Relocating, recycling

Mama and I spent the first part of the evening getting hay to the cows. To date we have not found a supplier to buy hay from so we are continuing to go to our neighbors to get last year’s bales he has stored right behind our property. As hay goes, it is not bad hay, but it is not as good as the bales I bought from a local farmer earlier in the year. I will go back and see if he has any hay left, probably tomorrow evening, so we can store some up for the next couple weeks. It is convenient to get the bales from a nearby location but there is a lot of waste with our spoiled cows. They will dig through the bale, eat what they want and spread the portion they do not care to eat on the ground around the ring we put the bale in. After I got the bale set out I swapped implements and cleaned up from the last couple times we set out bales. We are accumulating a pretty good pile of hay mixed with manure in the area where we feed out the hay. In a couple years, it will be some very rich soil. Fortunately, it does not stink and we have had sufficient rain to help it to decompose. The ultimate recycling project.

Yesterday evening the Wycoff’s came by to see the piglets but while they were here we had them help us catch the baby boy goats so we could separate them from their mommy. They were starting to drag her down pretty badly and Mama was worried about her health. Plus, the little girl baby seemed to be lagging the boys. Since the little boys are able to take regular feed it seemed like a good idea. I know the Wycoff’s, Brittany and Bro. Daniel, had fun as we tried to corner the kids so we could catch them.

What I have discovered with the fainting goats is that if you just walk them around – not chasing them fast but at a walking pace – they will eventually faint. That trait is priceless in catching them. So, I began to walk after Millie and her triplets and they finally ended up in a corner of the lot. When we had them cornered one of the boys tried to make a run for it around Brittany and Mama but Brittany caught him. When he was caught, he cried out and his brother froze up so I picked him up. They only weighed about twenty to twenty-five pounds each so it was no trouble carrying them to the new area. They are only four weeks old but they are stinking fast – until they faint – so I was thankful for the help catching them. For the rest of the evening and into the night we had to listen to the boys cry for their mama and the mama cry for the boys. Mama hates that part of raising animals; separating families and all, especially when they are so young.

After the goats were rehomed, we got to talking about rats and squirrels and snakes because of the trap I have sitting in the well house. I explained that I have caught eight rats in that trap and recently caught a large rat snake. Mrs. Wycoff asked if I had killed the snake. She was happy to hear that I had not. But when I told her I had killed a lot of squirrels lately she asked what I had done with them. When I explained that I made no effort to keep them she asked if I would dress the squirrels and save them for her so she can make soup. I would be happy to. I just know that Mama will not eat them so there was no reason to go to the effort to clean them only to throw out the frozen meat later. I am not a big fan either. It is like eating a big rat. When they are skinned and cleaned, it is hard to tell the difference between them and a rat. Now that I know somebody will eat them, I will not feel as badly about killing them.

Another recycling project.