We did get some rain, but only enough to keep from raking the hay that has been down for several days now, driving us crazy. But the humidity! Holy cow, you sweat buckets just walking around. I finished up weeding the pole beans in the Sand Garden and am now moving on to trimming the tomato vines in the Wolf Garden. The tomatoes got planted a little too close this year and we’ve found that they won’t cross if the vines and their flowers don’t touch their neighbors. So, I cut off any vines heading next door. It’s a process but really doesn’t take that long. I’ve noticed several red tomatoes on some of the vines. Hooray! The Cannonball and Katja are the earliest I’ve seen, so far. I can’t wait for that first BLT. Yum!
Will had thought our big cow was getting ready to calf. But later, she was with the herd and showed no signs of birth having happened or happening soon. Ha ha! Yesterday, three days later, when he was checking the cows, he saw a tan calf leap out of the ferns and run toward the woods. Hmmm, we have no tan calves. I went out in the afternoon and there was the big cow with her tan calf! Then, yesterday, too, our red heifer, which was due to calf, wasn’t with the herd. Oh oh, somebody was having a calf. Well, we spent hours scouring the woods on the ATV and walking. No heifer. I was running through the woods in the Wolf pasture on the ATV when it suddenly quit. Oh gee, a long way from the house and with my bad knees, that was not a pleasant thought. Finally, I got it running and took off for home. I almost made it when the tie rod on the left front tire came off and the tire skidded me to an abrupt stop. Not my day! I started hoofing it for home. Fortunately, I met Will coming to find me, with the golf cart. He managed to very carefully, point the tire in the right direction a couple of times and limp it home. We ordered a tie rod end but until it comes, we’re down to the golf cart. He did go out on foot and there was the heifer. With her buff-colored new bull calf. Whew! With a heifer, you always worry about them having trouble calving. Fortunately, our bull is ¾ Black Angus and throws smaller calves.
Well guys, we’re down to the stretch with turning over our seed business on Saturday. If anyone wants to order from us before then, you can email me your order and just mail the check. The post office is taking forever in mailing these days and I don’t want anyone to miss out before the turnover. I hope everyone will continue following Seed Treasures at Life Root Farm, Lynn and Jesse’s homestead.
— Jackie
