Coffee's Ready, Come and Sit on the Porch

[baymule]

You already know that You and BJ were an inspiration. So I really need to say Thank You. It's a lot of planning, time and hard work leading up to this point. But like I tell most people, after a day of hard work and I'm all nasty, I clean up pretty good with a bar of soap. I called my granddaughters and told them, they are super excited to come see them.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

I'm glad that we could encourage you to jump out there and make the move. Yes it is hard work, but it is satisfying work. When you put that first steak on a plate, have that first hamburger cook out, it will be worth every step you took, everything you did to care for those steers.

 

[baymule]

Done with my coffee, dryer just stopped. Got to start another load. Neighbor is in hospital having a kidney stone blasted today. Got to go let their dogs out to potty and let the hens out to forage for the day. I'll go back at mid day to let dogs out again and if necessary, go back this evening to close up the hens. That's what neighbors do.

I'm loading up the truck today to go to Groveton in the morning. I took down the horse round pen panels that I used to make a corral around the barn and pulled up T-posts. Going to cram all I can in the pickup and load boxes in the back and front seat. Son is off this weekend, going to try to move the shipping containers and block them up. Hopefully I can unload truck into a shipping container, maybe unload flatbed trailer of all the lumber, used tin and cow panels (covered with a tarp) and put the lumber in a container. It would be nice to get all the lumber and crap out of the living area of the house and into a container too. We'll see. Y'all cross your fingers.

I had to put the truck in the shop Monday, got it back Tuesday. It has a slow oil leak. They know my situation and didn't tear it apart to fix it, but patched it up for now. I went yesterday to pay the bill.

I said I'm here to pay the bill.
He said Merry Christmas.
I said Merry Christmas, how much it the bill.
He said Nothing, you have enough problems, Merry Christmas.

When Social Security finally settles up with me on filing on BJ's SS, they will catch me up with back pay. I'm barely surviving on my tiny check, but have some savings. I sold my horses, and have sold some sheep and that has served to tide me over and put fuel in the truck and car. I'm BLESSED. But when I finally get caught up on SS, I will take the truck back and get it fixed. I so appreciate the effort to not gouge me right now. There is a reason why we always used this repair shop.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

 

[CrealCritter]

They seem to like the very back non-corner of the pasture under the oak tree. They were laying down and stood up when I clapped my hands. Very Thankful to have them here.

Edit a few more pics.

Ear tags 30 & 39. 30 seems a little older than 39.

Profile pic, 30 is in the front, 39 in the back.

Again we are very Thankful to Almighty that they are here.

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[CrealCritter]

Done with my coffee, dryer just stopped. Got to start another load. Neighbor is in hospital having a kidney stone blasted today. Got to go let their dogs out to potty and let the hens out to forage for the day. I'll go back at mid day to let dogs out again and if necessary, go back this evening to close up the hens. That's what neighbors do.

I'm loading up the truck today to go to Groveton in the morning. I took down the horse round pen panels that I used to make a corral around the barn and pulled up T-posts. Going to cram all I can in the pickup and load boxes in the back and front seat. Son is off this weekend, going to try to move the shipping containers and block them up. Hopefully I can unload truck into a shipping container, maybe unload flatbed trailer of all the lumber, used tin and cow panels (covered with a tarp) and put the lumber in a container. It would be nice to get all the lumber and crap out of the living area of the house and into a container too. We'll see. Y'all cross your fingers.

I had to put the truck in the shop Monday, got it back Tuesday. It has a slow oil leak. They know my situation and didn't tear it apart to fix it, but patched it up for now. I went yesterday to pay the bill.

I said I'm here to pay the bill.
He said Merry Christmas.
I said Merry Christmas, how much it the bill.
He said Nothing, you have enough problems, Merry Christmas.

When Social Security finally settles up with me on filing on BJ's SS, they will catch me up with back pay. I'm barely surviving on my tiny check, but have some savings. I sold my horses, and have sold some sheep and that has served to tide me over and put fuel in the truck and car. I'm BLESSED. But when I finally get caught up on SS, I will take the truck back and get it fixed. I so appreciate the effort to not gouge me right now. There is a reason why we always used this repair shop.
MERRY CHRISTMAS!

The world is so jacked up right now. But Yes, You Are Blessed! Just keep on thanking Almighty, He likes it when we Thank Him.

Colossians 3:1~17 (Mainly verse 17)

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[FarmerJamie]

Our group finished up all of our prep work for Toys for Tots a day early! Get an unexpected night off today before tomorrow's distribution.

Final count is 240 families, I don't have the final kids or total toys counts yet.

Many of the requests had special needs requests or specific toys types. So proud of these kids I work with - one of my tasks was to double check the order before it was approved as complete. I randomly asked the kids why they chose a specific toy or decided to go off script (for example, only kids 5 years old and under were to get a stuffed animal). One kid came up with toys for a request that stated that although the recipient was 10, they had issues and functioned equivalent to a 4 year old. There was a stuffed animal in the box.

So, when you hear negative stories about the issues with the school age youth, please be assured there still remain pockets of good and respectful youngins out there. This week, they took their responsibility very seriously.

 

[CrealCritter]

Our group finished up all of our prep work for Toys for Tots a day early! Get an unexpected night off today before tomorrow's distribution.

Final count is 240 families, I don't have the final kids or total toys counts yet.

Many of the requests had special needs requests or specific toys types. So proud of these kids I work with - one of my tasks was to double check the order before it was approved as complete. I randomly asked the kids why they chose a specific toy or decided to go off script (for example, only kids 5 years old and under were to get a stuffed animal). One kid came up with toys for a request that stated that although the recipient was 10, they had issues and functioned equivalent to a 4 year old. There was a stuffed animal in the box.

So, when you hear negative stories about the issues with the school age youth, please be assured there still remain pockets of good and respectful youngins out there. This week, they took their responsibility very seriously.

Kids are the bomb dot com. Of course, there are a huge number respectful childern out there, much more than the disrespectful ones. It's not all doom and gloom or as my wife would say "Childern that have had proper home training".

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[The Porch]

Our group finished up all of our prep work for Toys for Tots a day early! Get an unexpected night off today before tomorrow's distribution.

Final count is 240 families, I don't have the final kids or total toys counts yet.

Many of the requests had special needs requests or specific toys types. So proud of these kids I work with - one of my tasks was to double check the order before it was approved as complete. I randomly asked the kids why they chose a specific toy or decided to go off script (for example, only kids 5 years old and under were to get a stuffed animal). One kid came up with toys for a request that stated that although the recipient was 10, they had issues and functioned equivalent to a 4 year old. There was a stuffed animal in the box.

So, when you hear negative stories about the issues with the school age youth, please be assured there still remain pockets of good and respectful youngins out there. This week, they took their responsibility very seriously.

So great! And I am so glad they have a guy like you to hang out with

 

[CrealCritter]

I searched high and low for a Dexter milk cow for my wife and came up empty (no phun intended ) . So I turned "mission impossible" over to Almighty --->
https://www.sufficientself.com/thre...nd-sit-on-the-porch.16884/page-64#post-479676.

Please don't ask me how this happened, I have absolutely no idea and I honestly really don't want to know... But my wife is currently negotiating a deal on three soon to be four or five LOCAL to us Dexters. A bred belted Cow (easy birther), a (potentially bred) yearling heifer and a young belted bull. It's looking more like we'll most likely be receiving some mini cows.

I can sense I best get moving on fencing in the next 5 acre pasture in barb wire sooner rather than later.

Young Dexter Bull

Belted Dexter Cow

Yearling Dexter Heifer

Jesus is Lord and Christ

 

[farmerjan]

@CrealCritter ... I miss your posting on BYH because I don't go on here as often. And I had bilateral knee replacements (BOTH AT ONCE) the end of Oct so was not on here for several weeks and am trying to get them working and getting back to some work and normal life...

First, these cattle are not straight dexters. Not trying to be negative. Dexters are in 3 colors, black, dun and red. White hair except a minute amount, is a disqualification. Originally Dexters were raised as a "tri-purpose" animal... much like the devons and shorthorns... milk, meat and draft animals.
They are smaller cattle but are not a "true miniature".... 600 lb cows and 1,000 lb bulls is not mini but definitely smaller than the standard size of most cattle in the 1,000 to 1400 lb cows and 1800 to 2400 lb bulls.
The ones we called "lowlines" are a line of angus that are now called Aberdeen Angus... they also are a smaller sized angus.
What it looks like in the pictures is belted Galloways... probably crossed....maybe with dexters. NOTHING WRONG with that. Galloways are maybe little smaller than "average beef cattle". The big deal about galloways... which come in black, red dun, and more rarely a white with darker points, like a speckled park.... and BELTED. They are related to angus but they have a very heavy winter coat... they are actually what we call double coated and the extra coat of hair helps to keep them warmer in the wet winters AND allows them to NOT put on alot of backfat. But they will get up to the 1,000 lb and 16-1800 lb sizes.

There is also a breed of dairy cattle known as Dutch Belted... they are mostly for milk and do well on grass operations.

Galloways and Scottish Highland have the double hair coat. Both have shorter legs than many of the "modern" beef breeds. They are not good breeds for "modern" type farms due to them not bringing any kind of money due to feedlots not wanting them. But they are IDEAL for the smaller farmsteads and personal use. The cuts are a little smaller which works for smaller families.

I have not heard of anyone milking a belted galloway or a scottish highland... but that has as much to do with the docility of the particular animal.... I have friends that have milked 1/2 hereford - 1/2 dairy animals... I have milked some 1/2 jerseys 1/2 angus cows.

They look like nice animals.... but please do not mistakenly call them dexters as they are not.... They might be a percentage, but they have either belted galloway or Dutch belted in them.... The belt is very prepotent... it will show up for years and years. I presently have 2 bred belted heifers that are a percentage angus.... I have had many over the years and really like them. I am currently looking for a Dutch belted cow or heifer to add to my nurse cow group and for some milking. Now that my replaced ankle (FEB 2020); and now both the knees in late Oct 2021, are healed/healing, I hope to get back to my nurse cows next year raising calves on them. We are also selling a little more beef direct to customers in either halves or whole animals since we use a state inspected facility not a USDA facility. My calves raised off the cows is a bit of work but they more than pay for the cows and puts a little in the kitty for the next bunch. The 6 cows are farmed out to a dairy farm for the time being knowing I was going to need these surgeries. I get my milk off a friend's farm that milks 3-5 brown swiss right now, but will go back to milking my own for the house next year I hope.

 

[farmerjan]

P.S. I don't want you to get taken advantage of. There is NOTHING WRONG with crossbred animals.... but please don't perpetuate the myth that they are belted dexters.... there is no such animal. And I don't want someone to sell you something that is not what they are claiming it to be. And one other thing... I would not keep a bull for only 2 or 3 cows. Get them bred AI.... and run an extra cow. A bull can be very docile and easy to handle .... until it isn't. We run 10-12 bulls all the time.... we have alot of cattle and rent many smaller 10-30 acre places where we have to have bulls to breed these cows... Or use a bull for breeding and then put him in the freezer... and yes, bulls make good meat if not real old.... they put weight on and gain well and for the most part are pretty lazy.
Having a bull for only 2-3 cows will cost you way more than AI service and you will have to deal with him sooner or later not being happy with nothing to do and then they get to roaming, or get attitudes or something. A bull is not for a beginner to keep around. And please... if you do have one....do NOT ever rub or push on him from the front of the head.... ALWAYS rub, scratch from the side of the neck..... head to head is their way to show dominance.... you cannot win and do not want to start a bad habit that you will not break and will lose out in the long run.