Wednesday 22 July 2009

Moving Day.







The grass is getting long and unmanageable in the big pasture, so today was the day to move the thirteen young heifers to "pastures new." Gates were opened, sentinels posted, feed bags rattled and it all became an easy process. The first photograph show them gaily trotting down the lane - this is the lane above the farm - you usually see the lane in the other, more interesting, direction. The second photograph shows them going into the paddock, en route for the pasture - I love to see them in this mood, kicking up their heels and charging round the field.
Once they had quietened down then the farmer gently herded them through the gate to the new pasture.
Notice the farmer's new waterproof! He thought his old one was waterproof until last Thursday, when we had almost four inches of heavy rain, when he found out that anything more than a light shower went straight through his outer layer. So a new one is being given its first airing - and as there are heavy showers (yesterday was a wet day, albeit light rain) forecast - it should get a good try out today.
I hear from BT that it is raining again in Ireland and I am afraid that mostly we then get it here. So much for the "hot, dry summer" that the weather men told us we were going to have.

35 comments:

steven said...

hi weaver, thanks for these lovely pictures. i worked on a ranch in kansas once long ago and they used motorcycles to round up the herd and move them!!!
you mention the weather people's predictions for a hot dry summer. doesn't it strike you as odd that with all the technology and knowledge they have acquired and accumulated, the best way to predict the weather is still to simply stick your nose out the front door!!!!! it must play havoc with the farmer's plans and preparations i imagine. have a lovely day! steven

Robin Mac said...

I love reading about you moving your 13 heifers and looking at the lovely pictures - it is all so different from heere in Australia - where my sister and her husband had 58,000 acres and thousands of cattle!!! Hope the rain stops soon for you so you can enjoy a bit more summer. Cheers, Robin

Bonnie Zieman, M.Ed. said...

Your photos remind me of the first time I saw calves who had wintered in a barn released out into a field. They went crazy - kicking up their back legs and having a grand old time. Seemed so out of character for the languid, easy-going stance in which one usually sees cows.

Thanks for bringing back a nice memory with your pictures!

Titus said...

Yes, the Irish weather seems to come our way too. Apart from the first week, the school holidays have not quite been the sunshine idyll we'd hoped for thus far. Today, rather like the new waterproof tale, we had to go out and purchase two new pairs of wellingtons for the youngest weans. It's July!

Rachel Fox said...

Buckets of rain here last night. You may as well look at your horoscope in the paper as at the long range weather forecast!
x

Dave King said...

Great pictures, plus I do enjoy reading your bulletins on the happenings there. Keep them com ing, please.

Sara said...

I love the pictures of the cows - there are some really pretty ones in the herd. The first time I saw a cow in playful mode it took me aback. I always imagined they did nothing all day but stand & eat grass! It really shows you a different side to them when they kick their heels & frolic. I love cows & I love ther rough tongues - it's great to hand feed them grass & feel that sandpaper tongue, if you don't mind a bit of cow drool that is!

Heather said...

Your heifers look quite frisky in one photo and very well cared for in all of them. Hope the farmer will stay dry - on the inside of his coat at the very least. I am so glad that I didn't rush out to buy drought loving plants for the garden this year!

Unknown said...

Hello Weaver,

So now there are two reasons to stand well clear of the cow's rear!!

Elizabeth said...

Rustic and lovely to look at
but quite hard work I'm sure.
"Pasture's new" always sounds so lovely.

Leenie said...

Even heifers get excited with a change in their surroundings. You have quite a variety of color in your herd. They do look happy and healthy. Will you sell them or raise them for dairy purposes? Sorry about too much rain. We finally have seen some warm dry weather. It all goes east from here. Maybe it will make its way across the Atlantic to you!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Steven - over here we still us pine cones and seaweed to predict the weather - and I must say they are often a jolly sight more accurate than the forecasts!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Robin Mac - I cannot begin to imagine fifty eight thousand acres and thousands of cattle. I suppose with that number you never get to know individuals. We used to have an old cow - number 55 - and she used to regularly steal other cow's calves as she loved rearing babies. If the calf was born in the field in Summer and we heard a mother mooing we knew that 55 had pinched the calf and run off.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Bonnie - one of my favourite things on the farm is the day the cattle are let out after wintering inside - they go absolutely mad.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Titus - love that word "weans" - it puts you firmly on the map.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Yes Rachel - we had a wet day too.
Sorry I have not joined in your photo quiz - I have been enjoying the pics though. Dominic tells me it has been one of his favourite blogs over the last week or two.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks Dave - the bulletins will continue when there is anything interesting to report.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Sara - these are cross breed heifers - mainly from Belgian Blue father and fresian mother or limousin. They do come in assorted colours and are being raised for beef.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Heather - any drought loving plants would have gone under long ago I would guess - we would have been better buying plants for ponds!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Derrick - your sense of humour has come into play again - I am still laughing at your comment on my putting flowers on the electric fence!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Elizabeth - not such hard work in Summer , when they more or less look after themselves.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Leenie - most of them will be sold for beef - the odd "good" one might be kept to join the suckler herd to raise more calves next year.

Unknown said...

I saw your comment this morning about how every mother thinks her baby is perfect and I came over to say hi : ). I love farmers. My Daddy loves farms. He grew up on one. I always hoped one day I would have enough money to buy him one. This was a wonderful post and I am so glad I came over to visit to you today. I also love your blog name. So pretty. I can see the word picture.

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

I loved this!! The heifers, the skies, the pasture! And the farmer looks quite dashing in his new waterproof!!

Jinksy said...

What a frisky lot they seem to be - would have freaked me out, if I'd been nearby!

Tess Kincaid said...

WT grew up on a farm in Kansas and he sure does miss his cows. They're such pretty, gentle creatures.

Babette Fraser Hale said...

Oh, that's such beautiful grass! And such happy looking heifers! You have the most beautiful pictures, but then you live in such a beautiful place. When I finish rubbing the dust out of my eyes, I may post some of the photos of our pitiful "lawn" on my blog. Rain is one of the great blessings. I wish someone could explain why it never falls on us.

Penny said...

Looks very typical but our roadsides NEVERlook as lush as this.
I went on the Royal welsh site last night as our granddaughter is there and the ring was a quagmire, glsd we dont show our ponies too often in those sort of conditions.

Raph G. Neckmann said...

Those heifers look as if they enjoyed their little sortie!

Very nice new waterproof - I do like green. (I can't seem to get a pinstriped waterproof for myself though!)

Cloudia said...

Wonderous parade, weaver!
Aloha-

Comfort Spiral

Arija said...

My, those beasts look to be in great condition. Wish we had as good pasturage here, also your quantities of rain. Beautiful photos.

Pondside said...

I love the view of the cows kicking up their legs! The picture of bovine joy!

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks to you all for your comments - I have told the farmer you think he looks "dashing" - he is not impressed - it takes more than that to get through to a Yorkshire farmer! Have a good weekend folks.

BT said...

I love your photos and stories of farm life. It's all new to me. The farmers here often move their cows from field to field and I never really know why! Farming is all a mystery to me. It really rained again over night and this morning but this afternoon and evening has been really lovely. At last. Maybe that was the Summer!!!

Rob said...

Hi Weaver, Making the grass grow is one good thing all this wet weather is for. I was only wondering the other day where all the people went that kept on telling me in March that we were in for a hot summer, I see you haven't seen them up there either then. Another thing I was thinking about is when we had those few days of summer there was someone here complaining about it, yet I've not seen or heard anything of her for the three weeks of rain, so whats that all about? You'd think she would be out here enjoying the rain all day if she hated nice weather so much but no, there's just been me and the keeper out there in all weathers as usual. Bob.