llama Grove Groove

It’s hard to see, but the insanely wet and cold weather we’ve had gave us our first hail this week. Unfortunately we’ve been getting over an inch of rain each each day.

The really sad thing about this is that our barn flooded again! Horses and cows are too heavy for french drains.

Because of this and our lack of time, we gave up our beef cow. He’ll have a gret time with the cows in the new pasture he’s going to live in, well, for a while. He is a Jersey Angus cross steer, so he’s not really slated for a long life.

Leif the llama protects his cows. The horse, though, he could do without.

We awoke to an escaped cow. The horse is a little rough sometimes on these little guys when he plays, and they almost always find a way out of their pen when he pressures them. For a little while, the unnamed cow will hang out mowing the back yard.

Lief the llama jumped a second fence to avoid the sound of the newest cow. He ran all the way out of town and was on the outskirts of the next town before Ray caught up with him. On the bright side, Lief hs proven to be a very good walking llama. He sticks to the roads and follows a lead rope without worrying about finding his own way. Ursula, the previous walking llama, was very headstrong when it came to walking.

Today Ray tried out the neighbor’s gas powered weed eater. It has an extendable reach and an attachement that will allow branch cutting. The engine is 4stroke, so it’s better for the environment. But it’s still gas powered.

The fences and walkways are now clear of grass and bramble.

Our cow that will not be named arrived. There is always the trouble of attachment.

Cinnamon was dehorned today. She went to the vet for the procedure, and arrived in green style. This little cow isn’t going to be taken around in the car anymore now that she’s over a hundred pounds. But one last time, for ol’ time’s sake.

Though we said we’d try the cornish cross broilers, a little research proved that these are not the chickens for us. Any chicken that has to have it’s food intake monitored is not the right chick for a free-range, calf-pasture sharing bird. The side effects for not watching the feed ranged from the birds not being able to stand due to the weight of their breasts, to heart failure and a noted stupidity of the breed. So we’ll stick with our dual purpose layers and see how the year goes.

Cinnamon the cow has taken very well to her llama overloards. The llama ladies have shown a maternal side that had previously only been glimpsed when Mariah was indulgent towards alpaca cria. Now even tomboy pack llama Ursula is allowing the calf to try to suckle and none of the camelids spit at her. The horse is still routinely covered in spit, but he seems to ask for it. He’s indulgent in his own way, too. Yuri the Suri was spotted standing on his hind legs to eat from the horse’s feed dish, sharing breakfast.

Project for the weekend: Set up a chick area in the milk stall, maybe get the cupboards up in the feed area. Take time off if the weather is terrible. Get the fir trees trimmed back from stairs and garden areas if the weather is fine. Oh, and teach the darn horse some manners. He’s too smart for his own good.

With a sunny day, the ruminants all herded together and took over a field. Everyone is healthy and happy, except the people who intended to plow. It’s just as well, since we ran out of time…rain has its uses, even beyond keeping everything green.

Cinnamon came home this morning. She rode in style. Like Maverik Man the alpaca before her, she made use of a family car. Did you know that a week old calf fits really well in a Honda Insight? We were pretty sure she would.

More pictures below the cut.

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She was born on Friday. We were even able to see the afterbirth, we got there so near her debut. She will come home to us Saturday.