Stuff

We woke up to cool weather yesterday.  Unusual after what we have dealt with lately but we very much enjoyed it.  We had rain showers on and off most of the day,three tenths, not alot  but plenty to get wet in.  We had a fairly laid back day.  The cows were out eating on their own.  The bulk tank has come up a bit, not where it should be, but improvement is good.

Today it was cloudy with a few showers, again not alot but a quarter inch.  Bruce did a milk culture that has been on the to do list and I took it to the vet clinic.  On my way I saw something crossing the road that I didn't recognize.  When I got to it I stopped and standing in the middle of my lane was a young badger!  He looked at me for a few seconds and then it was as if he realized his mom wouldn't approve of him being in the road because he turned and headed for the field.  We know there are badgers around but rarely see them.  Bruce thinks its 10 years since he has seen one.  He was cute and seeing him made my whole day : )  The cows were out on pasture again today.  We let them out assuming the sun would come out and we would get them back early.  Bruce had given them a small amount of new pasture because of this but it stayed cloudy all day.  Mid afternoon Bruce asked me to come out and help reset the fence.  Normally he does it himself when the cows are on their way home.  Mike was confused by this process because generally he herds them to the gate and home.  Today he was only allowed to watch.  I haven't been out in the pasture for awhile.  The grass they are eating now is as perfect as pasture can get.  It was funny to see the cows hustle into the new grass and even funnier to see random ones kick up their heels and run and play just for the heck of it.  Bruce sees them do it fairly often in his routine.  Mike makes sure everyone goes into the new grass by just walking up behind them and standing.  He doesn't run or push, just stands and suggests they move.  As they move he walks behind and when they are in the new grass he walks away and continues the process with anyone else that hasn't gotten there yet.  While we were out there Bruce found the end of the water line had popped open.  We suspected that had happened since the water pressure in the house is lower when there is a leak.  After coming home to get parts, he fixed that also.  The steer group has now been moved into the area the cows just left.  They did a good job cleaning up the pasture they were on.

Joe came today and washed the exterior of our pipeline.  I know there are people who feel cows need their tails, and most of ours have them.  In the barn some of them, not all, slop them in the gutter and then proceed to paint themselves and everyone and everything around them.  If you are a believer that cows can swat flies with their tails, then there is no doubt that they can hit farmers if they want and where they want.  Lets just say its not the best part of our day.  They make less mess when they are in the barn full time but in summer the gutters tend to be emptier and have more liquids.  For this reason too, we are glad they are back outside.  It was another warm and sticky night milking again.  We can be done with this humidity any day now.