My Favorite Time of the Year

The fall harvest is complete!!  Dennis and Patrick combined all of the corn this past weekend.  It is so very satisfying to see the semi loads of corn roll out the driveway on their way to storage.  Now corn-stalk round bales need to be made and the fall tillage will begin. 

There is quite a check list of work that still needs to be done on the farm.  1.  Finish the field work.  2.  Finish cutting wood for the outdoor wood burner.  3.  Finish the addition on the barn.  4.  Finish halter breaking the Denver heifers.  5.  Keep working on the bulls that are going to Rapid City, SD.  6.  Pack for NAILE.  Oh my, there’s a lot to do!! 

Dennis, Patrick and Hope will be heading to Louisville for NAILE.  Since I can’t travel that far in the truck I will stay behind to do chores and keep an eye on the cattle.  Hope will be showing her 2 fall heifers in the Junior Show.  The heifers are posted on the website if you’d like to see them.  They’re looking good and coming on strong.  I’m anxious to see how they do in Louisville.  I’ll be watching the show via the internet and wishing I were there.  While they’re gone I’m going to enjoy myself outside making some grape-vine wreaths and watch the fall calves run through the pasture with their tails in the air.  After all, fall is my most favorite time of the year!!

Blizzard of 2011!

Miserable.  That’s the word I’ll use to describe what’s going on outside.  Winter weather on the farm can be frustrating and challenging.  However, this blizzard makes living on the farm and getting chores accomplished down right miserable!  We catch a lot of wind here on the hill in Blue Mounds, and we can get blown in pretty tight by snow drifts.  After this morning’s chores Patrick had to plow away the 4 foot drifts by the barn.  Of course, the drifts were back by early afternoon.  Patrick and I spent the rest of the afternoon making sure that all of the cows, calves, show heifers, steers, and bulls were prepared for the snow, cold, and wind that is bearing down on us.  First, Patrick had to plow paths through the cattle yards gates.  Then, he had to plow paths through the cattle yards so that we could get to the sheds to put bedding down.  The hay feeders had to be re-stocked, and of course paths had to be plowed to the cattle feeders and waterers.  Then, night chores had to be done.  Patrick also had to plow the drifts away from the wood pile so that we could re-stock the outdoor woodburner.  Unfortunately, all of the drifts will be blown back in by morning.  Hours and hours of time will be spent tomorrow on the Bobcat digging us back out from under all of the snow drifts again!  Dennis and Hope arrived home late this afternoon from South Dakota.  Whew, we were glad to see them get home!  They took 2 Angus bulls out to the Black Hills Stock Show.  The bulls showed very well and we were pleased with the sale.  

The wind is really whipping outside now.  I just looked out the window and I’m not able to see the barn through the blowing snow.  In the 22 years we’ve lived here that has never happened!  At least I can be reassured that all of the animals are safely tucked away for the night, even if I can’t see them.

Summer is here!

Summer is here!  All of the cows have long since had their calves and have now gone out to pasture.  Calving season was very busy but pretty routine here at Dreamy 280.  The whole family was kept busy with some long days and nights in keeping up with the calving schedule.  All-in-all calving went well and there are 45 new babies on the ground.  This year produced quite a few Shorthorn and Angus embryo calves.  We are very pleased with this year’s calf crop.  We have a good line-up of calves out of our herd sire, Dreamy 280 Rito 1I2.  Feel free to stop by the farm anytime for a pasture walk. 

Spring planting is over and the first crop of hay came off the fields last week.  Patrick and Hope are in full tilt gearing up for their show season.  Their days begin at 5:00 a.m.  so they can do their morning chores and rinse and dry their show calves before Hope heads off to school and Patrick goes to work.  Each year as show season approaches I wonder if they will tackle their new show calves with the same dedication and persistance as the prior year.  Once again they are hard at it.  If they didn’t even go to a cattle show this year I couldn’t be prouder of both of them for all of the time and energy they spend on their calves. 

Best of luck to all of you cattle people at the upcoming shows-we’ll see you there!  Enjoy the beautiful weather and stop by the farm for a visit when you have some spare time.

Headed to the Black Hills Stock Show, SD

Dennis left this morning for the Black Hills Stock Show in Rapid City, SD.  He will be showing and selling an Angus bull.  We welcome you to stop by Dreamy 280′s stall at the show and visit with Dennis.  There are 2 things about cattle shows that we all enjoy-good cattle and good friends!  Even with the bitter cold Spring is on our minds.  Plans are already beginning for our Spring cattle sale events.  Give us a call if you are in need of an Angus or Shorthorn bull, embryos or semen.  We’d be happy to help you with all of your cattle needs.

Keeping an eye on things in the barn.

Has it really been one year since we last had to plow snow, treat sick calves, and deal with frozen waterers?  How would we know that it’s Winter without all of those things to contend with on the farm?!  Calving has already begun.  It is my favorite time of the year, and my least favorite time of the year.  If you calve out cows, you know what I’m talking about.  A few years ago Dennis installed a camera in the barn so we can keep an eye on cows that are ready to calve without having to trudge to the barn.  It is a handy thing to have!  While I’m making supper I can watch the progress of chores in the barn and know exactly when they will all be back in the house to eat.  Yesterday we had kept a cow in the barn because she was going to calve.  I used the camera to watch what was going on.  During chores I saw that the cow had started to calve, and I anxiously watched as Patrick carefully entered the pen, grabbed the front legs of the calf, and helped with the delivery.  Patrick tickled the calve’s nose with a piece of straw to get him to sneeze which would help him breath better.  It is reassuring to know that the kids have paid attention and learned what to do when a calf if born.  When Patrick got to the house I told him that he did a good job with his delivery.  In usual Patrick fashion, he replied, “I hate pulling calves, they’re slippery, and they don’t have handles!”

Welcome Fall!

Welcome Fall!

The Schlimgens have been busy on the farm with all of the things that the harvest season brings.  The silos have been filled, serious wood-cutting has begun, and the remainder of the corn will be harvested this week.  Dennis and Patrick spent last weekend in Yorkville, Illinois selling bred cows in the “Family Helping Families Sale”.  Patrick and Hope have begun halter breaking, washing, and clipping next year’s show prospects.  Enjoy the beautiful weather while it lasts!