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Thursday, February 28, 2008

The Quest comes to an End, but the Adventure is Just Beginning

We have a problem, dear readers. But instead of just blurting it out, it would be best to start at the beginning. Yesterday morning I got a phone call from the people we met 2 weeks ago. The cows were in the loading pen. I could pick them up today or wait and they would turn them out into a smaller pasture. Of course I said I want to pick them up today. As we drove (I know I said that the trip was 1 and 1/2 hours, but I lied, it is a full 2 hour trip) I started thinking about the fact that I, me, the suburban raised girl, was about t be responsible for an animal, strike that 2 animals that weigh 750 lbs. And I got nervous.

Things tend not to go smoothly for us, we don't have beginners luck. As I was thinking about dying at the hands of a cow, the truck shuddered. We had lost oil pressure. We pulled into a station in a very small town. One of the cylinders had blown, and all the oil had shot out. I paid way too much for 4 quarts of oil, my husband made a "tampon" for it. And we made it safely to the farm.

We talked with the owners, laughing and being told all about what happens next. What happens next is that we are now in the American Dexter Cattle Association. But nothing else was brought up. We loaded them and went into the house to fill out paper work, then we said our goodbyes. The trip home was ok. Half the trip I got a kick, ok found myself in a giggle fit over the different country road waves we were getting from others. No longer was it the one finger wave, we now had a horn hanging out of the trailer, now we were receiving the full hand over the steering wheel wave. My husband thought it was funny, how much I was enjoying it.

We stopped at another middle of nowhere gas station to get something to snack on. As my 4 year old and I were paying, I looked out to see my husband checking on the cows, and a group of people staring at him. Seeing a small cow with horns must be a sight!
on the moove


And to that man driving the AT&T van. Just because the road says you can pass, doesn't mean you should. If you can't see the road up ahead, don't pass 3 cars, and 2 trucks. This guy almost slammed into on coming traffic. We had to brake to let him back in. So if AT&T is doing a search looking for what peole are saying about their company. You might want to get the man driving the van around 4:20 pm Feb. 28, 2008 on hwy 400 east of Leon Kansas, driving lessons.

The truck stalled in a downtown area of a small um...ok large town (not really a city), and it wouldn't start back up. I freaked. How where we to push the pick-up with cows in the back!?! Luckily it finally turned back over and we booked towards home.

Once home we didn't have hay. I have called several people and no one answered or have yet to return my call. So I hollered at a neighbor, who was outside as we pulled in. I asked him if I could buy some hay off of him, telling him what was going on. He said to take what we need, no charge.

Their stallion wasn't real happy about my husband stealing his food.
RUN!

Now we had to let the Dexter's out and into the pen.

cowboy

I see you

Letichia, the oldest and the one with the calf, backed out not very gracefully, of the trailer. Baby, whom we have named Uma (pronounce it like oooo ma. get it? ha!) followed.

Uma

Letichia was first to the food.

feeder at work

Uma was quick to join her.

Letichia and Uma

Soon the neighbor with the hay and the good neighbor were over to look at the cows. Now they too want some. The neighbor with the food left after a bit, him and his girlfriend were craving steaks.

Edie, the pregnant one was hard to photograph. Why? Because Letichia is a bully, and kept her away from us and the food. I will try to get some of her later.

Now here is the problem, sometime last night they escaped from the pen. Luckily they went into the goat pen. Uma however was still in the cattle pen. Letichia's bellowing is what gave me the heads up. They are still in the goat pen, and they want nothing to do with us.

10 comments:

Donna. W said...

LOL. Reminds me of our first milk cow, Suzie. Our place had very poor fence and Suzie was an escape artist. She was very tame, but once she knew she was OUT, she'd kick up her heels and run just as you got close to her.

Robbyn said...

LOL...life can be so crazy!! CONGRATS on the beautiful Dexters!!

Anonymous said...

You have an intresting blog! I found your blog by random googling and it's unlikely that I will read it again. I just want that you keep this up for other people!

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. I guess you are going to have to learn to herd ornery cows. (That or get a cattle dog.)

I'm glad you got them home.

Dancingfarmer said...

Congrats!!!!!!
They'll learn to like you it just takes them a few weeks.
Offer them some tasty treats: alfalfa cubes/range cubes, molasses covered grain, horse treats....some like some things better than others.
Oh yeah---if you always take out a little grain/treat in a bucket and shake it noisily---eventually they will know and follow you to the trough no matter what. Great way to get them home if/when they get out. We do ALL our animals that way and it has helped us immensely many many times.
Monica

Meg said...

Moo! That little guy is cute. Congratulations on finally getting the cows. Can't wait to hear more about them!

Anonymous said...

I've been reading and waiting to hear about your cows! Congrats!!! The calf is adorable, the horns of the older one intimidates me, but I'm sure you can manage! They sound like our ducks, want nothing to do with us, but do appreciate their food and water! THey'll come around eventually, and the baby there will be a lot more friendly since he/she's still so young and gets to grow up with you there. Congrats again!

Anonymous said...

LOL... Brings back memories
If you have a routine of having a bucket with food in that rattles and as you shake the bucket call them and they will get use to it and you. We had about40 sheep and when they heard that bucket and us calling them they would come running in all directions from over 20 acres

han_ysic said...

I just went to a small farms training day and we visited the local high school's farm. They had a small her of dexters and they were lovely. I am very jealous of you and sure it will work out fine. Have fun with them.

Ginnie said...

I admire your courage to take on new challenges! The cows look beautiful.

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