The weather reports were right on target this time. On Monday, we moved through a weather advisory, to a winter storm watch and finally on to the warning. We're signed up for the Niobrara County emergency notifications, so the home phone, cell phone, text message and emails rolled in from the county as well. You'd have to be oblivious to not realize that we were going to get some significant snow.s
With so many calves and a not so big run in area for that many momma Dexters and baby Dexters, we did something we've never done before (but now plan to make a permanent feature):
We cobbled together a gate for our lane and opened the gate from the pasture to our yard and machine shed (where we store all the "spare" hay). Chris got busy on the tractor and moved bales until we had enough room to fit all the girls and the kids.
Half the crew thought they were getting away with something (and hit the alfalfa bales really hard!), the other half were steadfastly staying in the pasture run in even when the snow started:
We moved them all up to the yard and machine shed. The calves soon decided that this was the life!
And the storm arrived as predicted (for a change!):
It snowed through Monday night and most of the day Tuesday. We're well over a foot and the drifts are amazing --
We woke this morning to a rainbow with the rising sun. Just beautiful....... No complaints here. We're grateful for the moisture that the snow brings to our very needy pastures.
Now we just have to convince the whole crew to go back where they belong tomorrow!
Oh, can I understand! Flexibility and Improv like no Comedian could ever match! But when it works, it's wonderful. And if it works... let 'er roll!
ReplyDeleteWe've had to take unconventional measures of our own from time to time. And this afternoon will be no exception. April's having to stow away in her stall... with lead ropes criss-crossed above the stall door. Storm coming tonight. And she discovered her long legs.