I was a Five Hour Cattle Farmer
On our small ranchette we have had most animals at one time or another, but never cows, until...
My mother and I went shopping one day, It was one of those hot airless days and we were both looking forward to a cold tall glass of ice tea. As my mother pulled in to the lower drive I burst into laughter and tears. I was laughing so hard I could not talk. My mom stopped driving and looked at me. All I could do was point towards the barn. Nine steer had their butts hanging out the front barn doors.
She also burst into laughter then started down the long drive to the house. I popped out of the car and ran to the barn to check out the situation. Yes, there were 9 steer. Fortunately there were no more in the top of the barn.
We had just had a garage sale in the barn and tables were still set up with leftover sale items, many breakable, so I had to get them away from the barn and close it up. The question was where would they go? The bottom of the barn was a machine shop and could not hold cows. so I herded them in to the back field,/yard area and hoped they would not head to garden and use it as a salad bar. We live on a very busy road so I had to keep them away from that, even if it meant losing some of my crops.
I ran to the house and called the few neighbors that had cows. Twenty minutes later I found the owners. The steer had broken through a fence and walked down the mile long dirt road from the top field to get where they were, Seeing a barn they thought they had a new home. Amazingly they had managed to cross the second busiest roadway in Pennsylvania without any injuries.
So here I am babysitting a small herd waiting for the owners to come get them. The owners tried for hours to get a trailer to haul them with no luck so they finally decided to herd them up and walk them across the road and back up the dirt road. They also had family members fixing the fence during this time.
The steer tried to tip over my rabbit pen so I had to move them and one rabbit was so upset I just kept holding it. So I am chasing steer away from the road and garden with rabbit in tow. They did do a little damage to the garden, usually when I was in the house talking to the neighbors.
I look up to see 7 people coming off the dirt road across the main road. Two people remained by the road to start stopping traffic and the rest came down to herd the steer into a group and get them ready to cross. Traffic was backed up close to half a mile on both sides.
I am standing along side the road to keep an eye on the traffic. A lady was close enough to see the steer and me holding a rabbit in my arms and rolled down her window. I could tell she was from a city. She asked me in a rather shocked voice, "Does this happen all the time around here?" I just looked at her, smiled and said, "Welcome to the country."
Comments
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Well that sounds exciting!
In Idaho, where I lived for 4 years, it was open range. You were responsible for fencing cattle OUT of your property. Cattle on the highway proved to be a serious hazard and caused many accidents. I'm glad they returned home with only a little damage to your place.
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@Mary Linda Bittle, West Plains, Missouri The neighbor paid for any garden damage. My main concern is that no animal caused an accident on the road. Mission accomplished
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@Denise Grant You've got to write that book! We kind of live in the country, but not that kind of country. LOL
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Haha fantastic :). When I was a child we lived in the country. I loved that place. A beautiful old farmhouse on a dirt road. One day I heard what I thought was thunder. I love storms so I looked out the window. It was cows. It seemed like hundreds of them. They must have escaped from one of the local farms and we're stampeding through our yard. Thank God none of us were outside at the time. Wow that was probably 25+ years ago.
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You have the best farm stories. You really must write that book.😄
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@karenjanicki ah the stories and adventures of living on a dirt road. I would not give up that adventure for anything. My brother still lives in the house I grew up in, His children and grandchildren have continued the adventures.
We had a saying when we were growing up that rush hour was when the mail was delivered
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@JennyT I'll write it if you help proof it.
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@Denise Grant If she won't proof it, I certainly will!
I was thinking that a compilation of all of these member's country stories would be really great to have around.
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@Denise Grant I'd be honored to proof it for you.😃
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@Denise Grant I have some writing skills and would be available if anyone needs proofing assistance.
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@Denise Grant It seems like we are all eager to help! 😂 I think that you've got some work to do.
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Our first morning here in this house that we live in now, we woke up to a herd of huge beef cows in our 3 acre yard! Our first morning!!!
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I loved that house so much. I'd love to buy it some day. Some of my best childhood memories were in that house. Walking the dirt path on the edge, collecting tadpoles. The forest was like magic behind the house. I still miss it 28 years later.
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@karenjanicki I had a wonderful childhood, 87 acres, 3 streams, one pond and 24/7 adventure. Your home sounded like a wonderful place. Its great to have those memories!
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Yep, I live in Idaho and we had five head of cattle for just under 48 hrs. They set up camp near the wooded part of our back yard while we tried to find the owners, while keeping them away from the garden and the grassy "formal" backyard.
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@Denise Grant As ususal, you brought a smile to my face! I can only imagine having my own copy to read and reread!!
Sounds like you have help on the proofing --- I'm still in line to buy the first copy!!!!
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@Denise Grant what a fun adventure. I loved reading about it. Then this discussion got even more exciting with talk of a book! I'm currently helping my mom self publish her books. So much fun! I hear that the line has begun for purchasing your book already. I will get in line behind @water2world for the second copy 😉
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@Michelle D LOL----I think it will make the best seller list!!
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@Denise Grant My mother in law has helped her father and her husband publish their own books as well. So if you are in need of some suggestions I'd be happy to forward that information to you. 😊
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There was a book written, " Miracles on maple hill." It sounded so much like that farm and since I bought it local I wonder if it weren't written about a farm in that area. Even though it's a kids book I love to go back and be refreshed in all those memories from my childhood.
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