On the way out to milk yesterday morning we were greeted with a cheerful little shower of powdery snow. 
Just a little. 
Then it melted before our eyes. Ah well. 
When I counted the hay bales the other day, and after doing the rather rudimentary maths associated with this exercise, which frankly is as far as my mathematics will take me, I concluded that we have enough feed to last through to the end of February. Not long enough. With supplements like beet shreds and alfalfa cubes I can drag that through to mid march.
Still not long enough. So Daisy and I (oh please admire Daisy’s fringe, she is getting quite vain with all her brushing lately) anyway Daisy and I sat down to continue with our sums and she whispered in my ear that she did not want to be mean (actually she did but we will give her the benefit of the doubt) but she is a milking cow and 
Queenie is not. So Daisy should be eating almost twice as much as Queenie (according to Daisy) and once again she did not want to be mean, but Queenie is a bit of a pig and eating more than she needs. No offence, Sheila. She said to the pig who was wondering if the notebook I was scribbling in was food, 
So I reshuffled the paddocks. Daisy is now living in solitary splendour next to the milking parlour getting the full amount of hay. Queenie is next to her in another field getting half that. 
Can we pause for just a moment to admire Big Dog, he was going with an 50’s Egyptian theme, hence the soft focus.
Daisy has suggested that The Bobby Blanc be isolated from the big sheep so that he can also get his whole quota without Hairy and Mama pushing him out of the way. She has observed some ovine bullying in my absence. Also Mama and Mia are expected to be breeding so in a short while their diet will change too and Bobby Blanc does not get to share their grain. So they have been seperated as well.
Now that I am home we can manage a more high maintenance regime upping the work a little, running things more economically. Maybe we can save some hay. This is the plan anyway. When it gets cold they will all need more to eat. 
I’ve got men!
Then last night a friend of John’s called with a question and Our John idly asked him if he had any spare hay. Sure, the fellow said, (John sat bolt upright and made pointing gestures and optimistic hand signals towards the phone). I am selling it for Eight dollars a bale. John’s mouth dropped open … but I can do you a deal. He shut it again. Buy it, I said. Do you have twenty bales? asked John. He nodded to me, the phone to his ear, the guy could spare that much. Twenty more bales with slim healthy animals should get us through to the spring grass. Hopefully we can get it for less than eight dollars a bale though. 
Good morning. Why do we panic about ordinary stuff? Things really do have a way of always working out. One way or the other. This is why I am not having a hissy fit about having all these chickens and NO eggs at all. I am unable to cook anything that has eggs in it at the moment. Thats Ok. I have a plan.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Shuffling the cards of cows.”
Big Dog and Daisy are the two to beat in popular votes. One for originality of style and the other for superior grooming!
Morning Ronnie!.. c
Big Dog appears to be sitting on his tail to keep his rump warm–Harper and Cerveza are envious of his coat.
My problem is getting that coat off him for washing.. he hates me touching it.. crazy old dog! morning alice.. c
You guys wouldn’t like buying hay in California this winter. It’s almost $20 a bale. I have enough hay, but have two old geldings that need supplement this time of year. Equine Senior is now $20 a sack. I’m afraid there will be a lot of backyard horses that won’t be fed properly because of the high prices. It’s interesting because we didn’t have a production problem in California last year, it was actually a good hay year. They’re blaming it on the drought in the midwest that caused a corn shortage. It’s the same twisted story as when gas prices go up immediately every time there’s a bobble anywhere in the world. One thing has changed in my county, though, that makes hay harder to find. There used to be large empty fields that entrepreneurs would hay for the owners. You could buy out of small stacks in lots of places. Now those empty fields are covered with houses and the hay mostly comes from bigger growers farther down the valley. I usually do okay because I’m in an area that’s rural and one of my neighbors still grows hay for his own stock.
Twenty dollars is outrageous.. and don’t they just invent reasons to put the price up.. scoundrels, lucky you have a neighbour who will not rip you off.. c
Daisy’s hair style is so so. hmmm word … au courant; and to think you are her stylist; in Beverly Hills, you’d command a great fee. Loved the pictures of the dog. i love photos of animals back’s as I think they are whimsical and dear. Best to you
And it is very seldom that i can get a shot of Old Dog before he sees me and moves off.. morning gnat! c
Love Daisy’s fringe and the Egyptian look is perfect for big dog.
Morning betsy!! c
It is interesting that you aren’t getting any eggs. Ours had a hard molt this year and quit laying, but now they are laying again. We are getting about 1 or 2 eggs a day from them which is low, but we are making do. Perhaps it is the breed of chicken that makes the difference?
Glad you are home again, Celi! Oh, and I liked your statement about the relevance of “Home” (2-3 posts back). 😀
Usually I do get a few, rhode island reds will lay no matter what, maybe it is a mix of low light and no miss c.. the grit had run out too while i was away, and some of these girls are just too old anymore.. we will see if my plan works.. morning Lynda.. c
Good morning… Bet you are missing NZ weather. Good to buy in more feed now before the price goes up end of winter. So are you getting more hens that are laying?
Love Leanne NZ
I will buy more chicks in the spring, but I am hoping the easter chickens will start laying pretty soon.. morning leanne.. c
It’s so frustrating when you’re short of just one basic ingredient, everything that comes into your head to make will require it. Isn’t the snow late this year? 🙂
yes nothing so far really, it was the same last year, very little.. and not too cold either.. I am hoping for an early spring.. but aren’t we all.. c
So much to think about and worry about on a farm, glad you found some hay. Hope your chicks start to give you some eggs soon.
I hope so too, i am missing my friend eggs every morning.. c
Daisy and you are definitely back together again, what with all that brushing and those conversations about farm management. Hope you can all get through just fine. I didn’t think hens laid in winter – isn’t that normal? I love seeing the Coupe progress, though I must say I’ve never seen such wrapped up workers before (living in the land of black singlets and shorts, even in winter). It must be so cold for them.
They must get cold out there all day, i make them come in by the fire for their lunch.. and you are right usually the hens stop laying in the dead of winter but i always get two or three, I have never had none at all, i still think they are hiding their nests.. ! c
I really enjoy these posts about big picture planning, I can imagine it is almost impossible to get it right, so many unknowns. Maybe now when feed is tight is also the best time to think about your plans to add another milking cow. Will it be in calf or have a calf at foot? Do you also plan to breed Queenie as well as Daisy this coming year ? If so you’d be looking at feeding hay to six cattle instead of three next winter. That said in spring you were concerned about housing two pigs through winter and that seems to have worked out just fine so where there’s a will and all that.
This is true, the piggies are doing just fine too. Yes i will breed Queenie at the same time as Daisy and you are right even though I would love to be milking two cows (just think of all the cheese) I am not sure that my little farmy can sustain that many animals.. But if I can milk Daisy right through the winter then we should be fine with just her for the time being. Good points.. c
Hey Celi! I remember us talking hay and prices a few months ago! And buying it to ship down here! We’ve got enough, thank goodness, but of course we really only have our two goats to sustain. Fingers crossed you get the hay from Our John’s contact at a good price. I loved your visual of John on the phone with him! I could just see it!!! 🙂 xoxoxo
We go to collect it tomorrow, and i have discovered someone else too.. same kind of price.. though i am hoping I have enough now..I just need to be careful not to be too generous.. c
Daisy sure is making up for her prior behaviour what with all these economic chats and posing so artfully! Can’t get over how big the coupe DID grow during your absence: it’ll have quite a view of the prairies!
The view will be magnificent, and I am putting in three thin tall windows to maximise it .. Though I am also re-using old windows so it will be a wee bit rinky dink all at the same time! c
Your critters are so sweet. Let Daisy know that I took the time to admire her fringe. 🙂
I will tell her, she will be grateful.. c
Good planning to count the hay right now!
I just LOVE your picture of Big Dog~ he’s so cute in his blankie!
It’s so good to have you back on the farmy with us Celi!