Things are drawing to a close, only two more days.  We are planning on heading back Wednesday unless something delays us.

Its starting to get hot again. by 1pm its pretty nasty outside for anything strenuous, like involving walking <smile>.  It does get nice enough by 6ish and one can work until 8:30-9ish, 9:30 with lights.

This morning we managed to started the process of moving the girls to the north field and the boys to the south field.  We didn’t get very far once the sun came out from behind our 30% chance of rain clouds (no, it didn’t rain a drop, again…).  I did put up a temporary wire tape by the cooling pond after managing to get the boys on that side of the lower field. 

Went back out this evening and it was relatively easy to get the girls, then grazing in the cooling night air, to migrate over to the northern field.  I moved their salt over by the watering pond, so they are set.  Took a bit to get the boys to move.  No real hassle, just had to get one moving, then another followed.  They settled down but Larry and Moe showed up.  Hand feed a few pieces of cattle cubes, and they were hooked.  Both followed me into the coral area where I had set up their salt.  Of course, once Larry and Moe started moving, the original two steers came along.  4 down, 1 to go.  Closed the gate, gave Moe the last cubes from my pocket and started to walk back.  Almost 9:30pm, just a bit of evening afterglow to see by, but there was Curly, wondering where everyone went.  All I had to do was walk back to the other and open the gate, he followed the whole way and sprinted at the end to join everyone.  Gate closed.  Job done.  I’m sure they will find Duncan sometime tonight – he was the only one we managed to get into the southern pond field in the morning.  I suspect he is still there – they love that pond.

The good news is that comment about the salt being in the coral area.  This should get them use to being there, which should help come handling time.  We are also now relatively set should anyone want to purchase Larry, Moe, or Curly.

We heard NO complaint from any of the 2012 boys about being separated from their moms.  10 months appears to be just fine, I suspect we could have done so at 9.  Tulia, born in late November, stills follows her mom around and was a bit anxious this evening when she spotted Mom on the other side of the fence.  Oddly, the only animal that showed ANY serious seperation anxiety, beyond Tulia and of course Snowball (born at the end of April, so only a few months old), was Chuck – one of our mix breed, mostly Angus, year old steers.  He REALLY wanted to be with the ladies, so much so we were concerned he was going to jump a fence to get with them.  He was definitely checking them out.  Borka, our other mixed breed, shorthorn steer fascinates me.  His legs look like a horse’s and are longer than Duncan is tall.  Neither of the steers are as friendly as Larry or Moe, but will often be the first to come across a field to see us.  They just stop about 10 feet away awaiting whatever happens next.

Evia finished week whacking around the fruit trees this evening and has started along our berries.  One thing has become VERY clear – with plenty of rain, everything grows.  Her potatoes were looking good two weeks before we came on this trip, but now, three weeks later without any rain, and the weeds have overpowered them.  Given cultivated crops vs. weeds, weeds win the competition for the water.  We need a rain before I can spray the Clethodim – once that is done, at least the grass weeds will be out of the picture.

Speaking of chemicals, the 1oz 2-4-D per gallon mix has been effective against the honeylocust, given the multifloria rose a hard time, but hasn’t phased any thistle.  I was hoping it was just a bit slower acting, but its been several days now and nothing.  Will go back to a 2oz/gallon mix.  That sounds like a reasonable project for tomorrow daytime (no walking in the heat required).