Janie Had Her Calf

Monday, October 17, 2022

Hello friends,

It’s not unusual for us to get frost this time of year, but it looks like it is going to be downright COLD! That means we have a lot of preparation. Our pond water system can handle a little frost, but not the 18 degrees that is forecasted. This is the earliest that we’ve ever had to abandon the pumped pond water. It’s a complicated process of blowing all the water out of the lines, draining the pressure tank and the pump, and making sure nothing freezes and breaks. The pond is way low anyway, so it looks like we are going to start using rural water. Lord, we need pond filler rain!!! The system has a heat lamp on it tonight, but we’ll decide what to do tomorrow.

Then there are all the apples. I have most of the Ida Red apples off that big standard sized tree that I can reach, even with my 16-foot extended apple picker. The Johnagold is mostly picked as well, but the Fuji tree is not even quite ripe. I checked with Google and the apples can handle a freeze down to about 28 degrees without damage but unfortunately not the lows we are expecting. Darn. I picked a whole box full today even though they taste a little green. The poor tree is loaded, and it will all go to waste. Nothing I can do about it. Nope, don’t even suggest a smudge pot. It will be too cold for that.

Janie had her calf on Friday. ANOTHER MALE! I was so disappointed. I really wanted a Janie heifer. Over the last year we have had 9 bull calves and only three heifers. Argh! That’s just the way it is sometimes. The next cow to calve is not until December 24th so we have a ways to go. Janie is still giving colostrum transition milk but should be coming online in a day or two. She is a big cow and should give a lot of milk….