Wednesday, January 29, 2014
On the move...
I recently added a blog to my website for anyone who has been following me on this blog, in hopes of drawing more of an audience to my website. To read the new blog click here. In the meantime I'll still post here until I get everything 100% moved over there.
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
Cows and The Cold--What we do to Help.
With the somewhat extreme weather that we have been experiencing this fall and winter, a lot of people ask how to the cows deal with this weather? While it's easy to bring the farm dog in to sleep on the porch in the winter, for us it's difficult and would be quite cost prohibitive to build an indoor area large enough for the cattle to go.
First, I always remind people that cattle have been living outside for thousands of years and have natural defences that helps them survive in the winter. All summer long the cattle graze on lush, green pastures; gaining weight and putting on a nice layer of fat to help keep them warm throughout the winter. As the days and nights cool off in the fall, the cattle also begin to develop their winter coat. Thick, dense hair protects them from the winter elements.
Once they are off summer pastures, they are kept on a winter pasture here on our yard. We have an open front barn they can go in to get out of the wind, as well as several areas of wind breaks set up. The wind breaks serve as shelter areas for the cattle to go behind and get out of the wind. To encourage them to "hang out" there, we also place their straw bed-pack on the leeward side (the side where there is no wind). When it is very cold out, the cattle will naturally huddle together and they stay warm by doing so.
During the cold, the cattle require more feed to eat and we meet their needs by feeding high quality hay to them. Our hay is sent to a lab and the nutritional content is evaluated. From this data we can select the right feed for their dietary requirements. We also will feed the hay near their bed pack so they don't have far to travel and can conserve energy and focus on staying warm.
Cattle also require fresh water all the time. The cattle have waters that are heated so they don't freeze. In the winter this can cause some issues as pipes freeze, elements go out of watering devices, etc. We are always checking the waters making sure that the animals have fresh water at all times.
The cattle are our lively hood, and during the winter we spend lots of time checking on the cattle and caring for them. By making sure they are warm and happy when the weather is inclement keeps them heathy and ensures our cattle herd is around for years to come!
First, I always remind people that cattle have been living outside for thousands of years and have natural defences that helps them survive in the winter. All summer long the cattle graze on lush, green pastures; gaining weight and putting on a nice layer of fat to help keep them warm throughout the winter. As the days and nights cool off in the fall, the cattle also begin to develop their winter coat. Thick, dense hair protects them from the winter elements.
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| Cow with her winter coat |
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| Cow with her slick summer coat for comparison |
Once they are off summer pastures, they are kept on a winter pasture here on our yard. We have an open front barn they can go in to get out of the wind, as well as several areas of wind breaks set up. The wind breaks serve as shelter areas for the cattle to go behind and get out of the wind. To encourage them to "hang out" there, we also place their straw bed-pack on the leeward side (the side where there is no wind). When it is very cold out, the cattle will naturally huddle together and they stay warm by doing so.
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| The bed pack with windbreaks |
During the cold, the cattle require more feed to eat and we meet their needs by feeding high quality hay to them. Our hay is sent to a lab and the nutritional content is evaluated. From this data we can select the right feed for their dietary requirements. We also will feed the hay near their bed pack so they don't have far to travel and can conserve energy and focus on staying warm.
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| Tractor and bale grinder |
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| Hay Yard |
Cattle also require fresh water all the time. The cattle have waters that are heated so they don't freeze. In the winter this can cause some issues as pipes freeze, elements go out of watering devices, etc. We are always checking the waters making sure that the animals have fresh water at all times.
 |
| Steaming waters mean they are working |
The cattle are our lively hood, and during the winter we spend lots of time checking on the cattle and caring for them. By making sure they are warm and happy when the weather is inclement keeps them heathy and ensures our cattle herd is around for years to come!
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| A happy cow = a happy cowgirl! |
Saturday, January 11, 2014
How others are Supporting Local
I'm a huge advocate for supporting local whenever possible. On our farm, we try to raise the majority of our food. We have a very large garden which allows me to can or freeze it's bounty. Besides our beef, we also have a few chickens that provide us with fresh eggs or I purchase them from a farmer's market when they aren't laying, and pork and chicken from our local butcher. Because you can't buy all your food at a farmer's market in Alberta, we do weekly visits to our local grocer as well.
In Staffordshire, England, some film students at Staffordshire University became huge advocates for supporting local, as well! Their project was titled "Farmers on Film" and inspired by Sarah Gayton, a baker from Staffordshire Moorlands and Staffordshire Olympic Co-ordinator for the Women in Food & Farming Union. Before the Olympics came to London in 2012, 120 students' researched farming attitude, tourism and identity for the Farmers on Film project, producing 23 three minute profile films on different farms and food producers in Staffordshire. Students also aimed to persuade officials to use the films at Olympic venues and as part of an online marketing drive from Visit Britain to promote the region to foreign and domestic tourists. The videos are linked by QR code onto their corresponding food product, so consumers can scan the code with their smartphones and view the video of the farmer behind the food.
I think this project is something that all local food movements should do! This would be one way of advertising farmer markets through social media, for example. The customers could go onto YouTube, click on the corresponding video, and find out more about the farm or farmer they are supporting. As well as linking a QR code on food packaging with a video of the farm.
These students have created quite a buzz in the local food movement of Staffordshire, and their films have won lots of recognition, including a bronze medal Podium Award at the Olympics. In closing, hats off to the Film students at Staffordshire University! This is a great way to get bring people onto the farm, and showcase farm life to others!
To view the videos click here
If you are on Twitter please give @farmersonfilm a kind follow as well!
In Staffordshire, England, some film students at Staffordshire University became huge advocates for supporting local, as well! Their project was titled "Farmers on Film" and inspired by Sarah Gayton, a baker from Staffordshire Moorlands and Staffordshire Olympic Co-ordinator for the Women in Food & Farming Union. Before the Olympics came to London in 2012, 120 students' researched farming attitude, tourism and identity for the Farmers on Film project, producing 23 three minute profile films on different farms and food producers in Staffordshire. Students also aimed to persuade officials to use the films at Olympic venues and as part of an online marketing drive from Visit Britain to promote the region to foreign and domestic tourists. The videos are linked by QR code onto their corresponding food product, so consumers can scan the code with their smartphones and view the video of the farmer behind the food.
I think this project is something that all local food movements should do! This would be one way of advertising farmer markets through social media, for example. The customers could go onto YouTube, click on the corresponding video, and find out more about the farm or farmer they are supporting. As well as linking a QR code on food packaging with a video of the farm.
These students have created quite a buzz in the local food movement of Staffordshire, and their films have won lots of recognition, including a bronze medal Podium Award at the Olympics. In closing, hats off to the Film students at Staffordshire University! This is a great way to get bring people onto the farm, and showcase farm life to others!
To view the videos click here
If you are on Twitter please give @farmersonfilm a kind follow as well!
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