This Ain't No Disco

Farming has its ups and downs. Winter is not always a downer, but the snow creates special problems.

The cattle are bedded down in the hollow around the watering troughs at the moment. They have grass to lie on, as well as hay, but they aren't keen on tromping through the deep, icy snow.

However, this morning when I rose and looked out the window, I saw one lone cow away from the herd. On second glance, I saw her newborn calf. The little one was already up, looking for a first meal, and testing newborn legs.



Snow makes it hard on an ol' farmer.

Unfortunately, another cow and calf did not fare as well earlier in the week. The momma went into labor sometime in the night, after we'd already checked the animals, and the calf refused to come out. My husband had to get a couple of neighboring farmers to help him pull the calf, and we're hoping the hapless momma will recover. She's being treated kindly, with lots of water, hay, medication, and attention.

We are not full-time farmers; my husband has two other jobs and I don't have the physical strength to be of much assistance with farming chores. Fortunately one of our young nephews is interested and always glad to help when my fellow has to be elsewhere.

If we farmed full-time, perhaps we could better time the births of calves, though frankly this time would be about the normal time for such events, if the weather patterns were as they once were. We have not had such frigid temperatures or as much deep snow at this time of the year as rule. March is when many little new babies of all kinds pop into the world, after all.