Growing Up On The Farm

I loved being on the farm working with my family.  I could write a book with all the memories I have.  I want to try and share a few of my memories on this blog.  I am hoping it will encourage my family and friends to share some of their memories also. 

One of my favorite memories was when I was around eight.  Dad was working out of town it was early spring and cold.  We had an old Charolaise cross Herford cow we called her Bossy.  During one of the coldest nights she had her calf it did not make it.  That morning when we found that her calf had not made it mom tried to find another calf. Mom called everywhere there were none available. I and Steven knew Bossy needed milked out so we got the lariat out and proceeded to rope her and get her up to the manger.  Now you got to remember this is an old range cow and we were pretty young.  It took all we had to get her snubbed up to the old manger but we did it.  I think that might have been the easy part.  Now we had to milk her out.  I don’t mind telling you I was pretty nervous.  I am pretty sure Steven was also.  We hobbled her back legs together but she could jump and kick anyway.  We kept wright with it not giving up.  We would push our head deep in her flank like dad had showed us.  I remember every time she would jump and kick I thought my head would pop.  We had her about half milked out when Grandpa showed up.  I am not sure if mom had called him or if he just knew to come over.  Grandpa coached us and made sure we got her milked out good.  I think he was kind of proud of us.  I know me and Steven were feeling pretty big.  We did the same thing that night and the next morning until dad got home.  When dad got home he was pretty happy with me and Steven I believe his head was just as big as ours.  We never did put a calf on her and she never got much easier to milk.  That spring we gained a since of accomplishment and earned dads trust we grew up a little.