Nose Meets Gate, Gate Wins.

Ok, after a thrilling afternoon chasing cows for bull banding calves on a UTV the fun had to end. I broke the golden rule of cow herding, getting off my "horse". I got out the UTV to close the cow herd up in a smaller pen. The lead cow gave me a look at came at the gate. POW, I saw stars and felt wet on my face. I ran back to the vehicle and looked down and saw red. I saw the cows we caught run out of the pen as I felt the blood pool on my shirt. I was so mad at myself for getting hurt and losing the cows. But I was near help and they all came a running. My three cowboys took me home, got me off to the ER and took care of my livestock while I was away. The pain came in waves in the waiting room. But the local ER staff was great. I got x-rays and yup, my nose was broken through the top of my nose. My face swelled like a balloon and I had blood coming out of holes on my face and back of my throat. My husband stayed with me while we waited for the Doctor. He cleaned me up and said I need to see and ENT in a few days to fix my nose. The key is after the swelling goes down, then they can set my nose. So I look like a car crash and feel like a calf is lodged in my nose. I will live - but man it hurts.

And I have to sleep on my back.

This is my first time having a broken nose. Would I do it all over again - the cow herding, YES, except for the nose part. Herding cows was a blast on the UTV. And a cow can outrun those things, too. I learned a lot about cow herding. And I have a new appreciation for these cowboys who do this for a living.

Cow-A-Ning

It has happened again, the farming bug has bitten. And no, not just the ticks. Our neighbor bought cows! Now we are truly surrounded on all sides by cows. At least we will never want for fertilizer. It is so exciting to have so much around us alive and reproducing. These cows have had calves and are living off the lush pastures. It is all very exciting around here in the Ozarks.

Goat Gang

One nice thing about having a farm, you meet other farmers. A friend raises Nubian goats and had to feed at least six at one time. She used this neat device with multiple nipples for the goat kids. Beats the hand bottle feeding I attempted on a single goat kid. Still all that attention make the goats very calm and people friendly as you can tell from the top photo. Happy goats makes a happy farm.

Beanie Baby put to work

Here is a new use for an 11 year old Beanie Baby pig, surrogate mother to ducklings. Ducks need a flock and a mother more than chickens do. Our ducks are one big flock and they stay together. So our incubator ducklings need a surrogate, hence pig. Pig is washable soft and warm and the ducklings love it. They peep to pig and snuggle under the pig legs when scared. We will keep the duckings in the house until they get too big for the cage. Once they feather out we will put them outside to join our flock.

Monty

Yesterday was day 32 for our duck eggs. Normally they hatch in 28-30 days. So pulled them out of the incubator and set aside in a bowl. A friend had 3 dozen eggs she wanted hatched this month so I had to ready the incubator. Sometime around 3pm I heard peeping coming from the kitchen. I looked in the bowl and sure enough an egg was trying to open. I assisted the duckling only to get air. The membrane was drying out and the duckling was a fighter. By late last night the duckling emerged from the shell chirping loudly. I put the rest of the eggs back in the incubator. Today a second one is hatching. I am learning how to candle eggs and be more patient waiting. Sometimes it takes longer than we can predict on the calendar. I was thinking about naming this duckling Monty from the Monty Python, The Holy Grail. There is a scene where the towns people are collecting the dead from a plague and one character is not dead. He yells out,"I'm still here, I'm happy, I'm not dead yet". I figure that is what this duckling has gone through as well.

Lilacs and Butterflies

The unusual heat we have had here has everything in bloom on the farm.

Redbud

Spring is here and it is in the 80's here in the Ozarks. The trees and flowers are blooming like mad. The Missouri Redbuds are in full swing and the bees are happy.

Donkey Feet

Opal, the donkey,was at our farm for a while until her owner could keep her with his goats. While here Opal got a farrier visit. Our farrier trimmed her feet and checked the angle of her hooves. Making sure they we not too steep. Donkey hooves are very tough but they still grow and need trimming. Opal was bought at auction and was said to be pregnant. However, after a vet check, she was not pregnant. Still, Opal is a sweety and is great with the goats. One day her owner may decide to breed her. But for now she is happy being an aunt to the goats.

The Three Farm Stooges

My neighbor now owns 3 Boer goat does. They are fast, friendly and fun to have around the farm. They keep his pasture trimmed and keep watch. These goats have very soft and plush coat. This is the first time I have been around goats and they are neat. The only down side is all the electric fencing required to keep them safe. Goats are escape artist and require a lot of fencing.

Cedar Dresser Final Saga

It is finally done the cedar dresser we had made. We logged the cedar ourselves, delivered the logs to the local mill, then transported the cut wood to a local Amish craftsman. After almost 6 months we have our huge cedar dresser. It is a feeling that I do not think a modern human has felt in a very long time. Completion - from sweaty start in logging to the final installation. The finished end result that we can enjoy and pass down to the next generation. We saved some trees that needed to be harvested and made quality furniture that will last. I think we honored these trees using them well. It was worth it, the time, energy, sweat and labor to make this dresser. And on the back I wrote down all the names and dates of those who made this dresser possible. And the best part is we kept it all local to our small town. Nothing oversea nor made in China, made in the USA in Missouri, as it should be. And with all the people involved in the making of this dresser, we made friends and learned how other people live and skills they have to share.

Death and New Life on the Farm

ur

Last week was enough for me to want to run screaming down the road. Dolly our 19 year old mare went down in her stall and was clearly in distress from a high fever. The vet came and we agreed she was past the point of no return. So together with the help of friends we got the hole dug and put Dolly at peace. Then, I had some hatched chicks not make it and one needed to be euthanized due to deformity. Then a neighbor decides he wants to have his coffin ready this year. He wants to have his wooden coffin upholstered at his wife's request. All of this happened in less than 24 hours last Sunday- Monday. Ugh it was rough.

But then life begins again. My surviving chicks are now outside in the big brooder in the chicken coop. The trees and plants are all flowering and the air smells wonderful. Baby birds, snakes and butterflies are everywhere. I have so much new life springing up around me, makes me happy again to be on my farm.

Teaching The Babies

Last week my husband took our 2 year old Maple along side Luna to meet the outside world. We have since learned to tie the lead rope around the halter to keep focus. Young horses will try anything and test you often.

Last Weeks Hail Storm

Last week in the Ozarks we had a storm turn ugly with popcorn skies sending ice everywhere. Put a hole in our horse trailer and filled the evening with fog in the pasture. I have been too busy to post the photos until now. Our ducks and horses took the worst of the hail, but all survived.