Today is supposed to be in the triple digits, so Toni told the kids they could have a few days off fencing while it is so hot. However, the hot fence around Gunners pen got knocked down, nothing got out, but they must have ran into the fence or something, so that had to be fixed. But, Toni meant building the new fence, not maintenance. It took a couple of hours, and even though it was morning, it was still way too hot. After fixing fence, mom and Toni took the kids to Country Cousins for lunch and ice cream. Pam and James came out and looked at their colt, Coy, and gave Double big hugs around the neck like he likes. I don’t think James was too impressed with the heat, but he did go over and give Rocky a scratch. Toni let the kids have the evening off from fence building because it was so hot, so after we did chores the three older kids went up and fed.
Tuesday morning the twins were showing in showmanship at the National Junior Angus show in Oklahoma, Leslie went with them. We all watched live online and wished we were there. The twins did an excellent job showing, we are all proud of them. D left on Tuesday as well, the last few outside mares we have are slowing heading home. Toni and the kids went out and caught her, brought her back to my house for her owner to load her, then went and took Leroy back down to his pen and locked him back in. It was really hot Tuesday as well, but Toni and Anna went out to Sagebug’s pen and checked, took hair out of Reba for her DNA kit, and took pictures of some of the colts for some interested people. It was still too hot Tuesday to do any fencing, so after chores the three older kids headed to my house to do the steer/heifer/bottle calf chores and Toni and I headed home.
Wednesday is another scorcher. Toni had some DOE calls and other work. Anna checked the cows and wrote down some more that needed their eyes doctored. We did not work on fence after chores because of the heat. We talked about it. We moved water and did our regular work, but when it is hard to get a deep breath due to heat, it makes it hard to even feel any need to build fence!
Thursday was a little cooler. Dad did not work harvest, he works Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. So dad and mom went to town to get groceries and do some errands. We are all out of milk, so they were picking up 7 gallons at the store. Mom always makes sure she gets home in plenty of time to cook fresh cookies. Her precious grandkids can’t eat stale cookies. So Mom and Dad got home early, we all went to do chores and had some cookies. The weather was still really hot, so we moved water, fed, did normal stuff, but not much extra.
Friday Ruby Jean came down and worked with the kids on their steers, she gets to show next year so wanted some experience around the steers. Ruby did a great job, she helped wash, blow and show the steers. Jaxsen and I tied up the steers that we have not been jackpotting with. Mom had called both Toni and I to let us know that Colonel had knocked down some panels and was trying to breed Charlie, our three year old, through the fence, but mom got him locked in so Toni just checked them from the road.
After we were done with steers, we took Ruby and Jaxsen home before lunch and after lunch the three older kids and I went and checked circles on the horses. We all road bareback because it was too hot to saddle up. I texted Chad that Cad was missing a shoe, so he texted he had some time in between clients and swung by and put fronts back on her. He also got three of BeeBees shoes off, she had shoes before we got the wire cut we have not been able to get them off since she won’t stand on the one leg. But, she is finally putting weight on it. Also, dad went to Palouse to get pellets, on the way there he had a blowout and he called Les Schwab to come and fix it. While he was a waiting a nice man that could see him from his house drove over to see if he needed help and they found out that they knew a lot of people in common. Then we headed down and did chores. We got Colonels panels picked up and reset so we could turn him and Kool back out to use their shed. Mom had made a raspberry cream cheese pie, and it was AWESOME.
Saturday Toni, the four kids, and I got the cows in again to doctor eyes again. Ben and Kicker both had to work on Saturday. So we sorted off the beef cows and the bad eyes. We got one of the yearling bulls in and got him into a new pen. We pushed the calves up to doctor and then did show riding exercises with the kids, side passing was the lesson of the day. Ben bot home about then so we all doctored eyes and pushed them back down. John came while we were doctoring eyes, so he helped the boys push the calves up the alley, then he walked pushing the cows back down, we told him he could jump on Shimmer, but, he said he needed the exercise.
Then we went out and caught the Friesian, Lucy, and her filly that John has not named. Her filly is for sale and is by Sagebug. Sagebug was great to catch and hold while we got Lucy and her filly, who did not want to go, out the gate and to the house. Then John helped with chores, had some pie, and went home.
Sunday Toni, Kicker and the boys went and had lunch with Grandma Sherri and Papa Berry. Mom and dad went out for a drive. I showed Donna and Lorenzo around, and Ben, Anna and Kaine put in new gates between 4 and 5, so we do not have to get off anymore to open the gates. After lunch I went down and helped them finish the gates. Then Ben went out and worked on circles, Anna, Kaine and I did some things around the house. Toni, Kicker, Kade and Jaxsen got home, so we went down and did chores and finished up the pie. Ben and Kicker went down and got the yearling Hereford bull we had left. He messed up his shoulder fighting, so we are going to eat him.
Another hot week in the books. August is coming up fast and the kids (all but Jax) have been working on their steers getting ready for the fall sales and shows. We are still really hopeful that we will get at least one virtual show, if not a real show, this fall. The kids haven’t given up hope and continue to get their animals ready. If anyone needs beef, the kids will have their sales and we have the extra steers to sell, and some grass fed. Contact us or go to our new website got-beef.net
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