A Good Day

Today was a good day. 

If I'd just looked at the "to-do" list, I'd have thought otherwise, but I didn't write down all my sidetrack missions.

For instance:

• 7 loads of laundry not on the list.  Appears I'm still waiting for the laundry fairy to get off her high horse and get to work.

• Work 140 head of cattle.  "Crap, that's right!  When is the vet coming? 2PM?  Yes right after nap!"  So I get to chase cattle up the chute to the vet, check for nuts and assorted puss pockets, shoo flies off my two little ones, pick up the toys that they throw from the back of my Yukon into my running path where I chase up the cows/bulls, so I don't trip and break my neck...wait, if I hurt myself do I still have to work cattle? =)  Well, today lacked interest...all that I saw was an old cyst scar, one that was full of blood, and infected chopped up bull penis and too many nuts to count. 
• Stained some window jambs for a client, whose my favorite person, so that was ok. 

• Decided that today was the day to start painting the hayshed!  I asked for a ladder, I was told about the old rickety one in the cattle shed.  That was putting it mildly.  I, who is afraid of hieghts felt like Charles Lindberg when I was on the second step.  A sharp wind and I would've been on the ground.  I heard Sweetie mooing from her new pen that she HAS to be in for the month of October (remember, corn box for the customers kids to play in?) Well, since I'm fluent in "cow" I'm sure she had said to be careful, "because what if she got out and pooped in Big D's shop again?   Who would throw themselves between Sweetie and the our livestock hauler and beg and plead that she wouldn't do it again?"  Or was she saying she wannts out of the pen so she can take a big crap in the shop for putting her in such a small pen?  One will never know.
• I also taught CCD tonight.  Nuff said. 
• Now I'm blogging.  I can't believe how much I've missed this time I have with my peeps!

Is It So Wrong?

Is it so wrong that after a long hard day of going full steam, you turn to see your 1 1/2 year old covered in yogurt and carmel dip and you put her on the front step to let the dog lick her off? 

Maybe. 

I didn't do it.

OK, so maybe I did.

The phone was ringing as I got her off the table that she can climb up on in a moments notice (I'm convinced I had Spiderman's baby) and she started to cry (of course she did, I was taking her from the dip), I looked on caller ID, it was a very important phone call I had to take, I couldn't hear,  Jessica was about going into orbit at this point.  So in my most pleasant voice, I said,"One minute, please."

The phone is right next to the door.  Jessica loves sitting on the front porch and she loves the dog to pieces.  Fluffybear loves Jessica to pieces.  She loves her even more with food covering her.  Then Jessica sat on the porch with me watching and Fluffy bear licking her face and shirt very gently. 

Jessica is giggling so hard her eyes are watery.  The dog has fufilled her best day ever.  I could hear the actual conversation while I was on the phone. 

Weren't we all winners in this situation? 

Happy Trails,
"The Only Pigs Left in The Barnyard" Fairchild Farmgirl

Just Catchin' You Up - Grape Harvest

Can you believe how fast this summer flew by?  It's into fall and I'm booking schools for our Fairchild Farm tours like crazy!  As well as having our pumpkin patch open on weekends.

I couldn't stand however not showing you this early fall's highlights. Grape Harvest!

Don't eat the seeds Jessica!

Maggie is having a blast!

We even got our neighbors to help...we told them "YES!" when they offered to bring their kids over for a homeschooling field trip.

"Oh yes you will help!" says Kara.

Cody taking off netting.  All total between reds and whites, we hand picked around 3300 pounds.  For a first harvest year, we did alright.  First year is about 60% of harvest in following years.  It has been so interesting, as much as I gripe about having to work out there, I do miss it since harvest took all of 8 hours total.  The first week of turning the sheep out there, I felt like I had sent a kid to college or something, like the vineyard didn't need me anymore! LOL!!!

Here's one of the sheep working on "clean up."  Harvest was so fun.  Ron as well as everybody else had a blast.  The winery that bought the grapes gave us 4 bottles of different wine for free.  Since Ron doesn't like wine, it's been super fun for me! =)


Sincerely,
"Pacing myself on the free wine" Fairchild Farmgirl

Fall Farm Festivities

That's a mouthful.  Well, we are burning the midnight oil here, or as I described it as "the Hail Mary Pass" to someone that asked about it this morning. 

We're getting ready for the Annual Fairchild Pumpkin Patch.  I make it sound like we have done this for years.  It's only year 2.  =) 

After last year the wheels have been turning in my head faster than ever.  I don't know if it's my competitive spirit, my "gotta be perfect" hosting skills or what...

I'm obsessed.  This year we are having the coolest pumpkin patch ever.  Our haunted trail is being turned into a magical story called  "Alice In Halloween Land".  It's a spin on The real story written by Lewis Carroll back int he late 1800's. 

We are also having a barrel train, corn box, tire mountain, gift shop, and many other things (including a potato sling shot).

It's going to be cool. 

Sincerely,

Crazy Fairchild Farmgirl (who moonlights as a Fall Festival planner, which tomorrow I will be back to my normal job as cattle wrangler as we work 300+ head tomorrow.)


PS...I'm not going to tell you what these two last pics are of, that way you can come and find out for yourself.

Sunday Shorty: The Day The Circus Came To Town

It's hard to believe that these little angels could be naughty in church isn't it?  Well, after the priest started his wonderful sermon, I felt pushing into me.  Rachel and Grace were actually in a fist fight. 

Most embarrassing moment?

When Maggie took the money from the collection plate when it was the kids offering and brought it back to me.  The priest looked dumbfounded, and Grace started chasing her down the isle telling her to give it back. 

Finally, a discouraged Grace says, "whatever, just keep it."

OUT LOUD.

Yes, I did put it back in the collection plate, when it went around. 
Things didn't get much better after the modern day Robin Hood incident, more hitting, "Boobyhead" calling, followed by, "I HAVE TO PEE" and the most familiar hitting of the head on the pew with wailing.

Kara and I looked at each other and said, "Next time, dad babysits!"

Once Upon A Prolapse

Hey everybody!  I hope all is well with you as we all journey into the fall season.  =)

I don't now what brought that on, but I digress...onto the blog.

So yesterday morning I get a call from Ron he's down in the yards looking at a cow we got in last night that got turned back from the packer.  She had a prolapse.  A bad one.  A really bad one.  We were the most convenient stop for the trucker...the lucky one I guess.

By the way, above is my vet in training...Maggie.

Now, let it be known that I always tell you that I drag you, the reader, with me in my farm life.  I show people this stuff because it's not a piece of cake working with livestock.  Also, how it is to work with your spouse...love you honey!!!  I could tell you about how Ron and I worked cattle yesterday and I as I was trying to push them down the chute I met a hoof about 12 inches from my face.  To those of you who have worked cattle with your husband you'll know about this;

"Get in front of them!" REALLY?  The dust is whirling in my face since the sky forgot to rain for about a month, I can't see as it is and I'm supposed to jump in front of a white cow barrelling down on me and I have to try to make it stop?

-OR-
"Chase'm, get 'em goin' down the chute!" Hence hoof kicked clear up by my head.  Our prod broke in two when Ron took over my job. 

Just sayin'.

SO back to my story about the prolapse.  Look away if you must...oh just look it's interesting!

This cow got rejected from a USDA inspected plant.  But, she's just fine to bring to a local butcher.  The only thing is, a prolapse can bring on a fever.  We had to temp her.

Back to the phone call from Ron.  "Can you come temp this prolapse?  I don't want to get my hands dirty.  Smart @$$.

"Sure," I said. "I'll just finish those cupcakes for you when I get up to the house.  After. I. handle. her. guts. with. my. bare. hands.  You see, I can be a smart Alec too and I'm not a glove fan.  Not because I enjoy touching slimy warm gut stuff, but because in certain situations, you can feel what's going on much better without. 

That's her gut pile coming out from her "lady parts".  Women can prolapse too after giving birth.  What the past feedlot should have done before putting her on the"sale barn bus" is give her a spinal so she wouldn't have pushed it out so bad. 

That's yours truly at 8 AM temping that poor cow.  Thank you Big D for not photographing the pajama shorts that I still was wearing.  I had to make sure her temperature was at or below 102 then she was fine to butcher.  After all, this is no quality of life for any living thing.  AND it was nice that we could still use her and not have to put her down and waste her life. 

101.5...she's good to go.

Ron took her to the butcher after I did the deed. 

I did get him back, however, it wasn't EXACTLY me.  It was one of my henchmen...or henchwomen I suppose.

Don't you agree he shouldn't leave the his shop door open?  Now that Sweetie thinks she's the family dog, she walks around all over the farm.  Sometimes going to the feedlot and sneaking some rations of the older cows.  Anyway, to make a long story short, she must have eaten a pretty hot ration because she had the poops pretty bad. 

To make a long story short, she took (gave) a big diarrhea poop on his shop floor.  I did not tell her to do this!

OOPS!

Sincerely,

YOU ARE NOT SELLING MY HEIFER CALF BIG D! Fairchild Farmgirl

"Sunday's Shorty" What's That Smell?

I'll give anybody that finds that dead mouse five bucks it's in the freezer room.  I'll throw in an extra dollar if DON'T show it to me.

Happy trails, can anybody find the Lysol and more mouse traps? =) Oh the wonders of fall!
Fairchild Farmgirl