So, Happy New Year, a day late. We are in subzero windchills with snow, heavy at times, less at others, but steady.

We've watched Dr. Pol and love the show because it is all real, very close to experiences we've had. The fact that he's a Dutchman makes it even more like Clymer.

We came from here: The thread "December, ice storms, snow fall" in Farming forum

I think the entire Northeast in in for the really big chill this time. Our weather said it would go down to zero on Friday night/Saturday morning. It never gets that cold here.

I only recently upgraded my cable TV service in order to get more channels. Now I get ones like Nat Geo and Nat Geo Wild, History2, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery and Destination America. So this was my first chance to watch Dr Pol. I really liked the show and was really interested in the farm animal calls.

One of the things they did was de-horn baby goats. Poor things, they burn the nubbins of the horn so that they no longer grow. And I was truly surprised at how many calls were for cows not able to have the calves. I really thought cows just popped out their calf out in the field with no problems.

Kathleen, thanks for the new thread.

Rita, fortunately most calves do just pop out unaided.

Happy New Year!

That's how I dehorned my calves............with an electric dehorner. Believe me, it is MUCH more humane than "the other way". I did it myself for quite a few years, but then had the vet do it on herd check because he'd give them lidocaine around the horn.

They said that the goats could not have horns since they were a 4H project.

Horns are fine for wild animals, but for anything people have to handle, or that eats from a feeder with upright bars to minimize hay waste, or put their head in a stanchion, they just get in the way.

Stan has always used a saw, which oddly causes less pain than the debudder. Animals with horn have an elevated sense of mean, and won't hesitate to use them.

Dehorning is much less traumatic if it can be done YOUNG................like in the first couple of weeks. I also had a Buddex dehorner, but didn't use it much.

In my experience beef breeds with horns seem less problematic than the dairy breeds - possibly because they are generally more placid and we don't have to handle them as often. My lead steer is a Long Horn and he is a real goody-two-shoes who will always do what I want and lead most of the others. There are always a few free spirits horned or otherwise.

Snow, snow, snow here! At least it is done now and the sun is out.

Beastly cold here today, and wind. You don't know just HOW glad I am we have no milking jobs scheduled. Had to go out and feed the barn felines. Then up to the g'house and feed Mindy cat. While I was there I got my trusty pruners and chopped back all my brugs. They were looking kinda crappy, and since I didn't cut them back when I took them in, now was the time. They were done blooming anyway.

I have the first coat of paint on my bedroom wall. I don’t like it. It’s not “red” enough. The swatch looked more intense red than what the paint is. I even taped the paper sample to the wall, and it looked redder than what the paint is. Oh, well, I guess I will just suck it up and put on 2 more coats and live with it. Not like I’m looking at it every day like it would be the kitchen or living room. *sigh*.

I hate it when a wall color doesn't turn our right.

Anna, maybe when the paint dries and cures it will look redder.

Also, with additional coats usually those bolder colors become deeper and richer. Red is a hard color to get right, though.

I was griping about it to the SU and he said "well, you can still see the white through it yet, you gotta put more on". Well, duh......like I didn't know THAT??? It doesn't look too bad when it's dark outside and viewed with the inside lights. LOL I have a gallon of paint, and the one coat didn't use much. Might take it all................Did I mention at any time how I HATE to paint????

Cold Weather Crops week has me itching for early spring when I can start and plant my greens and broccoli and turnips to start off the veggie growing season.

So sorry, Anna. Painting is one of my favorite activities, just to see the instant result. Preparation is not so fun, the actual process kills my wrists, and I'm not so good a cleanup...but other than that I love throwing a new color on a wall.

I used to like painting, now, not so much with arthritis in all my joints, luckily Dh loves to paint, he mostly does a good job but can be messy at times.

Oh my word -- I have considered hiding all the paint brushes to keep my husband from them. My general contractor son suggested I do the same with the caulk guns. Not sure how he makes such a mess...