Easy Like Sunday Morning

Sunday Mornings around Our Maker's Acres Family Farm are indeed easy - easier than other days, that is. We sleep longer and wake up a couple hours later than the other days.  It is always a little odd walking out to milk the cows and goats in daylight as this walk is normally made where the pathway is lit by the moon and stars.

I was feeding the cats and dogs and Tricia got a head start on me and was leading the way, so I had to catch up.

Tricia leading the way

On normal Sunday mornings at 7:30, the cows will be out eating on the dew-kissed grass and we have to call them or actually go out and get those hard-headed girls, but the chickens?  They're another story.  They wait by the gate and follow us all the way out to the barn, anxiously waiting for us to throw them some breakfast - several scoops of rice with some ground up oyster shells.

Tricia made a statement one time that stuck with me.  She said, "Anyone with low self-esteem needs to get some chickens!  They'll follow you anywhere and make you feel needed and important."  I think she's right.

The Chicken Lady and her flock

Once the cows are milked, they lazily meander out of the barnyard and will walk over and take a long drink of cool water.  Standing there watching them drink, it is an amazing thing to see just how much water they can drink.  On hot weather days, we consistently refill 60 - 70 gallons of water a day.

When they are done drinking, they'll groom one another.  Rosie starts off and Daisy will later return the favor.  I could never get a picture of Rosie's tongue in action, but she's licking Daisy, giving her a spit bath. Lovely! 

Let's get you cleaned up, Daisy.

Rosie, can you lick right above my right ear?

Yeah, that's the spot, right there.

People aren't the only ones who are "Easy Like Sunday Morning."  Cows are too, especially Magnolia. Maggie is expecting her first calf in two and a half weeks and she's lounging around and taking it easy this morning.  You can see her bag beginning to 'bloom" in the picture below.  We're going to really have to watch her closely.  

I just read in the Farmer's Almanac that the full moon is on September 19th.  I'm really not sure if this is true or just an old wives tale.  I think that the logic is based on the moon affecting the tide.  Since the bodies of humans and cows are made up of a great percentage of water, perhaps the moon has an effect on birthing as well?  If I'm not mistaken, there have been studies that have disproved this link.  If so, why do we hold so tightly to it? Probably because of cognitive bias where we cling tightly to evidence that supports our belief and ignore evidence to the contrary.  I'm not sure.  Regardless, we'll have a new calf on the farm within the month.

Maggie, the big, lazy galoot!

Late breaking news: As if to prove that Maggie's due date is approaching, Bully, Daisy's bull calf, discovered Maggie's blooming bag and sucked one quarter down.  I can't believe Maggie let him do that!  Now we'll have to keep them separate until Maggie's calf is born.  The first milk is colostrum and is loaded with antibodies and other healthy stuff that Maggie's new calf will need.  Bully is trying to steal the new calf's power drink.  Hey, Bully!  Drink out of YOUR OWN GLASS!