Happy November! Wow. I can’t believe how fast this fall is going by!
But, I’m excited for November because so much is going on!
Before I talk about all of that, I don’t have a farm story, but I did want to share a little family story.
I have a bunch of work to do this week and yesterday I had been holed up, writing, when it was time to feed the calves.
We have two calves in our side pasture, the twin that was rejected and another little guy whose mom didn’t have any milk. Both of them were more touch than go for a while, and the non-twin has actually gone down once. We got him back up, but he’s still not doing great.
The girls have both raised calves from newborn age, and they’re both great at it, but these guys are taking some extra attention (they don’t suck very well, and they’re slow eaters and it just takes a bunch of time) so I told them I’d take over all the feedings (they get fed four times a day) except the early morning feeding, which the girls do before they go out and take care of their horses in the morning. (Okay, I just want to say here that I do not get my girls up in the morning. They set their own alarms for 5:30 am and get themselves up.)
So, anyway, I was writing, but when it was time to feed the boys again, I came out and saw the girls were focused on their phones. Pie said, “Sorry, can’t talk mom. Can’t pause this.”
I wondered what was going on, since their school was done for the day, and if they were doing extra lessons (which they’re allowed to and often do) they can pause that easily.
I just threw a hand up in a wave, and went out to make two bottles for my babies. It takes a bit because the water has to be warm and the milk replacer is outside but by the time I came back through with the bottles, the girls were still focused on their phones and I didn’t stop to talk to them like I normally would.
Later, as we were sitting around the table, I found out that our vet offered them $50 for each certificate they earn from a link he sent them for free animal/bovine classes. There were three classes total and the girls were laughing since there are three of them and, I’m betting he though they wouldn’t do it, but they’ve all done all three classes, took the tests for each, printed out their passing certificates and he owes them $450 dollars.
This is the same vet who told us we needed to sell #16.
I wasn’t up at the chute with the girls when he told them #16 needed to go, so I didn’t realize it, but they were fighting along with me to keep her. So he had told them if they’d agree to send her down the road, he’d replace her with two, much nicer, cows.
He actually owns a beef farm of his own (and a trucking company and a feed lot) so him paying the girls in cows is not outside the realm of possibility.
I guess I’ll have to keep you all posted as to whether he pays up or not.
Seriously, I love that he’s challenging the girls and tries to teach them a little bit of something when he comes.
A week ago I actually heard them talking about the possibility of getting summer jobs as his assistants. Goodness. The plotting that goes on at my house. (And I’m not talking about me writing books!)