Meet this year's feeder calves, or two of the 9 that are next door. My Dad used to raise beef cows that would calf every year but now he buys calves (around 500 pounds) lets them graze all summer and then takes them in late fall. You can't get much more local than that. Mom and Dad give us a half a beef, so we're pretty lucky. This year, one of the calves (the white-faced one) looked at me longingly one night as I watered...eyeing the water wand with such yearning.
I called my Dad.
"You giving these cows any water?"
"What to you mean?"
By this time I had slung the wand over the fence and turned the water flow down a bit just to see what would happen.
"They're looking at my hose like they haven't water in days."
"Their tank is full in the barn."
White faced had taken the mouth of the wand in like a straw and was gulping it down but it looked like as much water was sloshing out from the sides of his mouth as was going down his throat.
"Then why is one of them sucking water out of my wand?"
Others came to investigate and then began to lick at the water fall. Kids around a fire hydrant came to mind.
"He is not."
I positioned the cell phone in a way that would pick up the slurping.
"Huh, I guess he is. They're just goofing around."
And from that night in early June, whenever the cows are in the pasture near my trees, and they see me watering, they come up, white faced in the lead. If it's late and I'm pressed for time, I don't bother but more often than not I do. They jostle to get teh wand, and others are content to just snag the excess. On hot nights I spray the tops of their backs to cool them off but, they're indifferent to the shower.
One night, as the sun was setting, three of the black faced steers were huddled around the wand, each head looking forming a three leaf clover around the stem of the water wand. I didn't have my camera...it would have made a really good picture. I've tried to replicate the situation a couple of times but no luck. This image isn't bad though.
But Jules! You say, how can you eat these charismatic fellows! Some of you might be asking, but Jules how can you eat meat at all!
Don't be offended, or I hope not to offend. But yes, I do love beef. Especially grass feed beef in my own backyard...so maybe that will be my next post or not. Maybe the comments will tip me off. Jules
2 comments:
Mmm... Cows are yummy...
Yeah, I'm not sure about eating a cow I've met, but as long as I don't have to...yum! The real question is what will you be watering in your next photo??
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