He wants to be a large animal vet

Because cow groomer doesn't pay enough.

Independence Day

Hope everyone had a wonderful 4th! 

As for me, I stayed in the holler to babysit the cows, and allowed the boys to go to town to be kids and enjoy the holiday.

They really enjoyed the Internet from what I have been told. Aw well. It gave them time to be kids without responsibilities. 

Before my story continues I have to obligatory warning; do this and you could die, sayth the FDA and USDA.

I canned 13 pints of green beans.

They are a bit larger than I like to pick, but right now I can only do things when I am able to get to them. These will be put in the way back shelf, give them time to soften up a bit more, to be used last or in stew. They still pop when snapped, I didn't keep any rubber ones.

Still without propane, I had to use an open fire to can.

It's difficult and super tedious to pressure can on a campfire. It requires you get it very hot, then back off on the heat and attempt to maintain a constant temptature. I might be talented, but not that talented. I chose to hot water bath them. 

Gasp!

It takes 90 mins to do, at a hard boil. 

While the first batch was going, I harvest and started drying more spinach.

 

Without an electric dehydrator (I have one packed somewhere) I use a window frame with screen, placed on four logs, then cover with hail screen. With the moisture here, it takes two to three days for them to completely dry.

I thought I might take a bath, but the cows kept drinking my bath water.

Soon my first batch of green beans were done, and I restoked the fire and started the second batch.

Sunday I will be able to can the younger, better tasting green beans. 

The case of the disappearing cows

As you might remember, we have had an on going battle with keeping the cows in their pen.  We have managed to annoy a few, other's find it to be humorous and joke about it. There is little we can do until we have enough money to get better fencing. Glad a few are so understanding.

My boys have had to babysit the cows. Twice a month they get out, so this past week, our boys have been keeping an eye on them. The cows have been putting an unimaginable amount of stress on me. Not wanting to make enemies because of them, I sleep badly, nervous when my phone goes off, just general stress.  Well, the boys allowed the cows to slip passed them. It took them a few hours to get them back down. However Murrial wouldn't go home. This is a first, usually she is the first one back home. Instead she ended up walking up the driveway to her boyfriend's house. Yes, Murrial found a boyfriend and this is basically why the escapes were happening. She hasn't calved in two years, and now she is desperate about it. Neighbor put her in his field and texted me.

Husband went to talk to him. He laughed about it, and now Murrial will be staying with her boyfriend for the week. We actually think she already took by the second day. But will give them time. He told us no worries about our cows invading his field. He understands. I feared he would be angry. He even offered to help with our fencing needs. He offered up a bunch of t-post for cheap. He has offered to house the cows in the past, we shouldn't have declined. With Murrial pregnant, this should slow down the amount of times they escape until we can put the top fence up. 

We shall see.

Just one of those days.

I am exhausted. So much so that I am unsure if it is a good, satisfying exhaustion or not. My muscles ach, deep to the bones, my head throbs to the rhythm of my pulsating heart, my stomach too tired to grumble over a missed meal. 

My morning consist of waking the boys for school; they have to make up a month of missed school days due to snow. Getting them up to the bus on time, 

then coming back down to work in the garden. The rocks are rather thick. This land use to be a road until the 1970's, I think that is some of the rocks I am finding. Sitting, as I still have not graduated to crawling as of yet. My knee is better, however the sensation of pressure makes my stomach churn, it is a least not tired enough to cause me queasiness.  For two hours, I slowly churn the soil into rows, removing as much roots, weeds and rocks as I am allowed. Thankfully the neighbor had broken the ground of the second half of my garden, it makes working it much easier. If, and that is an if, I finish clearing a row, I plant seeds, and move on. Small Farm Girl gave me two red bell pepper plants yesterday. I am humbly grateful. 

Finally it's time to wake Husband. With him working 16 hour days, driving another 2 hours, 

he gets 6 full hours of sleep. I give him every minute of it, no matter how selfish I am feeling that day. With this new schedule, all the homestead work falls on my shoulders. In a way I am glad not to be milking cows at this point. But I am working on plans for a parlor, and soon that will be thrown into the mix. At this time the girls are allowed their freedoms, though they take too much liberty with them at times. 

Once Husabnd is awake and dressed, it's off to the shop. Business has picked up, and we are looking forward to our first open house this weekend.

Most days I watch Husband work, I pay bills, order parts, and answer the phone. There are times I have to cut in and pull a client away from Husband so that work can be accomplished. With more clients comes more busy work for me. Yet even on the slow days, I can arrive home tired. 

Returning home causes frantic hustling. The boys tend to neglect chores when left alone. As soon as I pull up, I bark orders. Fire needs to get going, dishes need to be sorted, tub filled with water after watering the garden with yesterday's water. 

As the fire heats the flywheel, and drinking water, warming to where I can begin cooking, laundry gets soaked in the tub. While dinner simmers, I start the wash process. It takes a good hour of scrubbing to get them clean, and I am fortunate that the warm weather makes rinsing the clothes fun for the youngest two boys. I find myself rushing between dinner and laundry. Folding, stirring, wringing, stirring, hanging, stirring, serving. Finally a break. We eat dinner, just the boys and I, and settle in to watch a movie before bed and waking to repeat that days events. 

What we doing today?

The same thing we do everyday Pinky. . .  

And the cows came home the very next day.

12:30am I get a text from Small Farm Girl. My cows were in her yard. Why exactly do I have to have cattle with wander lust? The have plenty of food, plenty of water, yet they leave. They follow difficult terrain, Urth encouraging them onward. I just had to have cows with a sense of adventure. They will have to stay in the short pen, and we will have to buy bales until such time as we can afford fencing up top. At least a quick scolding and home ladies works just fine. They went straight home.

Friday evening Stephanie came for a visit. Some remember her as the author of Going Green in Southern Illinios. Her current blog is Heathen in the Woods. She was one of my first readers, and we have cultivated a friendship over the years. I really enjoyed her short visit, as she was just passing through (well out of her way) to meet us. I look forward to her pack coming out and spending more time with my clan. 

On the little walk we took with Stephanie yesterday, we found this odd growth. I found it is called cancer root, squawroot, or bear corn. Apparently bears eat it fresh out of hibernation. However it has no nutritional value and even fried with butter it is nasty tasting. I read that is was used medicinally by natives, but no details were forth coming. It causes tumor looking growths on the oak trees whose roots these parasites live on. They are useless, but pretty cool looking. 

 

Go home ladies.

Husband had an early morning job interview 45 mins away. I sat in the truck, and waited three hours to find out he got the job. Huzzah! A little less stress in our lives.

When we got to the shop I receive a text from Small Farm Girl. Your cows our out, end of your holler. I dropped Husband off at the end of our holler to push cows, and I ran home. The pen gate was wide open! Ugh, not good. I did a few things, left Husband a note, and ran back to the shop. Normally we aren't open on Mondays but I had a few things to do there.

Husband's story:

I met another neighbor, nice guy. I told him it wouldn't be much of a problem getting them home. All I have to do is tell them to go home. The guy laughed, not believing. I apologized again for them being in his field. He held his dogs at bay and I went to the cows. What are you doing? Up up, go home ladies! And they stood up and walked straight back to the ravine that leads to the holler. I looked over to the guy and waved, he could only shake his head in disbelief. They came straight home with little problem.

Husband spent the rest of the day putting some fencing up at our property line to keep the ladies in. I however returned home and saw no cows, no Husband! I had visions of cows running the wrong direction and Husband hurt somewhere out in the woods. I went to the holler property line, the place he said he would put fencing up. I found him and some very miserable cattle. 

Still here

We finished tearing up the soil for the garden, by hand. A Maddox and a garden claw can do wonders.

And my cool weather veggies are sprouting. This in itself makes me feel better. Of course it helps that word of Husband's genius has gotten out, and the V-twin guys are starting to show up at the shop. It's still a struggle, but things are looking brighter. 

The boys enjoyed their first swim of the season. Of course the water was freezing, and I should know, I went in. There is another small waterfall down stream. husband and I walked down here to bathe. I could lay at the top of the fall, hang my head off the ridge, and wash my hair with abandonment. It was wonderfully awesome. Only words to describe it. I felt so much cleaner in the creak than I have in the tub. Chilly, but blissful.

Miss Buckets even joined in.

Watermelon seeds that were spit out last fall are starting to sprout. As well as many windflowers and wild onion.

I chased sheep around, trying to get a photo of the lamb. Turns out it is a girl.

I still am unable to run, however I did manage to get into a skip without my knee hurting.

This is Pail. She was dumped at the top of our hill. We found her during the coldest part of the winter, and I just couldn't have her freeze to death.

At least she smiles.

That's the extent of what is happening here. Besides I think I am going to change the name of the holler. The garden has taken up most of our time. Once that is in, other things can start.

Oh, and. Husband named the bull calf, Bullbo. (We had a Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit marathon)

It's a Boy!

Xuxi had her calf yesterday. A healthy bull!

Let the name game begin! (Heehee. I have declared today a good, playful day)

Where are the cows?

Cows had been gone a day and a half. And they didn't show when a bale was brought down. So off Husband and I went, into the depths of the holler.

Oh, there they are! Found a place to lay in some sun.

Is there a problem human?

Certified Veterinarian Inspection

I really don't have a whole lot to tell you on this subject. However it is all part of the moving project.

A CVI varies from State to State. You need to find the laws for the State you are moving to, and follow those. 

For us, Kansas is a TB free State, therefore Kentucky says all I need to have is a signed certificate that says a visual inspection was made and that there are no visible signs of disease. 

No blood work, no touching. Just a looky lou. 

While we were away

We left very early for Kentucky. And that morning Murrial (American Milking Shorthorn) went and had a little girl!

She is mixed with Kerry. She has a white spot on her chest, then her entire belly. She is as playful as can be. Almost goat like in the manner she wants to play king of the hill.

She is larger than Urth's (Kerry) calf, even though she is a mixed breed.

Here they are checking me out together.

The one on the right is Murrial's, while the shorter on with her backside to you is Urth's. They are a week apart in age.

It's the year of the A. 

It's a boy!

Mama birthed a bull calf on Saturday. So far he seems to be a healthy, knobby little boy. Thanks to Medium, who went out and brave the wrath of the protective, and bullyish Mama, for these pictures.

Butchering with Wounded Knee

No worries, no butchering pics this round.

Being down for four months can really set you back. A quick update, I can bend my knee 95 degrees now. The things I did before, not including standing and walking, feel like I am physically doing them for the first time.

The bull calf wasn't that big. Yet it was Husband that had to swing the half over his shoulder. I have yet to even attempt a bag of feed. And it does make me feel bad, almost worthless at times. I am getting stronger, and doing more things as I feel comfortable with. Skinning the calf was troublesome as my squatting powers are a bit fatigued as of now. Today we broke down what usable beef there was. The temperatures got too warm to allow it to hang any longer.

The meat on his ribs were too bruised to be used. We did manage to salvage 14 lbs of hamburger. I woke this morning sore. It didn't take hours to deal with the meat, yet it feels like it had. I am a big whiner, aren't I? Don't answer that.

It is amazing though, well interesting, the changes you experience. Before, I was physically able to preform feats that are normally portrayed on tv by teen boys. Now. . . I had a impromptu race with an elderly woman, her and her walker beat me hands down! I will challenge her to a rematch soon.

As Weldrbrat said in comments, things will change for me. I am accepting that, but it doesn't stop from me pushing myself. I am stubbornly hardheaded. But back to baby bull.

We were unable to hang the meat for the full five days. Unfortunately that means that the meat was still a bit wet. It isn't too big of a problem, an annoyance and a bit messy, sloshy. Very slippery when trying to hold onto a strip of meat and cutting it from the bone. A few minutes in the freezer helps greatly when pushing it through the grinder. Plus with an electric grinder, it reduces the chances of "cooking" the meat. As the machines tend to warm up when in use. The meat will change to an awful grey color when heated up through an electric grinder. And will give it a microwaved cooked texture. I personally suggest avoiding that at all cost.

I weighed the meat out to two lbs bags, sucked the air out and sealed. Into the freezer with you! I have the liver, ground pork and pork fat thawed out and waiting for me today. Oh the things we can create. Wry grin.

There's blood on my brace

Yesterday Husband was sharpening the blades on the meat grinder, and we were all ready for the test run. I had this nice butt ready to be sausaged. I might never know what suddenly possessed him to go outside to the far side of the garage, but he was compelled half way through sausage making. It was a good thing he did.

He returned and informed me that the bull calf was down. He could only get the calf to respond with eye blinks and a small twitch of a front hoof. There was no fever or signs of disease, yet no visible trauma. After he informed me of that, my thought was Mama. We have had issues with Mama before. If a cow can be territorial, she is it. Our problems with her started with her not allowing others to eat. She attempted to starve out Murial when she first got here. We should have butchered her a while back.

We decided to go ahead and end the calf's life. Once we cut into him, we could see the injuries. He had bruising on his groin area, his stomach and side. His organs were clean and intact, no signs of trauma or disease. He was a healthy boy. But then I found it, his back had been broken.

Yes it ticked me off, and yes Mama is slated for butcher, she has been for a bit, but the weather hasn't cooperated with our plans.

You know how you feel after spending a winter doing little, and you go all crazy that first day in the garden, working so that the next morning you are super sore? I haven't stood that long in four months. My ankle is so sore, the back of my good knee is in knots, stretching my bad one causes spasming cramps. No, not a good time! But it is good for me, sigh.

Just another day at the Neophyte Homestead.

The Best of 2012 in pictures