Getting Colder

It is getting colder every day, but to night it got 10 degrees with high winds. So we put straw in for the cows. 15 minutes after we had put the two round bales of straw in, most of the cows had lain down.

Training the weaned Calves

This is how we train the weaned calves. This is the 5th day we tied the weaned calves up.

Weaning the calves was better then last time. Last time we had weaned the calves and they had mooed till they were hoarse. Today we moved the cows to the corn stalks. The cows were very happy to be out in the the corn stalks with all their pales.

By the sign of the moon

We had been asked a couple of times before if we wean our calves by the sign of the moon. No we did not. We weaned when it fit our schedule. Even though we had heard about weaning by the moon, we never tried it. Well the last time we weaned this summer, the cows and calves relentlessly bawled. So we said next time we would use the sign of the moon date. The date for Nov. started the 19. So we will see how these 5 calves do. The following is how the Farmer's Almanac explains it:

According to Farmers' Almanac tradition, when the moon is in the appropriate phase and place in the zodiac, it's widely believed that activities will be more fruitful or lead to improved results.

No Louisville

We are starting to get ready for the cows and calves be weaned. It has rained a lot so we can't get into the fields, because it rained more then 3 inches. We couldn't go to Louisville because we were in the field. Dad was sad we couldn't go to the show in Louisville, but maybe we can go next year.

We put more hay bales in for the cattle and put corn in the bin. We work with our calves. We brushed the cattle and walked the cattle. The new calves will soon be ready to be showed. We might show at the Beef Expo, if the weather is nice and not as cold as last year.

Hedge tree ready for holidays (WW)

Lean-to comes in handy in very wet weather

 Pictured above are the three cattle we are planning to take to the North American Livestock Show in two weeks.  WE had 3 plus inches of rain Thursday/Friday.  Boy, did the new lean-to we put on the barn come in handy for them.  A place to be out of the rain, dry and not wet under their feet.  We had close to 7 inches of rain in the month of October.  WE have been feeding them in there and tying them up under the roof.  Sure does make it easier on us also.

Final thoughts, this week we also starting to move/ship some of Terry Steinhour's cattle.  Feeder cattle and finished cattle went to Congerville sale barn and we sent about half the cows/calves/bulls to a friend/fellow shorthorn breeder of Terry's.  Hopefully this week he will come and get the rest of them.  WE need to take one bull to Congerville this week on Tuesday night. Lifetime building a purebred herd and we will move them to someone else in a few days.  Next up, getting his crops out of the fields.  Lots of neighbors will help with that.

Three Cows

We took Bubbles, Fiona, and Genevieve to the vet yesterday to be preg checked. Dr. J said they were all three pregnant. We will be selling them in Dec. to go to another herd. Bubbles and Fiona were two of the first calves we showed 5 years ago.

We have let the cattle out on the corn stalks. The cattle love it a lot! We put the cattle in the corn stalks so the pasture can grow back. The cattle eat the kernels and the grass along the fence.

Loss of a friend

We lost a close friend last Wednesday night.  Terry Steinhour a friend and neighbor died in a farming accident last Wednesday.  He was hauling bales on a road and his tractor tipped over on him.  He was very good to us.  Pictured with him is Isabella and Louise.  Terry called us a year ago last August after the state fair to say that we should go to Bob Dwyer's Foundation female sale and buy some of the Daines' cattle from Alberta Canada that were for sale there.  We did and though Lousie did not "come in to her own" until late this last summer, my how she has come on.  Terry though never thought she would be anything but great when she would be done.  Boy, was he right, our hoof trimmer who sees thousands of good show cattle thinks she is "big time".

This is just one example how Terry has helped us and the kids.  I still remember our first year showing at the State Fair and how Terry helped us that Sunday morning.  He just showed up to help. I can still see him leading Tacy back from the show ring with Isabella who had just gotten third in a big class and walking on air I might add, with me following with the brushes,etc.  He also helped us pick out Pitty Pat who won alot and is a great cow.  He always encouraged the kids.

He was long time superintendent of the Logan County Beef Show, him and I served on a school board together, him already serving and he came over and asked me to run.  I said I would never run for school board, but how could you tell him no.  He was the Menard County Farm Bureau president, I was Logan's president.   He was eleven years older than me and was a good mentor and friend.  We farmed next to each other at mutiple places.  I always thought in the back of my mind I would out live him, but I was ill prepared for what has happened.

Thanks Terry for all you did, we will miss you so.  Just got back from the cemtery, we buried him today.

Valentine had her calf

This is Valentine's new baby boy. The baby's name is Bane. If you have notice Bane's ear is bent foward. It is because it was like that in the womb. Bella

Hinge on a barn door (WW)

What do cows do best?

Have more cows. Valentine is one of three cows due to calve anytime. It has been awhile since we had newborns. So we are looking forward to it. As soon as the next weather front comes through, we should have some baby calf pictures to post.

Hades and Stargazer

Hades and Stargazer are two bulls that we raised. We decided they were good enough to keep as bulls. This turned out to be a good decision. In Feb. we will be selling them at the Beef Expo.

End of hay season

Means putting things away. Remember the video of putting the straw up in the hay loft. The conveyor needed to be put away. It is stored in the center of the loft between the hay and the straw.

Pay not attention to Bella's camo shirt and plaid shorts. She really is a very normal girl.

Adding light to an old barn

Before we started showing cattle, our barn had two lights in it. One in the hallway. The other in the lean-to. It was dark. Dad added lights in the calving stalls on the north side of the hallway. And now we have lights on the south side where the show calves eat.

You can see where we had painted the wood one winter. It did lighten it up some. But when we brushed or worked on the calves we needed more light, especially in winter.

There are three stalls that feed two calves each. So Dad put two lights per stall. We also added plug-in florescent lights (3) on the back wall.

It is nice to be able to see. And it appears that we need to paint again.

Good-bye, Velma.

Velma has failed to calve twice now. So we are taking her to the sale barn.

Two spring calves are going also. They are ones we won't be showing next year. We don't have pasture to feed them out. Someone at the sale will buy them and put them in their herd.

Dad is registering us for the North American show in Nov. We will not be done harvesting corn by then. So it will be strange leaving in the middle of harvest.

Time for Wordless Wednesday (WW)

Death of a Barn

Every week somewhere in the U.S. a barn dies. They give shelter, store feed and bedding to all species of domestic and pestilent animals. Barns represent all that is good and wholesome in America. But time marches on. Deterioration overwhelms the cost of improvements. So another barn meets its demise.