, tonight it will be back to muck boots!
This morning when Cindy and I went out to feed, we took the big black Lab (Mindy) with us. She’s behaving when called again, so the reward is to tag along on the morning chores. She loves to run around and “say hello” to the chickens, the sheep, and the cows. She’ll swing by the horses, but only for a second as she’s right at the broken-down fence line and there are smells to follow.
As we were getting ready to bust ice on the sheep and cow water barrels, Cindy was remarking how I’d left the crow bar too far out of her reach.
I noticed the hose length was missing and asked her what she’d done with it… She watered last evening, I think…
Well, on closer observation, the cows (mama and calf) must have had a party. The hose was in their shelter, and they’d moved the crowbar about four feet north on the panel between them and the sheep. Silly girls!
Just call it never a dull moment at the “Four Country Gals”.
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Dec
2008
Can you spell W-I-N-T-E-R?
December 15th, 2008 at 06:44 pm by Shari Thomas in Around the Farm, Chickens, Family Cow, Horses, Sheep, WeatherFor the past week, we’ve been securing stuff, and making sure all the animals have nice cushy shelters for the inevitable Utah high desert winter.
Here’s what things look like around here as of Friday (Dec 12) afternoon. I finally had time to take pictures.
Sheep shelter with wind wall up (in the background).
Cushy cow digs.
Cows are pretty much okay with cold, and even snow, but wind is really hard on them. Sweetie Pie, the cow has a pretty short coat. Guess that’s part of her “Corriente” genes. Buttercup, the heifer calf is growing a beautiful winter coat. That’s the Herford genes in her.
Cindy and I cleaned the cow pen, shoveling all the manure into a pile for them to climb on. The pile (actually a compost pile) will generate a little heat, so the snow will melt off that area first.
Then, we provided a full bale of nice, soft straw, banking it up the north wall of their shelter. We also added a windbreak (some leftover paneling) that we tied into place. Gotta love the baling twine!
The chickens have always had the best shelter, with the horses having the second-best digs. Last week, Cindy and I got their stalls nice and clean, so they’ll have shelter. The only problem is that there is little to no southern protection for them. Their coats are pretty shaggy and we’ll give them extra alfalfa as it gets colder.
Back in while to show you what winter looks like around here… yes, it has arrived.
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Jul
2008
Perfect Friday afternoon… let’s saddle Dakota
July 28th, 2008 at 06:08 pm by Shari Thomas in HorsesHere I was, working away on the computer when Cindy breezed by… “Let’s see how Dakota likes a saddle.”
Sure, we’ll just saunter out into the 100 degree heat, halter her, and put a saddle on her. Shouldn’t take more than few minutes, and I’ll escape from the heat again.
Would you believe that after haltering her, locking Dusty in his stall so we’d have less interference, we were out there for a good 45 minutes.
Here’s a photo journal of what transpired. Keep in mind, she’s just a little over 2 years old.
