The cattle have come up from summer grazing to be sorted for harvest, calves castrated and feet trimmed where needed. A group of 9 steers left the farm this morning with a blessing and great thanks for their sacrifice - it is a time of harvest and Thanksgiving on the farm. New electric fencing will go up in the Oak Field this week and the cows & calves with a few steer calves for next year's harvest will go back on pasture with supplimental hay and mineral rations in their winter paddock.
We have decided to keep one of our 2012 bull calves in tack and will rotate him into our breeding program in a little over a year (photo above @ 2 months). He is a real genetic mixed bad of heritage breeding and we love what his disposition, solid genetic stock and confirmation will add to our herd. He is 1/4 Dexter (heritage), 1/4 Highland (heritage), 1/4 milking Shorthorn (heritage) and 1/4 Limousine. He is naturally polled and demonstrates his inherited celtic curiousity daily around the farm! We have yet to name him, so any suggestion for this gentle lad would be appreciated.
After the cattle came forward from their summer grazing, the 10 farm horses were sent off to clean up their pastures. They eagerly trotted down the laneway and chomped on the remaining tender summer greens. Horses are a big part of our pasture management program, as are the sheep and hopefully our budding goat tender Pearson will soon get the goats out to clean up pasture too! Byebye bushhogging those weeds - as the combination of sheep and goats will help bring us to our permaculture goals.
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