The Case of the Missing Calf

Hey Farmgirl Friends!

It’s been a busy and eventful month up here in Alaska.  The farming season is in full swing.  It’s the time of year when pretty much everything that can happen on the farm is happening (or at least supposed to be…).  We are transplanting seedlings, seeding greens and roots, harvesting, sowing a few more trays of starts, pulling spent crops, amending new rows, irrigating, putting up and taking down row cover, pruning, suckering, weeding (Oh, the weeds…), fearing the ever growing slug population, moving chickens around in their tractors, opening and closing all of the structures, going to market, running the farm stand and divvying out CSA shares. Phew!

You look radishing!

You look radishing!

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  1. Sandi says:

    Wonderful that the calf returned on its own. Most do according to my mother-in-law who raised calves most of her life. She was a farmer for many years and taught me how to milk a cow and how to wean a calf from its mother. Even named a calf I helped to wean, after me. Guess you will be glad for a rest when harvest is over or will you still have lots to do until winter time? Pray you do get some rest as it sounds very hectic for quite a while. Maybe next year I can get into a garden. We are still waiting for our home to get finished and get moved in. Does take a long time to get it all done. Bless the day and your farm and all who tred there.

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Thank you Sandi! We have learned that calves usually come back, too. We should just think of them like fawns :). Hope the home renovations go quickly and smoothly!

  2. Bessie says:

    Wow! I’m exhausted from reading your entry. Sounds like a wonderful place and Fern is a sweetheart!

  3. Marilyn says:

    Glad that the calf is safe. I love that photo of Fern laying in the garden.
    Marilyn

  4. Amanda says:

    I’m super happy the calf came back! It’s funny how your life in Alaska very closely resembles mine in Pennsylvania. We’ve been busy weeding, unloading straw wagons, weeding, and, just like you, we were searching for a missing calf- and her mom! One of our dry cows managed to sneak out to pasture with the rest of the herd. But she didn’t come back. The biggest problem was that she was due to calve any day! Of course, when we finally found her, it was obvious she calved! Now we had to find her baby, too. Luckily we got them both back to the barn(and out of the woods, past the creek and up the steep hill-how did she get there?!) before dark. Now it’s back to weeding…

    • Alexandra Wilson says:

      Our lives do sound very parallel right now! I hope the weeds are staying at bay and your cows are staying home!

  5. Laura R. says:

    Hi Alex, your life sure keeps you hopping! I like the title of your story; it felt kind of like a Nancy Drew mystery :))) And the suspense! I am glad baby calf found its way home to mama. And that your newborn can’t run; she looks much happier sitting with you reading or hanging with the chickweed. And I love that Ava is developing her ninja skills ! Such a fun read, and you look radishing too !!

    • Laura R. says:

      Hi Alex, your life sure keeps you hopping! I like the title of your story; it felt kind of like a Nancy Drew mystery :))) And the suspense! I am glad baby calf found its way home to mama. And that your newborn can’t run; she looks much happier sitting with you reading or hanging with the chickweed. And I love that Ava is developing her ninja skills ! Such a fun read, and you look radishing too !!

      • Alexandra Wilson says:

        Thanks, Laura! I am in Minnesota at my mom’s house, and we used to read Nancy Drew together when I was a kid. Maybe that’s what inspired the title :)? I am SO happy newborn humans can’t run. The other two are enough to chase around, for now. Hope this finds you well!

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