Beef

When I was growing up, my dad had an Angus beef cow herd on our farm. Some of my earliest chores were throwing hay out of the haymow into the feed bunk and pulling the water wagon out to the pasture to fill the water tank.  I also spent many hours as a boy cutting thistles out of the pasture.
The cow herd left the farm when I was an early teenager (ancient history), and Dad concentrated on grain and pork.

Since we stopped farrowing, we have some empty open front sheds that we started storing machinery in.  A young man from town asked us if we would be willing to let him raise some calves in one of our sheds.  We agreed to let him if we could buy a couple for ourselves for him to raise along with his own.  We would like to try to raise our own freezer beef.  So, some changes were made to one of the sheds to retrofit it for cattle and this week the first calves were delivered to the farm.  We provide the facilities, and he will do the chores and purchase the feed.  We will pay our share of the costs.  This should be an interesting experiment!




Gus making friends with the calves
 

A new (to us) utility tractor arrived on the farm this week.  It is a John Deere 6300L with a loader.  It has MFWD which will be real nice for the muddy seasons, and the stronger front axle will be a benefit for heavier loads, including moving round bales.

And the Lord thy God will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy land, for good: for the Lord will again rejoice over thee for good, as he rejoiced over thy fathers:
Deuteronomy 30:9

Drouth Over

The soil was already saturated before the Wednesday/Thursday rain storm.  We received 3.6 inches of water in less than 24 hours; some areas had much more than we did.  We arrived at church Wednesday evening in a hail storm.  I helped wet vac up water that leaked through the exit doors in the sactuary before services started.  Water was running across the road in several places.  The fields were full of ponds.  Back home, there was water running across the floor in two basement rooms.  Fortunately, it ran to the nearest drain and drained away without any buildup or damage.

 

Old Farmer Lake

(formerly known as a wheat field)



 We lost power for several hours and we went to bed by candle light and flashlight.  Our computer was being used when the power flickered off, and in the morning, it wouldn't boot up.  The Geek Squad has it now.

Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink.
(Samuel Taylor Coleridge, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner)

When I got up a 5:45 we had water (in the pipes).  At 6:30, Son #2 informed me that we didn't have water.  Our well pump was not working.  I checked all the fuses and breakers and all seemed to be in order.  Then I tested for current and found we had 120 v. but not 240v.  After examining all the wires back to their sources, I noticed an overhead line that had a break in the wire.  The wind must have caused two wires to rub together over time until finally one of them shorted through.  We don't know why it didn't blow a fuse or kick a breaker off.
We called our electrician, and he was on the scene in less than a half hour.  By 10:15 we had water again.

It snowed on us while we were diagnosing the problem.  With the cold wind, it felt like winter all over again.  I went into the house three times to add more layers of clothes.

It doesn't look like we will be planting corn anytime soon!

And Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands unto the LORD: and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured upon the earth.
Exodus 9:33

My Antonia

Last Sunday, we enjoyed a nice dinner and evening at our house with the future inlaws of Daughter #2.  Good food, good fellowship, good singing, fun stories, and plenty of laughter.
And Gus really enjoyed all the attention he got from all the youngsters.

In my Freshman English class in 1970, I read My Antonia, by Willa Cather.  Bud DesCarpentrie was my teacher that year, and he introduced me to reading literature for more than just an entertaining story.  I had him for two other classes ( American Cultural Studies, College Prep English) in High School, and would have to say that he was one of the most influential teachers that I had in High School or College.  I enjoy looking for and recognizing the allegories, elegies, metaphors, symbolism, and social and political commentaries as I reread some of the old classics.  Time and experience bring out new perspectives and understandings.  Perhaps I have a greater appreciation for my education now than when I was being educated! :)
My Antonia is considered Willa Cather's greatest accomplishment, and is a great American novel.  It is a very good book and I enjoyed reading it again after 43 years.

And it has a lot of early American agriculture in it.

And I learned my first Latin in that book.

Optima dies . . . prima fugit
                                  Virgil

Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;
In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.
Genesis 3:18,19

Easter Surprise

"What was I thinking when I planned this?" said Daughter #2 as twelve "Secret Sisters" arrived at our house Saturday night in their Mothers' wedding dresses.  "How am I going to keep my secret?" 
From my hiding place in the basement, it sounded like they had a great time.  And I peeked a few times, and they all looked pretty sharp in the dresses.

Daughter #2 announced her engagement on Easter Sunday!  Not sure I am quite ready for my little girl to leave me.  *sniff*

I tried to remember to tell her that whenever she was out around the young males she should walk with a limp, speak with a lisp, and cross her eyes.
Either she forgot, or Nathan saw through the act.

The burping and hysterical laughter however are no act! :)

So, it made for a little more excitement than we were expecting!  The out of state family members didn't make it this year to Easter dinner, so the group was a little smaller than normal.  But we had a special guest, which added to the enjoyment.  The fellowship and the ham were both good.

We found the planter today where it was tucked away in a far corner of the shed.  We have it hooked up to the tractor and are starting to get it ready for planting.  The weather is starting to feel a little more like spring now, and it is staying light longer.  Good signs.

 And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.
Hosea 2:19