Saying Goodbye

Today, we decided it was time to say goodbye to Clover's baby. (Sorry about the quality of the photos...I had a setting wrong on the camera, cause I forgot to check it and there is only so much I can manage to do in Photoshop, to make them better. *sigh* Remembering things isn't something I am good at anymore, especially when I have a headache, like I woke up with this morning.)

It's time for Clover's baby to be weaned, so that means it's time for her to go to her new home. An Amish couple that we get farm fresh eggs from now when our's or my parents chickens aren't gifting us with theirs, said they wanted to buy her from us a month or two ago...but we were happy to keep her till she was ready to wean, cause I wanted her to have as good a start as she could, with all that good "mamma's milk". I am however, wanting to get more cream, so maybe I can stop buying butter...so since she is old enough to wean, and eating her grain well...it's time for her to go!


Mother and Daughter don't look near as much alike, as they did when she was born, so I was thinking that maybe the calf would be lighter when she is older...but then I got to thinking, I think clover may have been a little lighter at one point, when she was growing up too...so who knows just how light or dark her Baby will be once she is grown. Maybe in a year or two, we can go visit, and see for ourselves.


Since we hadn't gotten around to lead training the baby...she wasn't the easiest to get down to the truck, but DH managed it...with the other cows standing around watching the show, and her Momma following along, wanting her baby back. LOL


Once DH got her in the truck, he backed out of the barn yard, I kept the cows in, while he came to help with the gates...and then he took off to take her to her new home. The cows stood at the gate saying bye. It may be noisy here for a few days...but bet the noise at the Amish home will last longer, as the calf leans to do without Mamma's milk...and without her friends and "Moms". I know they do have another cow there, but not sure if they will be able to put them together or not...will depend on if the other one will keep her from nursing or not I guess.

We did start getting more milk the last few days, even with the two calves. DH found out he should have been giving the cows more of the Redmond conditioner we had gotten for them...so upped that a week or so ago...and I think (hope) it's finally kicking in. Now with only one calf taking the milk, maybe we will get even more! Come spring, with no calves on them...if we are lucky, we will get lots of that good fresh spring milk and cream...the best time of year for the best milk, cream and butter!

 I can't WAIT for spring!!!! :-))

Goodbye Clover's baby, (for lack of a better name...since we never did name her) I do hope you have a good life on the Amish farm...we just can't keep all our girls, as much as we'd LOVE to...even if, with the loss of Honey, we could use another adult cow who is in milk.