More Life on the Farm

One of the Jersey calves escaped this morning. Husband expanded their pen recently, and they just discovered the new room to roam. The boys (calves) were running and playing when #1 Son (the calf) ran right through two strands of electric fence. I was watching them through the kitchen window thinking, "How cute! They're playing....oh crap!! Husband!! Wake up!! #1 Son just busted through the fence!" Eric (the other calf) stopped short and looked a little panicked at the sight of his buddy roaming freely in my front yard. #1 Son cow (as we call him...even though he's a steer) looked a tad surprised then decided the grass was definitely greener on the other side of the fence.

He tried to take a nip from my Hybrid Poplar, but I gently discouraged him with a, "Don't even think about it, Mister." So he opted to mozy down to the pond for a bite to eat. I stood in my bare feet, sweat pants, and tank top pj's in the 55 degree dew covered yard to keep an eye on the escapee until Husband got out to shoo him in the pen. (Did I mention this was all happening while I was trying to get the oldest 2 kids ready for school and Bitsy and I ready for my Dr. appt?)

Husband told me to get my shoes and go open the gate while he herded #1 Son cow in. I ran back in, spread cream cheese on BabyGirl's bagel, gave implicit instructions to everyone to "eat your breakfast and stay. in. this. house." and shot back out the door. I opened the gate and herded the goats to the corner of the pen to wait for Husband to chase the calf in.

Oh how I wish I'd had a video camera! My Husband is in good shape. He's a country boy. He can run like no body's business...but he could not get that calf in. #1 Son would willingly be herded to the gate, but he flat refused to go through it. Husband chased him up there 3 times only to have #1 Son cow bolt back down to the pond at the last moment. Husband would tear back down the hill to the pond and start all over again.

Finally Husband went and got his rope to try and snag the calf. #1 Son stayed just far enough away that Husband couldn't snare him (I may get him a real lasso for Christmas). I kept having an argument with Cosmo (one of our pygmy billy goats) about where he needed to be. When I turned around the last time I saw Husband had #1 Son cow by the tail & they were going in circles. It was like a cartoon!

In the mean time, B.B. came running down from the house in his Spider-Man PJ's, work boots, and a bucket hat from the St.Louis Zoo. "I is out side, Mommy! I help catch dat cow!" I hollered for him to get back inside since I was still tending my flock. He was dismayed, but turned and shlumped back to the house...or so I thought.

Next thing I knew, Husband had the calf by the back leg and had dropped the tail. That steer was trying his best to run, but Husband had a death grip on his leg and held it about a foot off the ground. Some how he managed to get the rope around the calf's neck & led it over the lowered electric fence.

As he was putting the calf back in the pasture, Husband said he didn't need my help anymore (not that I'd been any help in the first place keeping a pen open the calf refused to go into). I headed back up to the house to find the actual #1 Son running around the drive way sans shoes and B.B. trying to escape from his brother through the front yard. I cracked the whip and sent them scurrying back in the house to cries of, "But I was just trying to get B.B. back in," and, "I wanna' go out side wif Daddy!" I informed them that stay in this house meant just that. I'm such a mean mommy not letting my boys run barefoot through cold wet grass and making them eat breakfast instead.

Our adventure was over by 7:15 this morning.