The simple things...

Roseanna is looking at me with that
look that says "What are you looking at?" 

 The simple things make everything so much easier. They also make things more economical and efficient. By adding a round bale feeder we have been able to cut down on the cows wasting hay. Amazingly the hay stretches farther if they are not able to lay down in it. If they do not lay down in it they are more apt to eat it.

Aeryn tries to explain to them that they should lay down in the sawdust that we put in their stall but they do not seem to be listening. 

Taking cookies to the horses.
He thinks they need the
entire container. 

We have cut them down to one stall in the barn. Since they do not appear to be bedding down in the barn we have decided to stop wasting the sawdust to keep it bedded and clean. The girls don't seem to mind and it has given us extra storage space to hold all of our "stuff". 

We have a lot of equipment in the barn. Probably more than we need. But all of our halters and buckets are there. As well as hay, grain, shovel, wheel barrow....By using the spare stall as a storage area it is easy to keep everything neat and tidy as well. I am trying to drill into Aeryn that because we are "borrowing" the barn it is extra important to keep everything clean. 

They are intently watching Aeryn
 break the ice off the water tub. They know
that as soon as she goes into the barn it's
time to eat.

It's dinner time! He come the girls.

Our second recent investment is a 10 foot bunk feeder. Not something that you would think would be a big life changed. But one that makes things run a little more smoothly. No more feeding each animal individually without a bucket. It just makes things a little bit quicker. The cows are great and they walk into the barn as soon as they see a car pull up. And then they stand there, as pretty as you please, until you throw their food into the bunk. There is no more pushing or shoving. No buckets being tossed around and stepped in. It is a pretty amazing sight. And yes I know that most people would think it odd for me to believe that watching cows eat is a sight to behold. 

When asked why I stand and watch them as they lay into their food at night my answer is simple. This is one of the best times to see if there is anything wrong with any of the animals. When an animal is "off feed", it is a sure sign that something is wrong and one of the first indicators that I look for. It is a great time to see if they are acting any differently than usual. It is also a very peaceful time. 

I look at our cows, very content in their way of life and I think about that commercial that ran on TV forever. You know the one. The one that says that "Happy cows come from California". Well whoever made those commercials never saw the cows from southern New Hampshire because at Long View Farm we have very happy cows. 

Winter is coming...

I will not jump on a horse and ride up and down the road with these words shouted from my lips. Instead I will be farm more productive and plan for the hardest months of the year to come. And I say hardest lightly. It is not that they are overly hard. They are just a bit more difficult than the spring and summer months. I have to plan ahead and make sure everything is set regaurding feed and bad weather. What's a little more planning right?

Our first obsticle to overcome was housing for our lovely girls. Jay overcame that obsticle for us.  Our barn is perfect for what we need it for and the cows are amazingly happy. There is now a round bale feeder in our little pasture and we have started bringing in round bales for them to eat. (By we I would really like to say Jay)

What would Aeryn, Alex and I have done had we not met such an amazing friend? Without his help and tireless effort we would never have been able to embark on this adventure. He has been a huge help feeding on the evenings when I work and have not had a car. He hauls hay and grain for us and given us  the ability to have a better solution for winter forage. His friendship, and hard work have been an invaluable resource.

We have past the six month mark of cow ownership. November was the start of our seventh month. Roseanna is now weighing in at 1330 lbs, Lola is 1050, Rachel is 590 lbs and Rose is 604 lbs.  Everyone has grown up so much! It is kind of like watching our children grow up. The animals have also become increasingly more friendly. Since bringing them to the barn, where they have to come to get grain, there is much more close contact which is enabling them to get better used to daily handling. (probably something that should have been thought out before this endeavor started)

Alex is able to go in and out of the stalls and the barn without us having to worry about him being trampled unknowingly. The cows are much more aware of his presence and will back away from them. Though Roseanna is still a little pushy if you try to step between her and her food.

Jay has arranged with another grain supplier to get our grain and corn broght from a supplier in Northfield. We will be buying it in bulk instead of by the bag which will enable us to reduce grain costs. The cost of feeding over the winter is often a crippling expense and we are planning ahead for that.