Morty Learns a Trick

This is Morty. He will be two weeks old tomorrow.   He learned a trick today.  He learned to drink out of a bucket.  This is a life or death type of trick.  Morty's mom is a first timer.  She did not even clean Morty up after he was born.  Then she decided that another calf was her calf.  After a few days kept in the barn together,  Morty was trying to nurse on her.  We thought all was good; we were wrong.  She acted like she did not know him when we let them out.  SO..........we gave Morty another ride in the calf hauler and put him in a pen right outside the back door.  But, Morty did not want to drink from the calf bottle we were used to using.   SO..........Morty got real smart yesterday and drank from the bucket I decided to try as a last resort.  Today Morty has continued to improve on his new trick, and his prospects in this world have risen.  (No, I did not Photoshop the cat's head on his back.  That is old Mom kitty.)

Yes, we have calves.   Ten of them after the one that was born during the night.  Seven girls and three boys.  It is not the time for calving (circumstances beyond our control), but Mother Nature was sooo kind to us by sending this cool summer.  We couldn't have asked for better weather for calving.  We are in a "wait and see" mode on wether there will be any more young red and white babies bouncing around in our pastures.  They are all adorable and healthy as far as we know.

Summer is proceeding quickly.  Jake is working on second crop hay and cutting oats for bedding and feed for the winter.  I am still mowing the lawn much more that I should be by this time in the season.
The pumpkins squash and tomatoes are growing, and we should have a good crop.

It is great having Jake being just a farmer, again.