Tough to decide which heifers to keep

I don’t think there is anything better than a beautiful fall day.
It is very nice working now with very few bugs, and it’s dry so you are not wearing rubbers full-time!
My fencing project is coming along, but I still need a few more days. Fortunately, the area that is finished was the one needed to be completed since this is the week to wean calves.
It will be noisy around my place for a few days. It might be smelly, as well, since the hauling manure project also has started!
I plan to weigh all my calves either Thursday or Friday (can’t plan too far ahead since I have to see how things progress and how well the cattle co-operate coming in). They seem to know at this time of the year that something is going to happen and can make this task a little more difficult.
I also find it difficult choosing what heifers to keep for replacements. Prices are up this year so maybe it would be better to sell more?
I likely should consider getting rid of some older cows but I like them to have at least two strikes against them, i.e., old and open (not pregnant) or some other problem.
I think instead of backgrounding my steer calves this year, we are going to sell them since prices are up and so is the price of grain.
• • •
I was able to start plowing at the agricultural research station in Emo.
Man, is it hard plowing! I made a quick trip out to Nussbaumer’s for a simple fix to hopefully keep the plow in the ground a bit better, but I might have to make another quick trip.
I’m not complaining about it being dry, though–it is much better than it being too wet.
We also are busy cleaning seed and entering data. Currently, our barley yields range from 77-87 bushels per acre while oats were 63-72 bushels.
• • •
Since my brother and my boyfriend/partner had got their moose last weekend (with their bow), they still had booked this past weekend for another hunting weekend (they didn’t expect to get their moose the first weekend).
Needless to say, they couldn’t miss out on a weekend in the bush, so they went up to call moose and to fish.
We just took a break from fencing to have fish at my parents’ house when we had some guests visit. One of my mom’s girlfriends, her husband, and friends had been out exploring on their four-wheelers and stopped in for a quick hello.
It turns out her friend was my friend that I met early this year who would rather me call by boyfriend/partner “my significant other!” It is such a small world.
Anyway, he was able to meet my significant other, as well as Maddie and Marlee.
I get lots of people asking me, “Are these girls Maddie and Marlee?” Recently friends of mine said, “Oh, are these the paper girls?” And I replied, “Yes!”
As my friends walked away, Marlee said to me, “I don’t like it when then call me paper girls!”
• • •
I rushed out to a surprise (well, suppose to be a surprise anyway) birthday for my cousin on Saturday night.
Happy birthday (50th) to Jerry Brigham. Wishing you many more happy, healthy years, Jer.
• • •
I hope to see everyone at the cattle sale this Saturday (Oct. 1) at the Stratton sales barn. It’s going to be a good one!

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