Supper interrupted.......

We had just sat down,  prayed for our supper, and dished out some of our food, when the butcher drove in our driveway.  We had a heifer with a broken back and she couldn't get up anymore.  She also was carrying a heifer calf which we wanted to save.  So,  Karl ran out and put his boots on and I grabbed the camera and away we went.  I was told to get a bucket of water, (why? I had no idea....later I found out it was just to wash their hands).  Hannah had to run and get towels, and then run and get the calf cart.  I had to go back to the house and get the floss.(What was this for?  To tie off the umbilical cord...which we did not have to do.  Why was I even trying to help?)    Needless to say, the butcher had "laid to rest" the heifer and did a C-Section on her to remove the calf by the time I got back there.  Karl had to work with the calf a little while before it started breathing.  Since it's mother was not available to lick it, Hannah had the honor.  Not that Hannah actually licked the calf (how gross) and she doesn't look like a cow, mind you, but she did a really good job of rubbing the calf down with towels.

Karl tried to give it a bottle, but it wouldn't suck on it.  So, in situations like this, he had to chug it.  A chugger is a bottle with a long tube that goes down to their stomach.  We are thankful that the calf survived.  By the way, Hannah named the calf Grace.

 

Meanwhile, the butcher was doing his thing.  We soon will have more meat in the freezer.  It seems cruel, but hey, that's how "life is on the farm."

P.S.  Being the true farmer that Karl is, he went back in the house and ate his beef for supper.  I, on the other hand, could only stomach some salad.