12 things about Farming

I came across this article called 12 Most Notable Things You Didn't Know About Farming
You should check it out!! He is a crop producer from Indiana. He writes the truth, for he is a farmer!!!
Interesting facts I liked from the article.
2% of the US is involved in production agriculture.
An average American farmer feeds 155 people!!
50 years ago the average farmer fed 25 people!
Farmers are really helping to keep the world go round.
Please share!!

Horsing Around

 We went up to put my brothers stud colt in with his new pack of brood mares recently.
We got to see some cute babies and beautiful mommas.
Many people these days keep their mares and foals right close by and they are very use to humans.
Not my family.

Is rare to have a ride-able  catch-able mare around my family.
We raise our mares and colts much the same as wild horses are.

The stud is turned out with the broodmare bunch in the summer time.
He runs with them for a good six months, getting acquainted very well with each mare.
He then comes out of the bunch in wintertime, along with all the new foals.
He gets a break from being 'the king' and the foals get broke to lead.

 Spring time comes around and the foals are back onto the mountain to work on that surefooted thing.
The stud gets to do cowboy work all spring and winter.
The mommas spend the winter in a lower desert pasture.
The new foals start showing up eleven months after the stud was put into the bunch.
And soon after the stud gets to go and be 'the king' again.

This is the Stud, notice the way he is all tensed up.

I love horses and watching the fuss these horses go through when a stud is first placed in the bunch is classic.

He prances around does some dance moves and chases the mares like crazy.
They all fight back with teeth or kicking feet.
That is as long as they aren't "horsing"---in other words wanting a little summthin-summthin.

It is amazing to see, plus its lots of fun to watch.
Really if you ever have the chance to see a stud put in with a mare bunch don't pass it up.

Even better is watching the pecking order establish itself with a band of wild horses.
Then you get to see awesome fights between the stallions.
Yes its a must see.

Side note: Why did we put the mares into the corral then turn the stud loose? Because if we would've turned the stud loose in the pasture he could have not collected them all and kept some from being in his band. Being turned loose into a smaller area like this he was able to show his dominance over all the mares and collect them all. This way there is a better chance he will cover and breed them all.

Well also on this trip the girls and I got to do a bit of riding.
Duh that is a must when your my kid.
Sorry girls its a curse, :) But you love it.

They also had fun playing in the mud. 

(How does she find this stuff???)

And climbing all over the random stuff that is around the corral.

I had a blast and I got to have a good talk with my mom.

 Plus we got to see baby foals.
They are SO cute.
But when we were done we once again turned them loose into the mountain pasture and came home.
Sigh....

Hay: A Precise Science

The art of growing good quality hay is all about preciseness.
Watering at the right time, for the correct interval.
(Flood Irrigating...12 hours a setting)

Cutting it at the right time for optimum nourishment.
(When a purple sheen can across the top of the hay can be seen.)
Ours is not quite ready another week most likely.

Letting it dry just enough so it can be baled at the right time.

And removing it from the field in a timely matter so the watering schedule is back on track.

Of course mother nature doesn't take into account that farmers may have another life besides raising hay.
Which in turn results into farmers being up at unseemly hours putting their hay up.
So when a crazy farmer heads out the door and starts his tractor up at midnight.
That is why.
The hay is at its optimum point of being cut or baled.

If hay was not put up at the the optimum point, there is many things that results from that.
Poor hay quality which equals poor nutritional value.
Which means the animals that eat the hay won't get the nourishment they need.

So when your lively hood depends upon hay.
Either for the fact that you grow it and sell it.
Or for the fact that you grow it and use it yourself.
It is important to get the hay up done at the right time.

Even if it is two in the morning.

A leaner cow

 I've learned something new.
You really do have to drain the grease from hamburger.
I never had growing up.
I always thought the directions where crazy when it called to drain the hamburger.
I never got grease off of it.
Until now.
This steer Koda and I've butchered is WAY greasy...in my opinion.
Koda thinks I'm crazy.
So look at these pictures.

 That's a lot of grease in my way of thinking.
I guess maybe it really isn't though.
So I talk to my dad about it.
Guess what...I'm not crazy.
The meat I grew up eating was really lean.
Limousine cattle are very lean.
Angus are fatty.
That's why Angus is America's preferred meat.
It is fatty...therefore tastes the best.
Frankly I think they both taste great, if not the same.
Only difference is I have to drain the Angus meat.

So take a look at these steers. 

This black one is going to be living in my freezer this spring. 

A Full blooded Angus he is.

Now take a look at these mutts.

My dad's steers are a mix of breeds.

Longhorn, Limousine, and some Angus...mostly Limousine though. (Yes there are two Holstiens in the picture, ignore them.)

So there's your tidbit for the day.
Angus have fattier meat.
Limousine don't.
Longhorn are a lean meat too...but they take AGES to finally get to eatin age.
That's another story.
Till next time.
Eat Beef!

Mountain Views

This is another reason I love to be a rancher.
Look at the view of that.
Deer, elk, cows, sheep, and horses all roam this country.
Along with all the other animals.
Truly a masterpiece.

Irrigation Systems

To grow food, water is a must.
To grow a lot of food, a lot of water is a must.
Farmers have been using irrigation systems for centuries.
Well ever since farming has came into practice.
10,000 years ago Maize was domesticated.
From that point agriculture and the art of farming has grown.
There are two different types of irrigation.
Surface irrigation and sprinkler irrigation.
Surface irrigation is the application of water directly onto the surface of the fields.

Picture from http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/irfurrow.html

This is accomplished by flood irrigation, furrow irrigation or gated pipe. These three are all the the same basic method just slightly different systems are used. Surface irrigation is the oldest form of system type irrigation. (In dry land farming, watering is all dependent upon the rain.) Read more about Furrow Irrigation here.

The second type of irrigation is sprinkler irrigation. This type uses pipes and sprinkler heads to water the fields.
Under this type there is many systems.

Solid Systems aka hand lines.
Hand lines are what I grew up moving. They are no fun, yet must be done every morning and night.

Picture of hand lines in my dad's field

Continuous Systems aka pivots

Pivots is my most favored method. These move in circular fashion and water continuously.

Picture my brother took from the top of pivot

Periodic Systems aka wheel lines.

Wheel lines usually are motorized too, but they must be manually connected to the water source. 

There is also a new system out on the market. K-Lines. These are similar to hand lines, yet you can leave the water running in them, hook them to your four-wheeler, and change them.  

Picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WheelLineIrrigation.JPG

Picture from http://www.k-linena.com/new_page_2.htm

Click on the links below for more information.  

Irrigation

Drip Irrigation
Furrow Irrigation

Water Boots...A Must Have

 Water Boots are definitely a must have on any farm.

These lovely boots are waterproof.

Therefore they protect your lovely pink toe socks, when changing water.

I call them gum boots.

Others call them muck boots.

Or just water boots.

Whatever you call them you must have them or else you have soggy feet.

These are the boots that reside in my home, two pair are mine, the other pairs are the girls, and Koda's reside in his truck, go figure.
We use them all year long.
They are an all season kinda boot.
I'm always in season with these mud kickers.
:)
Although I'll warn you...they don't prevent children from getting muddy.
Well I think my girl thinks she just has to have a mud bath or two or three every day.
See this is mud bath #2 for today, its only 3:30pm too...

Stay tuned next week we'll talk about different watering systems used by farmers and ranchers.

Animal Terminology

Hey everyone, today we'll learn farmer terminology when it comes to animals, for even though I grew up knowing this lingo (I thought it was common knowledge) it wasn't until I was in college in my animal science class that I learned that in fact we as farmers do have a unique terminology. So without further ado...Farmer Animal Lingo.

Sheep
Ram or Buck: a male sheep
Wether: a neutered male sheep
Ewe: a female sheep
Lamb: a baby sheep
Flock or herd: a group of sheep






Chicken
Rooster: a male chicken
Hen: a female chicken
Chick: a baby chicken
Flock: a group of chicken

Rabbit
Buck: a male rabbit
Doe: a female rabbit
Bunnies or kits: baby rabbits
Nest: a family of rabbits

Cows
Bull: a male calf
Steer: a neutered male calf
Heifer: a female calf
Cow: a heifer who has had a calf/calves
Calf: a baby cow
Herd or drove: a group of cows
Cattle: another term for cows




Pig
Boar: a male pig
Sow: a female pig
Git: a female pig who hasn't furrowed yet
Furrowed: had babies
Barrow: a neutered male
Piglets: baby pigs
Herd or drove: a group of pigs

Goat
Buck or billy: a male goat
Wether: a neutered male goat
Doe or nanny: a female goat
Kids: baby goats
Herd: a group of goats

Cats
Tom: male cat
Queen: female cat
Kitten: baby cat
Kindle: a group of kittens
Clowder: a group of cats

Llama
Males and females don't have special names
Babies are called crias



Horses
Stud or stallion: male horse
Mare: female horse
Foals: baby horses
Colt: what a male colt is called for the first two years of life
Filly: what a female foal is called first two years
Gelding: a neutered male









Ducks
Drake: a male duck
Duck: a female duck
Ducklings: baby ducks
Flock: a family of ducks

Dogs
Dog: a male dog
Bitch: a female dog
Puppy: a baby dog
Litter: a group of puppies
Pack: a group of dogs






Donkey
Jack: a male donkey
Jenny: a female donkey
Foal: a baby donkey
Herd: a group of donkeies

Did you learn something new? Now you'll understand what that old farmer down the road means when he says " my jenny is in trouble she's supposed to be with my ewe flock but some how she's gotten in with the rams and my bitch doesn't care for it." Yep he is not talking about his wife or mistress.

Have a fun filled day!
Me

From the Farm to your Table

One of the most discouraging misconceptions about agriculture that I come across is the lack of knowledge people have about the food on their table and where it comes from. Here's some facts you can bank on.

Milk comes from cows, which live on farms.
In fact all food stuffs have their beginning on somebody's farm.
As do most non-food items... Go figure.

97% of farms are all family owned and operated. Some are large scale and some are small scale.
US farmers produce the safest food worldwide.
The USA is a major global food resource.

As the future of the world-growing- and farming-shrinking- stand...do you really think Americans want to get rid of the farmers?
Food is one of the components of basic survival and farmers provide it for us.

NPR (National Public Radio) summed it up great "To many (Americans) this is what the future should be-fruits and veggies grown on small farms, nearby the city. But, get over it. This isn't the future-not if we want to feed everyone." (Quote found in Utah Farm Bureau News, article; When did food become so complicated?)

So please support the farmers and agriculture, they provide us with the safest food in the world.
Me, a farming advocate.

Sorry no pictures...I'm committing to doing better.

Bummer Lambs

Bummer Lambs.
Poor little lambs that can't be raised by their mother for one reason or another.

Example: Mom is dead by birth complications or predator attack.

Example: Mom doesn't have enough milk to raise them.

Crazy to think that sheep usually have twins or triplets, and not uncommon quads, therefore, sometimes not enough milk to go around.

Therefore it falls upon us caretakers of the animals to make sure these little lambs get their food and nourishment.

Best solution is to find a surrogate mother for the little lamb.

Another ewe who has lost a lamb is the very best substitute.

New lambs can be easily grafted onto the new mother ewe and within a few days, the lamb will officially be claimed by her.

Another good surrogate mother is a nanny goat.
They easily accept lambs and let them nurse.
Many farmers/ranchers have a few nanny goats for this very purpose.
They kid out their goats about two months before the ewes lamb out.
This means that when there are bum lambs, the kids are big enough to wean from their mothers and the lambs placed on the goat in place of the kid.
Can you see in this herd of goats there are two lambs, I've written lamb on them in red.
Okay so you probably can't see it...but can you pick out the lambs?
Anyways, the lambs are just a part of the herd.

Another greatly used option of feeding and raising bum lambs.
Bottle feeding them.
This is probably the funnest and best chore for little kids.
But really if there is nothing like having a pen of bum lambs right outside your house waiting to be fed or played with.

Truly its the best summertime activity out there for children.

OH and guess what.

There's bum calves too.

They can be bottle fed too.

They are a lot more sloppy eaters though and can kind of take over young children.

Older children though can handle them.
My favorite solution for bum calves.
The milk cow.
Seriously, makes milking her so much easier for then you don't!

Hope you've enjoyed learning about bum lambs and calves and how they are raised.
Can't wait till next week for another Fun Farm Fact Friday!
Well maybe I should call it Farm Tour Friday oh well!

Animal Abuse

As I sit here and fight the sleep from my eyes, I stumble upon a post that touches my heart.
This is how I feel.
It makes me sick that animal abuse is so widely spread.
But good animal husbandry is dismissed and ignored, by the larger public.
Please read her post.
I CARE about Animal Abuse
It's true 95% of ranchers and farmers do the right thing and go to the extreme sometimes of keeping their animals alive.

I've been raised with lambs, calves, chicks, puppies, kittens, all in the mudroom of my mothers house when they weren't doing good or needed a warm place to stay.
And my mother doesn't allow any animal in the house...believe me.

Example:
A couple of years ago my dad had a calf that had a messed up/broken back.
He fed that calf night and morning on the bottle.
Made sure it had fresh hay and water.
He helped that calf survive to be 6 months old.
Then the calf decided to pass on.

Is that animal abuse or is that pure love?
95% of ranchers are like this.
We don't beat our animals.
We don't starve our animals.
We don't abuse our animals.
They are our lively hood.
We love them just as if they were our own children.

Just a thought.
Oh and guess what, all our calves so far are red, except one white one...interesting huh?
Have a good one!

Sheep Doggies

Its Farm Fact Friday, today we are going to go to a sheep operation and learn about some working animals!

On many Range Sheep operations, (sheep operations that run all over the country side and rangeland. Here in the basin most operations have winter country, which is the desert or the low ground and then summer country which is up in the mountains, and spring and fall are spent moving from low ground to high ground.)

Since range sheep operations are ran over mostly unfenced public and private lands they require a herder to watch over the sheep and make sure they are not overgrazing the land and they are staying healthy. Sound like an ideal summer job? On a horse every day, living out of a sheep camp with a wood stove, nothing but your sheep, dogs, and horse for company, for very low wages?

A very helpful and needed animal needed in a sheep operation are a dog or usually dogs.

First there is the herd dogs, usually numbering around two or three per herd. These dogs help to keep the sheep grouped together and helps the herder keep the sheep out of dangerous places, ie: the roads.

These dogs are usually a border collie breed or another herding dog breed. They are usually very friendly, but some are standoffish.

Then many operations have guard dogs that actually stay and live with the sheep to protect them. A breed that is used is Great Pryneess (Don't know if spelt right). These dogs are raised with sheep from the time they are pups and the sheep accept them and ignore them. Notice the sheep in the background of this picture with the puppies?

They keep predators from attacking the sheep and will even keep unkown humans from approaching the sheep. There are other animals that are used for sheep protection such as mules, donkeys, and/or lamas. In the old days that is why many sheep herders had mules or donkeys, was for protection for the sheep. If you happen to be driving and see one of these dogs just walking around, then you will most likely happen to see some sheep close by.

These dogs are working and should be left alone. They are protective animals and if you let them do their job, they'll pay you no never mind. Some of these dogs are also very friendly. If you encounter a friendly one, just ignore it, they are not pets they are working animals and need to be treated as such.

Thanks for stopping by and learing about Sheep Doggies Today! Check back next Friday for another fun fact.

Thanks to my sister and mother for taking such wonderful photos!