Heifer #28 lost last calf of the year- 7/5/15

Have been watching #28 for weeks and finally she disappeared yesterday- July 4.  Found her on the 5th in the deepest, most remote alders grieving a large calf that was stillborn.  Evidence was that she had struggled in this area for quite a while.

Opened the new pasture to the herd.

7/2/15 Yearling Bulls go to work

#47 and Gideon # 42, both yearlings went to work today.  Was going to wait until the 4th but one of the large cows that didn't take last year was in heat so the boys went through the chute to get cleaned up and were let out into the cows.

Good Taste

Last week we ran out of cull carrots.  So, I bought a 5 pound bag of California carrots to hand out as treats.  I gave the first treat to Bella.  She chewed it a while and then spit it out.  I then threw down another carrot for all comers to fight over.  They sniffed and nuzzled that carrot but it was never eaten.  Amazing for cows that just days before had been used to eating three thousand pounds at a time.  In fact, when it was carrot time they would get pretty vocal with impatience- they loved them.

#10 live birth this year #65 Heifer

I looked for an hour last night and couldn't find #10.  This morning I found out why- she showed up with a large strong heifer.  Was able to run her down after she crashed into a current bush.  She became #66 after a loud bellow and all the cows ran over to defend the noisy endangered newcomer.  All that was left for the camera was their backsides as they ran off.

#27 surprises us with strong white bull #65- 5/29/15

Our little red head surprised us.  Billy and I were taking the tractor out to fix fence when we jumped #27 and a new born white bull in an alder patch.  They ran to the next gully.  Last year she had a white heifer that I never got tagged (#39) for almost a year.

After fixing the fence I walked in and the red head was pretty subtle.  Normally it is easy to find the calf by just following the gaze of mom but she gave no such clues.  I finally found him hidden behind a log and sat on him just as he was leaping out.   After the tag- #65- he was not wanting to run- just gave me that very disappointed hurt look.

Matriarch #2 Tierra has a Black Heifer #64 5/28/15

I had given Tierra a carrot and observed that she was really bagged up.  Then I noticed an untagged calf nearby.  She was big and strong and became #64.  Tierra shifted into mama mode as soon as I sat on her calf.

The swallows are nesting today.  I had decided they had passed us by this year because it is so dry.

#11 has nice black heifer #63 on 5/24/15

#11 was cleaning off a nice little heifer- #63 on this May 24, 15

#25 Delivers Hefty Heifer #62 on 5/20/15

#25 had her heifer calf (#62) tucked in a hollow very near the placenta pile.  We are naming her Planet because we were visited by the Animal Planet film crew today.

Affirmative Action

This year's calf crop is good evidence that there is no discrimination at Wolverine Farm.  A colorful mix of red, white, and black

About Gravel

One would think that in a valley where the Matanuska Glacier once moved that the gravel would  show random deposits of debris.  If you enlarge this photo you will see clear signs of stratification indicating water deposit.

Not a hundred feet away near the edge of the Matanuska River cliff you see what looks to a farmer like glacially pushed and deposited gravel- the exception rather than the rule in cuts around here.

Near Wasilla on a nearly 100 foot cut on a hill that you would think was a moraine you find clearly, undisturbed stratification.  The owner, Darrel Greenstreet,  told me that on top of that was 18 feet of hardpan which was gravel that had conglomerated.

These are like pages out of a history book waiting for words.  Any geologists around?

Three Generations Check the Cows

Five year old Remedy is pretty intimidated by two year old Bella who is pretty pushy when she knows there are carrots around.  This would be a no go if Heather weren't there.

I'm starting to think Bella lost her calf.  Her and Liberty both came into the herd about six months old without their mothers and still get pounded on a lot.  Is this a way for the herd to shut out new genetics???

#8 slips in a White/Dunn Heifer- #61 5/15/15

Found a speedy little heifer that #8 probably delivered yesterday.  Heather and Remedy were with me and they got to see grand pa run this little girl down and put in her ear tag- #61.  This would not have worked tomorrow!  Mom and daughter (cow) kept running so we did not get a picture but they will back eating out of my hand after they bond for a day or two.  Remedy did not have a name so we are going to call her Cinco Triple because of the date- 5/15/15.

#4 delivers large red heifer- #60- 5/9/15

#4 didn't bother to go out to the woods.  She dumped this large red heifer #60 right by the hay manger.  We will call her Victoria since this is V-Day.  Victoria was sprawled out like dead when I walked up but she soon jumped up and was running around.  Mom hasn't cleaned yet.

Another Heifer #21 delivers large Bull #59 5/4/15

A beautiful May 4 morning to find #21 on the back side of the pasture with a still damp bull calf #59.  Low temperature this morning was right on the freezing mark.

Pippy Long Stockings #3 has #58 a large bull on 5/1/15

Pippy has her third calf- a large bull #58 on May 1 in the afternoon.  First time a cow has chosen the barn for a delivery room.

May starts with New bull #18 has #57

#18 didn't bother to leave the feed lot to drop this little guy #57 on the first day of May.  The robins showed up right on schedule.

Cinderella #23 delivers #56 on 4/29/15

Cinderella dropped a nice large red heifer #56 on 4/29/15.  She had cleaned her up and was being a good mother.  Cinderella is a Dexter cross.

We have two names nominated for this gal- Alice, and Daisy.

Grand daughter Remedy went with Alice.

#15 Delivers #55 heifer on 4/29/15

First time mom #15 delivers small black heifer #55 on 4/29/15.

Unusual in that I called the cows for carrots and I kept hearing bellering only to find that #15 had just dropped her calf and she wanted to run to get carrots but didn't want to leave her calf- to her credit.  Instead she exercised her first amendment rights to free speech.

#20 Liberty Delivers Stillborn

4/27/15 Liberty #20 delivers large white bull that never moved.  Mom got up, walked away and never came back.

#7 Cow has Heifer #54 on 4/27/15

My little 900 lb cow #7 delivered a large strong red heifer #54 on 4/27/15.

#6 has Heifer #53 on 4/26/15

Mom #6 has white heifer #53 on 4/26/15

#22 has a Heifer #52 on 4/25/15

Heifer #22 delivers small black heifer #52 on 4/25/15.

4/21/15 #16 had #51- a Girl

#16 had a little black heifer #51 on 4/21/15

First Galloway Calf- #19 delivers male #50 4/18/15

Once again #19 delivered our first galloway calf one day earlier than last year-  April 19, 2014.  She also picked the same spot by the field feeder.   The medium sized guy got tag number 50.

Ade Delivers first calf of 2015

Family milk cow Ade delivered a bull on 5/9/15. He was named Edward #48.


Edward was joined by Emiline who was born the same day at the Havemiester Dairy #49.

Spring Prep- 2015- Bull Selection

Have decided to breed this year with two rookies- both last year's calves.  Will probably split the herd and give the heifers to the smaller white guy- 47.

#42 is a cross from Ade the milk cow.  We are hoping we will get smaller calves and easier calving than we had last year.