The flies have arrived with the heat. Though you would not know it from this idyllic image of wheat in the sunset.
Flies are hell for cows so this beastie got under an old jacket I had hung in the tree.
I re-purpose sacks and old hoodies, the pigs winter blankets, (pretty much anything) and hang them in the trees, so the cows can wipe the flies off their own faces and backs. This big steer is reminding me that I need to get their sacks out. I repurpose old large hessian coffee sacks, then dump a handful of Diatomaceous Earth into the sacks before I hang them in the trees or in the barn doorways where the cows can drift under them.
I was cleaning out WaiWais bedroom …
… and pulled out the old blankets so I hung those in the tree too.
These ones are long enough for the calves to brush off the flies too. So we will see if they use them.
Wai has more blankets in there that need to come out – the little pig has been pulling them out of his bed and into the barn corridor himself – deeming it too hot for the woolies!
Quacker – (above) in a hurry.
For another short vid from sunset go here then come back I have more for you to read here.
John’s Tall Teenager who is WAY past being a teenager now, brought me a few blue gills from the Old Farm pond to start off the pond stocking. He caught them in a bucket and drove them over in his jeep. He asked if I wanted any catfish! Well sure – I told him.
Evidently there are predator fish and prey fish and we need to start with the proper percentage. So that is enough Blue Gills – there were four. (Now you and I are going to learn all about pond fish.) I am thinking that catfish are prey? A horrible thought – hunters in the pond.
I poured water from our little pond into the bucket with the fish in water from the Big Farm pond, allowed them acclimate for a few hours then set them free. They were vigorous. (And when I checked this morning there are no dead fish in the filter so that is good! Right?).
Two Toddler Robins on a Rock
My favourite picture from yesterday. Two little robins fresh out of the nest, walking about under the trees. Their mother follows them around feeding them. Here they are waiting for dinner on Nelson’s head stone.
This morning I awoke with a complete short story in my head. I am literally carrying the thread in my head. So I had better jot down the details. It is like juggling balls when I have a story in there. I throw it around in my brain and it is taking up all the space in there making sure I don’t drop anything. Until I get it written down my brain cannot relax.
I had better get to writing.
Celi
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The Kitchen's Garden 
26 responses to “Leave it up to the Cows”
I love the picture of the wheat in the sunset. It makes me think of home. I also recall the cows not being happy with the flies on their backs. You look after them well. xo
They have a good life – It is important to me when I am growing an animal for food that they are very well treated. Actually even when they are not being grown for food. It is only fair.
Tima will be teaching her cows to cover themselves in mud and avoid the flies!
Catfish are predators – they eat crayfish, snails, frogs, clams, snakes, other fish, insects, plants, small birds and mamals. Perhaps you can get them to eat slugs!
Huh. I guess that is why they call
Them catfish. Maybe I don’t want them?
They taste good, they grow quickly and they are indigenous. They are quite fascinating too – I’ve known a couple of people who kept them in large tanks.
Ok! I will see if TT can catch any from the big pond.
Good food memories. I grew up eating freshwater catfish… my favourite way is a small catfish dusted in flour fried in butter in a cast iron frypan, eaten on hot buttered toast… for breakfast, preferably cooked on a campfire.
That sounds very good – I’ve cooked a lot of them on a barbecue.
Great idea for the cows
Yes! I hope to get a pic of one in the blankets today!
When I lived in the country I had friends down the mtn. who had a small pond with bass in it, which came up in a flutter of fins & tails to eat out of their hands. It wasn’t a big old farm pond like my great uncle’s in my childhood where there was lots of pond life, but more the size of yours. Endless fascinations at your place, Celi. Write! Write! Write, Girl!
OH MY GOODNESS! Fish food!! I had better find some. Thank you for the reminder to start that research. .
We love using diatomaceous earth for insect control in the house and especially the garden. Fairly cheap, no nasty chemicals, and very efficient for doing in slugs, ants, and most creepy crawlies! Loved the duck bath and baby Robin’s.
It really is the best stuff for everything. We sprinkle it in with the chickens, too and on the barn floors after cleaning. great stuff. It is especially good in the garden – you are so right!
I mix it with wood ash and put it in a shallow plastic pan. The chickens dust bathe in it, particularly in the winter. I also mix a bit in with the chicken feed. It’s supposed to be good for both internal and external parasites.
What a great idea Sherry! Using DE as a chickens’ dust bath! We use it in our gardens and in animal feed as well. I even stirred a teaspoon a day into our kefir for awhile too, as I feel what’s good for the animals is also good for us, in that we are also of the animals kingdom. 🙂
I just love this time of year on the farm- so much going on in every corner! And the journey to the new blog- almost a reality. It seems like only yesterday our small Slack group was talking and sharing and testing out ideas while you quietly worked away making this amazing new place for everyone.
It was a great workshop – in fact it galvanized me to make this a reality. I was very lucky to find Duane the developer too. He has been so patient with me and is so clever.
That is such a great idea putting out self help blankets and jackets. Flies are so annoying and persistent. I think the duck having a vigorous bath feels like it’s late for work, but enjoying the process too much to break away from the water. Lovely pictures and I’m glad Wai’s helping with the spring cleanup. Thanks for the visit.
Love those toddlers. So cute! Hope their Mama stays near if they aren’t quick learners about foraging.
They have been wandering about for three days now. Which terrifies me with my hunter cats. But yes their Mama is never far away.
There is a great DIY fly spray I’ve heard has great results and with a small number of cows like you have might be worth the effort. On the video the farmer just used a bottle filled halfway with ACV, 20 drops each of basil, rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils, 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil and a squirt of liquid dish soap..then fill the rest of the bottle with water. Attach a spray nozzle, shake and spray. She uses it on her cows, horses and goats. I’ve also seen those slings people hang up that the cow walks through with whatever kind of insecticide they prefer..like your blankets. Good luck with those nasty flies. Even if it doesn’t repel all the flies your cows will smell good! 🙂
Seeing your cattle fly sheets reminded me that I need to get that sheet up into the donkey’s barn door tomorrow. They have a tarp on their back door. Keeps it shady in the back room. They like to have the sheet from the ‘front door’ hang over their heads – just like your calf does. They literally stand there – draped like a Medieval Maiden – head out – body in their barn with a fan blowing flies away from their derrieres! 😉
Two things…Young toddler robins are not very well versed in the ways of the world. They haven’t learned much yet. I’m surprised so many survive. The world has no shortage of them.
The blankets and jackets hanging from trees made me think of the phrase ‘don’t air your dirty laundry in public’.
Yes! Those robins have been walking about under the trees for days. Silly things.
It surely is VERY dirty laundry!
Oh, on the essential oils I mentioned in the DIY fly spray..it doesn’t have to be those 3..that’s just what she has on hand and uses. She mentioned lavender as well. Have you seen those sling type things that cows walk through that disperses insecticide on their backs? That’s what your drapes reminded me of.