this time of year...

I get an itch

it starts with the change of weather
and the feeling in the wind...
I think of all the possibilities

I have baby calves bounding around in the pasture right now and the new little baby lamancha buckling who has adopted me for his Mommy..

I like to keep options open and have been thinking about adding a couple more dairy cattle to my group. At present, I have 5 full Jersey cattle that range in age from 3yrs to 8 yrs old.  I've kept 4 half Jerseys that range 4yrs to 6yrs. I also kept back 4 yrlg heifers from last spring and I now have 5 heifer calves born this spring...
Add to that 7 yearling steers and I can just about call it a herd. Don't forget Rudy, the Jersey/Guernsey Bull I've hand raised either.  Along with 1 odd walking 2yr old stunted calf the Rancher down the road dropped off a couple years ago and the Total count is at 27 head.  With 5 more cattle to calf yet....I could be up to 32...if all goes right!

This last summer one of my oldest Jersey cows died and I need a little character that only a Jersey girl can give, plus bottle raising a nice little heifer might give me that "better than ever" milker that I like.
I have a couple girls who let me milk them proper without a fuss, but any of the other girls are pretty tough for me to handle without a proper stall setup to milk.  I KNOW I can raise a heifer calf that allows me to milk her, pet her, brush her and most of all control her.

So...
I called the dairy that I buy a few bull calves from.  She is willing to sell me 2 heifer calves.  They only have Holstein/Jersey crosses and she's checking the barn today.  They have calves born most every day there and as she knows me pretty well now,  I trust she'll treat me right.
Course I called my Dad to let him know he gets to do a road trip and he was ready to hop in a car right now.
I won't let him put them in the backseat of the car this time, and I'll be picking up dear ole Father to give him a little adventure.  He likes those...and I have to say, this time of year you just never know what I'm going to do.

I've been studying up on Holstein/Jersey crosses and it seems they are becoming pretty trendy and are hardy girls.  I'm hoping I can choose which ones I like.  I want to have some color and character and as always...I like the neighbors to always wonder "WHAT is she doing now?"

I'm thinking a new little bottle baby (or two) is nothing new around here, and since I've been feeding steer calves that I sell or take to butcher, I am needing a keeper calf that I hand raise.  Now to find some names...always the hardest part.