With the show season starting early this year, Gray Owl’s 3 animals and I traveled 6, 900 miles in 7 weeks. Traveling to Mercer, PA in May with 5 girlfriends and 10 animals was such a good time. Then a couple weeks later, the 3 animals that I am promoting for Gray Owl Farms this year headed for Reed City, MI to attend a show. By the middle of June I was off by myself to the Bloomington, IL area to the National Highland Convention. These gatherings are a great place to learn something at the seminars and network with other breeders from across the country.
Now, it’s been stay home and catch-up on things. But with the heat streak and dry weather it has definitely made our fencing project go much slower and harder. I am happy to say, that the cattle will be in their new pasture tomorrow enjoying the new grass. I know the cattle have handled the heat much better than I have. I am more impressed with this breed when we have extreme weather than I was 10 years ago. With clean water, they hang out in the shade until it cools down.
In a couple of weeks, I and Bailey McConnell along with her heifer are heading to Morley, Michigan to attend the Midwest Jr. Cow Camp. This is a free weekend for kids, families and their animals to learn how to work with them, take care of them and just have fun with other kids that share the love of Highlands. Dawn Manthei and Evelyn Pruitt are the gals that put this on and what a great job they do!
The county fairs are starting in August. I always look forward to taking some animals to the Knox County Fair. I think the highlight of the month is the farm tour at the Gray Owl Farms in Rush City, MN. They have such a great place and have put so much work into making this a very special weekend for their guests. I am going to take a trailer up there, but it won’t have cattle on it; I am going to take a filly and a mule to ride. In fact there are a few other Highland friends that are also taking their horses to enjoy the property.
To wrap up the summer will be; starting to halter train the calves, getting a sales list together and deciding who will go to shows with me. I am so proud of the calves and I am happy to say that it’s going to be a tough decision. Who knows, maybe I will take them all, as it’s a great way to teach them about things off the farm.
I hope you all can stay cool and have timely rains throughout the rest of the summer. Please check out the events calendar and stop by to say hi.
