A tour of the milking process & a first rodeo

As part of being a representative for USFRA, they invite me to write features for their site.  This month's feature is A Tour of the Milking Process.  Enjoy!

That is obviously an older picture ... no one is wearing short sleeves right now.

This past week Kris and I took the boys to visit Kris' family in Texas.  We had the chance to go to the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo, and it was educational and fun!  (Just as promised!)  

That's bigger in Texas.

Giant barn filled with livestock

There were a million schools on field trips there, and we did all the activities right along with them.

The show is giant!  We saw a cow being milked, sows nursing piglets, turkeys, chickens, bee hives ... along with farm machines.  Besides all of the educational parts, it is an actual show.  People were readying their animals to be shown and judged.  

Milking

Buy your feed here!

Livestock washing area

Longhorn

Brahman, a cattle breed.  So interesting to see!  Long ears and a hump.

Along with all that, there's a carnival, music, and the rodeo events.

During the day, they also have mutton bustin'.  (That's right!  No 'g'.)  This is an event where children of a certain weight range can mount a sheep and hold on for dear life.  

This is what was my favorite - you can just do it!  It's like going on a ride!  Sign a waiver, put on a vest and a helmet, and away you go!

Our son Ty met the weight requirements, and had a fun time doing it ...

Clearly, this is a life skill for farming.  My ancestors used to have sheep, but we never have ... if we did, they could practice this daily!

Meanwhile, back on the farm ... all is well.  We're all pretty used to the cold weather and all looking forward to the warmer weather on the horizon.  The cows are pregnant, healthy, eating well, and we're only two weeks from spring!  March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb ... that you're trying to ride.



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