Daggone varmints!

We had a visitor to the corn silage bags a few weeks ago: a northern Wisconsin black bear. Judging by the size of its claw marks and pictures from a neighbor's deer camera, he's probably about 300 pounds. He was definitely going for the corn silage, but luckily the damage wasn't as bad as it could have been. He clawed open a hole about three feet from the end we were feeding out of (stupid bear, why didn't he just dig in the opening? Then he bumbled past a covered pile of haylage and a bag of haylage to rip open the end of another corn silage bag. We will be able to salvage most of the corn silage, but if he had tore into the middle of the bag it would have been a different story.

The DNR came out that day and set up two traps. Basically, they are culverts with a screen and coffee can of bait (cookies and other sweet goodies) one one end. When the bait pail is pulled on the door on the other end drops. Apparently the bear didn't find anything yummy enough to stick around for. He hasn't been back to the bags since, but he has been messing the the neighbor's deer camera on a regular basis. If we catch him, I'll post more pictures.

Sad, I know

Another month has passed before I could get a post in, as Cindy has pointed out to me. I'm not writing a weekly column anymore so that puts a crimp in my blog posts. Now I actually have to write something original.

Let see. I've been working at the Star News now for about a month, give or take. My official title is reporter which is pretty accurate. It's been a bumpier transition that I thought it would be, but that's a whole other conversation. I also help with special sections at both offices, but that's part of my job description, not my title. I got a new camera just like the one I used in Abby, a Canon Rebel XSi, expect this one came with a 70-300mm lens for $50 less than what it sold for a few months ago. I really like it so if you are looking for a decent SLR and a price that's not crazy high, I suggest this one.

We've had a few changes on the home front too. The parlor is DONE!!!!! We milked in it for the first time Sept. 30, a day short of two months past the original completion date. Six weeks behind schedule with the concrete work this spring is what screwed that up. The first week we used it I helped milk cows in the morning, went to work until 5 p.m., then came home and went back into the barn. I was exhausted, and I don't know how anyone can work full-time and dairy farm without going nuts.

So far, everyone seems to really like the parlor. Our best milking time is about 1 hour 20 minutes for about 75 cows right now, which is on track with what it should be. The cows have adapted well and so have the people for the most part. Wish the cows would milk more, but that's more to blame on the 2007 corn crop. There's a few more finishing touches on the way. Rubber mats for the pit floor and teat dip foamers, to name a few. The final price tag came in earlier this week and it was right on budget, so that's good too. Stop in a see it sometime if you get the chance.

Jacob had his three-year old check up a few weeks back. He's still big for his age, but proportionate. He was at the 95th percentile for height for his age and 88 percent for weight. His doctor said he's as tall as the average 4 year old right now. He's decided to be a puppy for Halloween so bought fleece that is white with black spots to make him a costume. I'll post pictures when I get it done.

Other than that, all is well. We're going to a wedding in Ripon this weekend of some college friends. Vicki is one of my sorority sisters and Matt is a fraternity brother of Nate's so it should be a good time. Also coming up in December is a trip to Vegas which we need to finish planning. I definitely need a vacation!

Has it been a month?

Sorry for no putting up any updates. The truth is I haven't been writing a regular column since the new guy started the end of August. I've been busy training him and trying to figure out what all my "new job" entails. So far it has been babysitting the new guy, still doing cops and courts and covering a few meetings, a little bit of sports photos, working on some special sections and covering for vacation.

I had my first day at the SN learning the ropes of their cops and courts. I'll be there Tuesday and Wednesday this week filling a vacation hole.

Speaking of vacation, I did use a few days of my own. Here's my last column on my vacation:

What I did on my summer vacation
When people announce they are “going on vacation,” that can mean many different things, depending on the person. Some people spend their days off catching up on the yard work or chasing after their children. Others go camping and brave the outdoors. Some go on exotic vacations to Mexico, Africa or Canada (OK, “exotic” might be stretching that last one) or to NASCAR races or to watch their favorite college or pro team play. Others visit relatives or old friends. One person in our office spent his vacation at a jazz camp for adult students.

I spent my vacation at the county fair.

For the past several years I have taken vacation to go to the fair. It’s become a tradition now, so I won’t be able to back out at least until my little brother outgrows 4-H in five years. I do usually take just two days of vacation for the whole affair. I don’t think I could handle any more “fun” than that. Anyone who participates in a county fair on the large scale like my family knows it can be a stressful time. There’s cattle to teach to lead, wash and clip before they can go on the trailer. Dairy cattle numbers from our farm have ranged from one or two to a dozen or more throughout the years. This year we had eight entered. Six made it to the fair.

We have cut back on the animal front, though. At one time throughout our 4-H careers at least one of us kids has shown beef steers, market lambs, chickens, geese, turkeys, rabbits, dogs, cats and horses. Over the years I think my parents have gotten smarter. We’ve cut back to just dairy.

But the animals are only half of it. There’s also all the fairhouse projects. As a kid I can remember making quilts, canning chicken, gluing cutout letters to posters, arranging flowers, selecting garden vegetables, tracking down the best bale of hay on the farm, framing photos and art, and others I’ve long forgotten. We’ve cut back on that too. Most of my brother and sister’s projects are limited to summer-long projects: flowers, crops, vegetables, art, photography, etc. It saves on the last-minute poster making rush.

That’s not to say there isn’t a rush. Kaitlyn put the finishing touches on flower arrangements as we hurried to the fair Wednesday morning. Kristopher put his hay samples in the required clear plastic bags as we were loading the truck. Then there’s the cattle. Getting six in tip-top condition is a little easier than a dozen or so, but it can still wear on a person. They sure know how to make a mess in the few hours they have to themselves between midnight and 4 a.m.

But I will go back, year after year, until Kristopher is done with 4-H. Then, I plan to enroll Jacob.