Friday, September 03, 2010

good stuff

Remember how concerned I was, back in early-to-mid-July, that I might not get any tomatoes at all?  As it turned out, I got plenty to can, and we've had all we've wanted to eat fresh.  


The plants look awful, but I'm still getting all the tomatoes we can use, even though they aren't the prettiest tomatoes I ever raised.  


Boy, do those plants look awful.  But I brought in tomatoes this morning...


and these should be ready tomorrow.  
Yesterday I turned Bonnie and Clyde out into the big pasture.  After Cliff went to work, I went to check on them; they were in one of Bonnie's favorite hideaways.  


Clyde was lying down, but when Iris and I went around the tree so I could take a picture from a different angle, he got up.


And huddled up next to his mommy.  This is the kind of behavior that will keep him safe.  They came up to the lot last night and I shut them in; this morning I let Bonnie in the barn to see if she needed milking.  One quarter appeared to be pretty full; I milked almost a gallon out of that one quarter!  
One thing I haven't mentioned is that Bonnie developed mastitis in the off front quarter (by "off" I mean on the side I don't normally milk); that quarter is pretty much not giving anything now.  If I were a dairyman I would be upset.  As it is, Bonnie still gives enough milk for three or four calves.  Besides, I'm thinking she will be at less risk for milk fever next time, since this cuts her production by 25%.  

6 comments:

  1. Those are great pictures, Clyde is doing great!

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  2. Your tomato's look wonderful. My son said that is what his tomato vines look like yours but they are getting tomatoes. I love the picture of the cow and calf. I will die with the farm blood still running through my veins. Was raised on the farm until I was 16.

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  3. That is great...we ended up getting burned out here...just could not keep up with the watering so I did not get as many as I would have liked.

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  4. Lindie2:11 PM

    my tomatoes look like yours and am picking enough to freeze some and eat some.

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  5. Wondering if there are coyotes (or even roving dogs) where you live that might try to kill the baby if he stayed out all night... can't the mastitis be treated so that quarter will produce?

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  6. Leilani, there are treatments. But this quarter was pretty much destroyed before she ever gave birth, and I didn't know it until after. And besides, it's been my experience that even with treatment, mastitis will come back again and again, once it hits a quarter.

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