Baby’s Here!
The week before Thanksgiving, Rosie the pregnant Jersey cow exhibited symptoms that made us worry about another premature birth. So we moved her to the barnyard where she could bask in the afternoon sunlight and spend her...
Read MoreCategory: Birds and Beasts
The mowing crew
The grass along the driveway was getting a bit tall, so I called the mowing crew. They come pretty fast most of the time. I just open the gate and yell ‘cow’ a few times. We’re a family friendly workplace. ...
Read MoreA short strange cow tale
There I was, wandering around in the pasture, checking every tall stand of grass and cluster of brush for the day-old calf that was hiding somewhere out there in the pasture. And I saw this . . . Rosie apparently had a bad...
Read MoreBye-bye, Blue
Blue, our old Aussie, joined us as an 8-week-old pup in September of 1997. Born on a Kansas cattle farm, he was a cute, blue merle out of full-blooded working Australian Shepherd parents. He had vivid blue eyes, which...
Read MoreAn Unclaimed Duckling
We arrived home yesterday after an errand and found this lone duckling wandering in the yard. All alone. Abandoned. Unloved. None of our dozens of adult ducks claimed it, even though it’s brimming with wobbly cuteness....
Read MoreBabies everywhere I turn
Someone asked me recently how many chickens I have. I could only guess. In winter, I take a nightly headcount of all the birds during evening chores. Now? A headcount is practically impossible with so many free-ranging...
Read MoreNot The Mama . . .
I goofed. This strange mismatch is completely my fault. A few weeks ago, I swiped all the eggs from beneath the nesting turkey hens. Why? Our turkeys have a terrible track record as parents. They’re dedicated nesters...
Read MoreOut and About With Goslings
Now that they’re big enough to keep up, the goslings spend their days wandering outdoors with the flock. The flock has, of course, slowed its pace to accommodate the little ones, and they rest frequently. The goslings are...
Read MoreNot a Safe Nest
Sometimes the chickens roost on the tall stacks of rabbit cages in the barn. The top of that cage is about six feet off the ground, so it’s not surprising that I didn’t notice that one of the banty hens...
Read MoreSnapping turtles: sharing the road
Out here in the boonies, it’s common to see box turtles crossing the road. Now and then I happen upon a damp, dirty snapping turtle crossing ground in search of a different water hole — hopefully not one where my...
Read MoreA Little Rain, Another Big Mess
We had a little flooding problem here at the farm — not the kind that washes away houses and highways. The driveway and some fences are a bit worse for wear, though. This dirt path to the little creek is now a gravel...
Read MoreA Birdwatching Snafu
The robins really like these low branches in the black locust tree. There’s a pair there most days, and most any time of the day. I suspect they’re keeping an eye on their nestlings. If you look hard enough,...
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