The big pasture

For the last few weeks, we – especially Don – have been engaged in fencing our large pasture. Up to this point, the cows had been confined to the smaller areas below the house. While it was wonderful to see them eating down the grass and thus reducing the fire hazard, the available forage would only last so long.

So we’ve been fencing. And fencing. And fencing. Why does it seem like fencing takes forever?

But at long last, the task was done. A few days ago we gave the cows the “big release.”

Our property is sloped, and the only access to the larger pasture from the corral where the cows stay during the night is up a fairly steep embankment.

Don built a sort of chute to make sure the cows went where we wanted them to go.

On the Big Day, we opened the gate. Maggie immediately started cropping the grass before she even got up the chute.

Pretty soon Mignon noticed the excitement. “Hey, what’s going on?”

Then Fillet got in on the action and scooted up the chute without any hesitation.

I got the distinct impression the cows thought they were getting away with something nefarious. “Hey, look what we found!”

We left them alone to explore their new digs. Later, during the heat of the afternoon, I went to check on them and found them happily chewing their cud under the shade of some trees.

Isn’t our Maggie a pretty girl?

The first evening in the new pasture, Don had to traipse far and wide to call the animals in for the night. But thereafter, they got the hang of it and come in automatically each evening for a bit of grain. In the morning, I release them to graze for the day.

What a pleasure it is to stand on the porch and watch our cattle grazing.

One afternoon they grazed right up to the fence line…

…and Frumpkin (Older Daughter’s cat) – who was parked on his “catio” – had saucer eyes as he stared at them.

There should be enough forage in the large pasture to keep the animals occupied through November or so, when it will be time to feed them hay in the barn.

Little by little, step by step, we’re becoming a homestead again.