Sunday, August 22, 2010

Deer, Oh deer, Oh deer

Yesterday, Anders and I went out and picked sunflowers in the bed along the front of the farm. We noticed the deer had gone through the electric fence and knocked it down. I hustled back and turned  the electric off and Anders mended the fence. Then we turned it back on. All the cows were still in the pasture so no harm done.
This morning as I groggily stumbled through the kitchen with a glass of OJ, I happened to glance out the north window.
That's odd, I thought, as I glimpsed a black and white shape heading at high speed across Wagler's alfalfa field.
"Honey," Brian said as he came into the kitchen. "Sarah Wagler just left a message on your phone. She says our...."
"Cows are out again, " I finished for him.
Not only were they out, but judging by all the unusual places we found cow manure, they had been out for most of the night. Luckily, this time Brian was home so he called them into one of the page wire paddocks by the barn. At least the deer can't knock that fence down.
Now you may well ask why is it so much easier for Brian to call the cows in? I have a theory, but I'll have to back up and explain. When we bought our White Parks and Belties the man we got them from called his cows with "NOW, NOW, NOW!" 
Don't ask - I don't know why. I do know that those cows wouldn't come to anything else so we changed how we call all of our cows to "NOW, NOW, NOW!"
My theory is: Brian has a Southern Indiana twang that makes NOW sound almost like a two syllable word. I just can't match it. Believe me, I've tried.  My NOW! just won't cut the mustard when it comes to our cows' discerning ears.
Who new cows were so picky?
But back to the deer problem - the hunting season is approaching and I'm practicing with my bow...jerky anyone?

1 comment:

Donna OShaughnessy said...

I'm practicing.."knee-ow" or is it "naaa-ow" or maybe "ne-ow" I think we need a you-tube video of Brian calling in the cows.