Tales from the Farm

A while back, Jason and Seth embarked on a business together raising cattle. They bought 4, and kept them up on Margie's pasture. I didn't feel "close" to them, as Jason often did the chores and I didn't honestly interact with them much on a daily basis. They bred them, and when they were closer to calving, we moved them out to our pasture. 

Once on our pasture, they became a part of our family. We learned their tag numbers, and watched as each one came nearer and nearer to becoming a first time momma cow! A

nd then, Jason planned a vacation. He left me home alone, with all three kids for 2 nights, and 3 days. His final words as he left for that fun fishing weekend with the guys...."hey, you know, I highly doubt it'll happen, they aren't due for a few more weeks, but just keep your eye out if any of those heifers go off by themselves....it might mean they are going to calve."  I didn't ask any more questions, and he didn't offer more information, but I did keep my eye out that weekend. All weekend I'd watch them. In fact, Friday evening, after all the girls had left from our "girls & kiddos night", Jenna and I assumed the roles of Seth & Jason -- and checked a heifer that we thought appeared to be losing her plug. Turns out, it was just her tail hairs. Whew....

Fast forward to Sunday morning...me and the kids in the house, when Ava (our lab) comes dragging up this huge, nasty..............well...........let's just suffice it to say that I knew something had happened over night. So, I went out to investigate. I looked all over, and then there she was....the first new momma and her sweet, sweet babe, in the early morning light. I grabbed my phone, frantically dialing Jason, then Seth, then Jacob, then Jason again................not knowing if I was supposed to be doing something for this new calf, or if all was good. I watched her nurse, then gallop across the pasture, and figured all was well. Then Jason finally returned my call and assured me those were all good signs, and I reminded him, "don't worry though, they probably won't come while I'm gone".

A week later, on the Saturday of Mother's day weekend...our next calf was born. We had our eye on the heifer all weekend, when she seemingly laid down behind the wood pile and stood back up with a new baby. Just. That. Easy. (Any gal who is a mother is currently thinking, "Wish we had it that easy!") Icing on the cake, in a sea of black cows....we now had a brown calf! Love the brown ones!

Almost a week later, Grandma & Grandpa were out, and watched with us of a Sunday evening, as the third hiefer had her calf. How fun to watch the birth unfold. Even more fun to see a second brown cow join our herd...we would have hated for the first one to be the only brown cow!

I think Grandma Jacki could have sat and watched all night! She's definitely our animal lover! We also noticed as we watched, the #42....the largest of the heifers, whom I'd joked looked to be having twins....was definitely headed into labor. She was up. She was down. Just couldn't get comfortable. Girl, I feel your pain. We waited and watched, but nothing seemed to be moving. We assumed she'd wait  until the crowd went home, and would do her thing over night. What a blessing to have 4 clean/easy deliveries by first time mommas.

DREAM ON....Jason checked throughout the day. Seth checked. She was definitely in labor...but just not there. Nothing happening. When I got home from work, Animal Lover Grandma was there, checking in on the poor Momma, and visiting with Seth and Jason. Before long, Jason and Colton left for baseball, Grandma headed home, and Keaton, Emmalyn and I went in to start supper. Seth hung around, and met Rodney Hall for cattle birthing advice. Rodney leaves. Seth leaves. Seth comes back with a trailer and says, "we're taking her to Purdue....Rodney says he's never seen anything like this before!". Now Jason isn't around to consult with, and all I can see is:

COW IN LABOR + PURDUE VET CLINIC =  $$$$$$$$$

I. WAS. SWEATING.

Jacob showed up to help load her. Then Brad & Jacki. Then Jenna and the boys. Then Silas. Then John Maxwell. Then Deb & Grandma Pat. I'm still freaking out, and Jas wasn't even home. Does he know? What's he think? Can we afford this? HOLY CRAP. Not to mention, #42 is the LEAST friendly and loading her up, while having been in labor for nearly 24 hours....isn't going to be........easy.

 Jenna and I noticed that perhaps the kids plus the crowd was maybe a dsitraction, so we took the kids inside. And then calmed our nerves. Sort of.

Well, they finally got her loaded about 9pm. The crowd went home. I tried to feed my children supper, and answer questions about what might happen, while still having next to 0 communication with my frantic, stressed, nervous husband. 10pm came, nothing. 10:30 I finally text Jenna asking what she'd heard. "C-sec". My. Heart. SANK. (Read: $$$$$$) Then she text, "It's a boy".....and I replied, "of course it is!" HAHAHA  Only a new little bull could be THAT stubborn!! Once Jason finally got home, nearly midnight...he informed me that he knew, well before they even started loading #42, that Seth had called the Purdue Vet Clinic, and they quoted him around $500. Split two ways, that's $250 per family. Let's just sum it up to say that's a LOT more palatable than the THOUSANDS I was figuring it'd be.

The next day, I dropped my Purdue ID by for a discount (gotta take what you can get, right?), I asked if I could see the calf. Is that face not completely adorable? We named him Boiler Bucks. You could assume why.

So, alls well that ends well. We have four heifers that are now new momma's, and 4 healthy calves. And we have this view out our back window.

Farming certainly isn't for the faint of heart. There are risks. There is victory. There is defeat. You would think growing up on a farm, I would know these things...but for whatever reason, it wasn't until this adventure, with my adult mind & momma's heart....that I truly understand the ups, downs & nervous moments of farming. We're in the midst of one of those nervous moments now....as God keeps pouring out rain, when we really, really, don't need it anymore. Say a prayer for the seasoned farmers, and those like me just learning the ropes of cattle farming. And pray that our cattle business continues to head in the right direction...because those cows out back sure are growing on us!