Well, I will start off with our two newest arrivals!! The first is Peanut, my son's cow, with her just born baby bull!
The second is Crescent Belty. I thought she was bred but didn't have a clue when she was due because she wasn't pregnant in December at the herd check. Judging by the delivery date she was probably bred just before or just after new years! She also had a little bull.
This brings our count to 19 total so far this year and 18 alive, my daughters little baby heifer from Lilly passed away this summer for an unknown reason. That brings our count to 10 bulls and 9 heifers total which is a much more balanced average than the 70%+ heifer rate we have been running for several years now. The great news is that in 18 months we will have a lot of beef for sale!!!!
I have also picked up some more wrapping work which has been a blessing of income that was greatly needed for the farm. Hoping to get some more going into fall before we put everything away for the winter.
Next up I want to talk about the fair. This was the first year my daughter showed at the fair and the first time we have went to a fair as a family since they were old enough to know what it was all about. I was nervous about Lisa getting into the fair with the way she was acting leading up to the fair. However, once she walked in the ring I was completely relieved! She did awesome. She didn't place in showmanship and learned the importance of working with the animal with full show equipment ahead of time. Due to him not being used to her walking him with the show halter he was a little fussy the first time in the ring and then laid down on her. Not to mention, she is pretty tiny and he wouldn't keep his head up!
The second day was the market class where they evaluate the animal, not the person showing the animal. She placed sixth in her class and it was a tight one.
The best part was as she was leaving T-Bone laid down on her again....only this time she didn't get flustered! She smacked him on the but and jerked his halter and he popped right back up and she earned a round of applause from everyone at the show!
I have been teaching her that the important things to learn are to work hard, have fun, take care of the animals, and market your animal as best you can. She listened to everything she was taught including the marketing part. She ended up selling at the highest price of any of the feeder steers at the fair! She is extremely happy and is ready to do it again next year. She has already made plans for when to get the steers and is planning on taking her beef steer next year as well!
Next up, my baby went into the shop last week. I knew this day would come as it does for every 6.0L Power Stroke. It was time for new heads and head gaskets. However, what we found after the shop got the engine torn down as more than we anticipated. Turns out the shop I used for all the work in the past didn't do as good of a job as I previously thought. We found many issues including incorrectly installed injectors and damaged wiring harnesses. When the project gets wrapped up I will post pics of everything and get everyone information on my new shop for my truck. This guy is doing a great job and is unbelievably knowledgeable! I cannot wait to see....and feel....the end results of the work. I also know that my baby is gonna have a lot of work to do to pay for her upkeep as well cause this is comparable to open heart surgery in cost as well as invasiveness!!
Last up is our annual family football game trip. We only get tickets to one non-conference game and one big ten game this year through my alumni association. The good thing is I get four tickets to the non-conference game so we could take both kids!!!
About two minutes before half time a major storm hit. They finished the half but the second half was delayed for a little over an hour. It was a major downpour that partially flooded the field. We, unlike my brother who was also at the game, were dry as a bone the entire time because our seats are under the press box!!!
A pic of us all in our seats! It was a great game and a wonderful time with the family!
I have a lot going on this weekend doing some changes to the buffer strip for the conservation project that I will post pictures for after complete. I also have an interview with a radio personality out of Pittsburgh that I will discuss after it is complete next week as well! I can't wait!
Have a great weekend everyone!
Kenny
Have a great weekend everyone!
Kenny
