New wintering ground

We finished fencing some additional acreage this Fall, which included just over acre of thick trees that were getting choked out by ivy.

We moved the older cows down to the trees for the winter and they have done an amazing job of cleaning it up.  They love ivy... who knew?

Lots of small trees and old limbs still left to clean up, but it's looking so much better.  Our hope was to save the few large pines, which aren't common in our area, and the old firs.

My grandparents bought this property in the 50's, and my dad remembers this treed area from his youth.

The cows love their clover pellets to help supplement with their hay for the winter.

Farm pictures and happenings

The grass is growing faster then the cows can keep up.

The new chicks are getting big, and all the chickens are anxious to get out into their new run.  They've been cooped up for too long. 

We've created a new chicken/calf weaning paddock that's almost ready. The new grass is growing, and we just have to add a bit of chicken fencing to the gates so that they don't escape where our dog can play with them​. The chickens have a small door from their coop that opens up into a barn stall attached to the new pasture. 

Mama cow Agnes is enjoying the barn and fresh grass with her girls.  Fiona was born last month, and Emma was born in 2016. We decided to keep Emma as a replacement heifer and replace our bull this year. She has great potential, and her coat coloring is beautiful.

Temporary fencing vs. bull

What happens when our bull tries to eat the grass on the other side of a temporary hot wire fence?  He somehow manages to get the fiberglass pole with a small wire clip stuck in his hair... runs through the pasture like a crazy bull... cowards by his girls until hubby takes it off!

We were out moving irrigation and watched the whole thing... it was pretty funny.  More importantly, maybe he learned his lesson and won't be sticking his head through the fence anymore!