This is a story of a very long day of problem solving, an abnormally full day of challenges. We started the day with a new grain cart driver. Mark was on the road to Lakeview in central southern Oregon. Reed took charge of the air conditioned tractor. I told him it was payback to me driving the hot truck while he basked in the cool machine powered comfort of the tractor cab. All those summer days I stayed in the comfortable house while he toiled around the farm.
I love to see Reed smile he is pretty serious but when he smiles his eyes light up and his perfect teeth show his delight. He thought this was a pretty good trade to drive the tractor. I'm happy he is gaining new skills and confidence.
So loads began to roll. My father in-law in the combine. We are sot thankful he will drive for the harvest.
These youngmen are so happy for spots in each vehicle. But mostly the combine and tractor are the top picks. I'm thankful the younger kids are able to be included.
Andrea broke into my sucker supply specifically purchased for harvest to come ride a load or two with me.
When we returned nothing was moving no load was ready I was frustrated I wanted to keep rolling on down the road. Greg said well the combined a calf. I said they what? He said yes one was in the cornfield they don't know the mother and they are taking care of it. I parked the truck moved the tractor and came to find this. Also placing a call to my cowboy brother-in-law who has more experience with critters than I.
The damages actually looked pretty good all things considered. Reed was doing a great job keeping it calm.
Addie had gathered supplies from Sue and was working on the doctoring the calf. Seeing everything to be under control and their plan of how to find the mother I went to get the harvest moving.
The kids later said they were super impressed with Grandpa's ability to sound like a calf when he tried calling the mothers to see who would come to the calf. Althgouh bottle feeding is an option a mother with it's calf is so much better than a calf alone.
The calf had slipped out of the pen into the standing corn to rest in the shade. When the combine came toward it it began to walk away but wasn't fast enough and the leg got hooked in the feeder chain. Thankfully the tendons and muscles were mostly ok. They found the mother and put the two in a pen alone from the heard. The calf hobbled over and began to suck as soon as they were reunited we were all very happy.
So back to harvest I went driving the cart. Lloyd filled the cart with one dump while I sat and he drove to me. The next round he wanted me to unload on the go. I worked to get in position not knowing what speed or where to position the cart. Once where I thought I should be in a second it all went wrong. The combine sunk and the cart pushed the auger forward past where it should be.
I called Addie demanding she come hlpe as climbing was necessary and neither I nor Lloyd should be climbing the equipment. I also called Greg.
The absolute blessing of working with Lloyd is his direct focus on solving the problem. He doesn't get mad or angry he doesn't even breathe deep he just begins evaluating and planning what needed to be brought to fix the problem.
The pivot track was still mudding this is where it is on the edge of its arc and thus the combine had to drive in it for several feet instead of just a foot or so.
Thankfully a small pin had broke free allowing the hydraulic ram to swing forward and not bend. This is the solution using a tie-down strap to gently and slowly lift the now free auger back in its rotational arc so it will be high enough to remove the tractor and get it out of the mud.
I drove the loader tractor to the file and Reed put it in place. Addie scaled the combine and sat on the lift to secure the tie down.
Then Reed came up to help too.
We asked the kids when they spent time with us. Harvest is definitely a time of year when we are all together all throughout the day. It's really nice though to all be going in one direction, more or less.
I backed the grain cart out. Lloyd found the necessary pen to replace the one that had broke free in the cab of the combine. Reed got another cotter pin and Grandpa re-ignited the combine and we went back to work.
The next day Alena thought the calf's leg had swollen as it didn't look right. Reed went to investigate and the lower leg was broken. I called the cowboy he said shoot it now or shoot it later it's just prolonging the suffering. I reported to Mark he said to call another cowboy. I did he said oh no problem make a PVC cast use lots of tape and it will heal to have a long life. We decided to try this option and I went for supplies. I got antibiotics from our friend who likewise shared they had doctored numerous young animals with broken legs and all had normal healthy lives. She gave me some more pointers and showed me an example of a splint they had. I headed home to help Reed and Livy.
Reed cares about the animals this is good learning for him. While I was gathering supplies on place had a college football game playing in the background. It's always a bit startling to see the thousands of people gathered to watch people play/work. That is such a foreign idea or mindset here. At our friends house they were digging post holes working to make a new fence. I told the husband about the spectacle of so many people just sitting and watching something... he said sometimes he wished he could just sit and watch too.
Back at the farm we measured and covered the sharp strong plastic with protective cotton and duct tape. Then we taped it around the broken lower leg.
I gave the two shots one antibiotic and one anti-inflammatory to help with swelling. The calf had bellered as we taped the leg up the mother was restless. We removed our protective shelter separating the cow from the calf and let the calf go to its mother. At first, the mother was anxious with kids still in the pen.
She was circling and wouldn't let the calf get to her udder. But the calf stayed upright and managed to get in position. We exited the pen and moved out of sight. The calf began sucking standing on its good legs testing the splint one.
A sucking calf is a calf with life. A mother that will let it suck is doing it's job. We will watch and wait and stand in awe as the miracle of life continues. The ability of bodies to heal and correct damage is too often taken for granted. I'm thankful for friends who reassure, who lament, who teach, and who understand. We are thankful to learn and grow.
Reed and Livy and mom working together trying to save another life. Reed was there when I killed a calf putting the tube in the wrong position on the throat causing a living animal to die in a minute. That was terrible. He has also been with me as we cared for chicks, pigs, and other calves that lived. I don't love doctoring but I'm pleased when it works and I love helping my kids develop their divine talents. For that I will deal with blood, manure, and whatever else the situation calls for. Life is good.
