Why Cows?

  A common question we get asked about our farm is, "Why cows?" This is usually a question that is asked by someone from a place we like to call, "The City". While it may appear that there are many species of animal with which to work (goats, chickens, pigs...), there is really only one option for us. Let me explain...

  There is an unspoken level of social pressure that goes with anything in life. Most of the time we are unaware of it, but it is present all the same. Jessie and I pride ourselves on not being overly given to the opinions of man, but even in its trimmed back nature, social pressure still subconsciously exists. We live in an area of the country that predominantly raises two varieties of animals.  There are dairy cows and beef cows. Yes, some people get away with raising the odd goat, but they are immediately labeled, well, "weird". They usually carry around the commonly ascribed name of "crazy goat lady" for females, and "the guy with all the goats" for males. Bovines are the only quickly accepted and even appreciated animal in our neck of the woods. There is a sense of pride that accompanies telling folks that you are in the "cattle bidness". You are a part of a heritage that has provided incomes, meat, and quality of life for the generations that have gone before you. We raise beef because that's what my daddy does. It is also what Jessie's daddy does. It is what all of the respectable, down-to-earth men of this tiny sub-culture do. Therefore, I raise beef.

 Being that cows are such a large part of this sub-culture, there is already a large system in place that provides the opportunity for us to buy/sell our animals as commodity. This means that we find animals pretty easily when the price per-pound of beef is down and we would like to buy. It also means that we have an idea as to how much we will get when we want to sell them. The system is so large that it would be unlikely for us to be stuck with a cow that we could not sell. This would not be the case if we were trying to sell our cow locally to a direct market. It would be up to us to find the rancher, settle on a price, and come to terms with the shipment of the animal. The huge commodity market around us means, at the very least, that we have cattle movement options. At anytime the infrastructure is in place to accommodate our needs. Therefore, I raise beef.

  Let me caveat the entire previous point by saying that, I think there is an even larger market developing. The future is in direct sale organic. There is something about the generations following the Boomers that presses for a simpler time. They look for things that develop in a much more authentic fashion. These millennials and X'ers want to be connected to their food. This means that they want to know where it came from, how it was handled, and participate with the cycle of life. Whether one agrees with this sentiment or not, it sure makes for a bright future for farms like mine. We represent farms that cannot produce the scale of other operations, but could fetch a better profit margin through higher quality beef. I would love to get in on the direct sale market of organic beef as it develops. The major impediment for me is that I fall into the stereotype of most people who raise cows. I'm not a great salesman. I like to raise cows, not convince others to buy them. This is true of my job as a pastor in town. I have the greatest product in the world, transformed lives. However, it is hard for me to attempt to convince people that a choice must be made. There is a bit of salesman that must prompt a decision. I am working to develop this skill, but in the mean time I will stick to emphasizing the value of the product. Even with my personal shortcomings, I look forward to the opportunities that could open with this emerging market. Therefore, I raise beef.

  On a purely monetary level, cows are per-pound the best bang for your buck. This assumes that your land can support them. The reality of having a number of cows that both bring in a salary and sustain your family is very much dependent upon your land/geography. Many old/grumpy cattlemen would disagree with the statement that cattle can bring in an income, but if managed well it's true! The variables are water and being able to forage cows throughout the winter. If it rains to replenish your plant life and you do not have to bring in alot of outside hay, you should be able to turn a profit. I'm sure this will be the topic of many posts in the future. For now, suffice it to say that cows woo you with the opportunity for financial benefit. At least, they have to me. Therefore, I raise beef.

  Probably the most significant reason that answers the "Why Cows?" question is that I simply like being around cows. Yes, they are predictably slow witted and find themselves doing exactly what you don't want them to...But I find those attributes charming. Regardless, of their mental capabilities, I like them. It must be something that mothers/fathers experience with young children. The cows are dependent upon me for everything. They learn to wait upon me for their morning snack. They know that when I open up the next paddock they are allowed to rush in and scout it out (this is particularly rewarding for me, as their excitement is contagious). They grow in what they perceive to be threatening or not. For example; my very presence with them in the paddock was threatening. Now it is not. The hay fork used to mean imminent danger. Now it does not. The blue snake was initially thought to be a messenger of certain death. Now, it brings fresh water from its mouth into the trough. There is something extremely satisfying about watching them grow in all aspects of life. They physically report to me their current nutrient condition. I can tell by their "gut fill" whether or not they are getting enough to eat (more on that later). Daily we play a game of matching their feed desires with the pressure I would like to place upon the land. The balance between the soil health and the prosperity of the cows changes daily. It must be constantly observed and tweaked. Many in the permaculture, sustainable living, and hippie cultures lose me when the focus is solely upon the plants. Don't get me wrong... I'm all about taking care of the soil and plants entrusted to my care. But if it weren't for the emotional/psychological link between myself and the cows, I wouldn't be as passionate about farming/ranching. I can literally see the benefits of taking care of the soil through proper management because it yields better grass for my herd. A cycle is created where I care for my cows, they care for me (or at least my feeding of them), and it in turn causes me to care about the land that provides for them. My eyes get opened to a whole world that I would not normally be aware of through our relationship with the cows. Therefore, I raise beef.

  "Why Cows?", the city slicker may say... Because cows are the socially preferred, most productive per-pound, fastest growing in both the commodity and the organic markets, earth healing, docile human companions for your farm. Cows are an essential element to both my culture and my heritage. I can't wait to see how cows effect our family and the culture around us.      

Cuz... Chickens

  Now stick with me... at first this is not going to make any sense, but the more you read the more things will start to click. We, Jessie and I, currently have four heifers, two mini goats, a boat load of kitties, and one dog. So, why introduce chickens into this environment? Why not learn to manage the animals that you already have? Why greedily snatch up some chickens and go to farming?

  Well... chickens are amazing creatures. Chickens that focus on egg laying (chicken not harvested for their meat) produce an amazing amount of protein. They are capable of laying massive amounts of eggs. Have you seen the size of the eggs that come out of their back ends? Proportionally, they are huge! Each one of these little birds has the potential to create a substantial egg in a little under 26 hours. That's incredible! What's even more impressive is that their bodies do this on basically nothing. The average chicken can produce a significant amount of eggs on a diet consisting of table scraps, chicken scratch, and the odd bug it finds out on the farm.

It is my hope to follow the cow mob grazing technique with chickens. This is called "stacking" or "layering". It is what happens when you can successfully marry two enterprises together. For instance: cows may graze an open field, but have trouble finding anything to eat in a wooded area on the perimeter. Introducing pigs to the outlying wooded area of a field layers the productivity of your farm. You are then able to run two operations simultaneously and in essence harmoniously. I would like to try and do this with cows/chickens. Cows are able to graze down and plow up the land pretty efficiently. Their large hooves puncture the ground and stir up the bugs in the earth. The chickens are able to come behind and capitalize on these bugs. They scratch the surface and eat the bugs that come out of the freshly tilled land. In addition, cows leave behind a patty that is teaming with insect larvae. Chickens break up the patty and eat the larvae out of it. The by-product of their messy snack is that they spread the nutrient rich patty across the ground. The ground thrives because of the relationship!

Chickens also disperse their droppings across the pasture. The mixture of cow manure and chicken droppings in the soil is explosive for the soil. The combination of nutrients being infused causes the rapid recovery of nutrient depleted soils. And all of this takes place from simply following your cows with some chickens. The question then becomes, "how in the world do you get chickens to follow cows?"

Enter the chicken tractor. Now, I'm not sure who gets the credit for this invention. There is so much diversity on this topic that I feel comfortable not even attempting to cite the original source. But I will say that there are many young entrepreneurs such as John Suscovich who are blazing a trail in chicken innovation. One would think that chickens, cows, and pigs have been around for so long that there is not much to innovate. That would be faulty thinking. With the invention of the electric fence, moldable plastics, complex plumbing systems, all of these fields are ripe for innovation to spill forth. That rant aside, a chicken tractor is basically a movable house for chickens. This is one from foodcyclist.com .

The chickens spend each day on fresh grass out in the sun. At night they are recalled to their chicken tractors for safety. Their cage protects from the environment as well as predators. A mesh electric fence keeps the chickens in one given area. 

We are only in the research and development stage of this process, but the early reports look promising. This is something that we will keep you posted on as we develop it a little further. 

Nigerian Dwarf Goats (Tank and Fancy)

I LOVE goats with a capital L! My dad had goats on his farm for as long as I can remember. I delivered my first baby goat when I was probably 6 years old. We built play pens for them, we milked them, we bottle fed them, and we loved them. We had Nubian goats for a long time and later added Boer goats for a more hearty goat that is a little better at giving birth. I still have a fondness for the floppy, long eared Nubians with the woddles (the little noodles that hang from their necks) but they don't fare as well in labor and delivery. They are however, very good for producing milk.

As you've read from our first posts, my husband and I are working on building our own farm. Since I've left home, I've been introduced to the mini farm craze and I have to say that I'm hooked. I LOVE mini ANYTHING (probably because of my own small stature and my dread for having to lift things that are heavier than me) and I'm totally on board with any mini animal. They're easier for me to handle, they eat less, and they produce more than enough for our family of 2. I'd love to have mini cows someday but since they are kind of "in" right now, they are way too expensive for our budget.

For my birthday this year, my best friend got meee...........a mini goat (Nigerian Dwarf Goat)!!!!!! I can't even express how much I enjoy this gift. Animals are my weakness; add in a mini animal and it's over for me. When she took me to meet Tank, I fell in love. He has the sweetest little spirit and was friendly right away. Okay, maybe when we first brought him home IN A PET TAXI (that's how small he was) he might have been a little angry but when we let him out into his cage and I set a chair up so he could get used to my voice, he immediately jumped into my lap and curled up for a nap. He had me at hello. I was putty in his hand...or hoof.

We decided not to neuter Tank (I named him Tank so Sergeant can have his own tank) because he's just too cute not to breed. My friend who got me Tank decided he needed a girlfriend and she bought Sparkle who for some reason we nicknamed Fancy Pants. She's a beautiful red and white mini goat with sass and spunk. She's especially taken to Jarrod and knows exactly how to put Tank in his place. We love them both so much and can't wait for them to start a family.

We may have over-adored them and gave into their precious pleas of hunger and overfed them but we're working on a strict exercise regiment and dieting a little bit to get them back in shape...or out of the round shape. Haha! Stay tuned for more on these over loved animals and how we hope to build their family.

Cats in the Winter

As winter approaches Texas, the temperatures are unpredictable. Actually, who am I kidding? The temperatures are ALWAYS unpredictable in Texas but from October to May, they seem especially so. In one day, the temperature can change 40 degrees from morning to night. We may start at 70 degrees, which makes for a beautiful day, but end up at 30 degrees at night and that makes for an unexpected chilly night for the fur babies.

All of my fur babies are outside animals except for my dog. They never come inside so we have to make sure they have warm places to hide when the crazy weather sets in. Large animals are usually fine and have the right kind of fur to keep them blocked from the freezing weather - or at least they have each other to keep warm. The kitties would probably be okay too but they look into my front door with the saddest eyes and I always break down and make a comfortable spot for them.

Cats really seem to like tight, dark spaces to sleep in. What I use is kind of unattractive but it's what my cats like so it's what they get. I use a large pet taxi (since I have 6 cats) and place a carry-at-the-waist laundry basket inside the taxi with an old towel on our porch under the roof. It keeps them dry, warm, and safe since it's so close to the front door). I take the door off the taxi so they have the freedom to come and go as they want. All 6 cats usually pile up inside and take turns being on the top of the pile. I'll usually even see one or two of them take a break and sleep outside the taxi or on top of the taxi.

I had a dog house my dog wouldn't use that looked a lot like our house so I thought it would be brilliant to use that instead - it's bigger, cuter, and seemed warmer to me. We took the time to move it to the porch, put their laundry basket inside  and showed them their new real estate and they HATED it. I think it ended up being too drafty for them but I'm not quite sure. Suffice it to say the ugly pet taxi is back in action and it stays occupied.



Other things you can use are: rubber food bowls, cat beds, hay, old blankets, horse saddle blankets, tires, baskets, or anything else your fur baby can curl up in. Just make sure that whatever fabric you use is easy to wash or something you don't mind getting a little dirty. Adult cats stay pretty clean but kittens often times leave messes. One of my cats, Rory, is an adult but just decided she didn't want to get up to go to the bathroom because it was too cold so she pottied inside the taxi...that was disgusting. She kind of ruined it for the whole clowder (a group of unrelated cats).

If it's REALLY cold where you live, you can buy a heat lamp for pretty cheap and set that up so that it is directed where your animals sleep. Just make sure it's far enough away from other objects so it doesn't start a fire.

In summary, don't forget the fur babies when the temps drop. Think about what you'd like to sleep in when it's cold and try to replicate that for the animals. They keep our hearts warm so we can keep their bodies warm.

How to Keep Cats on the Farm

I get a lot of flak from having so many cats. I know a lot of people really hate cats but I've grown up with them and have seen the many benefits of keeping cats around the house. Now, I'm allergic to cats so they stay outside but they still get the job done. HOWEVER, it proves tough to keep cats around in the country. Between snakes, coyotes, raccoons, and other varmint, it's almost impossible to keep them safe and from not running away. I've had several people ask me how we keep our cats around so I want to share that with my readers.

I don't always have success in keeping cats around because it's a scary world at night in the country but I've had a pretty good run with the cats we currently have. This is what I've done so far with my cats to keep them home:

1) When they are kittens, put them in a large pet taxi with a litter box and a towel to sleep on. Honestly, this sucks. Cleaning out a litter box first thing in the morning is the worst but if you want to keep your 6-8 week old kittens safe, then it's worth it. We let the kittens grow up naturally with their mommy until they are weaned. At that point, we start feeding them a little hard food in some kitty milk replacer (or warm water if the milk replacer is hard on their tummies) and cage them at night. They usually go in the cage at dark and they can stay in there until you wake up. If they are weaned, they shouldn't need any water in the cage because they just make a HUGE mess. All they need is the litter box and a soft spot to sleep. Use something you can wash regularly because they are getting used to the litter box and can get a little messy. Here's the tricky part - some cats figure out what time you put them up and they start to hide from you. If this happens, feed them a snack around bed time and snatch them up either while they are eating or after they eat. We do this every night until they are about 5 months old. It's a long time but at 5 months they are adults and can use their adult claws to defend themselves.

2) Keeping them in the cage for so long has an added benefit. It teaches them where home base is. We moved several times when my cats were kittens but they were so used to the pet taxi that they considered that their home. It also teaches them to hide at night time. Cats are nocturnal so eventually they will become active at night but for the most part, putting them up at night for so long teaches them to find a safe place at night to hide out in. However, the reason you don't cage them forever is because night time is their prime hunting time. I know as fur mommies we can be tempted to cage them forever to keep them safe but really by doing that we are handicapping them. They have to learn to be real cats and to hunt, hide, pounce, and play. We have to trust that their internal GPS will lead them home no matter what and that their instincts and reflexes keep them safe.

3) Feed them. Some people are of the belief that the less you feed your cat, the more they will hunt. I am not against this method, but I don't do it myself. I feed my cats a hearty breakfast and a light dinner. I have 6 cats so I use a small coffee can of dry food in the morning and half of a small coffee can at about 4 pm. I do 4 pm because I don't want any food on the porch after dark because it calls up unwanted critters. There's noting creepier than four raccoon peeking in your front door trying to turn the door knob. If I get home after dark and they haven't eaten, I usually won't feed them. They're cats - if they are hungry enough, they will find crickets or mice to eat. Which quite frankly is the reason we have them. However, if they are especially convincing of their hunger, I'll fold and give them a tiny bit to hold their tummies until morning. What can I say?? They gang up on me with their pitiful eyes and sweet pleas of desperation.

4) Love them. Cats may be independent creatures but most of them want love of some form. Take time to pet them. If they don't want to be pet, just sit in the same area with them. Let them jump into your lap and nap a little if that's what they want...they usually don't want much in return...you usually don't even have to pet them for them to be happy. If they don't want pets, quality time, or lap time, just give them verbal affirmation. Every cat loves a little "good kitty kitty" at least once a day. Cats get used to your voice and find comfort in it. Let them hear that you appreciate their service at your home.

If your cat is not a hunter, feed him and let him get fat. Fat, lazy cats are awesome to have around and make pretty good companions. ;) Every cat is unique. All it takes is a little patience, understanding, and communication to have a relationship with your cat. Get to know your cat and respect his desires and personality. After all, he probably feels the same way about you as you feel about him.

Sergeant, the Yorkie

When I, Jessica, graduated from college, Jarrod bought me a puppy. This wasn't just any puppy, this was Sergeant. You probably read a little bit about him in our "Meet the Farmers" post but he deserves a page of his very own. He means that much to us.

We were dating when Jarrod got me Sergeant so he bounced back and forth between mommy and daddy's house. He went to daddy day care while I went to school and then I'd pick him up after and he'd spend the evenings with me. Because of this shared time with us, he is equally, and probably unhealthily, attached to each of us. When we got married and moved in together, Sergeant's world became complete.

He lived primarily with me once I graduated, got a job, and moved. In our apartment, he became restless, lost his appetite, and had severe anxiety. When we got married, his behavior improved a little but apartment life was hard for such an energetic doggy. That summer we moved to a house with a yard and doggy door and Sergeant was in hog heaven! His behavior, moods, and appetite improved tremendously. We realized he probably acted badly at the apartment because he was unhappy. (Just look at that sad puppy.)

Now that we live on 40 acres and don't really have a yard for him, he gets free roam of the land. We are overprotective of him so he doesn't literally get free roam but he gets more room than he had at the apartment or small yard we used to have. He gets exercise from running around barking at animals, he eats well, we play with him in the evenings (we don't have a choice here...he's quite demanding), and he sleeps like a rock at the right times.

It's important with any dog to be strict with them. You have to teach them who is boss by way of dominance. Dogs are pack animals and NEED an alpha in their lives. This doesn't mean you have to beat your animal into submission; it just means you have to discipline your dog and stand firm in the area of obedience. I don't think I've ever actually hit Sergeant before - we do what I call air spankings...which means I clap my hands together near him and say "spank! spank! spank!" and he cowers down as if I've hit him. If your dog figures out you're a softy, he or she will detect this and take advantage of it. Sergeant is a brilliant dog and can always tell between light-hearted mom and serious, get-your-butt-over-here mom. Since we are so strict with Sergeant, he gets a lot of freedom. He knows at this point what is allowed and what is a no-no and when he's not sure, he looks to us for permission. (Unless it's a rodent, then he loses his mind.) We believe discipline and love go hand-in-hand. If you love your animal, you discipline them for their own safety.

I believe Sergeant knows we love him and I believe he loves us back. We feel love from him in the form of cuddles, licks, trust falls, and nuzzles. He feels love from us in verbal affirmation, pets, scratches, nuzzles, and beggin strips. A happy, disciplined, loved dog is a good dog. Please take that into consideration when assessing whether your dog is just a bad dog or if he is trying to tell you something is off in his life. Dogs are surprisingly good communicators so take time and listen to what your dog is saying to you.

Meet the Farmers

Though it may be obvious, we are beginner farmers! We each share a passion for God, each other, furry animals, and simple living. We don't look like or even think like farmers for the most part, but we are getting a crash course in what it means to GROW! 

We live in this cabin. We built it ourselves in 2014 - and by ourselves, we mean my dad, the expert, and his experienced friends did most the work and we helped and learned as much as possible. What started out as an idea of a small one bedroom shack has expanded to become more than we could ever have hoped.

We live in this cabin on 40 acres that we co-own with SheBrown's parents. This is the pond that collects all the major "run-off" on our land. It is the primary watering hole for our future herds.
These are the gates we built ourselves to enclose our land.

 These are the animals that live on our land to help us with our land tax exemption and to make our hearts happy.

Tank and Fancy Pants (Sparkle).

Lula and La-a (Ladasha). We've recently added Lisa and Lafonda but they are not pictured here.

Ren, Rory (sleeping on the left), Martin, Mollee, Mustachio, Cruella

The guy who owns our hearts, Sergeant. He is more than a pet to us. We consider all of our pets to be our "fur babies", but this guy is the head hancho. He has eaten, slept, worked, drooled, yelled, chased, played, and licked his way into our hearts from the days before we were married. He is the original fur-baby. He is the patriarch and reason for all other fur-babies that have come after him. The only word that could come close to expressing Sergeant's place accurately would be family.





Before we had all this, we had nothing. This was a year ago. So how did we accrue this much in a year without a family inheritance or winning the lottery? God's grace. I have another blog about that but I had to give God a shout out here for all the blessings he's poured out on us. We literally work for Jesus and he pays our salary in money and favors. We give all the credit to him for everything we have; sometimes his blessings shower down from nowhere and sometimes his blessings cost a little blood, sweat and tears. We've experienced both kinds during the building of our farm and we'd love to share these experiences with you.