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Project Discussions:  Wildflower porch  |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10604 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10604 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 01 2025 : 03:07:15 AM
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| What a cutie! I didn't realize you separate them so quickly from their mommas. |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2025 : 10:47:29 AM
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| So cute. Hopefully she's not red, white and ...blue :) |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Aug 02 2025 : 12:46:23 PM
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| She's doing fantastic! And still a sweetheart. They do just fine being separated. It's just that sometimes the calves get rather ornery when they "come into their own". She acts like we've been friends forever. |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2025 : 7:28:39 PM
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Did you know calves get hangry? I didn't but that little red baby is a real butt head when she's hungry! Once her belly is full she's back to sweetheart. We ended up naming her Cutie Patootie.
Had a couple more born:
This one is a baby girl
And this lucky fella gets to stick around for a few years.
We haven't picked names for either of them yet. |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
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debbieklann
True Blue Farmgirl
3154 Posts
Debbie
Madras
OR
USA
3154 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2025 : 7:30:47 PM
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| Im glad Im not the only one who gets hangry! |
Debbie Klann
Farmgirl Sister #770
2018 Farmgirl Sister of the Year
January 2020 FGOTM
"Well behaved women seldom make history"...
Laurel Thatcher Ulrich |
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Blessed in Colorado
True Blue Farmgirl
5317 Posts
Debbie Fischer
Coos Bay
OR
5317 Posts |
Posted - Aug 24 2025 : 7:32:21 PM
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Oh my goodness that little white fella is so cute, coloring is amazing.
And the little girl has such beautiful eyes. |
Big Hugs,
Debbie
Farmgirl if the Month for:
September 2012, February 2018, September 2022 and August 2025.
My altars are My Mountains and the Ocean. Lord Bryon
When I am old I am wearing Purple. I am Old!!
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2025 : 6:11:47 PM
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Another bull calf
He fell asleep in the driveway while I was getting his pen bedded!! |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
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Wanda Sue
True Blue Farmgirl
1651 Posts
Wanda
Murrells Inlet
SC
USA
1651 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2025 : 6:14:00 PM
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| Bless him. |
A day hemmed in prayer is less likely to unravel.
Wanda Sue
Farm Girl #3677
Farmgirl of the Month-August 2022 |
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Blessed in Colorado
True Blue Farmgirl
5317 Posts
Debbie Fischer
Coos Bay
OR
5317 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2025 : 7:23:59 PM
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| Aww, thank you Heather, a happy cute photo. Hes so sweet. |
Big Hugs,
Debbie
Farmgirl if the Month for:
September 2012, February 2018, September 2022 and August 2025.
My altars are My Mountains and the Ocean. Lord Bryon
When I am old I am wearing Purple. I am Old!!
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PrairiePearl
True Blue Farmgirl
181 Posts
Jeanette
Nanton
AB
Canada
181 Posts |
Posted - Sep 05 2025 : 7:53:20 PM
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| O my goodness, all of these sweet cows (bulls and heifers)! Congratulations on the growing herd! |
Jeanette
Farmgirl Sister #8699
~Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. ~ Corrie Ten Boom
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2025 : 07:56:10 AM
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| He is so cute! Newbie q-- do even adult cows curl up like this regularly to sleep? It seemed like horses mostly slept on their hooves... |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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Jokamartell
True Blue Farmgirl
1569 Posts
Karen
Kennewick
WA
USA
1569 Posts |
Posted - Sep 06 2025 : 8:30:01 PM
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| Heather, He shares a bday with my oldest daughter!! :) He adorable! |
Karen :)
To quote one of my past preschoolers Not one of those Karens, but a good Karen! Haha |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Sep 09 2025 : 1:19:20 PM
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Chris - that's the way the cows usually sleep, old and young. Every once in a while one of them will make my ticker tick extra fast by laying flat on their side with all 4 legs straight out. I have to watch very closely to make sure they're still breathing every time I catch one like that LOL! Luckily they don't do it often.
We had another bull calf but I don't have the pictures off my camera yet. About 2 weeks now until the next couple are due. |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Sep 10 2025 : 08:18:17 AM
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| Thank goodness that is rare. It sounds similar to when a kid decides to practice breatholds floating facedown in the pool... Warn us first! |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Sep 12 2025 : 12:09:43 PM
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Holy crap! That would be scarier that seeing a cow!!!! I agree - advance warning is required before breatholds LOL!
Here's the newest baby boy:
He came out with his fall jacket on! |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2025 : 09:26:20 AM
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| So cute! Do the calf births keep coming even through fall and winter or is he towards the caboose of the 2025 batch? (I really need to work on the Beef badges to answer all my newbie questions) |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10604 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10604 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2025 : 09:51:27 AM
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| Love all the beautiful babies coming Heather! How many more are expected this year? |
Denise~~
Sister #43
"I am a bookaholic with no desire to be cured."
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path"
Psalm 119:105
www.ladybugsandlilacs.blogspot.com
www.torisgram.etsy.com |
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Blessed in Colorado
True Blue Farmgirl
5317 Posts
Debbie Fischer
Coos Bay
OR
5317 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2025 : 10:55:03 AM
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| He is so cute. Love how they are looking right at you while you take the picture. |
Big Hugs,
Debbie
Farmgirl if the Month for:
September 2012, February 2018, September 2022 and August 2025.
My altars are My Mountains and the Ocean. Lord Bryon
When I am old I am wearing Purple. I am Old!!
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Sep 13 2025 : 1:49:26 PM
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Debbie - waving my hand and making noises will sometimes get them to look at me, but sometimes it takes 20 pictures to get 1 good one!
Chris - the beef book won't help answer your questions, but if you're like me it will help put you to sleep at night LOL! Feel free to ask away - I'll answer anything I can about dairy farming. Cows are like humans - they cycle all year around. They average a 21 day cycle versus our 28 day average though, but like us they're pregnant for 9 months. On our farm we usually breed so that we don't have calves born in the worst of winter. We used to only have calves from March to October. Due to some challenges with feed it's been shifted around a bit and this year we have a few stragglers. We have one due in Nov. and one due in Dec. On larger farms with better facilities they don't pay attention to the calendar and breed and calve year round. Some dairies are seasonal and will breed to have all their calves in a 6 week window (usually early spring). That way they get a break for a few weeks when they're all dry. Not a bad situation if you're willing to get rid of any cow that doesn't get pregnant in that time frame.
Denise - I believe we have 6 more due. 3 this month yet, one the beginning of October, one in November, and one in December. |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Sep 14 2025 : 07:42:03 AM
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Wow, that seems like it would take a lot of organization and record keeping to stay on top of!
Are you a dairy farm as well? Do you sell milk to a wholesaler? How does that work? What do you make of "organic" or "grass-fed" labeling? (I have been scrutinizing the grocery store options to try to find the most sustainable but am not sure how to go about it) |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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PrairiePearl
True Blue Farmgirl
181 Posts
Jeanette
Nanton
AB
Canada
181 Posts |
Posted - Sep 15 2025 : 5:11:00 PM
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It is such fun to see all of the postings about cows and all that comes with having them. Good questions, Christine!
Denise, is it better to have the babies spaced out? Is the December one due around Christmas?
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Jeanette
Farmgirl Sister #8699
~Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. ~ Corrie Ten Boom
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levisgrammy
Scattered Prairie Hen Honcho
10604 Posts
Denise
Ohio
USA
10604 Posts |
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nndairy
True Blue Farmgirl
1861 Posts
Heather
Wapakoneta
Ohio
USA
1861 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2025 : 08:55:01 AM
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Chris - there is no short, simple way to answer your questions (except the first one: yes, we're a dairy farm) so grab a cup of your favorite beverage and get ready for a book LOL! We belong to a "cooperative" that buys our milk. I say "cooperative" because that's how they label themselves but we really have no say in how it's ran and there's an inc. part of it that they try to keep quiet. That co-op is Dairy Farmers of America (DFA). They are the only option for us where we are located since we do not want to process our own milk and sell to the public. They pick up our milk every other day and take it to a processor. The processing plant is either owned by DFA or has a contract with DFA to supply the milk. Since we're a very small farm (we only have 30 cows) and our milk hauler picks up other "small" farms (they don't fill a semi trailer by themselves) our milk usually goes to the same processor every time. Larger farms that fill a semi trailer (or more than one) will have a yearly contract with a hauler and it's between the hauler and DFA where the milk is needed and gets hauled to every day. Some stay sort of local, some travel across state lines. Milk from WI ends up in OH. Milk from MI goes to FL. It's really kind of crazy. It's all based on supply and demand. I'm trying to keep this simple so if I'm confusing you let me know. The second part about labels - organic labels mean organic milk. Grass fed is a very tricky label. It will require some homework about the company making the label. Some are truly 100 % grass fed - no grain allowed. Some are simply a policy that the cows have access to the pasture if they want to wander out there, but there's no requirement as to how much (if any) time they actually spend out there. Or how much of their diet comes from the pasture. Or that the cows can not have grain. In my opinion, the best milk is raw milk that comes straight from a farm, not a store. I know that's not always an option. In Ohio it's illegal to sell raw milk. In order to get it you have to buy a herd share and then you own part of a cow. You're then paying the farmer to care for, feed, and milk your cow and in return you get milk. As far as the sustainable part - I'm not sure that with organic or grass fed one is better than the other. That's going to be an individual farm thing rather than a label thing. I really like organic, but some of the worst farms I've seen have been organic. It's a thing I call organic by neglect. In my opinion it's not sustainable, or good for the cows, to just not do anything to be organic. I also don't think cows should be forced to be outside when it's really hot or really cold, etc. Just to be grass fed. You can make a good argument for it, I just think the best way is to keep the cows as comfortable as possible. Also sometimes cows need more nutrition than grass can provide. We have a very brown yard and pasture right now due to drought. Irrigation is very costly... Dairy farming is very diverse in the way that things get done!!! I hope this sort of answers some of your questions. If it were up to me I think I'd place them in this order - buy direct from a farm if possible first. If not, organic grass fed would be second. Organic would be third. Unless I know the company policy for the non organic grass fed brand I'd skip it and not pay the premium over regular milk. I know that maple hill creamery is a great company to support sustainable grass fed milk, but I'm not sure they get milk out to CA. They're in NY. And I'm too far away from CA to know the companies out there. I do know that Aurora organics has had a lot of violations for their very large farms not having enough land to meet the grazing requirements to be certified organic.
Jeanette- The December one is due the 21st. It's possible it could be a few days late and be a Christmas baby :) It really depends on your farm goals as to if it's better or not to be spaced out. If a farm wants to be seasonal the cows need to all have their calves as close together as possible. I don't know if you know or not but a dairy cow gets a 2 month vacation every year. They are "dried up" (not milked) for 8 weeks before their due date. The wonderful part of being seasonal is that the farmer gets a break from milking too. The bad part is no milk sold = no income. So if a dairy farm has purchased 1/2 a million dollars (or more) worth of robotic milkers they probably want the cows evenly spread out throughout the year to keep the cash flow consistent. The same if you're paying employees. Again, there are so many ways to do things on a dairy farm LOL! |
~Heather
I would rather be on my farm than be emperor of the world. George Washington |
Edited by - nndairy on Sep 16 2025 09:00:21 AM |
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PrairiePearl
True Blue Farmgirl
181 Posts
Jeanette
Nanton
AB
Canada
181 Posts |
Posted - Sep 16 2025 : 8:56:33 PM
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| Heather-I am sincerely appreciating your answers regarding your dairy cows. I am embarrassed to say that I am happy to go to the store and get my organic heavy cream in a glass jar and have very little knowledge on how it got there (until now)! Thank-you for being a dairy farmer so that so many can enjoy the fruits of your labor! Have a great day and please keep sharing the beautiful pictures. |
Jeanette
Farmgirl Sister #8699
~Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. ~ Corrie Ten Boom
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Bellepic
True Blue Farmgirl
281 Posts
Christine
Santa Ana
CA
USA
281 Posts |
Posted - Sep 17 2025 : 3:49:47 PM
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Thank you, Heather! This is very helpful! You could be a professor in our front porch MooBA program :)
Yes, we have Maple Hill here in CA and I went down that rabbit hole of factoring the "food miles" of shipping dairy from NY to CA. Ultimately, I went for a brand called Alexandre that does organic grass fed ("regenerative?!") because they seemed to operate closer. You inspired me to research herd shares and I found one that will cover my area in "phase 2" of its roll out this coming January! The minimum share is double the milk we use right now though, so it might be a good time to start working on those cheese badges... |
Farmgirl#8680
www.steamstead.blogspot.com
Oct 2025 FGOTM |
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Project Discussions: Wildflower porch |
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Wildflower porch
