Wednesday, April 10, 2013

The test of a cattle rancher.

 This has been our weather the last few days. Sleet, rain, snow, and wind.
 It's called  a test of a Cattle Rancher, and it is one you don't want to fail. More on that later!
 Other than cooking the ranchers favorite food and sweets this is what I have been doing.
 Feeding the birds and squirrels:)
 I think the birds are very sorry they flew north thinking it was spring.
 This morning Mr. Pheasant was hungry too. I took me awhile to get some pictures. Everytime I got the camera on he would run off into the trees.

 I finally got some.The squirrel never left the dump truck until the pheasant was gone.
  I know their are people and groups of people who don't believe in eating meat, or even raising meat for food. They also don't believe that we take care of our animals. I wish they could have gone with Hubby last night at 2 AM to check for new calves.  Or at midnight when Jared and John went or 5 this morning! They could have helped get the baby in the sled, (above) pulled it to the barn, and carried him into the barn. I am glad to say the momma followed right behind all the way. When they were settled we got to dig the pickup out because we got stuck in the corral. Do you have a shovel I ask? Yes..... but the sad part it was in the other pickup the one without the mounted spotlight that you need at 2:00 am:( Lets see ice cream bucket, steel post, and my idea of hay in front and back of the tires it still didn't get us out. Called Jared to come and pull us out acouple minutes later called back "we got out go back to bed." Where were we those  people then? In a nice warm bed.
This is full of straw and cows and calves now. Before I jump off  my soapbox I want to say. The vast majority of rancher/farmer take excellent care of their livestock because they love what they do for a living, and to make a living in ranching you have to take care of your livestock. It is the moral thing to do I can't imagine having animals that you don't feed and care for. How could you look at them everyday sick and hungry? I know it happens I just can't understand how. 
I have jumped  off.............
just blame this on lack of sleep!...........JMF

3 comments:

Judy said...

Beautiful pictures of the Phesant, very good pictures, thank you. And thank you to you and those who work so hard to make this a great country to keep us free. I know it is hard work for you and others. A farm life is hard and sometimes rewarding. I couldn't do it. It is hard enough just caring for chickens.

Kathy S. said...

I come from a family of farmers. Thank you for all you do! Love your pictures. Especially LOVE your dump truck feeder. Hopefully warmer (but probably wetter) weather is on it's way.

Sara said...

I loved your pictures today. This kind of weather is so hard on livestock, especially those new babies. But the dedicated farmers do what they need to in order to protect them - as you have pointed out. I can remember about 30 years ago having a cold miserable calf warming up in my bathtub because he was so covered in ice and snow. But he survived and went back to his momma. Hope you all get some much needed rest today.