Thursday Thoughts #190
No to T-Bone, Hamburger or Sirloin
We are small-time farmers. We have heard it said ‘go big or go home.’ So what? We do not care what ‘they’ say. Our little farm is big enough for us. Sometimes it feels like a thousand acres.
It is big enough to handle three miniature beef steers, and four horses. Two of which are miniature the other two are full-size horses.
We always purchase three. One is kept for our freezer. The other two are sold to customers who are looking for well-raised, grass-fed, premium beef. Our customers tell us it is the best beef they have ever had. Five-star beef.
It is satisfying and comforting to know how well our little cows have lived before, as I say, “They have one bad day in their life.” It is hard when their time has come. We do that as gently as possible.
We have been thanked for raising these little steers in an environment that is healthy and caring to them.
What we do not do is name them those “funny”, thoughtless names such as, ‘Sirloin’, ‘T-bone’, or ‘Hamburger’. It is hard enough knowing their ultimate demise. We pick silly, fun names that help make this job of raising them a bit easier.
May I introduce you to some terrific steers we have had over the years?
We also have had Mario, Luigi and Bowzer.
I grew up on a big farm in Virginia. I have always enjoyed cattle.
Miniature Herefords are our choice of steer to grow out, but we have grown out miniature Angus as well. This year we have one White Face steer. He is a cross between a Hereford and Angus.
Athos, Porthos, and Aramis are with us now.
Thank you for ‘meeting’ some of the great steers we have raised here on our farm. We take effort and pride in them, and raise them to the best of our ability.
A horseshoe cow I had made for our porch.
A man told me once, “You call yourself a horsewoman, but you’re a cow-woman at heart.”
Sometimes I believe he may just be right.
Thursday Thoughts #189
Have your birds returned home?
A Rat? A Possum?
There is something in the garage I informed my husband one cold winter morning this past December.
“It’s a rat”, he replied.
He has killed one before in our garage. Where in the world do these awful critters come from? It is bad enough having one show up in the barn, but the garage? Yikes.
Several days passed. “Did you get it?” I asked.
“You know, I think it actually is a possum”, was his reply.
Great, whatever it is is still there.
I am not keen on uninvited ‘guests’ in my house. Though I never saw any sign of anything, I could tell by the dogs behavior something was there.
Then…one morning I saw ‘it’…
I actually saw only a face peering around the door jam. After a few more days I was able to get a photograph.
‘Here’, I told my husband, “is your possum!
“Would you like to see what it was?
A kitten! A fluffy, scared kitten was the critter in the garage.
He would not let us near him, though when I would say hello to him, he would let out a plaintive cry.
December was cold and so was our garage. Towels were made fluffy and piled up to keep him warm. He ran and hid every time he heard anyone, but it was easy to see he was staying warm on the towel bed.
A little frightened kitten. How would I ever approach him and have him feel safe?
He had been eating the kitten food provided for him, watching me all the while from under the shelves meowing softly.
Finally a thought came to me. A toy! He needs a toy to play with. Digging a plastic Easter egg out of storage, and filling it with little rocks supplied the interest he could not refuse.
He chased and batted that toy all over the garage, and he was starting to reach out to sniff my finger as I extended it towards him.
Trust was growing.
By the end of January we were able to bring him into our house and make him a part of our family.
His name? Hercules. Herc for short. One day he will grow into his big, strong, brave name.
I am glad our ‘possum/rat’ turned out to be a kitten.
Thursday Thoughts #188
Springtime—Beautiful?
It nearly feels traitorous to question the beauty of Spring. But before you go elsewhere, dear reader, allow me a moment to explain.
Spring is more of a love/hate season for me. The fluctuating temperatures are harder to manage. How to dress for today? Yesterday opened in the 30’s and closed on the 60’s! Sweater on, sweater off was the tempo of the day.
It has been said spring is like a teenager, one day it is grand, the next day, hold on! That seems a fair description to me. How about you?
Yet even harder for me with springtime is shedding. Yes, every animal on our farm is shedding their winter coats—oh my! In springtime our dogs, cats and horses go with me everywhere. For I am a constant ball of animal fur.
It could easily be said of a farm, spring is the ugliest time of year. Old hay needs cleaning up out of the fields, the much desired and wonderful spring rains produce a mucky mess in and around the barn and paddocks. Then it all freezes , not happy with that, it all turns to muck again. Tired old straw needs removing from stalls. Fresh wood chips needs laying all around.
Truth is I do like spring. Birds and frogs chirping, early flowers happy faces, grass changing its grey winter coat to green are delightful joys of spring.
If though, you are coming to the farm, wear your muck boots and farm coat. That way you can ‘leave the animals’ in your mud room. Or better yet, wait until the winter coats have fled. Happy Spring!
Thursday Thoughts #187
Do you sometimes have guests that take full advantage of this invite?
Aerial Saws
Ever heard of these? Earlier this year a notice arrived in our mail informing us of tree trimming that would soon commence in our area by our local electric companies. Woods are all around us so it was no surprise.
It was the second part of the notice that supplied the surprise to me. This tree trimming was to be done by helicopter! I had never heard of this. Have you?
The genesis of aerial tree trimming with helicopters started in the 1950s with the development of suspended saws beneath helicopters. This provided fast, safe removal of tree limbs near power lines in hard to reach places.
There are twenty circular saws suspended on a long line underneath a helicopter! Astonishing to me was this sight. Have you seen them in operation?
I heard the helicopter coming early on the scheduled morning. Thinking this might frighten the horses and cattle, I left them in the paddock, as I did not want them running scared through the fields.
I heard the helicopter first, then heard the power of the saws. It looked as if it was heading to saw our neighbors house in half! Such a sight, such a sound!
They worked all around our woods that morning. Workmen on our driveway radioed other men at the other end to stop so I could get out and cautioned me to proceed carefully. Piles of tree limbs were all along our driveway, but residents could get out. Limbs were removed several days later.
It was quite the experience for me, and for the record, the animals were startled at first, but did quiet down.
Have you ever seen this before? It truly was interesting and efficient.
Thursday Thoughts # 186
Lizard Butte, Idaho
Where in the world is this place? What is so great about it anyway?
Located in Marsing, Idaho, a historic site on the Oregon Trail near the Snake River is this distinctive butte. That, however, is not why we visited it. It is known for its Easter Sunrise Worship Services with a beautiful white cross located on its summit.
Our son, who currently lives in Idaho attended the Sunrise service last year. When we visited him this past December we asked him to take us to see it.
Sunrise services have been held on this butte continuously since April 1938. Many families come to celebrate the Risen Lord at this special place. Gates open at 5 a.m. with 800-900 cars coming in. Service begins at 7 a.m. with 1,000-1,500 people attending.
All these folk gather together with one mind, one person, one motivation—to worship Jesus. Glory!
There would be no Sunrise service when we visited it in December, only fog. Dense fog. It was quite ethereal and wonderful.
Indeed they do. Happy Easter.
He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
one_local_gal 