Bye-bye, Birdie

We've had our share of impromptu visitors in the past, notably Frodo the miniature stallion and
Lucie the cow.   Today another unexpected visitor dropped in for a flying visit.

The story began Sunday when a lady we'd never met before drove up to the house to tell us she'd lost her scarlet macaw, and would we please call her if we saw it?

Today our good neighbor, friend, and lawn service provider Randy was mowing the front yard when he called to me and said, "That lady who lost her macaw?  Look, it's up there!"  Sure enough, up in the tip-top of the tallest tree at the bottom of our driveway, there was a flash of red and yellow.

I quickly called the lady and went back to keep an eye on our visitor.

Before long, the bird's owner, K., arrived with some sunflower seeds.  She was dismayed to find her bird so high up in a tree that she couldn't possibly climb.  She explained that Rose, the macaw, didn't know how to land.  She could fly up and across, but not down to a landing.

She called to Rose, and after about ten minutes, Rose launched herself into the air.

She looked like a rainbow in flight.

Looking at this photo, who could blame Rose for wanting to live free in the treetops with a mountain view like that?

Unfortunately, Rose sailed right over K's head from tree to tree, ending up in our front yard near the house.  Poor K. sank down on the ground in the shade of the tree (which was still too high to climb).  Rose peeked down at her owner and chattered to her.

Suddenly, Rose sailed down from her perch to land in K's lap.  Of all the times to pick to learn how to land, this was the one!  There were tears of joy on K's part and famished devouring of sunflower seeds on Rose's part.

Jet generously contributed his crate to make sure that Rose would make it safely home.

Tears were dried, hunger assuaged, phone numbers exchanged, and it was time to for Rose to wing her way home.

Bye-bye, birdie!  You're definitely the prettiest visitor we've ever had.

Geography for Farmers

Here are some fascinating maps, the kind of geography farmers love!  Even if you aren't a farmer, if you simply eat and enjoy food, there is a lot of scope for reflexion in these maps.

40 Maps that explain food in America

The first one includes a bit of history, too.

Where the world's cattle, chickens and pigs live

In case you were wondering, there are apparently 980 million pigs in the world, 1.4 billion cows, and 19.6 billion chickens.  To put that in perspective, there are 7 billion humans.

According to evolutionists, chickens are the closest living relative to Tyrannosaurus Rex.  Considering that chickens outnumber humans by 2.8 times, it might behoove you to check the second map and see if there are any chickens living near you!  If there are, you should be afraid.  Be very afraid!

We Had a Dream

In July 2010 we attended Nature's Harmony Farm Business School for a weekend seminar.  We came away realizing we already had the perfect customer base--our kids and grandkids.  We had moved to Zephyr Hill Farm on a whim, but that summer weekend the whim became a dream.  We dreamed of Zephyr Hill Farm as a place our children and grandchildren would love to visit, to experience God's amazing creation--especially His creatures, and to build lifelong memories.

On December 23, Jim and Monique arrived with Charis, who turned six on the 28th; Kol, who will be four in January; and Eden, who will be two in April.  Jenny, Jean-Marc and their dog Tai arrived from Ohio on Christmas Eve.  Kara had already been here for several days with her dog Bonnie, cooking, baking and decorating up a storm.  Katie and Cameron could not join us as they were heading to New Zealand the day after Christmas.  We missed them, but the celebration went on . . .

All kinds of fun were on the menu, like jumping off the Kubota . . .

getting horsey kisses . . .

and tickles!

Kol and Charis lifted Eden up for a horsey kiss, too . . .

while Julie was just her perfect size.

Not even big, tall Romeo could faze Eden, a truly fearless animal lover.

Charis discovered the fall leaves . . .

and everyone piled right in.

On Christmas Eve we sang Christmas carols around the table after our dinner of fresh Ohio tamales and homemade grass-fed beef chili.

Christmas morning began with one of our favorite traditions.  Everyone has to stay in their room until Dad and Mom (or Didi and Mimi) turn on all the Christmas lights.  Finally, when everything is ready, I give the cue to come downstairs by turning on Percy Faith's "Joy to the World" at 99 on my Bose player.  It definitely wakes any stragglers!

This has for many years been our way of beginning Christmas morning with the joyous announcement of the birth of Jesus.

Full of exuberance while she waited for the slow grown-ups, Eden raced around and around the room . . .

while Charis and Kol clapped their hands over their ears to dim the pealing music and followed suit.

Like the rest of us, Jean-Marc enjoyed a cup of coffee while Santa Herb distributed the presents, assisted by Aunt Kara the Elf.

Jenny kept her camera poised to capture Christmas memories.

Eden helped Jim open his gift of grass-fed Zephyr Hill Farm beef.

Charis and Kol exercised enormous artistic talent and generosity this year, and Aunt Kara was the beneficiary of an original Charis work of art.

Monique shared Eden's joy over a stuffed doggie from Aunt Jenny and Uncle Jean-Marc.

And finally, after a treasure hunt through the house, the children found Didi and Mimi's present in the basement, an HO train complete with an antique village from Mimi's childhood, a mountain tunnel studded with real West Texas rocks, and a little farm with a pasture full of animals.

We were blessed by five full days with the family, loving every minute (except the ones I spent sick in bed). Sunday found everyone heading for home, whether Ohio or nearby Chattanooga.  Before the grandkids left, they had a few last requests . . .  Eden got to say goodbye to the animals.

Charis got a birthday kiss.

Kol and Eden talked to the cattle over the fence.

And there was time for one last romp on the hay bale playground Jim and Didi had built in the hay barn.

Although we made many happy memories this Christmas, there's one I'll always remember.  Monique told us that when Kol woke up the morning after Christmas, he asked her, "Mama, is this a dream?"

"No, it's real," she reassured him.

But she was wrong.  It was a dream--our dream come true!

If Cows Could Talk, Here's What They Would Say . . .

Dear Hopeful Cow Owner,

Before you decide to bring me home and keep me as a family milk cow, here are a few things you should know about me . . .

1) I am a ruminant. I eat my food quickly and burp it up to chew my cud. When I swallow, my cud goes to my rumen, a large “stomach” full of good bacteria that help me ferment and digest my food. My rumen produces gas, which I burp up.  This means I have different needs than horses and other animals you may be used to.

2) I am a herd animal and do not like to be alone.  I’d rather have other cattle for company, but even a sheep or a goat will do.  I also hope to be treated kindly by you because I depend on you.

3) I need some basic infrastructure—at least a fenced pasture, a shelter if you get bad weather, a small pen to confine me when needed, and a way to hold me still in case I need treatment. 

4) In most cases, I need free-choice hay. Even out on pasture, please keep hay available for me. The fiber helps me digest my food. No matter what some people tell you, please don’t feed me moldy hay. If you wouldn’t feed it to a horse, don’t feed it to me.  All pastures are not equal, so my “good green grass” might not be as good as you suppose. And those clumps of long, green grass? That’s where I pooped, and it’s not on the menu!

5) Avoid abrupt changes in my feed, whether grain or spring grass.  Change it gradually and keep it that way for several days before another change. This gives my rumen time to adjust.  And by the way, PLEASE keep all feed double-locked.  If I can, I will sneak in and gorge myself—and that could kill me.

6) I need plenty of water, and if my tank runs dry I will suffer. I use a lot of water for digestion and even more for producing milk. Even in cold weather I need water, and if it’s too icy I won’t drink enough.

7) I need free access to minerals. What I need depends on what part of the country you live in, so please find out what I need. Salt is only one of the minerals I need, and horse salt blocks aren’t sufficient for me.

8) I need shade, enough to lie down in to comfortably chew my cud--trees or a shed, I’m not picky.

9) Think about pests. Flies really bug me. They bite my udder and teats and can give me mastitis or pink eye. Please control the flies! Sometimes I get worms, even though you may never see them. Try to rotate my pastures, and take fecal samples to the vet twice a year. He will tell you what wormer to use for me.

10) I need vaccinations against various diseases and probably a rumen magnet, too.  An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

11)  Think about my love life.  When I'm in the MOOOd for love, I can bellow loudly, day and night!  If I don't have secure fences, I just might go looking for love in all the wrong places.  I won't produce milk indefinitely; I'll eventually need a new calf, which means either getting a bull, sending me off to a bull, or AI.  How will that work with milking me?  

12) If I should get sick or hurt, PLEASE call the vet if it’s beyond your skill! I can have calving problems, mastitis, milk fever, ketosis, bloat or other things that could permanently hurt or even kill me. If you want me to take care of your family and provide you milk and meat, please care for me in return.

13) And finally, if I’m ever suffering from sickness or injury or old age and not even the vet can help me, PLEASE give me the final gift of love, a peaceful death.

Now let me tell you what I will do for you . . .

1) I will look beautiful in your pasture, giving you joy just by being there.

2) I will give you a calf every year and raise it for you.

3) I will give you affection in return for scratches.

4) I will teach your children responsibility and where their food comes from.

5) I will keep you in tune with nature and the cycle of life.

6) I will give you manure to compost for your garden.

7) I will keep your pastures and your lawn mowed.

8) I will let you be the boss of me--or at least let you think you are.

9) I will give you a reason to get up and go outside every day.

10) I will even be your friend and companion, if you so wish.

11) With care and good management I will share with you the milk that God intended for my calf.   I will not begrudge it, but will give it generously.

12) And when my life is over, I will feed you one last time if you so desire

. . . for I am a cow.

I, the undersigned, do agree and covenant to fulfill my responsibilities toward you, my owner—

The Cow

Will you, Future Cow Owner, agree and covenant to fulfill your responsibilities toward me?  If you do, I have one favor to ask:  Before you bring me home, please buy a copy of Keeping a Family Cow, by Joann S. Grohman and read it from cover to cover!