Took Daisy May with June-Bug back to the other cows in the pasture last night after milking, as, although she is still relatively skinny, she had drunk from both front teats and her poops look better. This is after 3 lots of anti-biotics, boosts, anti-diarrhea meds, electrolytes, all tube-fed by yours truly. She is nearly a month old, and I can't say how pleased I am that she seems much better. She was even running and jumping in the pasture last night, greeting the other calves. Watched Immanuelle confront Daisy May again, after she'd been separated from the others for a while, and Daisy May put her in her place :). Those horns of hers definitely do not scare Daisy May.
Went and had my hair trimmed today. The first time in over 3 years, and it only cost $5 :) He wanted $2, but I thought it was worth more. It's so long that I had to stand to have it trimmed. Asked him if he anticipated being on his knees in front of a strange woman today :) Manda and some of her kids came to get their milk as I was on my way out, and texted me that they'd returned an escapee lamb back into the pasture. Anni didn't help, just her and Miriam. Fun times :).
We had a lovely lunch with Jackie and Gary at their lake house on July 4, a braai, and Gary loved our venison, then went for a putter around the lake on the pontoon.
This Sunday we're going to putter around Morrison Lake with Angel on her pontoon :) And then Monday, Herbie goes to the doctor for his knee.
Think I'll go pick some black raspberries later to see if the rain has improved their flavour as they were rather yucky the other day. Tried a few blueberries off our bushes too, not bad :).
Eleanor is eventually trained to milk. With Daisy May staying in the lower barn enclosure with June-Bug these past few weeks, I've been walking Eleanor back from the pasture each day. She tends to wander, and won't follow, but if I get behind her, she has a nice, quick walk to the lower barn yard. Have to keep a watch on Anni, as she nipped her the other day when I was threatening her because she wouldn't go ! It's not a bad thing, as I just have to say, where's Anni, and the milk girls behave themselves. She still kicks a little in the milk stall when I strip her teats, so hopefully that'll be over soon, and touch wood, (hand rapping head) she hasn't pooped or pee'd in the stall for the past few milkings. Daisy May pooped there the day before yesterday as I was taking too long tube-feeding June-Bug. Need to put the girls in with the bulls. Seasaidh is only a year old, and our only heifer, and I don't want her bred this young. So thinking of putting Little Red, Immanuelle and their 2 heifer calves, Taylor and Coco, in the main pasture with Gabriel, the Scottish Highland bull. I have Immanuelle and Coco up for sale, but if she is preggers with another 3/4 Scottish Highland calf, it'll be a 3-in-1 deal. They like to wallow in the pond, so the main pasture will work best for them. Then put Dolly and her boy calf, Taxes, in with Parrot in the barbed wire pasture, still need to move a water trough back out there, and run a hose to fill it. Finally, put Eleanor and her boy calf, IRS, into the back pasture leading into the channel with Oliver. That leaves Daisy May, June-Bug and Seasaidh who need to be confined to the lower barn enclosure for 3 months, when Daisy May goes in with Oliver for breeding. Maybe this time, they'll be bred when planned, and not willy-nilly like the last few years, and I'll have continuous milk !!! Please God, from my lips to your ears. With the boy calves being left nursing on their mums', there shouldn't be a chance of them breeding there own mums' this year, as there is a bull present and he'll keep the babies away from "his" girls :)
Found a 2nd dead guinea, this time in the coop. Not sure what's up. Last week, there was a dead one under the tree where they roost. No damage, just dead, and I wondered if it had had a heart attack. Now with a 2nd dead one, also intact, not sure what to think.
The mama hen with her chicks seems to like keeping them in the sheep pasture. Saw her facing off with one of the lambs the other day :) Can't count exactly how many she still has, they move around too quickly. On the ducklings, seems we're down to 6. This year, the mama, or mamas', there are 3 ducks caring for the ducklings, haven't been bringing them up to the chicken house at night. The pond isn't the safest place for them, and the journey up to the yard is rather treacherous.
Herbie fixed the lawn mower for me, but didn't change the blades as I have the floor jack out in the field holding the haybine up as I had to dis-attach the tractor to put the bale spear on to feed hay to the cows. So, the lawn has still not been cut, making it a bit of a jungle out there. He also secured the handle in place on the new wheeled weedy wacker (the last one gave up the ghost after working for about 3 years, and having a new engine installed a year ago) so I can go attack those weeds, especially the thistles.
Took a lamb in to butcher, sold our last horned ram to Brent, have Andrea interested in 5 lambs, so things are going well here on the farm.
Had a bowl of my-made yoghurt this evening, yumminess :) Tried my first feta cheese of the season, needs a bit more salt. It was a soft one, so I didn't brine it, only salted, although Herbie thought it was bitter :(.
Also still bottle feeding Maddie. She's about 7-weeks old now and has doubled in size. She much prefers the raw Jersey milk to the store bought whole milk I had to start her on.
Placed 8 of those bag fly-catchers around the farm earlier this week, and they're full ! Walmart didn't have anymore of them, but luckily I found some at Menards. And they're bigger. So will go put them out as the cows look, and feel, much better without all the flies.
Off to milk, catch up again later.