Moving Into Autumn On The Farm

The New England Asters which grow beneath some apple trees put on an especially impressive show this year:

And a few dramatically tall and shapely mushrooms sprang up in the unmowed lawn:

I'd thought the Rugosa Roses were finished blooming, but they began to bloom once again in September:

And the old fashioned rose which I saved also began blooming again:

Asiatic Lilies bloom in June - and they always have. Yet one day I was shocked to see bright red lilies blooming in my new little rock garden. They were about three times bigger, taller and more prolific than my other lilies, not to mention their vibrant color:

I'd kept the labels from the bulbs I planted in the spring, so I checked them and learned that these were Dolly Madison hybrid Asiatic Lilies - and they bloom both spring and autumn:

Two more fantail pigeon babies made it past the feathering stage:

The nest was close to the floor and the babies began wandering out of it. I carried them back and their parents immediately began feeding them "pigeon milk:"

They are pretty homely as babies, but their parents love them:

All summer long, as I mowed along the fence line, I'd see miniature pink flowers in the grass near a telephone pole. I'd plan to photograph them after mowing, but then learned that I'd chopped off the flowers. Finally, thinking it might be my last chance for the year, I stopped and took photos so I could identify them:

I almost gave up the search for their identity, but then found an online explanation of how their classification and scientific names were changed in 2004, many decades after my field guide was published. I found a perfect match in photos, then learned that they were a European species. Then I found a website which showed how they'd recently spread to much of the U.S., particularly in the northeast. They are European Centaury, a tiny member of the Gentian family. They bloom prolifically and I read that they are annuals, in spite of their taproot. It seems they'd make a great terrarium plant if only they were perennials:

My neighbor brought over what was probably the last load of grass clippings for the year. Remy was there in a flash, determined to get his fill before the pushy cows arrived. Jasmine, my sweetest cow, got there soon also, and probably for the same reason:

Two Happy Little Horses

Remy is healthy and happy these days, and I am glad to say that I have seen no bot fly eggs on his legs this year - not a single one:

Both Blue and Remy are eating grass in the south field with their Red Poll cow friends. Their buddy, Teddy the rented bull, has gone on to a new herd:

Remy, with Gracie in the background:

Blue, showing the diffuse white patch on his hip that I once thought was paint:

They are quick to run over to the neighbor who brings the grass clippings once a week:

They have to eat as much as possible before the cows take over. In this case, the pile of grass clippings was smaller than usual, so they kept gulping them down as Violet moved in on the feast. They had to give it up, though, when the other cows arrived:

And oh, how they love to run and play. I was out in the field one day when they began chasing one another:

It got pretty rowdy for awhile, with Remy chasing Blue and then Blue chasing Remy:

Remy had so much excess energy that he circled around in a big loop before resuming the chase:

Then they took off in the other direction, passing in front of the barn:

And then trotted along the old fence in the field:

Then Blue chased Remy. Part of the game is that whoever is being chased kicks up his heels at the the one doing the chasing. No one gets hurt, it's all part of the game - and it is a joy to watch them:

The Herd

It's been a peaceful and relatively cool summer for cattle and horses:

Of course the arrival of Teddy, the rented bull, shook things up briefly:

The presence of Teddy kept me out of the field unless I was on the tractor, but he caused no problems:

Whether or not Teddy impregnated all the cows remains to be seen. I won't know until next year. Two of my cows, Amy and Scarlett, could possibly be pregnant from earlier artificial insemination. If so, they should be due in October and January:

Teddy and his red harem looked picturesque in the south field:

And Teddy often walked off alone, leaving the six cows to keep themselves company:

Much of the time, the little horses made themselves part of the herd. I had feared that Teddy might hurt them, but once introduced, Teddy, Blue and Remy seemed to become friends:

Despite a lot of grass in the field, there was always much excitement (and gluttony) when my neighbor delivered a trailer load of grass clippings:

After Teddy had been here four weeks, his owner stopped by to check on him. Teddy ran over to the fence, hoping for grain - but he didn't get any:

Remy has been looking especially good this summer, especially when the wind blows his mane and tail:

Blue has a shinier coat than Remy, but he is getting quite a potbelly. He was shaking himself when I took this photo:

And both little horses still spend much time in the barn, any time they want relief from the hot sun, the flies or the rain. It is difficult to safely clean the barn with Teddy around, so it's been getting pretty dirty. I'll have to clean it soon:

Blue And Remy

Blue and Remy enjoyed their time in the north field, though they got less attention there. Since the barn was across the road, they also got no shelter in the rain, not that they minded:

Blue loved the tall grass, though I am beginning to worry about his growing belly:

Blue loves to eat (and I can certainly relate):

Remy stays trimmer, as he's genetically determined to be a more svelte style of horse:

I've watched their food preferences, and they seem to like grass better than anything. They mostly ignore broad-leafed weeds, even clover:

But then they've never run short of grass, so I suppose it's almost like me getting a daily choice of broccoli or ice cream. It wouldn't be a difficult choice, but I suspect I would not choose wisely. In their case, I think the grass is healthy. My neighbor put a feed-inhibitor on her pony to cut down its grass consumption. If Blue doesn't slow down, I may have to do likewise:

After getting their hooves trimmed, they began running and playing, feeling extra frisky. They sure do have fun sometimes, and especially if another horse goes by on the road:

They get very little grain these days, usually only a third of a cup every two or three days - and even then, just to keep them friendly and accustomed to being handled:

They have a happy life. I don't know what I'd do if one of them were to die. They've never been apart in their lives and the survivor would be bereft:

Life is good for these little horses:

I was fixing the chain on the gate and they both came over to "help" but couldn't resist nibbling grass even then:

They race to greet the neighbor when he delivers grass clippings. They only get to eat them until the slower, shyer cows arrive:

Teddy And His Harem

Teddy, the rented bull, made himself right at home with my Red Poll cows. They liked him and he liked  them:

He wasn't bossy or pushy, but generally happy to be a quiet, unassuming herd member:

If a cow was in heat, he might butt her playfully, but mostly it was the other way around:

When no cow was in heat, Teddy was happy to hang out with the boys, the two miniature horses. When the neighbor dropped off grass clippings, Teddy even shared with his horsey buddies:

When the cows arrived, however, the horses backed off:

Teddy was bigger than any of the cows, but not by as much as I'd expected. He was basically a gentle soul, though I never pushed my luck by walking out among them as I normally do when it's just cows:

I haven't actually seen him breed a cow, but every now and then he pairs off with one and they act like a couple of teenagers at the mall. I feel quite hopeful that this plan will work, though I won't have purebred calves next year. On the other hand, I've already got one order for a mixed breed heifer calf:

They all come in together sometimes for a cool drink of water from the stock tank:

And they all hang out under the trees when it's really hot:

Teddy doesn't seem to mean any harm, but this photo may help illustrate why I don't walk around him. If I go out into the field, I drive the tractor:

There are times when it really looks like he has a harem, and he's the leader. But usually, they are just gentle friends:

And they make a picturesque scene as they graze. I am blessed to live in the midst of so much rural beauty: