The bees were out in force yesterday. It was a wee bit warmer so out they came to look for food. But the freeze had knocked all the flowers over.
I am feeding them their sugar water right at the hive now, determined that they will live through this winter.
Sheila followed me about my chores.
She thought she would give Boo a run for his money. Actually Sheila was woofing with delight as she OUT-RAN the Uppity pup.
Boo peeled off when I called or he would have been back on his chain.
Good morning. As you know Queenie Wineti was one of a twin. So I am still thrilled that she did get pregnant. (So the tests say. But I won’t quite believe it until she starts to show real signs of pregnancy.) She was always a long shot. The chances of a Hereford cow having twins is lower than most other cattle breeds. Plus the chance of a twin heifer being fertile is 5%. Another way of looking at that – there was a 95% chance that she would NOT be fertile. When I found tiny Queenie the farmer told me that the other twin was a heifer too (though I never saw the other calf) so he thought there was a good chance that she would breed. And I decided that she would. If the man was telling me the truth, then she is not a Freemartin.
(A freemartin calf is usually born co-twin with a male calf and its imperfection is attributed to the male hormones produced by the male calf as they share the common circulation which inhibit the normal development of genitalia of the female.This occurs mostly in cattle. I asked ASK .)
I decided that Queenie would be the mother of my beef herd, she is short and stocky, wide and gentle. (And has all the necessary bits and pieces as far as we can tell). So let’s hope that my long shot has a shot. Hereford calves are one of the cutest calves – ever!
It is the time of year when the animals and birds pause and hover when they sense a pockets worth of sun.
I hope you all have a lovely day. Eat good food.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
62 responses to “Bees and Breeding cows”
Your weather looks lovely all be it chilly. We’re into winter, I’ve stopped wearing my open toe shoe and replaced them with socks and boots. My feet will be claustrophobic until next spring. I wish you good luck with Queenie. Hope you have a lovely evening.
Leaving the farmy with quite a few bits of new knowledge ~ just how I like it!! Who would have ever thought that a city gal like me could begin to be able to talk a little knowledgeably about cows of all things 🙂 ! Or worry about the bees overwintering!!
I adore Hereford calves! I hope things work out and you have one running around next spring.
So do I Becca.. I really do.. c
Years ago a friend of mine was looking up the word “freemason” in the dictionary when he came across “freemartin.” Our circle of friends had an extensive conversation about the word, with observations such as “having a word for that sure must save a lot of time,” but in my experience, having that word TAKES more time because anytime anyone uses it in combat, it comes with the obiligatory definition (it’s such a cool word!).
Another friend asked, “How would you even use that in a sentence?” and the answer was immediately proposed, “I ain’t no freemartin!” That phrase became a saying among us. I often use it as a reply to my dear wife when she asks if I have done something (such as taking out the garbage).
So naturally, I love it when I get to see the word used for real!
Is it odd that I thought it strange that bees would be in full force in cold weather?
Sheila looks so happy with Boo in pursuit. Are you sure she isn’t part dog? I’ve seen that same look on any number of dogs at the dog park. Your daytime temps must be a bit higher than ours for I’ve not seen any bees at all. I hope your sugar therapy work and gets them through the Winter. I still haven’t adjusted to the fact that it’s coming — and sooner than later. Have a great night & morning, Celi!
You do have a busy bunch of bees! One does not fully grasp Sheila’s size until seeing her next to Boo. Thanks for the cow education–I basically know they give milk. 😉
I just stumbled on your blog and fell completely into your world for almost an hour reading blog post after post! I absolutely adore your life on the farm and the animals. I look forward to continued reads!
welcome, welcome, i am on a wee hiatus from thursday to tuesday then i will be back on board so stay tuned!! lovely that you enjoyed reading.. c
*withdrawal symptoms* No Boo and kitten?