Well I couldn't help myself with this shot. It was taken just before we moved the Dexters to their next pasture which is a fairly large meadow.
They will eat most things that the equine won't eat so we like to refer to them as the 'clean up crew'.
They do an excellent job at eating weeds and brush. If we cut the burdock and thistles, they gobble them up also.
Not only are they great pasture cleaners, they are very tasty for home raised beef.
Here the herd is moving through the electric gate and out into their next pasture to work on.
We have had to add extra lines much lower to the ground for these cattle but it has proven to be well worth it.
We are trying to practice good rotational grazing with them.
Next project, fencing the woods?
Meet Plum Creek's Black Bart.
We picked him up today from the Plum Creek Little Cattle Company.
He is to be our small herd sire for our registered Dexter cattle.
The owners told us that this bull would be quiet and docile, Black Bart did not disappoint us.
He pretty much ignored the 'girls' as they flocked around him.
I think the girls were so impressed by his good looks that they didn't know what else to do!
Black Bart was curious about his pasture neighbors. The mules. The mules were also curious about him.
They took a while to size each other up.
Pedro, the dun mule was more interested than any of the others.
Soon after, they went their seperate ways and darkness fell. Last time we looked, Black Bart was grazing and the girls were not far away...grazing also.
Country life is so much different than city life. Of course that is obvious to most.
As we were coming home today we stopped in the road to talk to neighbors.
Everyone had to look at the 'new' bull in our trailer.
Hay was discussed.
Weather was discussed.
The price of fuel was properly discussed.
Farming, cattle, crops, ... anything that had to do with farming...got a once over by all involved.
Notice in the photo that the road is blocked with tractors, a truck, and a trailer?
We leaned up against tires or trailers and talked farm talk for a good long while.
Not a vehicle came by.
Welcome to our neighborhood.
Where we all know each other and love to stop and talk on the road.
Life is good.
