Though it remains warm the cows green feed in the fields is diminishing. The light is less. The cold not here yet. But the cows are demanding hay more often now.
So they receive two bales of hay a day. All spread out in the fields so they continue to manure these hungry fields of forage. Dotting the fields with cow pats. Much better than dotting my barn with cow pats.
They are very farmer friendly (the cows) and will crowd the gate making feeding out just a little more dangerous. I drag the hay through on a dolly. I unlatch the gate and push it forward, my other hand dragging the two wheeled dolly loaded with this seasons hay behind me, Boo looking for an opening to squeeze his body through too. I am saying “back up, come on, back up, good girls, let me through” as I squeeze the load through the small gate next to the barn. There is more than one cows head inches from my face as I crowd them backwards. Gently. Gently, I say. Then I latch that gate behind me because Tima would like to come too and eat the cow mineral.
Still talking gently but with a strong clear voice so all the cows hear me and no one gets a fright and kicks me, I walk briskly through the group to get as far out into the field as I can before some cow gets smart and knocks the load off the little two wheeled trolley, using their head like a hockey stick.
Once the first load is through the second bale goes out easily.
Speaking of hungry these ducks are always looking for a handout. And are not shy in their demands.
Sunset.
This is how the light faded out last night. (See below). The sky was clear so the light just packed up and left without fuss. But so early. If I were not cooking meals for other people I would not care about time at all. I would do chores at three eat a light dinner at four and be in bed by five.
Sunrise.
This evening’s TKG Take Ten is the sunrise.
Sign up here if you have not already. TKG Take Ten goes out at 5pm Tuesday and Thursday.
I have removed the paywall at your kitchens garden substack this month of November so you can all have an opportunity to see the two little videos I make on the farm each Tuesday and Thursday. That way you can all be topped up on Farmy things this month!
Sundays will always be free for everyone.
In December (in four weeks) I am scooting over to Melbourne to help my daughter to shift house – it seems to be a theme in my family. Take Ten (while I am away) will continue but it will be very different. Very personal. Very lovely but back behind the garden paywall so I can feel safe to explore new themes with a smaller group. If you would like to be a part of The Tenners group, upgrade to Paid.
Mysterious, I hear you say!
Yup! There is a plan! As always – changes are afoot but I will always be here at the blog five days a week. And over at SubStack three days a week.
Have a lovely day.
Celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
21 responses to “Feeding Hay to Friendly Cows: not as easy as it sounds.”
The duck shot is perfect! 🙂 It is interesting how we learn to manoeuvre around our big animals. Routine is so important. In our area people love to work with giant workhorses. I love watching them. Some of the oldest and frailest gentlemen have the largest teams. The way they move them and talk with them makes me feel they are talking to a young pup. They have such a good rapport.
that would be amazing! Working with those big horses. My mum had a Clydesdale when she was a kid- they all (4 of them) sat on the one horse to ride to school each morning!
Love those ducks! Great shot.
it is a corker!
I’ve watched farmers riding on the back of a trailer throwing bales out to herds of cows. They are normally so docile, but people do get trampled if they get spooked.
Yes! Cows learn fast how the system works. An old farmer got stomped by a cow round here – a while ago. Surprised a cow who had just calved they think. He was found dead in the field.
It happens a lot and with dog walkers who should give cows a wide birth and keep their pets on leads.
I have one cow this year that HATES Boo and runs him out of the field when she sees him. Head down galloping at him. Boo takes off pronto! It is seldom he comes right out now preferring to wait by the gate.
Wow – usually cows get used to the farm dog, who is similarly good with cows (and Nanny Boo is a saint). There are a lot of public access, right of way footpaths across farmland in the UK and they present many problems with hikers and dog walkers not respecting the country code. Quite a few people have been injured or killed because they upset cows, which are normally docile if they feel unthreatened.
That cow with the hay hanging from its mouth is trying to look so innocent- as if we couldn’t possibly be assuming he would be rushing the hay bales!
I am still not quite used to the dark so soon. I will be puttering inside, walk past a window once and see the softening light. On my way back through the dark has come. I stop to wonder how that change happened so fast.
I like the daylight chart! ❤️
Also, I hope your sourdough made it. Happy to share a bit of my California sourdough starter I got from a friend whose had his yeast ~30 years too.
I think it’ll make it though. 🤞
I do have other starters running. This is more of an experiment in pushing the boundaries! I think it has started to move!
Though I don’t mind adding a bit of yours to mine though! See what it tastes like!
I’ll run some by!
Cows can be pushy. About daylight, the earliest sunsets are the first week of December. They come later slowly after that. The latest sunrises are the first week of January. The combination of those two gives the shortest daylight hours around December 20-21. Science!
Fantastic pics – I love this:)
I was thinking about turkeys, & I realized I didn’t see yours on Sunday’s walk or hear anything about them. Are they in the freezer? Or did I miss something about them when my power was off for so long (potable water still) during Helene. I miss front porch evenings, watching the sunsets, sipping wine with the neighbors. We’ve all retreated into our own lamplit condos (so grateful for the light).
you! They were just too big and mean when I had kids around. Plus they pecked holes in my chickens heads! Off with their heads I said!
I must say, while I don’t like the dark I do appreciate closing up my chicken coop at feeding time rather than having to go back out to do it later. How lazy is that! I successfully brought my starter back to life. It took a long time and lots of feeding.
Glad everyone is friendly and you have a good system going
Cows give terrible head butts, they don’t know their own strength and think they’re being affectionate, silly great lummoxes.
yes!! I am not a toy I keep telling them!