Winter-Time

What do farmers and ranchers do in the winter?

Jeff and I have been doing some crop-planning lately.  We are thinking of planting a few acres of peas.  Peas are great because they fix nitrogen into the soil.  Nitrogen is essential for growing wheat, and often farmers spend a lot of time and money applying nitrogen-based fertilizer to the fields in order to help the wheat to grow.  It is probably a better solution for many reasons to supplement the soil with nitrogen in gentler ways, such as planting peas. We are excited about the prospect of (hopefully) increasing our wheat yield while also raising and selling a new-to-us crop.

Sometimes it is said that farmers get cows so they have something to do in the winter.  The cows need to be fed daily.  They are pregnant right now and near calving, so they go through A LOT of hay.  Tom or Jeff feed the cows in the mornings.  The heifers, which are at our place, get fed every third day or so.

Today, I joined Jeff when he went to the farm. Tom had already fed the cows, so Jeff and I just enjoyed a short walk through the corrals.  Harvey accompanied us.  A few photos below... enjoy!

Heifers, at our house.

This bull is getting sold soon.

Harvey, Quincy, and Jeff.

Curious bulls.

Harvey can't quite make friends with Quincy...

But he can make friends with the yearlings!