The Farm

I had a great morning!  I met up with one of my coworkers and went to the farm of one of our students.  She talks a lot about her farm and she knows soooo much about it.  It really is like knowing a different language in some respects.  This student and her family welcomed us to their farm today, and I feel fortunate that they would do that.  Our student took us around and introduced us to her animals.  She shows her steers (male bovines are not called cows!) at the agricultural farms in the area.  This brown and white one is part of a team that she shows.  This guy was pretty friendly... 

I was happy to meet this guy, but WHOA... no licking!  (Notice no top teeth!  I learned that today that cows do not have top teeth!)  

This is a three generation picture.  Curly haired (or is it fur?) cows... Very cute.  Did you know that if a set of twins is born that the females are sterile? 

This one looked like a panda! 

I learned that before showing the animals, our student has to sand down the horns to make them softer.  

This is her second set of steers that she shows.  She has to teach them to obey her commands and go through an obstacle course while pulling a cart.  

These ducks were LOUD today.  Cute! 

This is one of the new baby cows that got us to come to the farm.  Our student has been sharing with us that she had gotten new cows and had shown me some pictures.  This one is drinking milk!  

GOATS!  This one in the front is a head butter... the one in the back is a little more relaxed, but when let out of the pen to wander, the little one in the back stands up on its back legs, putting its front legs on your leg to get some attention.  They were also loud! 

This is my coworker, Deb..(Not college friend Deb)  She pat the cow after it had just drank its milk and it wiped its face on her shirt.  She was thrilled! 

Since the cows are still very young they have an instinct to suckle.  So they suck on fingers and follow you around when doing so, very cute....

Very cute unless you are not expecting it!  The baby cow tried to suck on Deb's hand and she freaked out a little and kept her hands up for a while! 

This is one of her other new baby cows ..oops...steers... (she got 4)  The flash made his eyes look funny, but oooh so cute! 

To see my student in this setting... where she flourishes is so cool.  Reading is so hard for her and makes things stressful...seeing her here, at her home, working her farm.... was beautiful.  

The ducks got into the barn and our student told us that they make a bed mess in there, so I went in and chased them out.  They did not appreciate that! First time I have ever chased ducks! 

Seeing a baby cow on a leash was adorable.  She is working on teaching them commands.  

What a great day!  I am very thankful to have connected with this student and got to meet her family today.  She is the student who has been reading the books I scoured amazon.com to find.  Her mom mentioned how much she is enjoying the book and is looking forward to the others... Today made me think more about the people in our communities who work so hard to make their living.  It also makes me remember the importance of buying local.  I bought some maple syrup from her family today. BUY LOCAL!