It's That Time of Year!

It's that time of year, that time of year where Mother Nature can't make up her mind from day to day what season she'll drop in us.  

It's that time of year when horse hair is covering every glove, coat and work jeans you own.  

It's that time of year when baby bovines are being born!  I love calving season.   I love the new babies.  I love the sense of rebirth, starting over.  And I love the smile they bring to my kids and my face.  

Unfortunately, very little of my time has been spent tagging babies, or doing much of any spring work.  My time was spent having an unplanned surgery to remove my gallbladder and then of course on the recovery road 'taking it easy and healing'.  I don't sit still very well.  But, I feel a 1000 times better and am back to almost normal activity

Yes, its that time of year.  Time of year of new dreams, hopes and prayers.  And that time of year where you sit straddling a fence, trying to decide what your next plan of action you will attempt on that ticked of heifer in the corral.  

#473

We were out tagging calves, feeding corn to cows the other night when Tally captured this video.



#473 has become braver over last few weeks, and she finally decided to eat out of the bucket and let me scratch her head.  There's one in every crowd!

Spring in Montana

Mother Nature isn't letting up.  April Snow Showers will bring May flowers, right?  Snow in May? Sure, why not!

 Now, why were are truly grateful for the moisture she is giving us, couldn't Mother Nature at least warm up by 20* and send us this much needed moisture in the form of warm spring rains?

Here is a few snapshots I have taken in the last couple of weeks.  Sadly, this is the most snow we have had all winter.

Wet, cold horses begging for some hay

Mama taking care of her brand new baby

Hubby filling hay feeders for the heifers calves

Snow covered hay bales kind of makes for a pretty picture

Black and white

TC enjoying the snow and helping do chores

nom nom nom 

slushy, watery muddy mess

Tearing into the bales before they got put into the feeder  

Heyyyy Bossss!

Ok, let's try posting this video once more so it can actually be viewed.  Sorry!

TC is (so she sometimes informs me) mine and papa's cowboss.  She's learning at young age, though honestly most of her time is spent catching an nap while we are out feeding cows.
This morning I had to stop and capture this little video of her.  She cracks me up.    Enjoy!

30 Days of Thanksgiving

Cow Camp Crazy's 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Day 1:  So thankful that I am living my dream job; ranching, farming, being a mama, and being a part of Agriculture.  It's not always easy, but it's the perfect fit for me.

Day 2:  It may sound silly, but I am thankful for cell phones and texting, and the ability to send pictures from my cell phone.  My family and close friends are scattered across Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.  Cell phones allow us to keep in touch so easily.  It's easy to send pictures of my girls to my sisters, and their grandparents.  It makes the miles just fade away, and my kids keep in touch.  And it makes me feel like we, as a family, aren't missing out on little things in the others' life as we can keep in touch.

Day 3:  I am thankful for toilet paper.

Day 4:  I am thankful for the communities that I grew up in.  They hold a special spot in my heart and then helped make me who I am today.

Day 5:  I am thankful for my network of friends.  Each one of them adds something to my life.  Many miles may separate most of us, but the miles don't take away the memories!

Day 6:  I am thankful for my children.  They are my little miracle babies.  I think when the doctors told me the impossible, God just laughed and said "watch this!"!

Day 7:  I am thankful for father.  I hope I can remember everything dad has taught and told me over the years, but am afraid I won't.  I love his old wives tales, his stories that are lessons, and his ability to throw you into a situation you would have been scared to jump into, and them him saying 'See it wasn't that bad!'.  I thank him for sharing his love of ranching, horses and that if you love what you do, work isn't work.  I thank him for teaching me that you take care of them first and your livestock will take care of you.  I am thankful he made me work and taught me how to work.  And I am thankful that he is able to share some of these things with my daughters.  My babies first word was 'papa'.

Day 8:  I am thankful for my husband.  Granted he frustrates me, ticks me off and I sometimes don't understand they way he does things BUT he's a hard work, and a great father, and he puts up with me!

Day 9:  I am thankful  muck boots and Carhartt.  Yes, that my sound trivial, but its not.  I have spent the last several days shoveling snow, chopping ice and feeding livestock in a snow storm.  Those of you that share my life, you get me.  For those that don't, I'm telling you Muck boots and Carhartt are wonderful.  Great improvement from when I was a kid and had to put grocery sacks around my feet before putting them in my snow boots.

Day 10:  I am thankful for my nieces and nephew, and for cousins.  They just make my life fuller, funner and crazy.  Plus I love hearing stories from their mothers, as then I realize I am not the only one with crazy kids!

Day 11:  I am thankful for a good dog.  A good dog is next to a good horse, its just right for the soul.  A good dog lets you rant and rave and throw temper tantrums and then snuggles in and makes things better.  A good dog is there to help get that last ol' rip up the alley or through the gate.  A good dog makes you smile, and smiling is great.

Day 12: I am thankful for my horses.  They make my world right.  Nothing helps me get my head on straight like a horse.  When riding that good one thats close to your heart, and you get the cow stopped or pulling calves or hes firing on all engines and cutting like a champ, that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  And I love how my daughters are falling in love with horses and how they seem to have the same effect on them.

Day 13:  I am thankful for my freezer full of meat and my pantry full of food.

Day 14:  I am thankful that as we come upon the holiday season my mother is around to spend it with her family, her grand kids and anyone else she chooses too.  She has outlived the doctors predictions and keeps rocking on!

Day 15:  I am thankful for neighbors and friends that are always willing to lend a hand.  Being neighborly makes hard work and long days go by fast and with a little commraderie and social contact.  It also is allowing us to sneak away to my folks' place over Thanksgiving.  Thank goodness for good neighbors.

Day 16:  I am thankful I am a very awesome grandma and truly awesome, if not stubborn, grandpa still in my life.  They both rock.

Day 17:  I am thankful that when I married D, I gained an awesome family.  We have so much fun and we've got each others back.

Day 18:  I am thankful for this blog.  Not many people see it or read it, but I like that I have a place to jot something down, share something, or not.  It's all up to me. It's mine.

Day 19:  I am thankful that D and I have gotten the opportunity to farm and ranch.  I can't imagine either one of us being as truly happy doing anything else.

I Like Cows

I like cows.  

They are beautiful.

They are survivors.

They are stubborn.

They are good for one's soul.

I just really like cows.

Wordless Wednesday

Spring 2012

The Devil is dancing in Gods country

The devil is doing in fire dance in Gods country but we shall prevail. Fire rages on in south east Montana terrorizing many ranching friends and family of mine. The Ash Creek fire has been a raging inferno for many days now and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. As of yesterday, July 4th, the Ash Creek fire was 1/3 the size of Rhode Island. That's incredible. And sickening, heartbreaking gut wrenching and down right sad.

To me the country on the Powder River and Tongue River in southeast Montana is Gods Country. It can be a harsh, unforgiving land but is a land that will take care of you, embrace you and holds a beauty not everyone sees. Its a country rich with history, full of tradition full and of families that would do anything for their neighbor.

I am actually finding it hard to come up with the right words to do justice in describing what and how I feel about that country, the damn fire, the pain I feel for my ranching friends fighting to save their lives. Below are some pictures of the Ash Creek fire courtesy of my friend Glo.

No Need For Coveralls

Is it really February out there?  Because I know for a fact that T was outside splashing in mud puddles and playing in the mud.  In February, in Montana!  It's crazy.

This years heifers, taking a month ago.  No Snow.  Just Dirt.

I can honestly say I haven't even pulled on the ol' Carhartt coveralls at all this winter.  Or last fall.  The only other winter that I can remember not wearing any coveralls by this time of year was last year.  And I that was because I was really pregnant and there was noway I was going to fit my coveralls.

After last years harsh cold winter, with its record breaking snowfall, this mild winter is nice.  But maybe a little too nice.  We need moisture.  Bad.  We got dust flying everywhere.  It would be nice to have a little snowfall to settle the dust out there and clean things up.

Out helping do chores.

February

February equals Valentines Day.  Check.

But did you know that February also is 'I Heart Beef' Month also?

So in honor of 'I Heart Beef' month I think I will throw out random facts about Beef through out the month of February.  I am a proud Beef Raiser, and do what I can to promote Beef.  And what better place to do a little promoting than in my own blog!

So here's our first random fact of the month:

*Americans associate steak as a “best match” for love (44 percent), romance (42 percent) and passion (41 percent)—more so than other high-end proteins. *courtesy of beefboard.org*

Fall Work

These pictures/this post was scheduled to be published last October.  Somewhere there was a hiccup and it wasn't.  I find the pictures too cute not to post now.  So here ya go, better late than never.

It's October in Montana which means fall gathering, shipping calves, and working cows.  One of my favorite times of the year.  I missed out on a lot of gathering and fall work this year because I have a sweet 10 month old baby girl to take care of.  Such is life.  

Last weekend our good friend was gathering his herd and planning on running his cows through and working them.  The forecast called for an unseasonably warm day with no wind.  Let me tell ya, no wind in Montana is call for celebration!  Big T was at preschool with Grandma scheduled to pick her up.  So Baby T and I loaded up and headed out with Big D to go help Uncle Charley.  Baby T and I waited as the rest of them gathered the herd.  She actually caught a good nap, and I got caught up on some reading.  

Then came the sorting and the working and the visiting.  So what else was I supposed to do.  We backed the pickup up next to the chute, and threw the jumper/exersaucer on the back and  Baby T got to take in all the action!

Checking out the herd.

Smiling for mom.

Some may think it's wrong.  I think that there is no such thing as too young!  The weather was great, and she was happy!  And like it or not this is her life until she is 18 and gone!  :)  Besides, it's fun to watch all the cowboys (young and old) interact with a baby when the baby is on there turf!

April 2011

April 2011 came in like a lion and went out with a roar!!  What a storm we had April 29th & 30th!!  Given the circumstances, we should consider ourselves lucky, as we were just on the edge of the storm.  My friends 15 miles away thought I was full of @#$% when I was describing what I was seeing as I looked out my one window I could see out of!  We lost several calves, and a cow which always hurts, but producers to the west and south of us suffered bigger losses than we did.  

The wind and driving snow in the storm pushed cattle through fences, into damns, miles away from home and into coulees where they piled up and died.  Early Saturday morning we got a phone call from my uncle telling us his big herd had pushed threw his fence and were scattered along the county road.

We had several calves that we lost during the storm.  Dana had found one alive, and we brought him into the garage, and I warmed him up and worked on him for quite some time but he didn't survive.  We figured he must have gotten trampled and was hurt inside.

Tally, who is 4, received quite the education during this storm.  Her first lesson was learning how the storm had broken the power lines, and therefore her t.v. and the lights wouldn't turn on.  She also learned how to be quiet while mommy and daddy were busy discussing and weighing our option on what the best plan would be to take care of the cattle.  But probably the biggest lesson was learning that now matter how warm we make sick baby calves, and how much we pray they live, and how sad mom gets when she can't save the baby calf, baby calves can die.

Like I said above, we have to consider ourselves lucky.  We lost very few of our herd.  We had power back within a day.  And most importantly our family was safe through the whole wicked storm.  My one wish is that Mother Nature back off and send us and the rest of the country some nice weather.

Crazy Cowgirl

T had to wear her chinks the other night while we were out tagging calves, because 'Daddy had his cowboy things on."  She was quite cool, and she informed us she was a 'rooting tooting cowboy'.  What a hoot!!

Posing for mom.

Telling us a tale about being a rooting tooting cowboy that lives in the pasture and rides horse.

I think that's the face of 'No dad, you do it like this."

Makes me quite happy my daughter is soaking up all there is to know about ranching and farming.

She was pointing to the 'catfish' she caught with her fishing pole (whip).  According to her it was a 'big mamajama catfish'.  One has to love and admire the imagination of this little girl.

13

Last Wednesday, Ol' Blue Tage #13 calved!  She had a good looking bull calf.  That's two for two for me!  I showed you pictures of Ol' Blue #14, so of course I had to share pictures of #13's baby.  

So with #14 & #13 calved out, that just leaves, #11 & #12.  I am still hoping for a bull calf out of #11, as she goes back to New Design bull, and we (my dad and I) have kept some bull calves out of her and sold and used on our herd.  We shall see.  I was also hoping for some heifer calves out of these few mama's for some replacements.  But as long as I get 4 live calves I shall be happy.

Nothing But The Truth

I was emailed an article from the Prairie Star the other day, and I just had to share it.  This article is so honest and true that I got the giggles and kept nodding my head at everything this author wrote about.  It was like she had visited my house and then wrote a story about all the crazy things she saw!  The article is entitled Ranchwife's housekeeping modified for calving season.  The author, Erin Slivka, sure has a way of words and describing ranch life!  Enjoy

Ranchwife’s housekeeping modified for calving season

By ERIN SLIVKA 

As I was attempting to tidy up the house the other day, I looked around and realized that not every woman lives like this. I belong to a special sisterhood of women who have a jug full of colostrum in the freezer. I didn’t bat an eye when my husband came in from the barn and set a large pitcher of frothy yellow milk next to the coffee pot on my kitchen counter. 

After all, this is a house that usually has an enormous rubber nipple air drying next to the sink and a bottle of Banamine in the butter compartment. When doing the supper dishes, I shove aside the vaccine gun and stomach tube that are drying in the dish rack.

In the bottom of the washing machine, among the Legos and hair barrettes, I frequently find a copious amount of straw beneath the load of jeans. My dryer’s lint trap is accustomed to collecting those little green castration rings. I’m always sure to check the shirt pockets before they go into the washer, though. The calving book must be removed and protected as if it were the Holy Grail.

While it’s not unusual to see a few pairs of mucky coveralls in the porch, the worst of the dirty laundry often hangs on the deck railing, waiting to be hosed off before it enters the house. When the stench of muddy manure emanating from the muck boots in the porch starts to overpower the smell of fresh bread baking in the kitchen, I know it’s time to throw open the windows and air it out, even if it’s 20 degrees outside.

Since I’ve lived on a ranch nearly my entire life, I am accustomed to this modified version of housekeeping. I know the secrets to removing ear tag marker from the wall and newborn calf slime from jeans.

But to a person not used to this particular lifestyle, our habits may raise an eyebrow. The FedEx deliveryman is probably baffled at the collection of dried placentas that our dog has stashed in the corner of our yard to be gnawed on like jerky. We know it’s a special treat for him because he keeps it right next to the deer leg that he salvaged last fall after hunting season.

We don’t often leave the place during this time of year, and when we do, it’s difficult to switch out of animal husbandry mode. In honor of the rare trip past the end of the driveway, I try to replace my manure splattered sweatshirt with a nice clean version, and I usually substitute a clean ball cap for my wool ear flapper cap that is a critical component of my calving uniform. With a nod to my delicate feminine nature, I even brush the ground feed out of my ponytail and wash my face.

More than once this season I have caught myself heading to the car with a sorting stick in my hand. It has become second nature to grab a stick on the way out the door to fend off any overprotective mama cows who see a bullseye on my rear. And although I try to leave all thoughts of cattle behind me, the other day I caught myself describing my sick child as “off her feed.”

Rejoining humanity is difficult when we have spent weeks living with cows. Being a multitasker, I cannot stand at the kitchen sink without looking out the window for that kinked tail that indicates an imminent birth. I can fall asleep sitting upright when I’m waiting for the clock to roll around for my next check, but I jolt awake when I hear the telltale moo of a new mother, especially if it’s a heifer who thinks a UFO just dropped an alien being in the pen with her as she meets her calf for the first time.

Eventually, life will return to a more normal state. The calving paraphernalia will be shelved, my counters will be cleared, the muck will dry up, and the cows will go to pasture.

But until then, if you happen to drop by, please don’t be offended by my shoddy housekeeping. I promise that I used pasteurized milk in the bread I just made, and I was sure to thoroughly wash my hands before I kneaded the dough.

© 2011 Erin Slivka

The question I want answered is...

Why?   Why would a person do this? 

The Cattle Business Weekly reported today that a former Nerbraska cattle inspector was indicted for faking test results for BSE (mad cow).  He was charged with submitting inspection reports on 92 Nebraska cattle operations, but never really performed any of the inspections. The inspector faces federal charges on mail fraud and making false statements. 

Why??  Was it laziness?  Was it thinking no one cared? 

Montana Beef Checkoff Dollars

I read today that the Montana Beef Council (Council) and the Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) have decided to change how beef checkoff dollars are collected in the state. Beginning January 1, local and state brand inspectors will no longer be collecting the checkoff money from producers. Instead, they will provide the change of ownership paperwork to the producer. The producer is the held responsible to remit payment to the beef council. Local auction markets will collect/remit payment on behalf of the producer.

To learn more go to Northern Ag Network

Fall is Upon Us

Fall is upon us, and harvest has been in full swing for way too long!  We are still (unfortunately) combining.  While this fall rain has been great for our pastures, it sure has put a big damper on getting our durum and wheat combined.  Ontop of that we are starting our second week of sugar beet harvest.  This is our first year raising sugar beets, and it has been quite the learning process.  They have been running crazy hours, so I haven't had a chance to get any pictures, but will do so as soon as I can.  We also have quite a bit of corn standing.  Hopefully thee combining of the corn goes better than last year, but I am not holding my breathe!  Of course, in between all of this, we must get calves vacinated, cows worked, and all bovines shipped home.  Oh, and have I mentioned that I am six months pregnant, so my helpfulness is at a minimum! 

Cattle Auctions

I confess, I am one of those nerds that follows livestock auction barn sales reports throught the region.  Religously.  Well I just discoverd that on two different sites, it is possible to watch these auctions live!  Uffda, I just get all excited thinking about it!  So if you are a fellow follower take a moment and check these sites out:

http://www.cattleusa.com/


http://www.lmaauctions.com/home.aspx


Enjoy!!

Farm Bureau Opposes 1099 Provision

While visiting the Montana Farm Bureau website I stumbled across this interesting article.  It's definetly worth your time to read and share with your neighbor. 


Farm Bureau Opposes 1099 Provision

Provisions in the new health care law that requires farms, ranches and other businesses to complete an Internal Revenue Service Form 1099 for any expenditure totaling more than $600 in a calendar year creates an unnecessary and costly paperwork burden, according to the Montana Farm Bureau Federation.

These provisions, slated to go in effect in 2012, were placed in the new health care law to help pay for it.

Under current law, businesses that pay more than $600 to unincorporated service providers must file an information report with each service provider and with the IRS reporting the amounts paid for service rendered. However, this new provision would require business to now file a 1099 form for any purchase over $600, for services and goods, whether the payee is incorporated or not.

“This places an amazing burden on small business and especially farm and ranch families,” notes Montana Farm Bureau President Bob Hanson. “This means if you buy more than $600 on seed, horse feed, fence posts, corral panels—anything—you must file a 1099. Even if you go to an auction and spend more than $600 on some piece of equipment, you need to send the auction house a 1099.”

Hanson explained that businesses already report what they’ve purchased on their tax returns, and this will add another expense as they pass on the paperwork to their accountants. The government will also have to spend more time collecting and filing the paperwork. “It’s just a huge, needless hassle for everyone involved, and in many cases, it’s double-reporting,” notes Hanson, a White Sulphur Springs rancher.

The American Farm Bureau is strongly opposing the provision, as well.

Farm Bureau backs bills in the House and Senate, H.R. 5141, by Rep. Dan Lungren (R- Calif.) and S. 3578 by Sen. Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) that would repeal the Form 1099 reporting requirements. In addition, American Farm Bureau filed comments with the IRS calling for repeal of the provisions.

“For small businesses like farms and ranches, this provision will drastically increase the number of Form 1099s that need to be sent each year. Farmers and ranchers will have to hire someone to do the paperwork or spend their own valuable time to do the research and fill out the forms.”

In comments to the IRS, Farm Bureau cited research by LeMaster Daniels, an accounting firm that services numerous agricultural operations across Washington State and Idaho. According to LeMaster Daniels, the number of forms that would be required for a typical cattle operation with $250,000 of gross income would increase over four fold from 16 to 68. For a typical orchard with $175,000 of gross revenue, the number of Form 1099s required would increase from one to 19.