Thursday 25th August

It’s been a hectic couple of weeks again. Calves dropping all over the paddocks and in the milking shed and yard as well. I had one nearly land on me in the milking shed, just managed to get the rotary around to the exit opening in time to pull the calf out, otherwise it could have been difficult. By the time Sean got the ropes and back up with me, I had most of the head out with the forelegs, after that it was easy. Another bull calf, bugger, it’s heifers we want not more bloody bulls.

I’ve finally got what I wanted with hours, I’m only doing mornings now, which leaves the rest of the day free for gardening jobs, and now I have 4 permanent gardens to do, plus get stuff ready for the Naked Possum, I’m happy. 3 – 4 hours in the mornings milking, usually finished by 8.30, home for breakfast, then 6 – 7 hours gardening.

We missed all the snow and bad weather here in the Valley, while the rest of New Zealand was getting snow and rain, hail, sleet, we had clear blue skies, some frosts in the mornings but nothing to get overly excited about. You didn’t notice the cold so much, although the 20 litre buckets of hot water by everyone in the shed helped. I was putting my hands into the water every few minutes to keep them warm.

I’ve mentioned previously about the new cows coming through the herd that have a habit of kicking when you’re trying to put the cups on or take them off. One finally got me really well on Tuesday. Her hoof caught my hand between the backing rail and her hoof. Only my middle finger took most of the force, it was enough to make me faint though, which according to Vanessa the next day was very impressive. She was talking to me one minute, the next I was flat on my back on the steps. Ended up going into Takaka Helath Clinic and getting it lanced to let the blood out, and to have my knuckle checked, it felt not quite right. It wasn’t broken though, just a bit bruised and swollen, so I picked up a packet of ibuprofen from the supermarket and I’ve been in a happy daze since.

Tuffy is growing taller, he’s now 18” high at the shoulder, still trying to fit into his feet though, they are bloody huge.

Pictures from Collingwood Beach again, I take Tuffy there most evenings for a run along the beach and I get to walk at my own pace.

Friday 12th August

It’s been a crazy couple of weeks, I haven’t had time to spare, the gardening jobs I have been doing have fallen to one side, I have had phone calls asking me to look at others, but I’ve had to turn them down for the present.

We have 400 calves born so far, with another 1,000 due over the next couple of weeks, we’re milking 400 cows, sorting out the new mums every morning from the expectant herds, drafting the cows with problems, like mastitis/swollen udders, blood in their milk etc, which makes for long days. I’m starting at 5.30 every morning lately, till 10.30, then back again at 2pm for another few hours.

So far, I’ve helped pull 3 calves out, and one on my own. Take my word for it, it isn’t as easy as it looks on a video. Tie loops of rope around the hooves, if you can reach them, without your arm being squeezed to breaking point by the cow, then get the calfs head started out, then pull as hard as you can, and hope the cow is going to help by contracting. Score so far is 1 dead, 4 alive, the dead one was breech, and had died inside the cow, which didn’t help in getting it out.

Tuffy is growing fast, he’s nearly knee height now, and we have had several “discussions” about what he is allowed to do, and what he is not allowed to do. Unfortunately, he seems to think that if I’m not here, he can do anything, then look all sorry and woebegone when I get home and find the house strewn with chewed cardboard, my sneakers, the cane side on the lounge 3 seater chewed, and in general, mayhem evident all over.

With the hours and long days everyone is working there are the usual grumpy tempers and short fuses happening. Our Shed and calf manager had an altercation yesterday, and she told Mike to stick his job up his arse, and left, our Herd manager is on extended leave, for the time being, after 3 weeks, he isn’t proving to be a worthwhile investment, so it is back to the usual crew on the far, although we now have 2 Uruguayan workers, and Thomas the Argentinian back with us for a while.

It’s winter, so the weather is continuing to be warm, sunny, cold freezing, snow, rain and bloody miserable at times. I’ve been taking Tuffy to Collingwood beach most afternoons to wear him out. He’s getting better at not chasing everything, and is starting to come when called, and sitting instead of jumping up on everyone, although that is going to take a while longer to get sorted I think.

I got involved with the local book club here as well. It's not all that fussy about who joins obviously, we meet every fortnight at a different house, discuss what books we have read lately, pass books around for others to read, borrow from everyone etc. As well as have a small supper during the talking. It was at my place this week, I made a 3 layer chocolate torte with Chantilly cream, coffee cream and pecan nut cream with a pure chocolate topping. There wasn't much left. I also have a decided respect in future for Davids home made Plum wine. I'd had a couple of glasses of Merlot, then thought, hmmm, plum wine, ok, I'll have a glass of that. At 10 pm everything sounds like a good idea at the time. At 4am when you're trying to wake up to go to work in the milking shed, it seems like a bloody stupid thing to have done. I asked him Wednesday night what proof he thought it was, and it is close to 20%, and here I was having not one, but 2 glasses because the first one seemed so good. On top of the Merlot, it made watching the rotary go around with the cows on decidedly eye watering. Not to mention that sea sick feeling when you know that telling yourself it isn't a good idea at the time would have helped.