The snow is back

Just about the time we thought winter was on the way out - it was on the way back in!

At this time of year, you begin to grow weary of all of the snow.  Your mind is turning to spring, what machinery needs repair, oils and filters changed, seed purchased, fertilizer ordered and fuel.  Just knowing that under that snow is soil that's just waiting to be turned for another year's production needs.  Alfalfa is waiting to green up and the grass is sitting on the edge of its seat waiting to sprout and grow.

The spring cows are beginning to calve too.  We've had two heifers and one bull calf.  I wonder if Farmer Rick is going to run 80% heifer calves like he has for the last four years!  We have plenty of heifers anywhere from babies to springers.  Nice problem!  Gretchen, our next heifer to freshen, is big and black.  She's a holstein, swiss and milking shorthorn cross.  Her neighbor, Griffin, just calved with a cute little mostly black heifer named JoJo.  This year, most of our heifers freshening have a name that begins with a "G".  Each year when a calf is born, we name all of the heifers with names beginning with the same letter of the alphabet.  This year it's the letter "J".  We'll have lots of fun coming up with names that begin with "J" this year!  When we name our heifers like this, it's easy to tell at a glance approximately how old a cow is as she ages.  Right now, our oldest cows in the herd have names beginning with "B".  Do the math - they're getting pretty old, but still doing well, bred back and ready to go another year!  Last year, we had two cows that began with an "A", but they are no longer with us.  It's hard to see them go, but we know that we took good care of them and they grew, produced, and gave us nice dairy heifers to continue on their legacy.

Horses are itching to get out and do some exploring.  We have been out enjoying the snow in the woods again, but have to be very, very careful because there is alot of ice under the deep snow.  We will have to wait once again for the gravel roads to melt off and get nice and squishy so that we can head out and enjoy another ride around the block like we did last week.  Until then, they get to contentedly munch their big round bale in the daytime and come into their stalls at night to grain and the nice tender green grassy hay and a little bit of grain.  Atleast when they are in their stalls at night, they get a break from the wind and don't have to worry about the coyotes that are roaming the woods.