Cowdog Production Sale May 18-20, 2012 … cowdogdays12

Plans are in the works to host another Tammy’s Cowdogs cowdog production sale.  The dates are May 18, 19, 20.  The cowdog demonstrations and sale will be Friday the 18th.  Watch my Blog for updates as the sale time gets closer.  Previous sales information is on my Blog and website. 

We will get all the previous sale information of years past “corralled” up a bit so that it is all easier to find and follow.  Life is a work in progress at times!

Stay tuned!  Cross your fingers the winter is good (it has been so far), that spring brings much needed rain to all the areas that need rain to grow grass and crops (that includes my little piece of Americana), and that a more normal level of input costs can be recognized and that all production ag folks can make an honest living.

Spring Calving 2012

This is the first year in my life that I will not be outside during the wee hours spotlighting calving heifers. Really sad in a way. I will miss the stars, the quiet, the solitude, the peace that passes through the hours of darkness, the brightness of the full moon, the occasional growl from a cowdog who sees something I don’t, the warmth of the cowdog that warms my cold hand…s or face, the adrenaline rush of coming onto a scene of a heifer in distress, the snow as it pelts my chapped face, the sloshing around in the rain, skidding around on the ice, staring at a situation contemplating my options to fix the problem, the joys and satisfaction of asking a cowdog to bring the heifer on to the corral while I get the gate and not being able to see a thing…only hearing the sound of footsteps from the heifer or cowdog to know that the cowdog is successfully bringing the heifer on to the corral, the quiet respectful manner in which the cowdog is getting the job done, the glow in the cowdog’s eyes while he or she watches intently to help…plus knowing a ‘snack’ is about to arrive, and the funny conversations in the pickup after a cowdog belches or farts, and watching a cowdog smile back at me when I say, “Did you fart? That’s terrible!”…with a grinning cowdog looking back at me.

I am going to miss Spring calving.

But a year ago, amidst a winter of record snowfall from December through February and the forecast of a cold, wet spring and a hot dry summer, I decided to change my way of doing business.  The record cold and snow yielded trees with leaves and blossoms like I have never seen.  The rains began in March and lasted into the end of May.  The cold, damp, overcast days dealt us a hand that played out as lack of spring growing temperatures, no hay and no pasture.  The hot, dry summer lasted from June through September.  October was dry with periodic spot showers that were welcomed to wash off the cattle in the lots.  November was in the single digits.  December came and the temperatures have see-saw’d from near record warm to about normal, with not much precip.  January is lining up the same.  We have been in the 50′s and 60′s and then down to 20 or less.  Today is it going to be 65 and tomorrow some temperature drops to the 20′s and a rain/snow mix.  And by the weekend we are to be back to the 60′s. 

I guess I look past the todays and look out to the spring grass growing season.  I think back to how hard it was to make the decision to cut back on cow and replacement numbers.  What a difficult decision…I had mulled this over for 3 years.  Now, the reality faces me to say, “That was really hard to do, but now…it appears to have been a wise decision.”  We are dry here.  Grass in nill.  Hay is gone.  What hay that is found is marginal and extremely expensive…trading at 3X’s the money.  If moisture doesn’t come, then we will join Texas and Oklahoma and Kansas in the extreme drought zone.

So…looking out my mom’s kitchen window last night, I took this picture, my eyes filled with tears and I thought, “I am going to miss Spring calving.  Look at all the things I am going to not see or hear in the next 37 days!”

So Hawk and I went on home, pulled up behind the house and told our long-gone friend Bert we loved him, checked on Ducchess and her puppies and called it a day.  Life is just not the same without dear Bert.  Just a memory………..a happy & sad memory.

~~ Cowboy/Rancher…or Cowboy & Ranching Joke ~~

Last winter, I had a national ranching magazine owner/editor call to do an interview about cattle, cattle feeding and the cowdogs. At the end of the interview, he said, “Can you email me a hi res photo of you out feeding cattle with your cowdogs?” I said, “Well, hadn’t really taken any pictures of myself. But I guess I could.” He said, “Make sure you aren’t wearing a cap.” I thought, “It’s below zero! I never wear a cowboy hat when it’s snowing, 30 mph wind and below zero. I ranch for real not for show.” I said to the man, “Well, this time of year that is not possible to catch me in a cowboy hat. My health comes first and I ranch for a living and not for show.” He sternly said, “Well, my magazine is to portray the cowboy and ranch way and wearing anything other than a cowboy hat is not acceptable for my magazine.” I said, “Well, then I can’t help you anymore. Not even for a high gloss article in your magazine.” He said, “Seriously?!” I said, “Yep, thanks for calling.”

So today, I had to once again chuckle at that day of January 2011. It is -7F today.  It all boils down to common sense and not freezing my ears off, not being deathly sick and not puttin’ on the dog. Seriously fella, ranching is not even remotely close to being slick and high gloss. Put your fanny out here for 24×7 freezing your tail off to save and feed the world. Probably explains why he’s “writing about the glamour” and I’m livin’ “the dream!”

Levi Goes to the Doc

~~Yes, it’s chilly this morning!~~
Awoke at 4 to the news and the local TV has school closings. I think, “Uggghhh. I wonder how much we have so far.” The wind at the moment was pretty calm. But, it’s not very calm at the moment! I get up, head to the basement to check on Ducchess that the cuties. It’s pee time. Change the pups bedding sheet, toss in some laundry, open door to let Ducchess an…d Hawk out and to my amazement…maybe only an inch of snow! I felt immediately better about my day. Levi and I are heading to the vet 1st thing to get his foot/leg x-ray’d. When I sewed his toe back on several weeks ago I ended up having to take a dewclaw off and his leg/foot were pretty crushed up. I think he might have a floating bone chip that might need to come out. So guess I’ll fire up Ole Red and toodle to the vet to get a picture of the crime scene.

All in a day’s work I guess.  But, Levi don’t miss a lick even when he’s 3-wheelin’ it.  But it’s painful and we need to see if we can get him fixed up.  He sure is a champ of a friend and a heck of a worker…he loves his job and life.  And, he’s handsome!

Hacking, Encrypting and Taking My Info

To the people that have been encrypting all my email accounts, Facebook site, my Blog…you need to enjoy your encrypting efforts while you can.  The last 4 years of your antics will soon come to a close when you are exposed.  You can hack my sites all you want and steal information and phones calls from me.  But one thing that you cannot ‘hack in and get’ is my honest way of living.  Yes, keep telling people that your cowdogs are better than anyone elses.  But remember this…many people know and realize you are puppy milling and that you have two goals in life…one is greed, the second is hurting people.

Happy hacking to you and I hope you have a nice day.

We raise ‘happy’ cowdogs…even Ducchess loves her pups.  She’s 5 and a proven worker, great friend and an excellent mother to her 1st litter of pups.

Christmas…Sunup to Sundown

Our Christmas day was certainly a busy one.  Hawk and I left early, knowing we needed to feed calves, cows and get around to feed some hay.  We fed the calves in the lots while it was still dark:30.  Our goal was to be ready to head out to feed hay shortly after the sun was up.  Our 2nd goal was to be home by 9 so that we could get to church by 10.  Goal #2 was intercepted just a bit.  Three cows out cost about 10 extra minutes.  We left to head N to feed hay to 53 heifers and a bull.  The heifers came along, but when we returned home the bull had flat-foot jumped a new 5 wire fence and was tending to another bull’s business.  But, Hawk and I had to go on because we were now going to be late for church.  Seems these days that if we get there when the bell is ringing we are ‘on time’…a hair late.

I was having a dickens of a time with Hawk today.  She’s a little sad.  I think she is going to come into heat and when we are at home, I find she has trotted off and gone to lay down next to Bert’s grave.  Bert is buried in the back yard, right in front of where we pull in and park the pickup.  She definitely misses him and lays with her head right over where his head is.  She rolls around in the buffalo grass, stretches out across his grave and just lays there.  You can hardly get her to budge to go along.  She comes if I call her twice and follows along.  It sure is sad to see her so sad.  I know it sounds odd, but I have no doubt that she misses her love…Daddy Bert.

So our Christmas day was kind of a sad day.  We both miss dear Bert.  The pastor’s church service was very good and sure am glad Hawk and I made it…even if we were a tad late. We got home and buzzed off to get the rogue bull in.  Which meant we were late to start the cooking of the pot ‘o shrimp.  Some of the family understood.  Some of the family didn’t.  But, isn’t that how it is in families!

I hope my friends who have come by the Blog had a good Sunday and a good Christmas.  Guess we are going to be busy this coming week.  Next thing you know it will be 2012.  Our weather the past two days has been pretty fine…upper 40′s and maybe a 50 or two this coming week.  Sure beats last year all to pieces.  And, I don’t like to say that too loud because last year about this time we had to endure record cold, blizzard conditions and record snow levels, then it rained all spring clear up until May 20th – when I had shoulder surgery.  We don’t want to repeat 2011!

Cowdog Pups For Deposit People

Gloria and Oscar’s pups are 4 weeks old and beginning to travel around the whelping box.  They hear me coming and really get excited the last couple of days.  My voice means play time and food.  There are 4 blue merle pups and 2 black pups with a little white on their toes.  Sexes – 4 boys and 2 girls.  Might get their first pictures taken tomorrow.  It’s been raining, gloomy, overcast and dark in the barn and I thought I might get some pictures today, but it’s just too dark.  Stay tuned.  I’ll be calling my deposit people in the next few days to get them started on the pup selection process.

Dec. 24, 2011.   To ID the pups, just hover over the pictures and you will see a #__, a sex and color, and a (__) to show poses 1, 2 or 3 per pup.

~~Update January 16, 2012.

These pups have really been troopers.  Smart. They learned the morning chores and routine on day one.  They learned the potty training routine on day one. 

Rainy Day Getaway

So Hawk and I loaded up about 1 p.m. yesterday to do a rare, “Just Us Girls Shopping Trip”.  It’s rare alright…once a year maybe for a couple hours!  Mission…small crocks.  So off to town #1 – California.  No small crocks, but found a near pint size brown crock moonshine jug from Westin, MO with all the lettering and details in mint condition…$14 bucks.  Saw my concrete forming neighbor who found a Leona Williams record in mint condition that he bought for himself.  He’s a real antique nut.  And Leona Williams was a local gal back in the 50’s or so that went to Nashville and was married to a couple of famous men singers (the Hag for one).  Town #2 – Apache Flats.  No crocks, but found an old original Tupperware lettuce keeper in mint condition – $5 bucks…guess what my mom is going to get someday!  Town #3 – Jefferson City.  No crocks at store #1.  Told Hawk, “This trip to look for crocks is turning into a crock! We’re going home!”  Stopped at my little friends bakery (BK Bakery) and got a mocha latte/no whip, a chocolate chip cookie and a dark chocolate crème puff filled with delish Bavarian crème.  It’s not a wonder I felt like a sick calf that didn’t want to come to the bunk by the time I got home!

Last night.  Cell phone battery is all pooped out of life.  I really don’t want to go back to town today.  But, I guess I might have to.  There is one more possibility of a crock location…hummm…  I need to get these piddly road trips out of my system!

You Put Your Head Where? The Disappointed Coons.

Have you ever had a day on your place when you think, “You can’t make this stuff up?”  From time to time I have written here about those ‘rare’ moments in life.  Sometimes they make your heart race because the state of affairs is critical.  Sometimes the event is mildly believable.  But.  This past Wednesday the event that had me saying, “You’ve got to be kidding” was a first for me.

This past Wednesday.  I had gotten up early, like today, at 4 a.m.  Lots of things to do.  It was the second day of  being overcast and rainy.  But Wednesday the rain was to be more like bursts of heavy rain with periods of no rain.  I had ladies from church coming at 11 a.m. to pick up some reports and that was going to take about 2 hours of my time.  So, I needed to leave out to feed early so that I could get back home by 11.  I had my strategy and travels all plotted out in my head!  I had Bandit and Hawk with me.  Never leave home without a cowdog!  We head to the shed, get the tractor and 2 bales of hay.  We head N to feed the replacement heifers and the fall pairs.  As we are traveling along I notice a cow standing on a S hill-top.  All the other cows and calves are heading my way.  First notion, hum…must have a sick calf.  Second notion, great…of all days.  We feed the replacement heifers on a ridge out of the wind and head back S to the pairs.  We top the ridge and in the distance, the cow on the S hill is still in the same spot.  Still looking back towards the S towards the woods.  Third notion, ok…this is not looking good…dang it.  We feed the pairs and head back home.  So, in my head I’m torn as to what to do.  Go ahead and head to the SE to feed about 2 miles from home and come back to the ‘lone cow on the S hill’ or go ahead and check out the lone cow.  I decided to take my chances.  The cowdogs and I went on to the SE.  We feed and check the SE cows and calves and on the way home, ponder, hope I made the right decision.

We get home. The ‘lone cow on the S hill’ is still in the same spot.  She’s not frantic.  She’s just still there looking S with a periodic bawl.  And the tone and pitch of her bawl is not a stressful one, it’s more of the ‘come on, lets’ go’ type of call to her calf.  Well.  Don’t ya know.  It begins to pour.  So, I figure, I’ll just stick with the tractor and not get soaked with the 4-wheeler.  As we crest the S hill, I can see a calf standing in a grove of trees.  Just standing there.  As I get closer, I begin to think, “Hum, it looks stuck.”  The closer I get, I can see the calf is standing in a puddle of soupy water.  And, I begin to think, “Surely you don’t have your head stuck in something.”  And, I think, those two trees do have a ‘V’ where they grew together at the bottom.  Well folks.  Guess what.  The 5-wt heifer calf had stuck her head in the V of the trees.  She was so curious about the coon den entry that she then sniffed around and got her head stuck.  And with the rain and her trying to get out, she peddled around to create a puddle of soup and her elevation was low enough that she couldn’t seem to raise her head high enough to get out. Let me remind you….it is now pouring.  I am thinking of not getting home in time to meet the ladies from church!  But, the calf is the priority.  Fourth notion…I am so glad I drove over here with the tractor.  I’ll just gently push on the tree and see if I can create any additional room in the ‘V’ of the tree so that I can get this silly sister out of the coon’s den foyer!  By this time, Hawk is clued in to the fact that a calf needs help.  She’s whining.  Bandit, who can’t see what is going on is curious as to what his mother is whining about.  I tell both of them, “You two stay here.  I’ll get it.  And don’t break the ignition key off in the tractor!”

Luckily for me, the calf had been stuck for some time.  Probably all night.  She was not fighting me as I tried to help her.  I moved her as far as I could to the right to see if she’d raise her head and pop on outta there.  Nope.  I moved her as far as I could to the left to see if she’d raise her head and pop on outta there.  Nope.  So, I kept moving her right to left and trying to grab an ear to get her head turned just enough to pull back and get loose.  It took a while and don’t you know.  It worked.  I was so grateful.  Thank the Lord, was all I could say.  The cow was good to simply watch.  The calf gets loose and is weak and shaking.  She looks around for her mom, bawls and finds the comfort of the udder.  I’m just shaking my head.  Bandit and Hawk are glued to  the glass of the tractor door.  They see me head to the tractor and resume their positions.  I tell them, all is well.  Look at my clock for the time and begin to think of the ladies from church and that I might just have time to head N and feed the cows at the Windmill.  I decide I am going to take my chances and go ahead and feed.  Surely, if I am a tad late the ladies won’t scold me.

As I back out of the grove of trees and turn to leave…I notice…2 rain soaked coons coming out of the cedars…headed to their den at a run.  I’ll bet they cussed that heifer all night long for having her head in THEIR HOUSE.  So, in people terms, I wonder who assessed the damages and who put the house back in order…him or her!

Six northern geese must have spent the night on the pond.  It was dark when we first saw them.  The wind was stiff out of the ESE and the geese were in a perfect ‘V’ formation facing the wind.  They saw us coming and drifted out of the ‘V’ to a group huddled together.  We watched a bit and they eventually began to swim back to being separate from each other.  They seemed tired and hungry.

~~ Friday Update ~~  I fed hay today near the area where the heifer got her head stuck in the “V” of the trees.  Still shaking my head.  So took a couple pictures just to remember the day and the laugh the days later.

Fall AI’ing Done…Rookie and Combination Hopefuls…Bulls Go Out Next

Another AI season is recorded in the calving books.  Bandit and Hawk did a great job with the patient work of gathering, sorting and working the alleys.  Our CIDR process might have had a glitch in it though.  Some of the cows began to ride and stand sooner than they should.  So, Saturday night we got the cows and heifers in to sort off the cattle that had been riding.  Everything else was left to drift back to the lot.  The cows and heifers that appeared to be coming into heat began to come back to the corral.  So we put them into a separate trap for the night.  The group left in the larger open lot were left to spend the night there.  Generally, then when morning comes the cows and heifers should be already ‘pre-sorted’ and we don’t have to hassle them around for a sort for the insemination process.  When Sunday morning arrived, we strolled through the cows and heifers and didn’t need to do any additional sorting.

We will see in approximately 274 days how it all works out…the calving season will determine the AI success!  We hope to see a lot of Rookie and Combination calves skampering around in the Fall of 2012.

All in all, the daily ranch chores part of the AI season seemed to go off without much fanfare.  Just another set of work days. The CIDR AI process is labor intensive and probably the most expensive method, but, it can be very rewarding once the calves hit the ground.  And, from a weather standpoint, the calving season should not have much bad weather to contend with.  It won’t be extremely cold.  It won’t be extremely hot.  The flies will be next to nothing.  The calves will be old enough to be prepared for the coming of winter.  We shall see!

It was good to see Richard Brooks again.  He is a great person and extremely effective in his insemination techniques.  One of his largest clients lives near Arapahoe, Nebraska.  So Richard and I can visit about all the little places between here and there that we like to stop at when we travel the 525 miles along the way.  It’s always interesting to compare where we stop for fuel and food!  He’s had some health scares this past spring but he’s back to his embryo and AI’ing travels and that is a good thing. He and his helper are a good team when it comes to the AI process.  And, he gets a kick out of watching the cowdogs work. 

Richard really enjoyed my dear friend Bert.  As did I.  I miss you ole Bert!  And, I know you are proud of your mate Hawk and your son Bandit!