Get an education please...

Farmers are not evil people. We don't spend our time trying to kill our livestock - that would be seriously counter productive! So when bunny-hugger-greenie-save-the-world-types drive past and see a dead animal (shock!horror!) in a field, they immediately seem to assume the worst of us and phone the SPCA.

*sigh*

So the poor ladies from the district SPCA have to open a case and drive all the way out here to investigate.....a stillborn calf?! (shock!horror!) A completely natural occurance. Mother Nature - the bitch is a serial killer I tell you...

REALLY PEOPLE???

What happened to the days when you would drive in and say "oh by the way, it looks like you have a dead animal in your field, do you know about it?". Nine times out of Ten, we are aware of a dead or sick animal long before you notice it. That is our job as farmers, to be aware of where our livestock are at all times. We appreciate your concern though, and thanks for not calling the cops or the SPCA and wasting their time and money.
Also kindly remember that our 900 working animals are not pets. They are production units that have the sole purpose of providing milk for your breakfast every day. And when they stop doing that, they become your pies and hamburgers. If you are sensitive to that fact, then become a vegetarian if you must. But then you will be eating their food, further perpetuating the vicious circle of life. That's the reality of it. That's life.

While we're on the subject of bunny-hugger-greenie-save-the-world-types; the whole drama around canned hunting on Face Book is really annoying. "OMG this bitch shot a lion and is posing with it for a photograph! Everybody sign this petition to get her banned from South Africa for ever!"... so sad.

GET AN EDUCATION!

The woman did not walk into a game reserve and shoot a Lion! She probably paid thousands of US dollars to shoot her lion in a big game hunting concession somewhere in Botswana or Tanzania - a tourism trade that supports conservation all over Southern Africa, without which the fight against poaching would be a lot harder. The money she pays for her canned lion trophey pays the wages of hundreds of brave men and women who fight against illegal ruthless killers in our parks on a daily basis. Get some perspective before emotionally and ignorantly poo pooing something that you clearly dont understand.

Ok, my rant is finished now.

Have a nice evening!

Ice ice baby

Waking up in the early pre-dawn hours of a winter morning to check for snow and power cuts is one major downfall of dairy farming in the winter months! I had to be up at sparrow's fart this morning to make sure that dairy could go ahead as usual due to the fact that we had a snow warning. Snow in our area generally means a power cut, which means no electricity, which therefore = kak. Thank goodness then, that when I looked out of our window this morning at 4:30am, there was no sign of any snow. However, an hour later and the first pitter patter of rain started, and within minutes, a beautiful flurry of snow was falling.

I think snow is pretty.

Just because I can't stand snow tourists, doesn't mean that I lack appreciation for the frozen white stuff. I do think that it is magical and looks so floaty and soft and pretty. Ugly, dusty, dead grass and trees acquire a fresh, clean coat of white fluff. And there is nothing quite like the peace that comes with a snowfall; the silence outside is so eerie as the landscape transforms from dead, yellow winter to a frosted wonderland.

But the cold that comes with it! My goodness... now I know how all you Canadians must feel for 7 months of the year....brrrrr! That feeling when your fingers and toes are so cold that they are burning (gumboots are not the warmest shoes, even with thick winter socks!), and you can't feel your cheeks or nose after five minutes outside; when you can hardly see where you are going every time you breathe out because you make so much mist; and where you just want to curl up on the under-floor heating with the dogs and forget about going outside ever again...

Mama Kuku with her EIGHT babies underneath her wings. Any room for me in there?!?

This little sprinkling of snow (which was all gone by 9am this morning, thank goodness) got me thinking about 2 years ago when we first moved back to the Midlands. We had a late snow in August 2012 that was more than 40cm deep and stayed on the ground for over a week. That was not fun. Beautiful, yes - Fun, NO. Working in the snow is kak, no matter how you look at it! But then again, there is always gluwein and a hot fire to go home to! And we all know how much I love wine...

I thought I'd share a few pics with you from then, just so that you can appreciate the white stuff too, and so that I can be grateful it didn't happen again today...

The majestic Drakensberg Mountains

Feeding cold, hungry cows

The cold, hungry cows

A magical landscape

Garden at the Main House

View from the dairy

The aftermath...

Cuddle up warm tonight, wherever you are! Its going to be a cold one; -4 here at the moment and dropping! Lets hope the snow stays away and tomorrow is another beautiful day in Africa! xxx

P.S - to all the snow tourists who drove up from Durbs today to see the snow: Sorrreeeeeeee, better luck next time! *mooohahahahahahaha!*

As out the window,
I look, more snow today,
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please.

Six week-ends straight,
snow, snow every where,
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please, today.

So much snow, so much cold,
snow in the streets, snow in the yard,
snow on the car, snow on my shoe,
have only one thing to say,
take our snow please, we don't know what to do.

Winter, oh winter please end,
all of this snow, we don't really want it,
snow falling, flakes dropping
have only one thing to say,
                                take our snow please, don't delay.                            
                                         

Jim Foulk