Calving Has Started

We generally start "calving season" right about now. We may have one or two calving in December and January, but once February through May comes, we're busy!!  So far we've had 6 babies born this week, 2 bull calves and 4 heifers.  So far so good! We hope for heifers, since they are the ones that grow up to produce milk, and that produces a milk check.  Bull calves we send to the stock yards, or sell privately to those who want a bull to raise for either beef or breeding.  When those little guys get about 2 years old, watch out! They get mean, and wouldn't think twice about killing a person.  This time, it turns out, we'll be sending one bull calf to my sister-in-laws in exchange for about 16 dozen eggs.  I need the eggs right about now, because my poor hens have gone on strike.  Makes me wonder why I'm feeding them so much!  Spring comes, the eggs will come too.  Of course, with all the babies bouncing around the place, my camera batteries decided to die.  I'll try to get some pictures this weekend after I get to town and get batteries.  They are so cute when they are little. From the looks of our breeding wheels hanging here in the office, we've got about 7 more cows due to calve within the next 10 days, and another 10-12 before March, once march comes, we're looking at about 20 more.  We'll be milking around 50 cows by April 1.  This is a wonderful thing!  More milk means more money, most of the time!  As long as the milk price holds this year.  Don't think we'll survive another big bottom out of the milk price.  This past year hurt!!

We're still dealing with snow, and as of last night freezing rain has joined in.  Made the driveway and our road fun today.  I'm scared to walk down the lane to get to the barn.  Our barn inspector made it in today. Good weather for it! Hoping it made it home without any trouble.  Our roads in our county are not the best, and I think most farms are on the worst.

I have to admit, after spending 4 days here at home, not going anywhere, I started feeling a bit cooped up.  So, we got in our 4WD pickup, and ventured to town, which is only 2 miles away, but on our road, it seems longer.  It's slick out there.  We stopped at our little Convenient store, picked up a few things that are reasonably priced (which is not much!), and made it back home.  Still haven't seen the mail go, so I suppose they did not run today. 

Found a link to a news article in the Columbus Dispatch.  They featured Ohio cheesemakers, and we're listed!  It's still amazing when we see our farm name listed in articles.  You can see it here: http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/travel/stories/2010/02/14/Cheese_Trail.ART_ART_02-14-10_F1_RKGH1D6.html?cat=&sid=101&title=Food%20tours%20take%20cheesy%20turn%20in%20Ohio&type=rss
I also put it on our Twitter page and Facebook.

I've also got some new recipes that I've been trying since being snowed in, and I plan on posting those in the next day or so.  Planning on getting to Marietta on Saturday,and looking forward to it!  It may be my chance to get out for a few hours and then do some grocery shopping.  They are calling for another snow come Monday.