I thought KP Esprit was due to calve on 17 May and we have had to come to Hobart for Mark to finally have his spinal surgery. I didn't think she was that close when we left yesterday and today I have had a phone call that she has calved, a black bull calf.
That is really great news.
I am sitting waiting for Mark to come out of theatre, so thought it was a good a time as any to post a blog.
On Saturday morning we were expecting the delivery of our new Wiltshire ram. He was coming from a property in Gunns Plains and they were having difficulty loading him, so we went down to give a hand.
Once he was safely loaded we set off home to get ready for his arrival and movement into our sheep paddock with the ewes.
A few minutes after getting home, I looked up to see the cattle in the Barn paddock looking up the driveway and at that very moment I saw the new ram running down the driveway quickly followed by the farmer from Gunns Plains. When I enquired how he got out I was told in quick sentences between gasps of breath that the hurdles had come off the ute down by the Preston Falls. The ram had surfed his way here on the back of the ute with nothing to hold him in, and he had decided that at our driveway to jump off and escape what must have been a harrowing ride for the poor fella.
I got this funny mental picture of a ram on the ute and worst of all footy was in Preston, so I am sure that many of those up there must have thought they were seeing things. My regret is not seeing our ram surfing the ute, it would have made funniest home videos for sure.
We quickly put the ram into our yards and went back to help load the hurdles onto the ute, and to our amazement they were still lying where they had come off, blocking the road and with very little damage.
Farming can be funny sometimes, unless you are the particular animal involved. But now I need a surfing name for the new ram, I think that would be a reminder of his arrival.
Just a quick blog, KP Grace Kelly calved a few days ago, just before the pouring rain. At 1.30 am a black polled heifer by KP Esquire.
Fourtunately David & Sue have been here while Grace was due and got to see the latest baby.
She will be named Kirup Park Jewell of Monaco, Sue chose the name but I think it is very fitting.
The cow and calf did spend 48 hours in the shed when we had msot of the rain, so both were warm and safe, but now enjoying the freedom in the paddock.
Eveready calved late yesterday afternoon, under our pine trees along the road. She was in calf to Baunatal Magic Merlin and was due on the 16th so I had been carefully watching her.
Early in the afternoon she tried the adopt a baby ploy with Jarrah Storm. But finally had to give in and give birth herself.
At 4 pm a lovely polled black heifer was born. And what a ripper calf she is.
I am still undecided about a name, as we want to include something with a magic theme. Here are my ideas so far - Jindi Magic, Jinx, Justa Kinda Magic and Mark came up with Jamerlina which incorporates Merlin's name into her name.
We have just weaned 12 calves that were born last August / September, so the yards have been a bit noisy this past week. It is interesting when you get all the calves together to be able to assess them structurally. I must say I am going to be spoilt for choice on which heifers to show this coming season. Hey Jude and Hells Belle's who were shown at Wynyard with their dams have some stiff competition from High Hope, Holly O'Shea and Hidden Gem. Now to get them all halter trained in the coming week. They have gone to a paddock adjoining the yards, so will be easy to get in, and it is time to wean the bull calves this week. More bellowing!!
We are now able to offer for sale Hindu Delight and Heartbreaker who are both red and polled.
And yesterday in the rain KP Classic Crystal finally decided to calve. She was due on the 8th but she had other ideasand wanted me to easily remember the calf's date of birth 13/4/13. Around lunchtime she gave us a red polled bull calf by AI sired by KP Yarra Storm. The mating was half sister to half brother but the calf looks very promising, and we have decided to name him Jarrah Storm.
We have finally delivered the cattle down south that have been sold for some time. It was with mixed feelings that we dropped off some of our favourite girls, their calves and a lovely natured little bull.
Fergie and her calf Her Highness along with Contessa Cue-tee and Hello Dolly have gone to Norman and Jenny on Bruny Island and we wish them all the best with two of our favourite cows. They are the last of our short legs and Mark was very fond of both girls as they were his milkers. We know the girls will have a lovely time on Bruny Island, and will soon have Jenny trained on how to look after her milkers
Fancy Free and her steer Happy Go Lucky have gone to Mark, Rosemary and their family at Margate. Rosemary is itching to get milking also and Mark put the time into training Fancy Free while he milked the other two. Good luck with your endeavours with Fancy Free and I am positive she will give you some lovely milk for the family to enjoy.
KP Bongo Beat and her calf Hip Hop, along with KP Hallmark haved joined Chris and Louella at Craddoc. Chris actually purchased Hallmark as a Christmas gift for Louella and when she found out she decided to purchase an unrelated cow and calf as the start of their Dexter herd. They join their other two Dexter heifers on their gorgeous property, and I am sure they will get as much pleasure from them as we have and produce lovely calves into the future.
So I am a bit sad today that the girls are gone, but very grateful that we got there and back safely and the cows all seem to have settled into their new surroundings. All up we did an 800 km round trip which took just over 12 and a 1/2 hours. Boy did I sleep well last night.
Our new Business Cards
Coming to
Burnie Farmers Markets
Our Launch June 2013
We are pleased to announce that we are going into partnership with our close friends Ron & Julie Hunt to promote our Homegrown Dexter Beef which has its own registered Trademark, locally grown vegetables & free range eggs that we are producing on our farms.
If the demand is sufficient we will be able to source produce from other local producers to sell at the Burnie Farmers Markets. Our proposed launch date will be the first market being held in June 2013.
Today we have been fortunate to source a display fridge and some scales to set up this new venture.
We are very excited to try our hand at the Farmers Markets and look forward to more updates closer to the date with what produce we will have available.
If there is anything you would particularly like us to source for you please let us know and we will endeavour to do our best to have that item available. Contact Margaret on 0437 953 222 or Julie on 0421 900 516 to discuss your special requirements.
In the future it is also hoped we will be able to supply free range pork from our three large white / landrace X sows and prime lamb from our Wiltshire sheep.
Many things to look forward to, wish us luck.
Our new banner
This has been the driest spell that Mark & I have encountered since moving to Tassie. But yesterday the heavens opened.
We are the offical weather station for Preston and we measured 17.2 mm in the gauge to 9 am and this morning Mark measured 72.2 mm, so that is 89.4 mm in just over 24 hours.
Our paddocks have absorbed every drop, with the cracks disappearing before your eyes and we are already showing the benefits of an instant green flush. It is time to add some more Kelp and Fish mixture to get the pasture growing before the weather turns too cold. The cows seem happy to have fresh green pick.
I suppose we can put the drought relief forms away until next time!!
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