When a car drives up, the cattle will run to the fence, watch the visitor set a pumpkin on the smashing stump, pick up a sledgehammer, lift it high, and then whack it down on an unsuspecting pumpkin. Sometimes, the pumpkin skitters away and needs a second smashing. It often splits into smaller bits, just right for munching.
Everyone loves a day at the beach....even cows. Check this out.
Nine pairs of oxen stood quietly, lined up against the fence as the judge calculated our scores. I fussed and brushed my team as we waited for the results of Class 3 of the Log Scoot class at the recent Sandwich Fair. I'd spent weeks training my Scottish Highland oxen, Topper and Finn, for this day and was incredibly proud of them.
Topper and Finn, a Scottish Highland team of oxen, placed 2nd in the Log Scoot at the 2024 Sandwich Fair.
Losing one cow is devastating, and losing a herd to a disaster is a farmer's ultimate nightmare. I can hardly see the words I'm typing through the tears. As I searched the internet for information on relief efforts for Hurricane Helene, I was encouraged by the herculean effort that the federal government is making for the hurricane victims, including farmers.
After 22 years raising cattle, you'd think I'd be unaffected by June, the friendly cow who walks over looking for scratches, or Tazzy, the grumpy mini-pig, grunting for dinner. But despite the years, the critters still pull on my heartstrings. I melt when Owen B, a yearling Scottish Highland steer, regards me with those big eyes, and Curious Bleu, our riding steer, lets me sit on his back.
