Farm Diary (19)

Two feet

6th May 1999

I've been trying to catch up with my diary pages, but it takes a lot of time to put notes and photos togather in a reasonably coherent way.
Today's been such a lovely day, that I thought I'd do today's diary, and then fill in the gaps later.

Big A had her calf last night. She was due last Thursday, but she decided to wait for the first bit of rain we'd had for over a week.
I saw she had the water bag showing just before I went to bed. She wasn't doing anything whilst I was watching, so I left her to it for a bit.
I came back to find 2 feet sticking out, but they went back inside and she carried on grazing. I left her again and came back to find 2 legs and the tip of the nose, but the same thing happened again. When I came back just 15 minutes later, the calf was born. I was cross, as I'd wanted some pictures.

The white splodges on the photographs,
are from the shower of apple blosom coming off the old tree. We've named the calf Blossom.

Early next morning it didn't seem to have the idea of drinking, so I milked 2 pints off Big A and gave it to the calf in a bottle. A litle later, Paul and James helped it to drink.

.

Next morning, still being well licked by its mother.

Trying to stand for the first time

Later that morning, trying to hide in the long grass.

Cows in Slade, with the oak trees coming into leaf.

The patchwork is changing colour..

Sheep and lambs in Corner Park, looking towards Dartmoor.

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