Have you ever seen a cow with pink eye? Doesn’t look pink…
This animal, and others too, all had their eyes fixed up. A type of gentian violet squirted right in the eye, a jab of a white liquid anti biotic in the needle and Bob’s your uncle. Sometimes took multiple sessions mind.
our first farm animal is born. A healthy bull calf.
At nine at night, I heard Menno the neighbor driving urgently around the main gate to the pastures. Next thing I know, I hear a second car. I was in bed, natch.
Grumbling loudly, I threw on a tee shirt and went to investigate. Menno, his wife and George were there. I greeted then all gruffly and they motioned to the cow with a pair of hooves sticking out her rear.
Fun time! George wrapped a rope around the hooves and I helped tie it to their pickup truck under his urging. He called, I acted as hand signaller and Menno reversed with rope attached. The cow was in my head gear rig already which kept her in place. She bellowed, which I really really felt for her.
The truck strained some, and then the calf popped out. There were concerns it might be dead because it had been sticking in that position for some time’s
But no fear! Chestnut was born healthy to his inexperienced mum and I spent the next two hours guiding his mom back to him because she pretty much left him alone.
The next morning it was clear they had bonded and all was well. George brought a bag of collostrum and we feed it to the youngster the next day. She and the calf had injections and Menno brought hay. We brought the kids to get a peak and I took photos Adi as to minimise disturbance.
That calf is healthy as a horse(?) and runs around like he’s the new kid on the block. Wait a minute..
The previous owner, a self righteous locally despised engineer turned farmer, thought that killing all green life on driveways or around fences was de rigeur.
We’re turning that around by encouraging green ground improving pants, which will help with erosion control tremendously. Weeds included. Here’s a test bed for three different methods of scarifying lupin seeds.
One of my favorite things: I took the family lupin seed planting on the driveway and came across our resident snake coiled in the sun. It likes the tire retaining wall for the heat likely.
Skye elected to walk there barefoot. Barefoot daughters walking hundreds of metres on gravel. Tough farm girls, who love nature!
There goes most of the day of rest…. Seven thousand litres of water later
Even the Jerseys approve.
Result. Not my favourite, mold board plough is pretty awful for erosion. I’m testing it to learn how to use it for cutting swales.
I love the curiosity and interest that cows have in anything that changes. This is the first time I hooked up the plough, and despite the plough being in their corral since they came here, the combo of tractor/ plough is enough to illicit investigation.
Every spring, Nova Scotia has a big cleanup. You can put just about whatever you want at your regular garbage pickup spot, and it will be removed.
Whilst driving to get some new shoes for the truck, I came across a distant neighbor who was getting rid of some cool things. I picked up this thing and asked him what the heck it was. Well ladder he said. Mine, I said.
Came handy like a hot damn today to see why our barn well pump was running hot all night without a drop of water coming out. Lucky all round, the pump is still working well.
Attaching, with a safety in place.
The business end of the well.
Grooming. Who knew?
For both of us. What started with a Jeep off road purchase has become a ground earth rod lifter to bush hog mower adjustment assistant. Heaven.
What happens when a double steel wire cable catches the exhaust on a tractor while reversing (and not noticing)?
That’ll slow down productivity…
Soul Pilot 