It was a quiet spring Saturday a few years back. With the kids off at college and nothing but the morning breeze as our soundtrack, Anne and I sipped our coffee post-chores, savoring the rare moment of calm. You know how it is when you've got a bit of spare time—it's either build something, fix something, or… get some cows?
You see, the sheep were still fairly new additions here, and Anne hadn’t quite warmed up to them like she did our old cattle gang. So, after a lightbulb moment and a quick online search, we found ourselves in the pickup, cruising towards Stratford to pick up a couple of calves. Our excitement was palpable—it felt like a mini-adventure, just the two of us back on the road.
We arrived at the dairy, met with the advertised calves, and perhaps got a bit carried away—we ended up heading home with not two, but four calves! Anne was thrilled and started planning names and bonding sessions as soon as we hit the road back.
But as life on the farm often teaches us, expect the unexpected. Turns out, our little newcomers had some tummy troubles. We’d been down this road before with other animals, but this time, a chilling thought struck me—could this affect our sheep?
For safety’s sake, we called the vet, who after some tests, dropped a bombshell: the calves had a microorganism, nothing serious for them but potentially disastrous for sheep. My heart sank. We were novices with sheep, and suddenly, I saw our whole sheep venture flashing before my eyes.
We sprang into quarantine mode—new boots, new coveralls, the whole nine yards. Meanwhile, I spiraled into panic. Discussions with the vet even touched on culling the calves. But instead, we reached out to the community to find them a new home, hopeful but nervous given the calves’ health.
A few calls and some connections later, we found an acquaintance who was more than willing to take the calves off our hands. And just like that, a week later, they were gone. Anne, bless her, managed to nurse them back to health before they left, and thankfully, our sheep remained healthy and unaffected.
So, why no cows on the farm now? Well, that’s the story! A little glimpse into the ups and downs of farm life, and a decision born from a rollercoaster of farm management crises.
Reflecting on that time, I see how easily we can be overwhelmed by fear. In the heat of the moment, everything seems monumental, but with a bit of time and perspective, we often find the humor and the lessons in our reactions.
Till next time,
Your Farmer Rod
🐑🌾 A Close Call: Farm Decisions and Lessons Learned 🌾🐑
