I made my first trip to southeast Ohio to see my good friend Richard and go mushroom hunting. Although finding is always much more fun it was still a wonderful fun filled day of tramping around in the woods looking for mushrooms. My wife was sick this morning so her and Lisa stayed home and Alex and I went together. It was his first time going south with me and he did an awesome job! He is learning quick.
 |
| Morel mushrooms 2014, south east Ohio, Guernsey county. |
We found about 20 small Morels and brought them home for supper tonight. While it wasn't a lot it was still a great reward for the effort and we are looking forward to doing it again next weekend but with the entire family. We are going to make a picnic of it and have a little mini vacation!
My other reward for all of today's exercise was coming home to find another baby calf. I saw it as I was heading out to feed the animals shortly after getting home. So I rushed over to see how it was doing and what it was.
 |
| Charolais x Angus Sire and Milking Shorthorn Dam Heifer Calf |
As you can tell it is white/brown/gray so you know the daddy is Thunder. The best part about this one is this is Sally Shorthorns first Heifer calf to Thunder! Her only other heifer is Frosty and her daddy is a registered black angus by the name of Bexter. All the rest of her calves have been bulls. I am very excited as I know that Thunder will not be with us for ever and I am very very impressed with his genetics so every heifer I get out of him is huge because I will retain his genetics through his daughters!
 |
| Sally Shorthorn with her new baby girl Socks! |
So we currently have three heifers and three bulls for the year. Two heifers and a Bull for Legacy and one heifer and two bulls for Thunder. I cannot wait for more, bring them on!
With the higher number of calves comes the opportunity to start being selective in who I keep and who I sell. It also allows me another source of income in being able to sell feeder calves and breeding stock to people who are in the market. It is going to be a very exciting year and I cannot wait to see how it turns out and what obstacles we meet and overcome along the way.
I read an article from work last year that had a very good point in it. The point of the article was that everything is temporary and that staying positive and happy comes in always knowing that every moment is temporary and will change. So, if you are having difficult times, they will not last forever, they will change and there will be easier days ahead. On the contrary if you are experiencing a boom and good/easy times they too are temporary and harder days are ahead. So, knowing this, I am going into this great time and enjoying the fruits of the labors we have performed over the past hard years but still planning for harder times so that when they come I am already prepared and can get through them much easier. You must always be sure to enjoy every day to the fullest so later in life, when you look out on your pasture and see what you have grown, you will have no missed opportunities or regrets.
I think of today's mushroom hunting and realize that while we didn't find many mushrooms we did find some great time with a great friend and some time with my son that could never be replaced. I also know that the great times in the past of finding lots of mushrooms were going to change and there would be times when we might not find many at all. I also know that soon there will again be a day of many many mushrooms and I want to be prepared to enjoy them to the fullest when that day comes!
Have a great week everyone. Lots of rain and storms coming in. While this will make work harder it will also make the crops and flowers blossom and make the mushrooms grow!
Kenny
No comments:
Post a Comment