Herbie was cremated today a year ago, I had to call the hospital everyday to get someone to sign off on his death certificate so it could be done. It hurt me that he was still in the fridge - he hated the cold.
I feel like I’m treading in molasses, I do the necessary on the farm, and in the house, but I seem to just live in memory land most of the time, just bearing the waves crashing.
Annabelle had her calf, 4 months earlier than I was expecting. The vet came to preg check the girls because after the 4-day power outage where I was milking with the generator, their milk production dropped and then I started getting reports from the herdshare owners that the milk was getting funky quickly. Well, it was colostrum, that liquid gold that people pay sooo much for, and out popped Autumn the day after Dr Cook felt her front hooves inside Annabelle. Ginger is due in January, urgh, I hate Winter calving.
Last month I found 2 additional Jersey cows, was only looking for 1 to replace Hope, but at $1k each they were half the price of the others I’d seen available, and they were just down the road, not in Wisconsin or Kentucky ! Managed to get the one girl into the milk parlour once, and milked a gallon from her, but the tagged girl, didn’t even get her into the barn. So will be feeding them for another year before I get to milk them. Put them in with the bulls to get them knocked up, therefore the broken gate in the photos above. I saw it happen, the new girls were AI’d previously, so the bull experience was new for them. Oliver jumped onto one and, through the gate they went. It splintered like it was made of matchsticks, not the treated 2x4’s Herbie and I used to make it. Oh well, add another chore to the list.
Sold Holly, Hopes’ last calf, as she’s about 5 months old now and the bulls are starting to sniff her and I don’t want a pregnant calf who isn’t big enough to birth another calf, but she still needs to be fetched.
Think of going to AI here on the farm, but can’t find a technician who does it. Also see that the success rate with AI isn’t at the same percentage as regular bull action, as the bull will cover the cow a few times in her ‘standing’ heat whereas the AI is only done once. As my dad pointed out, I could learn to do it, but will need about $2k for the equipment - nitrogen semen tank, applicators etc and not knowing how much longer I’m going to be here on the farm, doesn’t make much economic sense.
It’s been a trying week, Herbies’ mini horses went to a new home in Clarksville, a few towns over, to a young family where the dad will train them to the cart with his eldest daughter, around 5 years old, methinks. I kept feeding them here for a year, but the few times the grandkids came out they weren’t interested in them at all so it’s better for the horses to have a family love them and work with them daily. I cried when they left, Herbie was so excited when he brought them home, but it was his dream to have them, not mine, so I let them go. Don’t think his daughters are pleased with me, but I’m the one who has to pay for their feed, clean up after them and get them socialised enough to accept the leads and cart, and then train them.
There is so much to do here, I’m floundering as it is. I have such grand plans in my head, but the execution, oy vey, that’s something else. Herbie used to say I’m the best starter of things he’s ever known 🙃. I don’t have the muscle, although Katie is bartering labour for milk and eggs, and started on the shed last week. Wonder where all the mice are going to find new homes - probably in the house. Even found one in the chicken house yesterday 😳.