what country kids do for fun 6

...head across the river for a night on the town Wilco Farm Store sale.

As some may hit the mall during a sale, this family can make an evening out of going down to the local Wilco Farm Store for the Priority Customer Sale Event. {25% off animal supplies, lawn & garden, clothing & boots, etc. and 10% off everything else} We had more stuff to get, and not even feed this time as we just made that trip the week before hauling over 1500 pounds home in the truck. So, we pulled the kids off the basketball court where they were playing in the rain with the neighbor boys and friends, jumped in the truck and headed across the ferry to Canby. Wilco was maybe as busy as I've seen it tonight. For fun, I shot some pictures of our shopping adventure...which it always turns into because the kids goof around. We left at 6 and weren't home until 9ish. We spent nearly two hours at the farm store; a new record for us! I wonder...? Yep, we may be the only family who does this.

The Canby Ferry

Perusing the deck of the M.J. Lee

           

Troughs of spring chicks

Jess showing her imaginary steer...

...ahhh, and kissing a cow??? Must be her showmanship secret.

Scotch combs are good for a quick fix

We bought some show sprays at 25% off

The Purina feed aisle...the one that guzzles our money

We bought the girls cowgirl belts at 25% off

Here's one tough customer with his cowboy game face on

Pink and sparkles are just right for this cowgirl

The only time you'll catch this cowgirl in a pink hat

Now who wouldn't want that? gotta love Wranglers.

"Pleaseeee, Mom?" "No, we just sold our bunnies."

One spring, we sold three of our chocolate mini rex rabbits at the farm store.

The new wheelbarrow

Nearly two hours later...past dark and we're done.

Besides the wheelbarrow, show sprays, and cowgirl belts, we picked up fertilizer and other lawn/garden stuff, fencing materials, garden seed, and potted herbs for the herb garden I'm planting.

So, in conclusion, I highly recommend a trip to Wilco if you're itchin' for a lil' country fun. Be sure to try on the hats and Wranglers.

Safety First

Here are a couple 'Danger! Falling Cows' signs, which might seem comical, but really are posted in certain  areas where cattle range because there have been instances of cattle falling from the cliffs onto roadways. The top sign was put up in Washington near Spokane where a cow fell on a vacationing Michigan couple's minivan in 2007.

I also came across this report that there were 108 deaths caused by cattle between 2003-2008 in the Midwest. Creepy, but interesting facts, leave you with the understanding of how important safety is when working with livestock. Especially important, is teaching safe handling practices to our children who get comfortable when they are around these large animals day in and day out.  

In the two years we have been raising and showing cattle with our children, our daughter went to the ER when stepped on by her 1200 pound heifer her first year showing at fair, my niece broke off half her front tooth from her goat's horn, and most haunting of all, a friend from fair was critically injured and nearly died in July when he had an accident handling cattle at home.

This is a little embarassing after the fact because her injury was so blown out of proportion. She was in a lot of pain at first, and the paramedics on scene kept telling me she really should go to the ER by ambulance. I ended up taking her in my car because the chief paramedic finally concluded that she did not have a fracture or life threatening injury (I was worried about internal tearing or bleeding the way she was acting). I appreciated the chief warning me that it would be expensive and I could just take her myself. The others made it seem she was worse off that she was and she needed the ambulance.

Love the boots--this photo has 'tough cowgirl' written all over it.

Waiting for the doctor's examination with her little sister and cousin--looks like she's in a lot of pain now, huh?

Diagnosis:  Large Contusion Hematoma (aka--'a big bruise') on the left thigh

Here is the bruise a week later. You can see the hoof print (see below).

Lessons learned; cattle can be dangerous, so it is smart to have a healthy amount of fear and to always be aware and cautious as opposed to fearless. Some of the most dangerous situations are when cattle become spooked in new environments such as at shows, loading/unloading, or when around protective mothers with a newborn calf. We've found our calm cattle showing aggressive behavior when the dog is around, so we make sure to kennel our frisky lab before handling cattle. Selecting and breeding for temperament is important. Culling the crazy cattle that are flighty and spook easily is vital, especially when you are raising show cattle that will be handled by youth.

the pied piper and the red jacket

     The kids were working outside today raking leaves with Dad, when Jess went out and worked with the calves some. All the cows love to be scratched with the show stick and comb, so they began following Jess and trying to cut in on the others' turn. She looked like the Pied Piper with them trailing after her. Quizz is the only one that stayed away, but she did let Jess walk up to her and scratch her.

     In these photos, Jess is wearing my old, red jacket I won at the 1993 Polled Hereford Western Regionals for Champion Bred & Owned Heifer. I believe this show was held at Rogue River Ranch in Central Point, Oregon. It was the year I graduated high school, and my final year showing cattle. That award was what I considered my biggest cattle show accomplishment--to go out winning bred & owned at a regional show was pretty good for me.

Winterbrook Steer

new prospect steer #2

{PHOTO COMING SOON...}

On Thursday, October 6, the girls and I went out to Winterbrook Cattle Company in Canby to look at steers. We enjoyed meeting Trent & Lindsey Ricksger and Lindsey's dad, David Morgan. They were gracious in taking time to talk with us, answer questions, and show us their show cattle. We learned a lot visiting with them. We selected steer 1105, a March Maine-Angus paternal sibling to Jake McDonald's champion steer at this year's fair.

We hauled him home that Saturday, a week after bringing home the first steer. It was a nice surprise to see Jake out at Winterbrook when we picked up the steer. Jim & I were impressed with him as he took time to speak to each of the kids and ask them questions about their sports and things. It is nice for the kids to make connections with other 4-H beef members throughout the year, especially now that we are independent {not in a club}. Like at Rusher's sale, Jess helped tie, blow and brush the cattle with Cailee Martin and her sister, and Mitch Salo, as well as visit with some other 4-hers and parents from the county who came to the sale.

Jess & Andrew came to a quick decision that day about who gets which steer and named them. Andrew took the steer from 4R Ranch and named him 'Glacier', while Jess wanted both but got the Winterbrook steer. She named him 'Whistler'. The kids have been working with the calves; haltering, walking, brushing and handling them with the show stick. This newest steer halter broke quickly and is calm like the rest of our cattle. 

We penned the heifer calf on September 19 to separate her from her mama for weaning, and it worked out well to bring the new steers home and pen them in with her to get acclimated to the new surroundings before turning them out. We let the 3 calves out on Saturday, October 15, and watched them tear through the field. I should have filmed that because it was quite a display. So, weaning of the first calf born on our farm is complete. We now have a nice, balanced group of two blacks and two red roans out in the pasture that I love to look at every day. 

new prospect steer

We came home with Lot #13--a March 3rd Angus calf weighing 675. Jess picked him herself, and did a good job. He was the best steer in the bunch as commented by most in attendance. He carried the most depth and dimension, natural muscling and width over the top.

And yet, my favorite attribute is his temperament and that he is halter broke. We already have it good with Jess's calm showmanship heifer and don't need a flighty steer affecting her disposition. Speaking of our Shorty heifer calf, bringing this steer home shows us how big she has gotten. She has grown a lot in the month since state fair. She is just weaned now and about 3 inches taller at the hip, wider, longer and much thicker than the steer. We haven't weighed her, but she has to be around 750 when you compare her to the steer.

Andrew and Jess are both looking for steers this fall. We only wanted to buy one this weekend so that we would be able to keep shopping around. It will be fun to visit some more ranches and sales to view cattle. We'll wait to see who gets which steer until we get two home.

Introducing...JAC Cattle Company

The JAC in our ranch name stands for these three kids, each with their own expression of intensity, all now out in the same show ring this summer {2011 Oregon State Fair, OC Shorthorn Show} for the first time. Watch for these up-and-comers at future shows!   

J stands for Jessica, and "Judge, how do you like me now?"

A stands for Andrew, and "Anything but being beat by a girl."

C stands for Catherine, and "Can I show now? I can do it myself."