Friday 8 May 2015

A lonely little petunia.....


...in the onion patch!

We still have in-calf cattle in our loose housing.   They can smell the grass growing and they are getting restless.   A few at a time they are being let out and when that happens they frolic down the pasture like little children (albeit ungainly little children).

But some have to wait in for the freeze-brander to arriver, hopefully this week-end.

In the meantime we have a pedigree Jersey heifer in among the mature in calf Holstein ladies.   She is also in calf, but it is her first calf.   I wonder if she realises that she is different.   She is certainly beautiful, especially around the eyes.  And she is very tame.

Whenever the farmer goes to bed them down in the morning, she comes across for him to stroke behind her ears, which he does.   But there is a down side to this because when he stops she is inclined to nudge him to do it again - and of course she doesn't know her own strength so a nudge from her is enough to send him sprawling.   It hasn't happened yet, but he is very aware of how dangerous it can be in there - thirty or so animals, none of them meaning any harm, but all of them capable of doing him some injury.

Here is her photograph - don't you agree she is a beauty?


16 comments:

A Heron's View said...

You know Pat I rather like the Channel Island cattle Guernsey's and Jersey's, for both are quiet and easily handled. In my younger days we had a Guernsey cow called Pat and to bring her in for milking we only had to call her name.

Rachel Phillips said...

We had a Jersey herd on our farm. They all had names and were very loved by me and my brothers. We sold the herd in the mid 1980s. Many happy memories.

Yael said...

She is so beautiful. I never had any kind of cows but i like them.

Heather said...

She is beautiful. Guernsey and Jersey cows always look as if they apply their eye make-up better than any of the others!

Splenderosa said...

Goodness, she really is beautiful, isn't she? I love her color, it looks like actual skin, so smooth & youthful. How I would love being in this environment, but I think I say that every time I visit you. xx's

angryparsnip said...

She is indeed beautiful and I love her color and hers eyes. She looks very sweet. Does she have a name?
How much longer till the babies appear ?

cheers, parsnip

Joanne Noragon said...

Life really is back to normal.

Cloudia said...

Yes, and lovely to hear of such well cared for animals.





ALOHA from Honolulu,
ComfortSpiral
=^..^=

the veg artist said...

I spent many childhood summers on a farm, and my aunt and uncle always had a Jersey among their two dozen or so herd. The high cream content of their milk improved the fat ratio in the total milk sold to the creamery. And yes, they are beautiful and friendly!

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Oh, she is a beauty. And I love the scratching of her ears and the time it takes to do that. Weaver? Do you know how much joy you bring every visit I make to your blog? I love your life.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Parsnip asks when the babies appear. Every one we have in the loose housing is different - they come to us from our neighbouring friend and farmer A, and spend time with us until about a fortnight before the calf is due - then they are taken back to calve at home. Occasionally they calve here (always a surprise and a nice one usually) because they 'bag up' before the birth and it is easy to tell that their time is nearly here.

Acornmoon said...

She is a beauty, I love her colour, so soft and rich.

Gwil W said...

HV, First I've ever heard of a cow called Pat. Has it anything to do with cowpats? Some kind of farming humour perhaps?

Linda Metcalf said...

She is a pretty girl!

Terry and Linda said...

I love cows! I think they have the most beautiful eyes!

Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer

The Weaver of Grass said...

Thanks to everyone for visiting.