The presents are open, the kids are happily enjoying their new toys, and the turkey left-overs are finished. As the new year is rapidly approaching, I've been doing a lot of looking back over the past year. It has been quite the year for me and my husband at the farm.
First it was our first full year of farming exclusively (no outside income). It's been a challenge some days, but we have managed to survive. Second, it's been a year since I've started direct marketing our beef and selling freezer beef. I have to admit, I didn't think it would go as well as it did. The demand far exceeded my expectations, and I'm excited to see what the coming year has to offer! This definitely would not have been possible without my customers...THANK YOU! Third, it's also been a year since I started blogging about farm life. Although, I'm not an avid blogger, I'm looking forward to the coming year and growing in my writing and blogging ability. I am also looking at being more regular at blogging (although at times this is difficult with the unpredictability that farm life brings!).
I have had a request for more pictures from the farm, so I would like to honor and fulfill that request. At times it is hard to snap pictures while loading and working cattle, but I've tried over the past two months to take some pictures while we are working around the farm to share. Since I'm looking back, I will also look back at the past two months and via pictures, fill you in on what has been happening on the farm. Enjoy and a blessed and prosperous 2014 to all!
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| November--Visited Agri-Trade to view the new innovation in Agriculture. Really enjoyed the show & free passes from a Twitter contest. |
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| In November we had an outbreak of pneumonia in our herd. Since we only use antibiotics on the cattle when they are sick, I'm checking a calf's temperature to see if he has a fever or not to see if he needs treated. |
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| All of our cattle supplies that we keep on hand to deal with sick or injured animals. In addition, the day-to-day supplies that we need for our herd. |
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| My help and a very friendly steer! |
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| While checking cows, my horse thought he needed a little loving too. |
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| Even the Kubota has cup holders! Great for a cup of coffee on a cold morning checking cows! |
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| My orphan calf. His mom died on pasture this fall. He had a touch of pneumonia, but with a little medication and TLC is better again. |
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| The cows know when it's feeding time! |
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| Pre-conditioning calves. Vaccinating them before they are weaned. We vaccinate our herd for common ailments in hopes of keeping them healthy. |
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| It was a very cold November & December. You know it's cold out when the cow waters are steaming! |
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| My first egg in over 2 months. My chickens decided on Friday (December) 13th to begin laying again. |
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| We've had so much snow that we had to shovel out the corrals with the skid-steer before we could use them to wean calves. |
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| My helper on weaning day |
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| "Niki" showing me that she is a real cow dog and can get a calf in the corrals herself. |
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| The yearling's, open heifers & open cows loaded an on their way to the auction. |
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| "Larry" the Christmas Bull |
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| The kids enjoying themselves in Montana. Not as much snow & much warmer temperatures were better for the young ones. |
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| A very peaceful panoramic view from my parent's ranch. |
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| The kids in Montana at my parents ranch, checking out Papa's cows in the corral. |
