On a regular basis my Stepdad reminds me (ie. lectures) about how dangerous it is to work on a farm. He quotes statistics and frequently lets me know of my innumerable responsibilities outside of my farming proclivities. Last weekend was his turn to be correct but fortunately I walked away with only a bruised leg and ego. I tried to hide these bruises from my Mom and Stepdad but my children ratted me out. The story goes I was checking pastures to see who needed hay and after opening what felt like the tenth gate that morning I made an error, I did not prop it open and instead played chicken with the gate as I was driving the mule, The gate was winning so I put my foot out to bump it back open and the gate was having none of that. so, it kept my leg. In reality my foot slipped through the bars while the mule still had significant forward momentum and I stayed with the gate. So, there I was lying on the ground, watching the mule leave me in the dust thinking to myself; my Stepdad is going to have a field day with this little snafu. I did a slow assessment, determined everything was intact and proceeded to finish up my project. I have submitted myself with what I believe was with grace to subsequent lectures.
I think we all know it is hot and dry. So in order to save trees we are hauling water 100 gallons at a time and filling up tree bags. Today we weaned calves and there is a large group of unhappy and loud bovine. The cat came out to help us work cattle this morning, dubbed the "herding cat".
The chickens all have fans but their egg production has slowed in the heat. The peaches have actually started fermenting on the tree if we leave them until they are ripe which is an odd side effect of the heat. Mom's peach Jam is to die for! She has also made fig, peach and ginger jam and of course her signature grape.
We will be at the Loblolly Farmers Market the first Saturday in August. If you are in Tomball please come out to say Hello!
And I had to include a whole family golf picture taken at the Frisch Off Golf Course in La Grange Texas. Golfing was a fun change of pace for a weekend at the ranch, there were some golf induced tears but all in all a good weekend despite the bruises!
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