Home for the winter

Posted on | December 15, 2009 |

The girls are home for the winter. Daisy is bred and is due sometime in late May. Dolly aborted in October and is short bred to Solo Red. And Daliah is bred to Jules and is due in June. They arrived home on Dec. 1st. This is the latest we have had our dry cows and heifers out to pasture — about a month later than most years. My three Randall Linebacks  are doing well and are very happy just using the woods and three-sided shed for shelter. I am currently feeding some dry square first-cut hay. The 2 cows and one yearling heifer eat about two 40-pound bales a day.

I will start feeding round bale silage shortly, as it hasn’t been cold enough yet to feed it. The silage will mold and heat in short order after removing the wrap if the temperatures are much above freezing. I am looking forward to it, as they require less water when feeding silage as opposed to dry hay. I carry all the water needed twice a day, so any less would be appreciated by me. I hope someday the dairy barn will have enough room to store my “hobby” cows for the winter, but for now this is what must be done. We have had a foot of snow already and the below zero temps are coming soon. But now have their furry coats, on so they will do fine.

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Recently Written

• Randalls in Mt. Sinai, Part 2
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• Center for Sustainable Agriculture - Promotes sustainable farming systems, including grazing and pasture management.
• Farming Magazine - Farming on a small, ecologically-conscious scale, including the bonds connecting people, land, and community.
• Hamilton Rare Breeds Foundation - A not-for-profit foundation in Hartland, Vermont whose goal is to propagate, conserve,and educate the public about rare breeds of farm animals.
• New England Heritage Breeds Conservancy Inc. - Conserves historic and endangered breeds of livestock and poultry and encourages production of these breeds to advance farmland preservation, biodiversity and sustainable agriculture.
• Northeast Organic Farming Association of Vermont - A not-for-profit association of farmers, gardners and consumers working to promote an economically viable and exologically sound Vermont food system for the benefit of current and future generations.
• Organic Dairy Discussion Group - Discussion board focused on organic dairy practices.
• Randall Lineback Breed Association - The official site for the Randall Lineback breed of cattle. RLBA is a not-for-profit organization that was formed in 2005 to preserve, protect, and promote this unique American breed. Includes registry services, detailed history and photos.
• Randall Linebacks at Chapel Hill Farm - An informative site about the Randall Lineback herd at the historic Chapel Hill Farm.
• Real Milk - Everything you ever wanted to know about raw milk. This site is a project of the Weston A. Price Foundation.
• Rural Vermont - A not-for-profit farm advocacy group that represents those who are opposed to corporate industrial agriculture.
• Small Farm Today - The original how-to magazine of alternative and traditional crops, livestock, and direct marketing, established 1984.
• Stackyard - An agricultural supersite presenting a diverse group of topics from the agriculture world.
• The American Livestock Breeds Conservancy - A not-for-profit membership organization working to protect nearly 100 breeds of cattle, goats, horses, asses, sheep, swine and poultry from extinction.
• Vermont Living - Topics of interest for anyone who lives, farms or visits in the Green Mountain state.
• Weston A. Price Foundation - A not-for-profit foundation dedicated to restoring nutrient-dense foods to the human diet through education, research and activism.

About

Randall Linebacks are a rare breed of cattle which originated in Vermont and are steadily gaining popularity. Here you will find photos and stories about my own Randall Linebacks, as well as my experiences on New England dairy farms.

My childhood home, Randall Farms of Mt. Sinai, NY is also a subject near and dear to me. I have been collecting photos and memories and will share some of them here.

(The name is a coincidence; historic Randall Farms and the Randall Lineback breed bear no known connection.)

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