PREPPING FOR COWS

Tomorrow we're taking about 50 heifers (unbred females) over to one of our leased properties, where they'll stay for the rest of the season.  We'll turn a couple of bulls into them around June 15.

We brought last year's group home in the fall and haven't been over there since.  During the winter, we've had a flood, some snows, winds and lots of deer.  I took an apprentice and two interns over and spent about three hours prepping the place to receive cows. 

We have a couple of miles of electric fence on the property, as well as boundary fence.  It all had to checked and walked.  Several trees had fallen down across the boundary fence and numerous insulators were missing from electric fence stakes.  It was a beautiful afternoon enhanced by restoring order where winter's havoc reigned.

Watching a place become fully functional is one of my greatest joys.  I say we're in the land healing business, and part of healing is turning disorder into order.  Most farms do not have all of these internal electric fences that enable specific sophisticated management of the vegetation.  The land our team manages enjoys far more thoughtfulness, far more intimate planning.  I derive great joy in prepping for cows because the effort and planning will not only make happy, healthy cows, it'll make the whole biota both above and below the soil feel the caress of ordered care.

What prepping activity gives you joy?