2020 - the year of throw all caution to the wind (pic added)
Oct 19, 2020 21:27:44 GMT -5
simplynaturalfarm, hazelsmilker, and 19 more like this
Post by Shawn on Oct 19, 2020 21:27:44 GMT -5
Ok, I figured since this year has been such crap, that maybe it's my year to do something totally unlike me. So, here's what my 2020 (animal-wise) has looked like.
March, one week into our shutdown, I bought 2 Holstein steers with the idea to graze them all summer and then butcher in the fall. We had more customers than beeves, so while I was nervous (outside my comfort zone to "gamble" you know) I decided to pursue this. Found 2 steers and brought them home. I rotationally graze, so was pleased when I saw electric fence at their first home. They were bottle babies, so tame and knew what a bucket was. Took all of about 3 days to train them into their new feeding location and they melded right into my program like they'd always been here.
Last Wednesday they went to the butcher with 2 of our homegrown ones. We made a profit on them, so I'm satisfied. Our customers all got fed, so they're happy.
August 1st, (in a tremendous leap of faith) I paid a lot of money for a bred 8 year old Jersey and hoped for the best. On the way home with her we bought a day old Jersey calf for her. She has mothered that calf like her own and he's doing well, she's doing well. I shut him up about 3 nights per week and milk a little for the house. She's sweet and comes when called and has really been just great. So that's been such a relief and satisfaction to see her settle into my program and seem very content.
When I realized that next year I'll only have 2 butcher beeves and I need 4, I asked my friend that works the auction to find me something weaned that I could butcher next fall. Calm, don't care what color. Short tail or missing an ear ok. He even asked if a Hereford was ok? Yup. (Geez, what's up with that prejudice) Heifer or steer is good. Today he calls me, bought a weaned-all-summer steer for me. I think he's a Dutch Belted maybe? (Yes, I'll get a picture of him tomorrow) I brought him home and unloaded him into one part of the corral and shooed one of the steers (Benji) in there with him. Benji walks in "Hey, new guy. Hey, there's some primo hay. Hey, new guy. Forget about new guy, I'm eating the good hay." So new guy sidled right up to him and tucked into the hay in about 5 minutes. So I think he's going to settle nicely. I'll see about letting them out in the morning. The previous owner said he was calm.
So these are my examples of getting out of my comfort zone for 2020. And we still have a couple months to go!
March, one week into our shutdown, I bought 2 Holstein steers with the idea to graze them all summer and then butcher in the fall. We had more customers than beeves, so while I was nervous (outside my comfort zone to "gamble" you know) I decided to pursue this. Found 2 steers and brought them home. I rotationally graze, so was pleased when I saw electric fence at their first home. They were bottle babies, so tame and knew what a bucket was. Took all of about 3 days to train them into their new feeding location and they melded right into my program like they'd always been here.
Last Wednesday they went to the butcher with 2 of our homegrown ones. We made a profit on them, so I'm satisfied. Our customers all got fed, so they're happy.
August 1st, (in a tremendous leap of faith) I paid a lot of money for a bred 8 year old Jersey and hoped for the best. On the way home with her we bought a day old Jersey calf for her. She has mothered that calf like her own and he's doing well, she's doing well. I shut him up about 3 nights per week and milk a little for the house. She's sweet and comes when called and has really been just great. So that's been such a relief and satisfaction to see her settle into my program and seem very content.
When I realized that next year I'll only have 2 butcher beeves and I need 4, I asked my friend that works the auction to find me something weaned that I could butcher next fall. Calm, don't care what color. Short tail or missing an ear ok. He even asked if a Hereford was ok? Yup. (Geez, what's up with that prejudice) Heifer or steer is good. Today he calls me, bought a weaned-all-summer steer for me. I think he's a Dutch Belted maybe? (Yes, I'll get a picture of him tomorrow) I brought him home and unloaded him into one part of the corral and shooed one of the steers (Benji) in there with him. Benji walks in "Hey, new guy. Hey, there's some primo hay. Hey, new guy. Forget about new guy, I'm eating the good hay." So new guy sidled right up to him and tucked into the hay in about 5 minutes. So I think he's going to settle nicely. I'll see about letting them out in the morning. The previous owner said he was calm.
So these are my examples of getting out of my comfort zone for 2020. And we still have a couple months to go!