As I've mentioned before, when the cow plague struck, we moved the Jersey Girls and the calves, Xena and Clover, out of their quarters to keep them safe. Xena and Clover were given a spot in an old chicken house and Justin threw up a fence to give them a little pasture.
Of course, like most youngsters, Xena and Clover had to test their bounds and quickly broke out. So Justin responded in time-honored fashion -- making do with what was on hand -- ancient bedsprings, a battered metal gate, a wooden pallet...
I love the funky look but suspect it won't be around much longer. Before long the little girls will be testing this too.
The Jersey girls have been given the run of the area around our house. What remains of my garden has been fenced off and they're really enjoying mowing our yard.
The downside here is that we have to have an electrified gap across our road. Stop the car, get out, open gap, get back in car, drive through, stop the car, get out, close the gap... It gets old fast -- but this is temporary --- we'll put everyone back where they were before in a few weeks.
It's like old times though -- way back, before we owned the lower place, there were two or three gaps to deal with. A good reason not to go out much!
And at this time of year, getting out of the car always allows another opportunity for a picture!
14 comments:
The electrified fence is only for cattle, right? Looks like the dogs could walk right under it, if they wanted to.
Improvisation is becoming a lost art. Glad to see it's still practised in your neck of the woods.
Hey, whatever works to keep the girls safe!
I love the old bed springs! Toos v d Berg would work magic with them in her nursery. I am amazed at how quickly your seasons are changing. The autumn colours are so beautiful, soon to be gone and replaced by bare trees and snow. Such dramatic differences from season to season.
Love getting these beautiful glimpses of your world.
ha i like the ingenuity. it changes the routine for a bit and thats not a bad thing at all...
"making do with what was on hand": the original "recycling."
Whatever works works for wonderful pictures too...
I love that fence, just way to cool! Using what you have and making do! Those calves are so pretty. Glad the Jersey girls are doing great.
I still can't get my mind around the fact you lost four cows to a brief visit from the neighbors errant heifer. What a hard blow. I'm hyper vigilant about having any sheep(or goats) on my place that I don't know their history, but even at that, it's for more long term disease, not something that hits that fast.
Anyway, I'm very sorry all that happened and am glad the Jersey girls and the little girls were spared. I too can 'cobble things up' with the best of them, but I try and keep it behind the house. ha.. I also have a gate across my driveway to the road, so it is a pain to have to get in and out and open it--esp. in the winter.
Tammy
Kudos to Justin for his adept skill in an emergency! I love it, so old timey! The county is on our place redoing a 1/4 mile of fence their mower man destroyed yesterday. It's always something on a farm but I wouldn't trade it for nothing! XO
Every mountain farm needs at least one good set of rusty springs. We have some in the creek along with an old truck that we are going to pull out and use for yard art.
Just catching up - so sorry to hear about your cows. The improvisations look wonderfully creative. As Brian says, a change of routine can be inspiring sometimes.
My husband uses another term that isn't politically correct for your Appalachian Ingenuity. He doesn't mean anything by it - it's just a term he grew up with - but I may have to insist he start using Redneck Ingenuity. Love the bed springs!
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