| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 09 2016 : 7:35:21 PM
And here's ... Flossie!!
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Ethan's new cow but he said that I could post pictures! Flossie seems a bit timid but came right up to Ethan as he milked out Clover. Tomorrow Ethan is looking forward to milking Flossie for the first time. Flossie came from Florence, MT. Love her! |
| 25 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| CloversMum |
Posted - May 02 2016 : 10:16:08 PM
I'm going to see if I can find that book on Amazon and add it to my wish list, Janet. |
| NellieBelle |
Posted - May 02 2016 : 09:22:28 AM
Lacy Lou sure has a sweet face. I know, it's hard to get photo's when all they want is some hugging and a kissing. But you got a good one of this little gal. |
| maryjane |
Posted - May 02 2016 : 09:17:49 AM
Oh my gosh, THAT book is on my shopping list. The front cover is adorable.
Here's Lacy Lou a few minutes ago telling me all about the adventures she wants to have. Miss kissy face. (This was the last photo I could get without her nuzzle in my muzzle.)
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| NellieBelle |
Posted - May 02 2016 : 08:53:14 AM
Reminds me of the darling children's story, Emily and Daisy by Elsa Beskow. No modern technology involved however. Emily is to look after Daisy the cow so that she doesn't go through a hole in the fence. However, Daisy gets through and the adventure begins. The illustrations are so sweet. Glad everything worked out Charlene. |
| maryjane |
Posted - May 02 2016 : 05:12:02 AM
Cute story, Charlene! Flossie's Big Adventure. |
| CloversMum |
Posted - May 01 2016 : 10:10:24 PM
Yesterday was another exciting day on the farm! The rest of the family left to attend a wedding out of town and I stayed at the farm as Dashi, our Guernsey goat, was 1 day overdue and I didn't want to miss the birth, just in case she needed help. I bought Dashi this winter already bred and I don't really know what to expect from her. Again, I'm so impressed with our cow network that we have going here on the farm ... Mr. Tony was bellowing, along with Betsy and Clover which alerted me that something was not quite right!
This is what I wrote on our farm's facebook page:
"A day on the farm is always full of surprises ... or not. Our Guernsey goat, Dashi, is STILL pregnant and now overdue. Between checking on her every few hours today, selling milk and eggs to a new customer, household chores were done. And then the cows started to moo and moo and moo. Very unusual and slightly alarming ... looked out and sweet Flossie, son's dairy cow, was OUT of the pasture. Family was out of town attending a wedding ... slightly timid cow is son's cow and is wary of others ... uh, what's a farm girl to do? Put son on speaker phone to call to the cow as I lead her back into the pasture with a bucket of grain! Modern day technology helps the homesteading family farm!! Whew, you never know what is going to happen on a day at the farm."
It really was quite amusing to see Flossie perk up her ears when she heard Ethan's voice and then she would tilt her head while looking at me, trying to figure this all out! But Ethan just kept talking to her and I very quickly led her back to her pasture where Clover was waiting. Today, the guys went over the pasture fence with a fine tooth comb and fixed the necessary spots.
We also have a few inquiries out for more fence work so I'm hopeful that we'll get more fencing up soon. It was part of the grant that I received last year. So we'll see what we can do.
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| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 18 2016 : 6:44:48 PM
I agree with you, Cindy, as Ethan is really enjoying spending more time with Flossie. It will also give Flossie time to adjust to her diet and life here. I can see some bonding happening between those two similar to the experience you are having with Sally. And, I get to witness all of it. What a huge blessing! |
| txbikergirl |
Posted - Jan 18 2016 : 6:37:00 PM
charlene, i am sure miss flossie would just like to bond with you and not worry about another baby any time soon. your daily milk production is amazing.
i keep forgetting that mary jane and i will be drying off our cows at the same time as they were "visiting" the bull at the same time... |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 18 2016 : 10:07:50 AM
Wise woman, MaryJane. Thank you for your advice. I would like to sit for a bit and just let things settle down and I'm sure Flossie would too! Then, by the time she would be getting bred, the dairy barn would be completed and more fencing would be done as well. I'm loving the roll we are currently on! Last night we had 8 gallons of milk in the fridge! :-)
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| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 18 2016 : 08:23:26 AM
I would think giving milk is easier than giving calves. I think your plan is a good one. It gives Flossie and you time to settle in. I'm already wishing I'd waited to breed Miss Daisy. On Saturday she gave me 2 1/2 gallons of milk!!! Pretty good for such a pint-sized cow. I feel like we're on a roll and now because she's pregnant, I have to dry her up the first week of March. Although, given Sweet William's endlessly sweet disposition, we're all looking forward to meeting Miss Buttercup May 9.
Keep in mind also that for the first 4 months of their freshening, you're sharing milk with a calf. It feels like you just get on a roll and then you need to stop. Unless you're relying on calves as one of your crops, it might be good to make milk your priority. |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 17 2016 : 9:18:02 PM
You are correct, Cindy. I had forgotten MaryJane's plan concerning Fanci. Flossie is on a great diet now and that would continue. I guess as Ethan is milking her, he would notice if the milk production slows and then we'd have to breed sooner. It just would be nice not to have a calving in the middle of the winter and then all of our cows would be nicely spaced. With more experience under our belts, we may change the game plan. |
| txbikergirl |
Posted - Jan 17 2016 : 5:48:24 PM
i thought mary jane's original plan was to keep milking fanci for a super long time after giving birth, as fanci is older so mary jane didn't necessarily want to breed her again (or maybe not just too soon - don't want to put words in her mouth).
i know she stated that you can milk cows for years - think of how some humans nurse for years. of course it depends on the health of the cow during that time... |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 17 2016 : 2:01:56 PM
We are trying to figure out if we want Flossie bred now as her due date would be the end of October.
Betsy is due to calve in July (pregnancy needs confirmed) and Clover is due to calve in early October (also needs confirmed).
Just talked with Ethan and he suggested that we wait until May to breed Flossie so we'd have a calf born in February 2017. We really don't want a calf born during the winter months.
Do you all think that Flossie will keep giving us milk that long? She freshened last August and we wouldn't be drying her up until December 2016. |
| txbikergirl |
Posted - Jan 16 2016 : 1:28:15 PM
so charlene what will your/ethan's calving calendar look like for 2016/2017? we need to start putting some thought into it now and make decisions, as sally is due may 9th and elsa will be one year june 15th... not sure when we are going to breed at this point... |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 16 2016 : 10:03:43 AM
All things cows around here! We are hoping to be able to space out the pregnancies so we won't run out of milk! And our son, Ethan, really hopes to be able to create a business with his cows so it will be interesting to see where this all leads. |
| farmlife |
Posted - Jan 15 2016 : 8:11:16 PM
Oh my goodness, didn't you just breed Clover? This could get exciting! |
| Sydney2015 |
Posted - Jan 15 2016 : 3:39:14 PM
Congrats! Sorry I missed it. Flossie looks gorgeous. Tell Ethan congrats too! |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 15 2016 : 06:22:43 AM
And we're smiling with you!! |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 9:07:27 PM
I am smiling each time I go out the front door and see all the cows! |
| txbikergirl |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 12:33:10 PM
this just makes me smile! |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 11:56:16 AM
We are so hoping that Tony and Flossie get along VERY well! :-) She should be going into heat next week. |
| maryjane |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 11:52:12 AM
That's fantastic news, Charlene. What a huge meant-to-be it appears Flossie is. And also Clover's. And perhaps Tony's? |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 14 2016 : 10:05:34 AM
I continue to be pleased with how well our cows are getting along. They just don't seem to have a strict pecking order.
Do the rest of you find the same thing?
I mean with chickens, they can have a vicious pecking order. My goats have a definite pecking order, too. But I just don't see it with the cows. They seem to be very easy going and accepting. Maybe we just got lucky but I'm enjoying seeing them rest next to each other and hang out side by side. |
| CloversMum |
Posted - Jan 12 2016 : 10:15:45 AM
Yes we do believe our cows are a blessing! We are thankful to have them! |
| farmlife |
Posted - Jan 11 2016 : 8:58:03 PM
So cool. Cows are blessings! |
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