Springtime

 Springtime on the farm is always a fun time for me.  I just love to see all the newborn lambs and calves.  There is just something about them that bring a smile to your face.  We started calving on January 27 and finished on March 19.  So when the "Blizzard of Oz" hit the majority of the calves were already on the ground.

We calve out in a field/pasture.  The trees provide ample protection.  They are fed bales of hay daily.  

Here is a newborn calf.  The mom licks it up to clean it and get the blood circulating.  

Lambing season began on January 28 and finished on February 11. Ewes and lambs are kept in the barn until they are about ten days to two weeks old.  

Since baby lambs can't regulate their own body heat until they are about three days old.  It is important to have a heat lamp to keep them warm.

Here is a mom, ewe, with her baby lamb.  They are kept in lambing jugs, pens that are 4' by 3'.  This allows the ewe and lamb to bond.

Take time to enjoy

I had always loved windmills.   Growing up we had a windmill that provided water for the livestock and we also watered the garden out of the tank.  Here is a picture of the windmill on the Sakala homestead.  

Windmill at the Sakala homestead

Here is a windmill on our property.  This is where we winter the cows.  The windmill is the lone source of water.  So unlike most people, we like to have the wind blow on a regular basis.  I took time to stop and take this picture the morning after the Blizzard of Oz on February 26, 2013.  Honestly, I probably took five minutes just to sit and admire the beauty of nature.     

What a majestic site.  This picture was taken at about 8:00 am

This picture was taken at about 10:00 am 

Wordless Wednesday

Quick and Easy

I love to cook and bake.  I call myself a "dump and pour" cook.  I dump a little of this and pour some of that in.  I just use most recipes as suggestions.  Here is a recipe out of one of my favorite cook books, "More Kitchen Keepsakes" by Bonnie Welch and Deanna White.  In high school I worked for John and Bonnie.  They lived on a ranch and had a cow/calf and yearling operation.  In addition, they competed in cutting horse competitions.  Bonnie was a super cook and has three cookbooks.  These are my go to cookbooks

Quick and Easy Quiche
Serves 6
Microwave or oven

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1/2 cup biscuit mix
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated (or any grated cheese you have on hand)
1/2 cup chopped ham or crumbled, crisp bacon (or browned, drained sausage)
3 eggs, beaten (or 4 or 5 or 6 eggs)

Mix melted butter, milk, salt, pepper and biscuit mix in blender or food processor, or mix well with a beater. Pour into a greased, glass 10 inch pie dish.  Sprinkle batter with cheese and meat.  Push the meat below the surface with the back of a spoon.  Pour eggs over the ha and cheese.  Microwave for 18 minutes or bake in oven 40 minutes at 375.

This is "More Kitchen Keepsakes".  One of three of Bonnie's cookbooks.
Tried and true, quick and simple, yummy and tasty recipes.
All the recipes are no fail.

National Ag Day 2013

There are several blogs that I follow and enjoy.  I have been contemplating a blog of my own for several years, but have been hesitant.  Why am I hesitant?  Maybe I won't have the time to keep it updated or even the fear that no one will follow it.  I have  facebook, twitter, and instagram accounts, so today I'm going to go for it and make a blog.  So welcome to All in a Day.

March 19 is National Ag Day
Why should today be any different than the rest?  I was born, raised and live on a farm/ranch, so I am deep rooted in Agriculture.  Checking cows this morning it just hit me that I need to share my story.

We are down to the last two cows to calve.  Only 923 and SnoBall left to go.  While we are driving in the pasture, I see SnoBall get up and lay down again quickly.  I am so excited because I know that she will be delivering a calf before long.  How do I know this, well when you are around livestock all your life and study their behavior you just know.  She isn't really nervous, just uneasy.  We decide to just go on about our business and leave her alone.  Even though I have seen hundreds of calves born in my lifetime, I get excited every time a new calf is born on the farm.

When we came back about two hours later she was the proud mom of a bouncing black bull.
This is her seventh calf she has had.

He had already been up and nursed. 

 It is vital that the calf nurses within the first couple of hours. 

 The cow's colostrum contains proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals, and antibodies. 

SnoBall was Taylor's first 4-H bucket calf in 2004.  

Taylor has saved one Charolais heifer and used three of her steers for 4-H show steers.  

She paid $125.00 for her and bought her from the sale barn.  

More pictures of SnoBall to come in future blogs.