….we’re still feeding a little hay though warm temps have been greening up the pastures.  That’s one of our Senepols in the foreground—always a chow-hound—and Devon in the back.  We “tested” Senepol years ago and, while we like them a lot, decided Devon would do better in our environment. One of the things we got right but we’ve kept the Senepol and use them in crosses for beef. The picture is by Gisela Volkert, taken on a recent visit from Germany.

….trying to save our rejected twin has everyone involved, including our young English shepherd, “Pokey”.  If warmth, probiotics, and a bed of hay in the garage won’t do it….perhaps Pokey’s sloppy kisses will. This young calf was born with multiple issues, including blindness and malformed legs, but Wooz just won’t let him go.  And now, I suspect, neither will his canine friend. We’ve moved him outside now to a small dog pen…which may be why Pokey has suddenly taken an interest.  Like all English shepherds, he likes everything in its place….and clearly Pokey has decided this is his place. Photo by Carolyn Humphreys

….we’re just not doing enough to keep our cows entertained! http://www.viralnova.com/cow-ball/?mb=aol&icid=maing-grid7%7Chtmlws-main-bb%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk3%26pLid%3D-1752750962

….the heavy snow 10 days ago kept us out of the pasture for about a week….and so this heifer calf didn’t get tagged.  Mom is descended from Bill Roberts 12 Stones Grasslands Farm herd.  The sire is Traditional Devon’s ™ Highwayman. We finally got the job done when our son-in-law Curt Humphreys did a running jump off the Gator…and bull-dogged the very feisty calf in the open field.  (Maybe the Super Bowl was the inspiration). This wraps up calving for the year (2015) and because of repeated embryo work, we’ve fallen farther and farther behind in our hoped-for October calving.  We’ve reached the point now where we may have to…

….but for some reason,  I wasn’t singing. Right now 21 inches….but from radar I would say we’re going to wind up closer to 3 feet.  This first run with the plow was to try to make the final job easier….and also clear  a path to the pigs. Just a few miles to the north, Brooke Henley and her husband,Tom, ventured out into their pasture to see how their cows were doing.  Better than Brooke and Tom I would say. We are somewhat concerned about our 20 new calves…all two weeks old or less…but in the past we’ve found the mothers do a good job of protecting them.  And we do have…

….no sooner did we finish getting hay out ahead of the storm….than someone comes up with a better idea! https://www.facebook.com/Agri101/videos/1078013235577242/?pnref=story ….thanks to Lois Aylestock of Blue Ridge Meats in Front Royal, Virginia.

….grandson Church and a friend from college, Rachel Dyl, have suddenly found themselves spending their vacation nursing a newborn calf.  The calf was a twin….his smaller sister is doing fine.  But big brother never got up to nurse and mother has abandoned him.  We have him up and standing…and even taking a few steps…but he still hasn’t decided whether this whole “living thing” is worth the effort. We won’t give up until he does.

….nothing like starting off the new year with a brand new calf and that’s what Bill and Cindy Keitner did at their farm in Summit Point, West Virginia. Mom is a very pretty bred cow we sold the Keitners earlier this year.  We prefer starting out newcomers to the cattle business with experienced cows.  That makes the first calving trouble-free and happy.  The sire was one of our English bulls. The nosy bystander is another bred cow of ours’….and from one of our very best lines.  She is due any day.