When The Cows Come Home

Friday the 9th we headed up to the what I call the place by Stettler but its really by Donalda on the Roslind Road.  I was told I was gonna get to bring my pony but at the last minute Neil decided it would be fine without her :(  I was pretty sad but away we go.  I took the old grey trailer and it was pulling just terrible.  I complained to Neil about it and we looked all around and couldn't see anything so we kept going.

(we are right beside the Hutterite Colony Of Donalda 

and they had thier sheep in the canola field,

 no fences and they were just well behaved, was really weird.)

(The grass up there still looks good)

We got up there and Neil's Mom and Dad met us there and so that was nice, we sat around while Neil used his quad and got the cows in, it took about half hour, hes lucky they were all on the right side of the slough and not in the trees (I was hoping they were and he wished I brought my pony)  Once in, we cut the calves from the cows and that went really well except we made a lot of extra steps cause there is no gates where there should be gates.  Then we had lunch, a picnic we stopped in Drum that morning to get and then the truck come and we loaded him and then calves on Neil's trailer and 3 cows on my old trailer.  They were all in the front compartment which they fit fine but my little half ton cant hold that much weight on the bumper but Neil wanted his bike in the back so that's what we did.  42 pair up there, too bad wasn't only 41 then I wouldn't have needed to haul a trailer.

(not good)

(cows going into bull pasture for the night after being unloaded)

On the way home finally and we get to Castor and I think I should get gas, I might have enough to get home but just in case I better stop.  Well we gas up and I walk around the far side and see that there is oil or something on the tire, go take a closer look and oh crap the bearings are gone.  Probly were going the whole time and that's why it was pulling so bad.  Well we pull over to the side out of the way of everyone else there and jump in his truck and go home to unload calves.  Trucker calls and says his cows and calves are in the corral and that's perfect, he was cleaning ou the liner as we pull in the yard.  We unload his calves and head back to Castor to load those cows onto his trailer (by backing up so doors match and then letting the cows out and they walk across)  And then unhook my truck and tell the guys inside we are leaving the trailer there and will be back in the morning for it.  I was going to poker rally the next day so Neil was planning on stopping at a garage in town and seeing if they could fix it, haul the trailer to them and leave it there and then pick it up when ready.  of course being thanksgiving weekend no one was open, so he pulled the front 2 tires off and drove home slowly, it worked but now we gotta fix it and hopefully trade it on a newer model.  Was late when we got home, about 8:30 and the temperature was still 15*C  Wow that just unheard of for October 9th! We left them in the corral at night and then they went out with the other cows in the morning.

(The dash in my truck when we got home and all unloaded)

Then on the 14th was the community pasture day.  Its always an early morning, I got up before daylight and couldn't see anything but somehow the horses knew and come running into the corral, whew.  We went out to catch them, I thought I might take Razz but then Neil went to catch George and he started running around like he quite often does, he needs to play the move my feet game and then hes caught when he looks at you.  Well Jess thought she would run around to and so I took her, Cant have horses being a dork and letting them think that works.  She was good after that anyways, as always.  We loaded up and headed up to be there by 8.  I got a flat tire on the way in the yard, I think i know when it happened cause all the sudden Jess started jumping around in the trailer, probly cause the tire blew.  Oh well I ignored it till after we were back and fixed it before I headed home.

(9 of us this time, just starting out)

(Oh I see cows)

(and more cows)

(and more, just trailing them in)

Was a little chilly to start, was glad I had my ear warmer and gloves on, coulda used a pair of chinks though.  We took the long route around the lake cause that's where most of the cows were.  There's a pretty boggy spot so we tried to go around it too, no need to go through it if not necessary.  There was 9 of us this year, that was a little weird, I been there when there was only 4, a lot less stress when there is more.  We stared pushing cows south, we need to go farther south than the corrals cause they just cut around and go by the lake if we don't.  We push them north of the road then across the dam and then down south to the corrals.  It works well and this year as well,

(about 300 in this bunch)

(yay got them into the corrals)

(calves are sure looking good this year)

We got them in the corrals and then comes the hard work.  We put our horses away at just over 3 hours riding.  There was 5 people who had cows in this bunch and so everyone took a gate, Me and Stewart never had a gate so we pushed them from the big corral to the small alley.  once they were all separated, we cut everyone's groups into cows and calves and counted them and made sure all the animals were there.  So far so good, we had 50 up there and 50 to come home.  Our truck came 3rd in line and so we just waited and visited and then it was time to load.  Loaded up the liner and then I took the horses in my trailer and Neil was gonna haul a load of calves.  I headed out just after the liner and got home at the same time (I took a shorter way)  We unloaded cows and then Neil drives in, he said there was 4 trailers in front of him so he just headed home and figured we would just load the rest in the liner for a second trip.  So he jumped in with Justin and go pick up the last of the cows and calves.

(on the way home I saw a herd of antelopes, this in only about half of them)

(whew 9 miles, I forgot to stop it till we were in the corral, probly just about 3 hours)

(trailing cows in)

I unloaded the horses and untacked and fed them and turned them back out, they get to go in the alley so Neil could chase the cows through there pasture out to the rest of the cows.  When they got back he took them out, sure looks a lot different having all the cows home.  Makes a huge difference adding 92 cows to the herd.  And now we wean tomorrow and so half them will go to town.

(Horses were so well behaved no need to tie to unsaddle)

(Jessie and George, oats sure help them stay there )

(Jess rolling after I put her back)