Cattle Call Farm Blog

Sorry no pics, been running from the rain.

What do you get when you have an 83 year old man set in his ways, a"chance" of rain everyday, equipment that is 40+years old, and 31 acres of hay that need cut? I will tell you, a bad attitude. It gets a little crazy around here hay season. I have taken off work waiting to get started cutting hay. I kick the hay, and rake the hay, but Homer refuses to let me mow or bale. Each morning I walk down and say "Are we cutting today?, he says, They say its's going to rain. Finally Sunday I said, Are we cutting today, and he said, It's supposed to rain. I SNAPPED! They have been calling rain for 6 days, and we got a 2o minute shower friday evening. That's all. Well after some more "discussing" this matter for a few more minutes, we cut  the small field between the barn and house. We usually try to get 3 days, but we got it up today after we kicked and kicked. As we were raking dark clouds began rolling in. I have never switched equipment so fast in all my life.This morning, I took off mower, put on tedder, took off tedder, put on rake, took off rake, put on baler. As Homer finished baling I took the truck and filled it up (luckily neighbor came over and drove truck)Pulled the truck in the barn, got the 4wheeler and trailor, began picking up rest of hay and as we were on last 3 rows it began to sprinkle. Just enough to shut us down. I pulled 4 wheeler into barn, we shut down then the rain quit. Waited 30 minutes, everything dried off. My neighbor and I unloaded the truck and Homer finished the last 3 rows. Luckily they were small so It was only 15 bales of hay. Then another neighbor, saw us and pulled in because more black clouds were rolling in. We unloaded the trailor,shut the barn door and by the time I got all of the equipment back in the barn it came a down poor. Thank goodness we just cut the small field. Ended up being 94 bales. We usually cut about 300 bales at a time since it is so hard to find help. So all in all it worked out. They are saying rain showers again for the next 4  days so maybe we will get to cut this weekend. See why I didn't get any pics?

Well they made it through the first 24.

Here is the new additions to the farm. Six Bourbon Red turkeys. They arrived yesterday morning at the local feed & hardware store. The problem was, the feed truck hadn't came so I was in a state of panic because the only thing I had was the 22%medicated chick starter which I was told I couldn't feed them. After making several calls to a couple of other feed store I had no luck.So I began my search on the internet about this problem, but since I am in the "land of dial up" (probably why picture isn't clear) this was more of an aggravation than helpful. I put out the call and a few good buddies gave me their 2 cents and then I called McMurray Hatcheries, which is where they had originally came from. So here's the main things I learned as this new adventure begins.

1st-Water- Add 1-3 TBSP per quart for first 3 days for extra energy. Seemed to work they were running around last night like kids hyped up on chocolate.

2nd-Feed, Best to have turkey/game 28%, 22% chick starter will be OK until you find a feed store with the 28%. Spread on white paper towel(I used printer paper) to get them started pecking.

3rd-Heat(Major important) Keep 90-95 Degrees, no drafts. For first week, then start cooling off 5degrees at a time.

The rest is common since, keep cage clean and dry.Also I have learned turkeys are cannibals, yikes! have to make sure they aren't pecking on each other, only the strong will survive. You can cut the tips of their beaks off to help prevent this. Mine are all getting along so far, I hope it doesn't come to this.

Okay now the important part that I haven't yet figured out, What do I have?(By the way, baby turkeys are called poults) You could only order straight run, so let's throw in the guesses. How many gobblers, how many hens? If they are all gobblers the winner get's a gobbler. I know AJ-Oaks will jump right on that.LOL

It has been so crazy around here I almost forgot about pop quiz on the plant. Lyndia, who I am not sure where she is from, but she has herefords so I know she has to be a wonderful person and 4R Ranch, which you can find her link on my blog list(nice sight, stop in and check her out)both guessed GINSENG and they were right. I wasn't offering a prize, but if these turn out to be all gobblers maybe I will pass one along to them too. LOL

Thanks again to Amy, Teresa & Jim for getting back so quick when I was in a state of panic yesterday!

Back to cows, What's one thing you "don't" see in this picture?

If you guessed flies, you're right. It was 2 o'clock in the afternoon, in the 80's, hazy, hot and humid. Of course I knew right where to find the cows, the far barn. This is where I keep their cattle rub and as you can see it is working. I keep it treated about every 2 weeks and it seems to really help with keeping the flies off the cows.

Just look at that face, not a fly one. I have been using the cattle rub with the face flips and a pour on that I apply  once every 2 weeks for 4 years now. I have found it easier, cheaper and very effective. I don't have to round up the cows and tag each of the cows with fly tags, (easier) I have used 2 different types of pour on, Artoban & Permectin and the cost is alot cheaper than the tags(cheaper) and our weight gains have gone up and we haven't had any pink eye to date.(effective) So 2 thumbs up to cattle rubs! Anything to help make my job easier gets my vote.

By the way check out this calf. He will be 4 months old on the 31st. My how they have grown. It's hard to believe in just a few months he will be leaving. To date 4 calves are spoken 4 and I have an offer of first refusal on the rest. My goodness seems like just yesterday I was checking cows, now I am already selling them. Time flys when you are working your butt off. LOL

Information needed ASAP! My turkeys arrived today, but there is one problem. I am getting conflicting stories on if I can feed them the same medicated chick starter I have my chicks on. The guy at the feed store had no turkey starter and I have called around and can't find any. Is there a different feed??? If you have raised turkeys or know someone that has please leave me the info. They are doing good right now, but I don't want to make them sick. If everything works out pics will follow. Thanks!

Thanks for my Award!

I would like to throw out a big "Thank You" to Suzanne at http://windowontheprairie.com .She presented me with this award a few days ago and I really appreciate it. Suzanne has great blog, anything from gardening, animals and her picks on places to eat. Stop in and check her out, I have learned the story behind the story just by visiting her sight.

As I have learned there are a few rules I must follow as a recipient of this award. I must Thank the person who gave it me(done). Share something about myself (coming up) and pass it on and let them know. (that will be at the end)

If you are just tuning in I will give you a little run down to bring you up to date.I am a single mom,raising 2 girls and running a 200 acre farm. I do most of the work here on the farm with the help of my dad who is 83. Currently I have 28 head of Hereford cattle counting the calves, 1 horse, 3 cats, 40 chickens, 1 goat,1 rabbit, 2 sheep and 9 dogs. My days consist of gardening,mowing, weedeating, cleaning barns, feeding animals, fixing fence and working on primitive pieces of furniture that I make from treasures that I find when I am out and about. That's just on a normal day, but there always seems to be something unexpected that shows up. I also help my friends who own a local greenhouse and primitive shop.

I have been a waitress, dog groomer, t-shirt maker, secretary, worked in retail, office manager and I use to get dressed up everyday and pulled a 9-5 job in a local bank managing CD's & IRA's. I consider myself to be a  Jack of all trades, Master of none. I enjoy learning new things and have not let decided what I want to be when I grow up.LOL As I am sitting here typing this I am looking out the window, overlooking the whole farm listening to the birds and watching the cows graze on pasture. Who could ask for any thing more. Now I must get off my butt, and get get back to work.

But before I do I would like to pass this award onto,

http://schoonoverfarm.wordpress.com Donna always has something going on with goats, llamas and rabbits, sheep and a few other critters.

http://wwwaj-oaks.blogspot.com Cindy, my long lost twin has an assortment of cats, donkeys, chickens and a few other critters.

http://newtofarmlife.blogspot.com/ If you need a good laugh visit Aimee, she is always up to something and just tells it like it is.

http://aranchersview.blogspot.com/ and for a man's point of view check out Jim. He's mainly about cows and is  always willing to help out when he can.(When he's not slacking, LOL)

These are just a few of my close buddies that stop in and give me their 2 cents from now and then. I wish I had time to post all of my sights on my blog list. Initially this was given to Suzanne from a "goat" Mille, at http://www.edenhills.blog.com that has her own blog of a goats view and you can find her sight at Eden Hills. 

PS>Did I mention, I am not crazy about computers. Suzanne, sorry it took so long to pass it on. I still live in the land of dial up and posting takes 4 ever.

Too funny, you will love this

As you know we have an old house on the farm that I showed a couple of post ago. (meet the Hereford maid) I was in the house today looking around and saw a really cute "Dear Abby" article on an old piece of newspaper that was apparently used for insulation and I thought this was really funny. You can't turn on the TV these days without hearing about some kind of male enhancement ad and I just wondered what this guy would think of that.

So if the walls could talk we would know what they were saying. The house was used by some old fox hunters that used to spend their weekends here. Now we know why. LOL

Pop Quiz! Anyone know what kind of plant this is??

We were building fence this morning and came across this plant.It is very hard to find, and is getting very scarce due to the fact it is worth alot of money when it is harvested and dried and that can only be done in the fall. But greedy people will dig it up now before it has time to set seed. I on the other hand was very excited to find it and would love to see more of it grow, so I left it where I found it. If more people would do that it may not be as scarce. Hopefully it will make it until fall. Leave me your guess and I will let you know the answer in a couple of days. Good Luck!

More "treasures"

Since the farm is on idle waiting for the ground to dry out I have been working on a few of my "to do" list. First I made the bench from barnwood from here on the farm and some hickory post that I had left over from an arbor I made.(free-be) I finished this cabinet that I had started over the winter, made from and old window my friend the contractor gave me. (best friend to have someone who does demolition). These 2 pieces will be sold at the primithive shop at a big sale we have coming up. Hopefully we will be online by then.

Next is a fountain on my front porch. I took an old water cooler, filled it with rocks added a Bambo fountain(available at the the primitive shop if you would like more info leave comment).On the back porch I have an old chair(free-be)and a barn wood bench that I made initially to put in the house, but it just became someplace else for eveybody to pile things, so I moved it to the porch. If you notice, Pebbles (under the bench) has claimed it as her post. She is either sitting on it or laying under it. In the bottom left of the bench you can see a birdhouse my daughter made. I cut the wood, but she put it together. Looks like she maybe following me on my treasure hunts.

4Hr's Hard at Work

Last Saturday a few of our kids helped out the local feed store, Walton Thriftway  with their annual customer appreciation day. The kids helped carry out groceries and waited on the customers. We had collection jars set up for donations to the Walton 4H to help raise money for 4H camp which is coming up in June. We had set our goal at $500, but with all of the nice people in the community and $250 donation from the Poca Valley bank we passed our goal and went a little over $600. How How!!!!

Free pizza from Hunt Bros.,cake, ice cream and drinks were served 12-5 so it was pretty busy. Callie was getting a little "slap happy"since me and her had just spent the whole night before up with 23 other 8th graders at the school all night lock in party that I chaperoned. She was a trooper though going on 30 hours without sleep.

And of course the "men" of the bunch were doing their part. I also got a couple of tips helping people just to get out on the road because the parking was so crowded.All in all it was a good time for all. Good Food, drinks, and friends that why we choose to live in the country. 

Trash to Treasures, Its not all about Cows

 
I was visiting "MaryJanes Farm"(see my blog list) and she had a great post showing some "trash to treasure"  finds so I thought I would share a few of my recycling ideas.This bathtub was a"free-be". I was helping a friend do some demolition work on a house he was hired to remodel and they were planning on taking it to the dump.I use it for water plants and installed a water pump that comes out of the old fixtures to keep the water circulating. The iron wheel (another free-be)was given to me by a friend that does gas well reclamation. I think it came off an old gas well. And the picket fence was part of a $5.00 find out the road.

 

This garden gate was a "free-be". Visiting farms buying and selling farm animals I sometimes come across some great finds. This was laying in a "junk pile" on a friends farm. They gave it to me, I brought it home, spray painted with a little paint to make it stick out against the house, and hung a water can on the front with some wave petunias. I also plant vining black eyed susans at the bottom and by the end of summer you will wonder where the gate is. It  also helps with blocking the dogs from running through the flower beds.

I have also collected some old tools and horse tack from the barn and farm auctions to decorate the inside of my house with. These are just a few of my "treasures". I also have some furniture I am making from old barn wood that was torn down on the farm and I always have my eye open for more great finds.Like the say, "One mans junk,is another mans treasure." And who wouldn't like Free-Be's?