This week…I went to Pierre, South Dakota to look at a set of bred heifers that are for sale. John and I are considering buying some. It is about a three hour drive to Pierre. The term bred heifer means a female cow that is pregnant. This particular set of heifers is the Red Angus breed. Cattle have unique breeds, just like dogs and cats have different breeds. Red Angus happens to be my favorite breed of cattle, just like some people might prefer Labrador dogs.

Isn’t the land gorgeous? We could see for miles! Obviously, part of the reason this breed is called Red Angus is because the cattle are red. To me, this is very practical in warm states like Missouri. During the hot summer, these cattle do not absorb as much heat as black-hided cattle. This breed is also known for being good mothers. 

Here’s a video of a second set of Red Angus heifers located in Pollock, South Dakota. I did not go to see those myself because it is almost in North Dakota. I think I would have gotten home around midnight!  

John and I are hopefully going to buy about 40 of these heifers (there are 364 in the whole group). Since we are young (and have lots of energy), we will calve out the heifers in the Spring and then resell them. Hopefully, we will make money because calving out heifers can be a lot of work! The heifers can be just as nervous as any first time Mom. We will have to watch the group very closely, sometimes checking them every three hours around the clock. I am also hoping the blizzards and weather cooperate. I’m looking forward to sharing about these heifers in upcoming Farmin’ Fridays.

Calving heifers can be hard work, but it does provide good value to the industry and (hopefully) a good return for us. The average age of a farmer or rancher in the United States is about 64. Most people who are 64 and older don’t want to calve out heifers. I don’t blame them a bit! This means if younger people are willing to calve out heifers, it can be fairly easy to resell them in the Spring when the grass is green again and the hard work is done!

The Bunkhouse

John and Ron made good progress on the Bunkhouse this week. I think it is almost done. First, the electrician came and wired up the building. Then, Ron added insulation. Then, they finished putting the tin on the East side and framed up the new door.

Before, the East end looked like this. The old garage was built in the 1940s. It was originally used by Grandpa Bob for storing one of Henry Ford’s famous Model Ts.After the tin was complete, John and Ron spent Thursday putting up the plywood paneling. They planned to spend the day rounding up calves from summer pasture and hauling them back to the farm to wean. However, it rained and that job was postponed. This was a good job done! It took quite a long time and it is tedious work. I helped put in the ceiling, because it required three people. Two to hold the sheets and one to nail!

This week, I also had a great time decorating for fall. This is my mother’s favorite holiday to decorate for – I am certain that she passed the trait onto me! 

The end of summer is always a bittersweet time. We are coming close to harvest & then winter will arrive. We are excited about purchasing the Red Angus heifers, bringing the calves home to wean and then harvesting the crops. Yet, it is still a little bit overwhelming when fall arrives. It seems like all the summertime projects can never get done in time! Finishing up the bunkhouse will probably be the one of last big projects we get to finish this summer.

Here’s my favorite recipe from this week! My mom picked up this card for me at the state fair and mailed it to us. It was great!

Have a great weekend!