Tuesday 7 July 2009

Z is not trampled by cows

Again, heavy rain showers with sunshine in between them. We keep checking the online weather forecast, trying to decide whether it's worth bricklaying tomorrow - it can go from one to the other in a few minutes so looking at the sky in the morning, unless it's pouring then, is no indication of the day.

The farmers came to fetch 3 of the 5 cows on the fields yesterday. Big Pinkie and one other are left behind, but the others are expecting their calves in about a month and they'll be given extra feed in the meantime. They were all fetched onto the Ups and Downs (descriptive of the field which is mentioned on maps as 'Anglo Saxon earthworks' and has probably, apart from some gravel extraction in a few places, not been dug up since), some railings were put in place to guide them, and then Johnny noticed that the wire was low at one place. "I'll stand there" I offered. "Would you mind?" he accepted and I stood, slightly nervous of a couple of tons-worth of cows jostled for position around me. They were all emptying bladders and bowels in preparation for their journey -you can see that they are all seasoned mothers, isn't that what we all told our children to do before a car trip?

The grass, which had been close cropped and browning last week, had already started to grow again, especially in the dips in the fields. Pinkie and the other cow, whose number I didn't notice and who hasn't been named, wandered over and accepted some apples. They will be pampered in the next few weeks.

Some good news tonight - Wink rang to say she'd had a message to say that our friends in India have had their first baby today. Her name is Aisha. It was to attend their wedding that I first visited India. They've been hoping for a baby for several years, so this is an especially joyful occasion.

7 comments:

Dave said...

It looks dry at the moment. See you at 9.20.

Has anyone ever done any archaeology in the field?

Z said...

Very overcast here. We don't quite trust it.

No - that is, a couple of people have fossicked around a bit with metal detector, but I think 1000-year-old grass is just as good as a few bits of Saxon remains. There is nothing to suggest anything more exciting is there.

Car Reviews said...

I have read this post and found it very interesting.

lom said...

oh baby cows, do you keep them?

Z said...

No, they go back to the farm and grow up there. The cows don't belong to us.

sablonneuse said...

I think cows are lovely creatures but I gather they can be pretty dangerous when protecting their young. Hope you won't be asked to stand sentry duty once the calves are born!

Z said...

It's walking with a dog on a field with cows and their calves that's most dangerous, especially if you get between mother and calf. A woman was killed near here last year, and there have been several instances this year too around the country. There's a public footpath alongside our field, but we have it fenced off - more for the protection of the cows, in fact. I wouldn't go in a field with cows and calves with a dog on a lead though. A cow does weigh half a ton and they are very protective, and they are herd animals - if one feels threatened, the rest of them come to support her. Our cows are pretty good and if one comes too close it's because she is hoping for treats! - but in that case, I walk with my arm outstretched so that she won't accidentally tread on me!