Raising that cow last year had convinced them that raising cows is a money maker. This year they are raising six cows at the moment. These two are the youngest, with four others that have already been weaned in another pen. I bottle fed the brown cow twice a day while I was there. I'm not sure I've ever nursed any other animal. It was an interesting experience.

Tonia told me that dairies get rid of bull calves as soon as possible after they are born. They can be had for almost nothing. Unfortunately, once they know a calf is a bull they aren't that gentle with it. That's probably how Jr. got his front legs messed up.

  

They also have four other cows a bit older that have already been weaned. Those are in the enclosure where the chickens were last time I visited. I think the fence has been beefed up a bit for them. They are amazingly gentle and docile creatures.

     

They still have lots of goats, maybe more than last year. None of them are milk goats at the moment though. The white one is going to get processed if she doesn't drop at least a couple of kids soon. Tonia said she has looked that pregnant for far too long.

One thing that's changed since the last time I was there is that the chickens now have a predator proof run. This means that many more of them are surviving long enough to be served up for dinner.

  

The chickens gather when they see a human coming. They know that usually that means food time is soon.

  

They still have the fryers in a mobile cage, but now the area where they have been dragging it around for the past few years is much greener than it once was. It looks like the soil is beginning to appreciate all the soil amendments.

     

Grace is raising some young cats in the old chicken coop. She explained that she keeps them there "because I don't want any kitten factories right now."

     

I like the green fish. Don't remember seeing one of those before.

Tonia gave me this book to read. I'm still getting around to that.

  

That gerbil earns his keep by shredding confidential documents into nesting material.

     

Sitting on the couch, I saw that my sister's plant was flowering. I also got a lot of entertainment value from talking to Katie. She has a bottomless imagination. One time she caught a big fish.

  

Another time her doll got a toothache and she had to do dental work on it.

Grace's favorite band seems to be Casting Crowns, a Christian-Rock outfit. She played this Prodigal song over and over, practicing the signing dance she is going to do to it at a show coming up. I offered to return the favor playing for her what I consider to be a "stealth Christian song from the '70s", but she didn't want to hear it. I never even got a chance to mention the band name.

  

Grace participates in this choir. They showed me the video on the computer since I wouldn't be there for a performance. She also works out with Daisy every day. Click on the horse for more pictures of that.