Soapweed
Well-known member
Sunday, February 25, 1968 Journal
6:30 was when I piled out this morning. I put away a hearty breakfast and listened with open ears as Mom told all the latest gossip she learned in Martin yesterday. It made good listening.
I grained the calves while Dad caked the heifers. I finished my job before Dad so I got out the tractor and started feeding hay.
Dad came along while I was feeding the first bunch of bulls, so we both fed until about 11:00. We pulled through the bull bunches, the calves, heavies, and cows with little calves. The other bunches all had enough hay to see them through today.
Two heifers down east were lame so we went down to doctor them. Dad drove the pickup and took the medicine, and I rode Hawk Eye. This was the first chance in the new year to "stretch my twine," so I took on the job with enthusiasm. My second loop caught the first heifer. Old Hawk Eye knew just what to do, and he behaved like an old pro. Dad doctored the heifer and we turned her loose.
The other heifer was on the other side of the ditch. Dad put on a burst of speed and headed the pickup across the ice. He buried it in about two feet of water, so he crawled out and waded to shore.
I crossed on horseback a little ways upstream. We decided to doctor the heifer and then one of us would ride home after the tractor.
The day was nice temperature wise but the wind was blowing about 40 mph. With the warm wind and yesterday's quarter inch of rain, all remaining snow is really going fast. Anyway, the heifer kept crowding the fence, mingling with the rest of the cattle, or running against the wind so I didn't get a very good shot. My fourth loop was different than the others. Like the rest, it missed, but it also spooked the heifer over a gate and into Boltz's land.
I could see that Dad was not real well pleased with my performance, so I rode over to where he was and turned the horse over to him. He loped over to the gate, opened it, and took off after the heifer. The second shot did the job, catching her by the neck and one front leg. Dad drove the critter back into our end of the meadow, and we doctored her.
Dad probably thought he could make better time, so he rode home to get the tractor. I cobbled up the gate that the heifer went over.
When Dad returned with the tractor, we got it into position and put down the spud bar. The pickup winched right out of the hole, so we were soon headed merrily for home. I took the tractor, and Dad crossed the ditch in a better location with the pickup, to go home the other way as he had left some gates open.
We got in a cow that was calving before noon, but she was not far enough along to worry too much, so we came in to dinner.
Mom and the girls had gone to church, so dinner was not yet ready. I caught up on yesterday's diary before we ate. After dinner, I stretched out for a two-hour nap.
Dad pulled one calf while I was sleeping. We had originally planned to take a bull to Gordon to butcher, but Dad decided a foot trimming job would put him in sellable shape.
When Dad went up to check the cows, the best one on the place had a calf coming with a foot back. Dad brought her in afoot. We pulled the calf—a dandy bull—but everything else came out, too. We rushed around collecting chains, ropes, and wire. An attempt was made to shove the calf bed back in, as the cow was standing up, but alas it failed. We had to turn her over and elevate her hind legs. Usually, one it's started, everything falls right into place. With this cow, though, we had to push all the way. Dissecting worms in Biology is pretty insignificant compared to a mess like this.
I came up and washed and then fed the bulls and horse. Dad drove through the heavies for a final check before dark. Dad is working on his oil painting of Sybil as I am writing this.
6:30 was when I piled out this morning. I put away a hearty breakfast and listened with open ears as Mom told all the latest gossip she learned in Martin yesterday. It made good listening.
I grained the calves while Dad caked the heifers. I finished my job before Dad so I got out the tractor and started feeding hay.
Dad came along while I was feeding the first bunch of bulls, so we both fed until about 11:00. We pulled through the bull bunches, the calves, heavies, and cows with little calves. The other bunches all had enough hay to see them through today.
Two heifers down east were lame so we went down to doctor them. Dad drove the pickup and took the medicine, and I rode Hawk Eye. This was the first chance in the new year to "stretch my twine," so I took on the job with enthusiasm. My second loop caught the first heifer. Old Hawk Eye knew just what to do, and he behaved like an old pro. Dad doctored the heifer and we turned her loose.
The other heifer was on the other side of the ditch. Dad put on a burst of speed and headed the pickup across the ice. He buried it in about two feet of water, so he crawled out and waded to shore.
I crossed on horseback a little ways upstream. We decided to doctor the heifer and then one of us would ride home after the tractor.
The day was nice temperature wise but the wind was blowing about 40 mph. With the warm wind and yesterday's quarter inch of rain, all remaining snow is really going fast. Anyway, the heifer kept crowding the fence, mingling with the rest of the cattle, or running against the wind so I didn't get a very good shot. My fourth loop was different than the others. Like the rest, it missed, but it also spooked the heifer over a gate and into Boltz's land.
I could see that Dad was not real well pleased with my performance, so I rode over to where he was and turned the horse over to him. He loped over to the gate, opened it, and took off after the heifer. The second shot did the job, catching her by the neck and one front leg. Dad drove the critter back into our end of the meadow, and we doctored her.
Dad probably thought he could make better time, so he rode home to get the tractor. I cobbled up the gate that the heifer went over.
When Dad returned with the tractor, we got it into position and put down the spud bar. The pickup winched right out of the hole, so we were soon headed merrily for home. I took the tractor, and Dad crossed the ditch in a better location with the pickup, to go home the other way as he had left some gates open.
We got in a cow that was calving before noon, but she was not far enough along to worry too much, so we came in to dinner.
Mom and the girls had gone to church, so dinner was not yet ready. I caught up on yesterday's diary before we ate. After dinner, I stretched out for a two-hour nap.
Dad pulled one calf while I was sleeping. We had originally planned to take a bull to Gordon to butcher, but Dad decided a foot trimming job would put him in sellable shape.
When Dad went up to check the cows, the best one on the place had a calf coming with a foot back. Dad brought her in afoot. We pulled the calf—a dandy bull—but everything else came out, too. We rushed around collecting chains, ropes, and wire. An attempt was made to shove the calf bed back in, as the cow was standing up, but alas it failed. We had to turn her over and elevate her hind legs. Usually, one it's started, everything falls right into place. With this cow, though, we had to push all the way. Dissecting worms in Biology is pretty insignificant compared to a mess like this.
I came up and washed and then fed the bulls and horse. Dad drove through the heavies for a final check before dark. Dad is working on his oil painting of Sybil as I am writing this.