Good-bye Bessie Moo Moo.

 

Unfortunately, a few hours after these pictures were taken on 9/25/13...Bess left us.  My heart is broken.  So is Weldon's.  It was so difficult to see her suffering.  I am trying to learn the lesson that God has for me in this.  Right now it's really difficult to go on with this whole farming thing.

 

The hands of a farmer....

For the last year, I have felt like I was "playing" at being a farmer.
I'm not playing anymore.  I have spent nights in the barn.   I have learned to give shots and try to nurse to life into calves, cows, rabbits, chickens, dogs, robins, cats, and who knows what else.  I've forgone sleep and schelpped to the barn in muck boots and jammies because I was worried about the critters. I've given up "fun" things to try to get food to grow out of the dirt. 

Don't get me wrong...I've always wanted to farm (or have a hotel.)  But just like every dream in life, it doesn't come without work or sacrifice.  I have heard "Why do you do it?"  Sometimes you have to go with what you have been called to do.  Even when it's hard.  And when it is hard..like this week has been...you have to decide...is it really worth it?  Have I really been called to this?  And if not, then what?

As I walked in from giving Bess her morning injection, and trying to get electrolytes in her, and crying and pleading for her to get up and get well....I looked down at my dirty, gnarled up hands...and realized...I have the hands of a farmer.

 

Sick cow

Bess knocked down a gate on one of the back doors of the barn and she and Weldon had a party in the feed room. She overate by quite a bit.  (9/20/13)

In the 4 stomachs, food ferments as it digests. The stuff she ate, unlike hay and grass, was not high fiber, it was high carbohydrates (she ate the chick feed I had just bought for the guinea chicks coming the first week of October).  It ferments fast and caused bloat (gas) that can't be expelled. Bloat can and usually does kill because the stomach expands so much that it crowds the lungs and they suffocate. When I went out to milk yesterday morning (9/21/13) she wouldn't come in out of the rain. When I tried to coax her in, I saw she was very bloated and wobbly on her feet. I started giving her water and baking soda with the turkey baster and called our vet.

The vet made a farm call yesterday afternoon (our vet is great!!). He gave her an IV of baking soda/water. When they have bloat, their body tries to neutralize the acid in their stomach by pulling the ph from the blood. Unfortunately this makes a bigger problem because now the blood is also acidic. So the IV was to try to neutralize the blood. She was also given a shot that is basically cow aspirin (anti-inflammatory and pain reliever) and I'm giving her more shots of that every 12 hours. And also an antibiotic. The vet said she'd go one way or the other fairly quickly.

So this morning she was standing briefly, but then laid down and now we can't get her back up. I've been getting water in her as often as I can. Finally this afternoon I got ahold of the vet again. He said he was surprised she was still with us and so that is a victory. Now it's a wait to see if she recovers. More injections (I hate that job) and forcing baking soda water and gatoraide down.  And trying to get her up onto her feet and walking. (And let me tell you,if an 800 pound cow does not want to get up...she is NOT getting up!)

I realize she's a "farm animal" but we do like her (love is a bit too strong). We are praying that our troublesome cow recovers quickly. She seems to be constantly getting into scrapes, but probably most of that is because I am still learning (and messing up!).

Written 9/22/13

Until we meet again....

Sadly, the week passed way too quickly and it was time for Grandma Arizona to head for home.  We were so blessed that she could come out and spend time with us.  We would keep here all the time if we could.

We'll miss you!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Family Portraits

The number one most important thing on my list of things to do while Man's Mom was here was to get family portraits done. We have never done portraits as a family.  A good friend of ours met us at a local park and took tons of pictures and we got some nice ones.  Funny enough, out of over 200 pictures, there is only one of the three of us....so we may have to do it again before Christmas.  We also want to get it done with my parents, too, but that may have to wait til spring (my parents winter in Florida and are about to leave.)  Below are some of the proofs:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I love these guys!

 

 

 

Creation Museum

We took a road trip down to Cincinnati to take Grandma Arizona to the
 Creation Museum.  What a wonderful day.  We enjoyed all the exhibits and shows.  We saw the new planetarium show about ISON.

 

 

 

 

My favorite room is all the models of Noah's Ark.

 

Farm animals-Picture Heavy!

Grandma Arizona came out to help with chores.  Man was "photographer" and took TONS of pictures of us with the animals.


Danny, Kristl, Rea, Bess, Weldon

Bess, Weldon, Rea, Iona, Kristl

Bess, Weldon, Rea, Iona

Bess, Rea, Iona (pay attention to ME!) Weldon

Bess, Weldon, Rea, Danny, Boy, Iona, Gma AZ 

Boy, Iona, Gma AZ

Grandma Arizona and the Meat Chickens

The harvest is almost ready!

Iona

Weldon, Bess, and Ta-Da, the Rooster

Gma AZ and Man
A boy and his Mom!

Mom's visit

Man's mom lives in Arizona (hence why our Boy calls her Grandma Arizona)  Right after her 88th birthday she decided that she was coming out to see us and and the farm.  Two weeks later...here she is!  We are so excited to spend time with her!  The last time she had been to visit, Boy was 5...and still shorter than her.  Now not so much.

 

 

So on September 11, she flew in and we had a blast showing her all the things about our farm life.

 

We went to the Amish Produce Auction (Didn't buy anything...got there too late!)

 

 

Went to a local state park to see if we could find any trees changing colors.  Then to a farmer's market for some fresh produce.

 

 

 

 

Then back home for farm fun!
And Grandma loves to play games with her grandson.