Emerging from Calving.....

Greetings all!  Hope spring is treating you well and there is no lasting damage from the long cold winter.  

View from the kitchen table.  

We have pulled through another calving season here on the ranch.  It's been a fairly long one, and I have to say that although it's been a learning experience (as usual), I haven't always enjoyed my lessons.  We've really felt the effects of having poor hay quality last year, and despite buying good hay, protein licks and mineral, our herd is not in the shape they should be.  As a rule though, the momma's are healthy and strong and for the most part, the babies have been as well. 

Pile of calves, waiting for momma's to come back from the feed pen.  

We were lucky to have a great crew again this year.  Our Kiwi friend Rob came back for the season, and that was a huge bonus for me especially.   Having someone with his experience really gave me a new outlook and we spend many hours with our heads together, discussing this method or that treatment, and good things came of it.  

Vince is the all around handy man and cheerfully fills every gap.  From helping with the stock to cutting fence rails, from feeding cows to fixing fence, he is certainly an essential part of the team and we are lucky to have him.  

Mum's old dog "Fat Pat" found a great warm bed in the calf shelter.  I never did get a decent photo, but sometimes you couldn't hardly see her in there, snuggled in with all the babies.  

Astrid and Laura rounded out our calving season team and did a darn good job of it.  They cleaned pens, milked cows, helped on night checks, organized foster calves, wrangled kids, swept floors and made bread.  And then some.  Phew....

I'll get back to telling you some stories (there are a few!) but for now I'm out the door.  I have been meaning to get back to writing and had a few extra moments this morning I thought I'd best take advantage of.  
We having started branding and sorting and I'm headed to Three Circle this morning.  So nice that spring has finally sprung and the grass is green and growing!   

Cheers all, I'll be back soon.  :)  

Punky