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It’s not enough….
….we have to fill out forms, register and track our animals, etc, etc. We also have to keep the place neat. Certainly no bushes growing near the road. A small organic farm in Texas committed that sin but the sheriff just didn’t drop by with a warning….or just a summons. Nope, he sent the SWAT team in! Again, you think I exaggerate. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/texas-swat-team-conducts-_n_3764951.html
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If this keeps up….
….soon all beef will be grass fed. ….and chicken will cost as much as beef. ….and we’ll all be eating artificial meat and poultry! Don’t kid yourself; that’s the plan. http://www.nationalreview.com/article/356106/corn-broke-cattlemans-back-jillian-kay-Melchior There are quibbles I could make about the article, but at least the mainstream is beginning to question the government on this, too.
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Some prizes are better than others….
….and the ones that hold a pint are best of all! Here, our Cornwall Devon partner Chris Cleave holds the silver tankard he won for best commercial sheep in a recent show. Pictures do lie. Juliet assures me that the tankard was not used in the celebration after the show!
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End of an era….
….came in a phone call from one of our English partners, Brian Drake, of North Tawton. Brian poses here with the American members of the team: Bill Walker, John Forelle and myself. No one we know has been breeding Devon any longer than Brian. He took over his father’s herd in 1950 and his Essington Park genetics can be found in most of the herds in England. We’re fortunate that we were able to flush his wonderful cow Buttercup and one of her sons is approaching his first birthday here in the States. More are on the way! While he’s leaving the Devon world, he remains a good friend. We…
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Some things need no comment….
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As we’ve been saying….
….the two worst foods a kid can eat are hamburgers and chicken. And what are the two mainstay meals at McDonalds? Wonder what’s in a Chicken McNugget? http://www.naturalnews.com/041646_Chicken_McNuggets_forensic_food_analysis_strange_fibers.html And now about hamburgers: http://www.naturalnews.com/027414_chicken_disease_cows.html The answer, as always, is to know your farmer…and your restaurant.
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Speaking of summer camp….
….as I was earlier (scroll down)….our grandson Luis won the fishing championship at camp this summer with this 5-pound large mouth bass. His buddies nicknamed it “The Monster”. Luis has been fishing since he was a toddler. In fact, during the annual family football game he prefers to fish in the pond near the field. Too bad, I think he’s built like a future line backer. Do they give college scholarships for fishing?
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A feel-good moment….
….from our good friend, Dr. Sue Beal. She sends along a video produced at a girls’ summer camp—Hameau—in Pennsylvania. It’s at an Ayrshire dairy farm and the camp is run by Gayle Rodgers. Sue tells us the girls are “shining examples of leadership, talent and sensibility”. It’s always reassuring that there are still those kinds of girls around. Turn up your sound. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzpVkbwbpXM
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The Thistle Hill girls are all happy….
….starting with Wooz. Grandson Church is back from his “gig” in Idaho working for “pasture wizard” Jim Gerrish. Wooz was worried about her little grandbaby with a thousand Angus after dealing with no more than a handful of our docile Devon. Not to worry, of course. Church was even the lone hand on the ranch for stretches while Jim was away speech-a-fying. The cows were happy Church was back, too. He seems to have the same “touch” his uncle has. We seldom pet our cows, but they immediately come close to win his scratches.
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They tried to tell us….
….we’re too young. Clearly time to split these two up! That’s Thistle Hill Babette snuggling up to our TDA bull Churchill. Actually, Churchill will be going off this week….to North American Breeders where we’ll be collecting him….not for sale but for protection. Traditional Devon America (TDA)….a partnership of three breeders…wants to be sure to preserve the Devon genetics we’ve gathering on our trips to southwest England.