A frost is supposed to happen tonight, so yesterday I gathered what I could from the garden: okra, green sweet peppers, peas and green tomatoes. I'll pick the ripe tomatoes today. The green tomatoes were wrapped in tissue paper and put in a cool place to ripen; hopefully they will be ready for Thanksgiving or maybe even Christmas. The ripe tomatoes will be put in the crisper and some will be given away. It was a wonderful year for our small garden and this momma squirrel put a lot of the crop into the freezer.
An update on the baby calf: she died last night. Her wounds were just too deep. The Farmer has gone to bury her this morning. I will miss her feeding times, and the nuzzling at my hands and shirt tail. So, I did a final washing of the bottle and put it away and put the rest of her powdered milk replacement in the freezer, ready for the next little calf in need.
Of course that is the emotional side; there's also a financial side. Cattle prices are at an all time high now; the Farmer estimates a calf her size would probably bring $500-$600 dollars at market. Then there is the cost of $26.95 per ten pound bag of formula and I've lost count of the number of bags I've fed. My time of feeding her three times a day at the beginning and then twice daily for two-three months was free.
The dogs are still free to roam. The Farmer doesn't like to confront someone over such an issue; besides, as the old saying goes, "you can't get blood from a turnip". I don't want to see it happen again! Sometimes one just wants to use the words of the Lord: "Vengeance is mine; I will repay." I don't think it's over yet...
Charlotte
It's wonderful to know you've had a bountiful harvest Charlotte. I'm sorry to hear about the calf. It must be really difficult not to get your heart wrapped up around those little ones.
ReplyDeleteI love your header picture - just lovely.
I'm so sorry to hear about the calf, Charlotte. I can imagine how upsetting it is to see the dogs still running loose too. The very least your neighbor can do is keep them confined so it doesn't happen again, but I think he owes you compensation for your lost calf. :(
ReplyDeleteYour spooky-faced pepper is indeed perfect for today! :-)
I am so very sorry to hear about your calf. And to think the dogs are still loose and could do it again is distressing. Beautiful photo! I am glad you had a bountiful harvest.
ReplyDeleteSounds as though your garden did well this year. Shame on those dogs! I've never understood why people let their dogs roam. We used to live in a farming & cattle area. It was an understood rule, a dog that ran cattle was fair game to a farmer. I made sure my dog stayed home!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry to hear about the little calf. That's heartbreaking. :(
ReplyDeleteYou have had a lovely growing season though, and all the food put away reminds me of my mom. She canned, and froze for the future. I'm wondering what kind of peas you have.
Have a blessed day.
your header photo is beautiful! the changing trees are so pretty.
ReplyDeletedogs running loose in the country are such a problem- when we lived in the country, we lost a beautiful paint horse when a pack of wild dogs chased her through a fence.
So sorry about your baby
ReplyDeletelove the colorful pepper
and now I know
why all the farmers surrounding me
are filling their fields with cattle :)
Heavy frost and lost many herbs and should have covered.
Oh how I missed my big garden this year.
Maybe next year
but being realistic
it should be small for me to tend :)
I'm so sorry the little calf died. I know you are heart-broken about it passing away. It always hurts deeply to lose an animal.
ReplyDeleteYour garden vegetables look so good. Good thing you got them picked before the frost.
I think. living on a farm, we get used to animals dying or being sent away to market so we try not to get too attached, but...when we care for them from the time they are a baby--AND the way she was hurt--just makes the pain of the loss that much worse. How awful.
ReplyDelete