We worked cattle the other day at my dad’s farm. Dad can use all the help he can get at the farm, since he’s one of those “flashlight farmers,” as many of you have described the part-time farmer to me over the years. I knew I needed to be helping out at the farm, even though Meg, one of my “city friends,” was in for the weekend. So I drug her and Ryan, my boyfriend, out to help, guaranteeing fun times.
My job in the cattle working process was “throwing” a board in behind the calves or cows, (we worked both), as they came up the lane, so they couldn’t change their mind halfway in, and back out, or worse yet, try for a 180 turn in the alley. This proved to be a good job for me, as long as I didn’t get distracted by Meg, who was handling the dewormer pour-on, or by mom, who was snapping pictures left and right. (“It’s been so long since I’ve had all my family here together,” she rejoiced.)
My sister Kate was giving the livestock blackleg shots, mom was running the back of the chute, Jordan was at the front, and dad was handling the scalpel and iodine for the job of making steers. Ryan and Seth were running the calves in, or doing the tail maneuver, or pitching in at some other part of the process as needed. It was a regular working team… we may not have looked as expert as the cowboys do, but we were getting the job done, regardless.
Meg complimented how calm everyone seemed, even under tense situations. Dad never yelled or got agitated, even when one particularly rambunctious calf burst through the squeeze chute and broke it temporarily. (A situation I know you’ve all had to refrain from outbursts over, before.)
All in all it was a good day. Well, day-plus; we didn’t exactly get them all worked in the one day, and dad and Seth had to go out the next day to finish up. Oh, that, and, Meg will be parasite-free for at least two years for as much dewormer as she poured on herself. And Kate will definitely not have to worry about blackleg… but I sure hope that puncture wound heals soon. Nonetheless, mom has lots of pictures of smiling faces and distraught calves to remember the day for years to come. ‘Cause like I said, experienced cowboys or not, we got it done just fine.
Happy farming and God Bless,
