SSDreamin Blessings and curses

[SSDreamin]

SS, since we are both nuts over what Jackie Clay writes/does. I have seeds for the Hopi Pale grey squash, have you grown any?

No! Where did you get them? I would like to try those, since she is so fond of them - maybe, when you harvest yours, and save some seeds, you'll share with me?!

And I totally admit that I am crazy about her - she is my inspiration, and she has great recipes too! I am trying to talk DH into making a tank heater like she & Will did - we haul water to the barn, and have no electric out there for a tank heater.
Some day, when you are a regular writer for BWH, you can tell her in person how great I think she and Will are (if you have time, since you'll be so dog gone famous by then! )

 

[BarredBuff]

I got them from Baker Creek online. Mom bought a bunch of new seeds to give us more variety and I made sure she got them. After I get a crop this year, I will send you some

She is my inspiration too, ask my mother If I had large stock, I'd for sure have a tank like that! Thats so smart!!! You make me blush, I hope to be a regular one day. I have another one to send out to Back Home, Tuesday after I get pictures printed. Then I am going to work on two to send in to BWH.

 

[pinkfox]

YAY BIG PIG!!!

 

[Icu4dzs]

I can't say that I am a devout Jackie Clay fan, BUT I do read BWH regularly and have put a few "letters to the editor in there from time to time.LOL.

Buttercup is going to be milked, but not right away. I have been doing some research on the issue of hand operated milkers and of course I looked a a milking machine...which was $2000. gulp!

One guy builds a thing called "Easy Hands Milking machine and it sort of looks like an erector set with two bottles on a small bench. The whole issue is to make enough suction to get the milk out of the teats. I have thought about using a Wagensteen apparatus like we used for chest wounds with two large bottles, on of which is filled with water and it empties into a bottle below it which causes suction on the tubing attached to the bottle. I am going to try it with some large containers (like a 50 gallon drum) and see if that works to produce enough suction to to the trick.)

I am glad that pig girl is walking again. You said her girl parts were badly injured as well and she wouldn't be able to breed. I don't know if that is true. The stuff on the outside really is just for "show and feel" and it is the stuff way up INSIDE that does the real work. Of course you must remember I am only trained on one "species" and most vets learn a variety of species. But it seems to me that this is the only issue. It may not be as much "fun" for her, but everything should "work as advertised" on the inside. Just a guess...

The window thing sounds good. I hope they are sealed really well because that is where all the heat goes out!

Best,
Saepe Expertus, Semper Fidelis, Fratres Aeterni
Trim sends
//BT//

 

[SSDreamin]

Thanks Guys! She ran - RAN! - up to me when I went out to visit earlier! I don't want a 600-900# 'pet' that eats constantly, but Hubby & I both agreed that we could NOT eat her now

Icu4dzs: I can't say that I am a devout Jackie Clay fan, BUT I do read BWH regularly and have put a few "letters to the editor in there from time to time.LOL. bow

Buttercup is going to be milked, but not right away. I have been doing some research on the issue of hand operated milkers and of course I looked a a milking machine...which was $2000. gulp! rant
We have bought a milker from Dansha Farms, in preparation. It is perfect for our needs, allows us to 'machine milk' her, without power, and it only cost $68 total! I'm pretty certain anybody with a little mechanical inclination could build one themselves, but to not have it be yet another thing on hubby's to-do list, it was well worth the money.
One guy builds a thing called "Easy Hands Milking machine and it sort of looks like an erector set with two bottles on a small bench. The whole issue is to make enough suction to get the milk out of the teats. I have thought about using a Wagensteen apparatus like we used for chest wounds with two large bottles, on of which is filled with water and it empties into a bottle below it which causes suction on the tubing attached to the bottle. I am going to try it with some large containers (like a 50 gallon drum) and see if that works to produce enough suction to to the trick.)

I am glad that pig girl is walking again. You said her girl parts were badlgy injured as well and she wouldn't be able to breed. I don't know if that is true. The stuff on the outside really is just for "show and feel" and it is the stuff way up INSIDE that does the real work. Of course you must remember I am only trained on one "species" and most vets learn a variety of species. But it seems to me that this is the only issue. It may not be as much "fun" for her, but everything should "work as advertised" on the inside. Just a guess...hide
DH says we will give her the opportunity and see what happens, then decide what we do from there. She fought so hard to get to this point, I think it's the least we can do for her.
The window thing sounds good. I hope they are sealed really well because that is where all the heat goes out!
DH is SOOOO anal about building things, you can bet these are sealed up tight I told him yesterday that I can stand in front of the windows, even WITHOUT the trim or anything on, and feel absolutely no draft - something I can't do at any other window in this place! He said that's because HE refuses to cut corners
Best,
Saepe Expertus, Semper Fidelis, Fratres Aeterni
Trim sends
//BT//

Animal adventure of the week: Ice Cream went into heat. :/ DH looked up online and several studies indicated that cows can still have heat cycles even if they're pregnant. Anyways, this was THE WORST, by far, that she has ever had!!! First, she cried. Loudly. ALL.Night.Long. Then, she jumped the fence into Ferdinands pen. DH got her out of there, back in her own pen and came back in the house. An hour or so later, he hears her moo - RIGHT NEXT TO THE HOUSE! So, he goes outside to gather her up, and she's nowhere to be found! DH comes around to the front of the house, and sees her - she is being herded OFF THE ROAD/DOWN THE ROAD by a guy in a small car! She runs into the neighbors yard (The one's with the Great Dane that came over to visit her a while back ). DH grabbed a rope and tried to catch her - she decided freedom was WAY better, and refused to cooperate. Long story short, she got locked in the barn until her 'time' had passed, but not before kicking DH!! When he told me what happened, I couldn't believe it - not my precious little girl I am very thankful that DH was home and got on it right away - or I might've passed her on my way home from town! "Hey there, Ice Cream, where ya goin' ? To town? Well, be back in time for dinner and stay out of the woods, cuz it's deer season you crazy, ornery goof ball!"

 

[BarredBuff]

Oh, Ice Cream!

 

[heatherlynnky]

Oh lord, that sounds worse than when mine went in heat. I think what i took away from that story is it gets worse. I don't know how much of these heats I can handle. M neck and shoulder are still killing me when mine tried to treat me like another cow. I think maybe I would start tracking those heats and lock her up at the first bellow. Even when they are being sweet they can hurt you big time. In a herd environment the cows will cover each other to tease the bulls. Well if she decides you are another cow to tease Ferdinand with.........well you get the picture. Thats one big cow to fend off. Is your husband ok from the kick? They really go from sweet to insane in nothing flat. Well I hope this is her last and that she is really pregnant so you guys can get a break from these.

 

[the funny farm6]

that sounds like something that would happen here!

 

[Denim Deb]

Maybe I don't want a cow!

 

[SSDreamin]

Deb - Don't let this scare you off. Cows CAN be weird, crazy and very DRIVEN, but so can goats, horses and even dogs. I was most surprised at her clearing the fence, but I have read about that girl in England who trained her steer to be a jumper, just like a horse, so... Normally, my girl is asweetheart - DH says we'll mark her 'time' and start a precautionary lock up, to save us time and trouble, hopefully

Heather - The worst we've had with ours to this point was a lot of rubbing/head butting. Irritating, but harmless. Most of her head butting was curbed when we followed the 'old farmer trick' of never petting her head/face I learned from my youth with Holsteins to never turn my back on a cow in heat - treat them just like an intact male, which served me well then and now Hubster said she kicked, but without any force. More like a "You suck, you took away all opportunities for fun" than a true blow - so not even a bruise, just muck on his pants. DH hopes this is her last too - me, being female, feels for her and seem to have a bit more patience for her temporary insanity!

BB & Funny Farm - She is a crazy girl and I always tell my friend the city girl that I don't need outside entertainment anymore - this place gives me all the drama/comedy/thrills I could ever need!