Coffee anyone ?

[RR Homestead]

When you see your fields empty that's a whole 'nother round of reality hitting.
Think -- next year this time it will be long behind us.

They are now all at the stock yards. First comment was "WOW those are some nice heifers" when I unloaded the first set of yearling heifers. I just started crying. I just couldn't contain my hurt anymore. They are all gone now short of two beef steers for food. Will have two more holstein steers to sell before we actually leave here most likely but for now they are helping keep up with the milk while I get back to moving. It will be a while until we are up and running again I'm sure so we kept the two beef steers we've been raising so we know we have the food we'll need for a while.

I can hardly imagine! Soon you'll be in your new home and all will be whole again.

I hope so. At the moment the hurt is so hard to look past. We've already had to sell the majority of the herd to get to this point. Never even thought we'd sell them all but it is the right choice for them. Not sorry to see the holstein steers go. Sure is quiet here now.

 

[farmerjan]

I hope that my comments did not cause this complete sell off... I was under the impression that they were not pets; would not matter if you sold them or kept them ... along the emotional lines. So, I am sorry that it bothered you soo much.
Practicality selling and then you getting moved and SETTLED, and then get some new stock that is acclimated to that area... AFTER you got the fences all fixed and pastures usable...

If the hay situation is near as bad as here, the drought being very widespread and the effects from it are deep.... then you might be in a prime situation to pick up some animals that are "drought bargains"....

DS called about some more hay and got 20 rolls that are 40" x 4 ft... old smaller round baler... So-so hay... and that was all he had left.

 

[RR Homestead]

They were not pets. They were the product of many years of blood sweat and tears. Fighting our way to stock we could be proud of. We kept the best of the best to take with us as a start there. We already went through the main sell off a while ago. No your comments are not the cause of this. Reality is. It was a decision that should have been made a while ago. Stubbornness and pride in what we had built delayed the inevitable. It's too hot and humid now to take them. It will be hard enough to keep the 3 dairy cows alive but they are easier to manage as far as keeping them in the barn if necessary to keep them cooler with fans, water etc. The beef cattle would likely never make it there and not being bred makes it a waste. Fences will be fixed before the dairy cows and horse go. They aren't that bad from what DH says. That's not the issue. There's plenty of feed there too. It's nearly waste high at this point and the next week and a half is supposed to be rain so I'm sure it will continue to grow. It's been free of cattle for near a year or so now. It's beautiful pasture. It's really a combination of emotions. As things are looking emptier and emptier it's getting harder and harder to keep the happy face on. Seeing the pastures basically empty after so many years of filling them has really been a gut blow to us. Plus the ones we kept we were really proud of. It is what it is. Sacrifices must be made to finish this move and hopefully move on with our lives. Hopefully we can rebuild a herd to retire with.

 

[Mini Horses]

Another lovely, hot day. Great temps now tho. Tempted to reschedule work jobs for today & be at home again. Couple things I didn't get to yesterday, need doing. One is a car repair -- what's hanging under there? I'll crawl & see. Then???

Time for a refill. And some breakfast.