A new addition, farm shopping, getting help

Mama and I got to watch as Big Mama had her calf. We went over to the barn lot Saturday morning to check how things were with the cattle and saw Big Mama laying under the cedar trees at the barn. There was already something coming out her backside – part of the birth sack. Mama got worried that something was wrong but I made a couple calls and got her reassured that everything was actually okay. The entire birth took about twenty minutes. As we watched I saw a front hoof first appear. Then the other and a just a moment later the head. The calf went back and forth a bit in the birth canal but finally, after the front shoulders made it through, she slid out onto the ground. Mama, or rather the grandkids, named her Marshmallow because she has a very white face. She is doing very well, perhaps better than the little bull calf #95 had almost a month ago. Big Mama is still very heavy looking. That may never change. We watched for a good bit of time as the calf struggled to stand. It was very entertaining to see her flop, tumble and collapse as she put into use muscles that had never been tested. Now she is up and running around like a pro.

I spent the first part of the morning driving to get feed, pick up our meat at the meat market and get milk at the dairy. The trip to Muenster is about 50 minutes each way. Since I was driving right past the feed store on my way to get the meat Mama did an early inventory of feed at the farm and had a list ready by the time I got to the store. I was surprised we needed twelve sacks of feed total but it has been over three weeks since Mama last made the trip. Having gotten the feed, I went to the meat market and got our pork. It was a total of five flats of meat, each weighing about sixty pounds. That will keep us in pork for a while. On the way home from Muenster I would normally go through Forestburg towards Alvord. Dry Valley Dairy is only a six-mile run from the tiny town going towards Montague from the turn in Forestburg. Since Mama and Victoria have been talking about getting some fresh milk, I turned toward the dairy and got them two gallons of milk. I think the extra stop added less than twenty minutes to the overall trip. It is a route we will have to take each time we go for feed.

Mama and Victoria attended a youth rally at church in the afternoon. I was worn out and hurting by the time they needed to go. All of us had laid down for a short nap before the church function but my nap turned into a several hours long rest. I am doing better. As I worked about doing what I could Saturday morning into the afternoon, I felt like my back began to limber up but the pain never let up. I did not feel as stiff, but I felt a lot more pain. It made Sunday tough to get through as I led the singing but I made it.

I will be traveling to Houston tomorrow afternoon and will not be back in the office until Tuesday next week. We have Memorial Day off and I have arranged for Bro. Daniel and his sons to help me install the front door Mama and I bought several weeks ago. I would have needed help even if I was not hurting as badly as I do. It is a very, very heavy solid wood door and jam. It will change the look of the house once it is installed. Mama is ecstatic. I will be relieved to get it done and have the door safely in place.

Bro Daniel is also going to build me a Banty house so we can make the Banty’s a proper yard. Although, he may not get to do it now as easily as he had thought he could. He has been out of work for a couple months (which is why I asked him to help me out with the new Banty coop) but tomorrow he has an interview for a position at a local bank. He is excited about the prospect. We are all praying it turns out well for him. Even though our coop may be put on the back burner again.

Maggie and Aaron are making good time crossing the continent – and enjoying it as they go.