T O P I C R E V I E W |
therealshari |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 6:40:42 PM By 2:30 this afternoon, our Sweetie Pie cow had given birth to the cutest little heifer.
I've added pics to Shari's Gone Country!
She's 1/2 Herferd, 1/4 Corriente and 1/4 Texas Longhorn. That means Mom will become dinner in about 9 months and we'll keep little Buttercup for our "meat breeder".
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
soapmommy60543 |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 4:12:35 PM Buttercup is soooooo adorable! I'm glad my dd didn't see her - she'd say "I want one!" what can I say-she's a farmgirl at heart like her mama!
Also, I'm on yahoo, and I have denim background. It was still very nice I thought, but I don't have sight issues. |
therealshari |
Posted - Sep 24 2008 : 1:52:48 PM Ok ladies, in celebration of Buttercup's one month birthday, there are a couple of new pics and a new blog post.
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
therealshari |
Posted - Sep 20 2008 : 09:42:25 AM Update:
After having to "cut" Buttercup away from Mama in order to put our hands on her, she has finally stood "sort of still" this morning for me so I could "love her". My goal is to halter-train her.
As for her mother, Sweetie-Pie, I've got her trained to follow me with a can of rolled corn. I can move her from place-to-place from outside the pen just by shaking the can, and then rewarding her through the cattle panel with a handful of corn.
She's still pretty spooky when it comes to putting my hands on her, and I have learned a healthy respect for her horns. She thinks I think she's swatting flies. I think she's swatting me, and I've learned to get my hands out of the way quickly.
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
acairnsmom |
Posted - Sep 16 2008 : 9:07:08 PM What's up Buttercup? Welcome to the world!
Congratulations on such a sweetie! And your blog looks good to me!
Audrey
Toto, we're not in Kansas any more! |
therealshari |
Posted - Sep 16 2008 : 12:46:24 PM Ok ladies, after a whole lot of fiddling around, I've licked the problem with my site "looking good"!
I changed themes, and upgraded to WP 2.6.2. What's taken so long was that I also updated a plugin for my gallery. Unfortunately, it didn't work, so had to backtrack a bit.
There are new posts about our lambs going to market, and shortly I'll add more cow/calf pictures.
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
therusticcottage |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 1:35:02 PM Oh she is adorable!!! Congrats!
As a side note - I use Firefox and had the same problem reading your blog.
Handmade Soap and More! - http://therusticcottage.etsy.com The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
therealshari |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 10:05:18 AM This is our first experience with cows. At this point, it's our plan to butcher Sweetie Pie next June without re-breeding her. We'll keep Buttercup and breed her next October.
My only regret is that Sweetie Pie is such an awesome first-time mother. I hope she passes those genes on to our little gal, who is now 1/2 Herford, 1/4 Corriente, 1/4 Texas Longhorn. If I've read correctly, her mothering instinct comes from the Corriente/Longhorn, as those are both very hard range cattle type. They're not known as good for much of anything other than rodeo stock.
Since we're raising a cow for meat rather than milk, this should suit our needs, providing a side of beef every 18-24 months for our freezer. Sweetie Pie should yield about 150 lbs of ground beef and maybe 30 lbs of boneless steaks and roasts. That's small by most standards and because she's more than 30 months, everything that is attached to the spine must be made boneless. Part of the BSE (Mad Cow Disease) requirements are to keep the head, neck, and spine intact. Don't know if we get to keep even the tongue (excellent for sandwiches).
We're getting pics every few days and will have a lot to add to our gallery early next week, as we're renting a tractor for this weekend... Moving manure and doing some shaping on our "desertscape".
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
kristin sherrill |
Posted - Aug 29 2008 : 08:00:33 AM Hey Sheri, Your little calf is so cute. She's a few days older now and is probably doing great. I've got 2 calves that I got as newborns right off the truck that takes cows to the slaughter house to become hamburger for Walmart. They were saved from being dog food by my son-in-law. The heifer is 9 weeks and the bull is 6 weeks. They get 2 bucket bottles ogoat milk twice a day now and I will start weaning them at about 12 weeks. I'm really not sure if I can butcher them, they're so cute and sweet (except when they're chasing me into the barn for their milk!) But that's why we got them. I may juts breed them when they get old enuf then butcher the bull. Any advice on that? I'm really not into castrating. I've heard bulls grow faster than steers. Good luck with yours! Kris |
frolicnfibers |
Posted - Aug 27 2008 : 7:44:17 PM Shari, Buttercup is so beautiful. Thanks for posting the pic!
Diana
Please come visit my animals and my Etsy store on my new blog! http://www.frolicnfibers.blogspot.com |
Aunt Jenny |
Posted - Aug 27 2008 : 3:21:20 PM Aw..she is adorable. I am a sucker for a cute cow. I can hardly wait for my Mona to calve...she is getting wider each day! YOur blog is all denim to me too.
Jenny in Utah Proud Farmgirl sister #24 Inside me there is a skinny woman crying to get out...but I can usually shut her up with cookies http://www.auntjennysworld.blogspot.com/ visit my little online shop at www.auntjenny.etsy.com |
Bear5 |
Posted - Aug 27 2008 : 1:11:48 PM Buttercup is a cutie! Congrats to you. Marly |
therealshari |
Posted - Aug 27 2008 : 11:41:42 AM Strange, Alee. I use FF and only have trouble if I go to specific pages. I'll find the time and gain the knowledge to get it fixed. Either that, or I'll search around and get help.
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
Alee |
Posted - Aug 27 2008 : 10:32:23 AM I use firefox and it is all denim for me as well. There is just a little bar of tan at the top.
Alee Farmgirl Sister #8 www.awarmheart.com Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
therealshari |
Posted - Aug 27 2008 : 09:00:10 AM Hi Tina,
Could you share what browser you're using? The background for the text area is supposed to be tan with a "lasso" background. That denim is supposed to be only in the sidebars.
CSS is not one of my strengths and I'd appreciate any help from anyone who may know how to make the correct adjustments for different browsers, as well as different pages.
Sweetie Pie was a "gift" for us. One of our friends in town paid for her with the caveat that he could get a few steaks from either her or her offspring, and that he could name the calf. He had picked the name "Buttercup" and when asked what if she gave us a bull calf he replied "It will be Sir Buttercup!"
Shari Thomas
Who's giving serious thought (j/k) to changing "Four Country Gals" to "Ms McDonald's Farm" as we're now adding a preggie cow, due in early September. |
Tina Michelle |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 8:41:46 PM I'd like to be able to read the story Sherri, but my eyes can't really read the text very well up against the denim background of your blog:( sorry..but anyhow,congratulations! new baby calves are just the sweetest. I remember bottle feeding calves as a teen ..we would buy from various places ..sometimes dairies, sometimes from folks my dad knew...dad would buy then sell them once they got bigger.
~Seize the Day! Live, Love, Laugh~ visit me at: http://gardengoose.blogspot.com/ and at www.stliving.net you can also check out my etsy shops at:http://GardenGooseGifts.etsy.com |
countrygal56 |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 8:12:39 PM I love the name, Buttercup. Perfect name! She's a pretty little girl! |
SusieQue |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 7:35:13 PM Buttercup is too cute!!
"A mother is someone you never outgrow your need for" |
Alee |
Posted - Aug 26 2008 : 7:15:34 PM Sounds good Shari! Welcome Butter Cup!
Alee Farmgirl Sister #8 www.awarmheart.com Please come visit Nora and me on our new blog: www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |