We are heading towards winter!

Yesterday we got the big heifers into the barn for the winter.  We had gotten the smaller ones in a couple weeks ago.  This is always a definite sign that winter is on the way.  Now that they are in the barn we need to give them all a haircut.  We clip their coats so that they don't sweat too much.  Even though the outside temperature can get down into the negative numbers the barn usually stays fairly warm and if the animals sweat too much it is a good way for them to get sick if they would happen to get a cold draft on them.  Shorter hair coats also make it easier for them to keep themselves clean.   It is always more enjoyable taking care of clean animals.  There are still a couple of window panes that need fixed or replaced so that needs to be done soon to help avoid the cold drafts that I mentioned.  

Last weekend was our 28th wedding anniversary.  Sharon and I took off for the weekend and went down to Syracuse for some down time.  It was a good time of relaxing and spending time together without the pressures of the farm on us.  We only had one call from the relief milker and it wasn't a major issue.  When we got home on Sunday evening things started breaking!  We hadn't even gotten into the house when the relief milker came in and said the haylege silo unloader had quit working.  I went out and checked it out and tried to do a temporary fix because I didn't have the parts I needed to fix it right.  Monday morning my temporary fix didn't work and so that meant forking out haylege so we could feed the cows.  We were able to get the parts and I fixed the unloader later that day.  A day or so later the corn silage silo unloader quit also.  At this point the are both fixed and working and I hope it stays that way for a good long while!!  Anyway, we had been praying that chores would go good for the relief milkers while we were gone and God did answer that prayer!!