Schoonover Farm Blog

So we found Rosie dead this morning.  She had been fine yesterday, but Tom found her with her horn in the fence, bloated and with a large pile of red cloudy liquid near her butt.  We initially thought maybe she got her horn stuck in the fence, couldn’t get up and got bloated.  But that did not make any sense since it would be easy for her to get her horn out, and it is an odd place to get her horn stuck.  So then we thought maybe she had a uterus infection or trauma from the somewhat difficult delivery.  Then we thought maybe it was bloat from giving her different grain yesterday.  But then we thought maybe the milk fever (hypocalcemia) had returned, and she went down and bloated.  She was still somewhat warm when we found her, but her udder was empty as the calf had been nursing off her after she was dead.  If you want to see the evidence as to the cause of her death or see how ugly farming can be, there is a photo at Dead Rosie.So now we have an orphan calf.  So instead of rooting the Mariners to a win from the comfort of our living room, I was helping catch and bottle feed Indy.  Below is our first attempt.

This occurred while the Oyster Run motorcycle riders (Tom calls them pirates) were driving by, oblivious to the nearby dead cow.  Then Tom dealt with the DB while I tried to find a safe environment to keep the calf.  I let Marji into the pasture (her half sister).  Marji got very upset, was sniffing the death scene and bellering loudly.  She lost her brother and mother in 2 days time.

Indy approached her, but Marji had no interest in her at all.

Greta (the Highland cow) was showing interest in Indy so I let her into the field too.  Initially it seemed to go well

but then Greta started attacking her, viciously throwing her into a fence with her horns.  So I quickly got Greta out of there and watched Marji and Greta to make sure things were safe.  Mostly Indy laid down near where her mother died (and near where she was born) and Marji ignored her.

As I watched this, I kept thinking about how much Rosie wanted to live to take care of her calf and how I had failed her.  Some days farming sucks, and this is one of the worst.  I now can only hope the Orphan Indy will be OK.

So today, Tom and I were harvesting.  Tom was harvesting scrap metal from old farm equipment.  He dragged and cut up an old manure spreader (above), an old trailer and an old hay elevator (below).  Once he is done, he will haul this in for money.

While he was doing this, I was gathering produce.  I got cucumbers, sunflower heads, pears, lettuce, swiss chard, beets, and carrots.  These are for ourselves, our critters and our produce stand.   I dried some salted sunflower seeds and canned pears today.  Plus I made some great chef’s salads for lunches and excellent Braised Pork with Pears and Chiles for dinner.

We are going to be involved in a couple of upcoming events.  There is a Harvest Market on Saturday, October 4 from 10-4 at Belfast Feed Store.  This is at 6200 N Green Rd, Burlington, WA.  There will be vendors of handmade items, food and musicians. We will have fibers and apples for sale. There will also be apple pressing. So stop by if you are in the area and bring your apples!

We are also going to participate in the Holiday Festival on Saturday, November 15 from 10-4 at Beau Lodge.  This is located at 17581 Wood Rd Bow, WA.  This is a local festival with vendors selling homemade gifts and food. There are musicians there as well as hot cider and treats in a gorgeous location. There is also a fiber room with a variety of fibers for sale and beautiful handmade wooden knitting and crochet needles and spindles.

We have been using our mule a lot lately.  We have been using it to haul bales of hay, grain and apples/pears to the critters in the fields.  I have been using it to move farm equipment in it as well.  Above is a photo of me singlehandedly moving the goat feeder with it.  Below Izzy is planning on using it.

Our little white chick (my favorite) went missing today.  I assume an eagle or beagle got him/her.  How come it seems like the favorites die a horrible death?  Sometimes I do not like farming.  On a better note, Rosie and Indy are doing just fine.

Araucana chicks