Horse Trading (farmer, calf, cows, tractor)

[BrokenTap]

You just got to love small town life and "horse trading" as we call it here.

I needed something to watch out for the sheep here. I allow hunting and that, but nothing beats having a LGD on-farm to keep an eye on the sheep. So my Sister-in-Law had a Donkey but her place is small and lacks green grass. When the Vet said the Donkey really needed to be on pasture, well bringing it here just made sense.

So today she brings it up, but she needed hay for her other animals and wanted to back-haul some hay. No big deal I know people. So I call up the a family friend that borrows my tractor all summer to do custom haying. He brings over 3 big round bales of hay for them to haul back.

So then he tells me that he needs a beef cow to run with his Hereford calf heifer. She is completely blind and so he needs another animal about her age to run with. I just happen to have a bull calf that I got from the dairy farm. They are family so when they need help I milk cows for them. Since I do so for free, they gave me a bull calf in trade. The haying contractor will put a bell on the bull calf and that will help the Hereford get around the fields!

So for those keeping track...

I milk cows on the family farm for free
They gave me a bull calf in trade
I gave that calf to my haying contractor friend
Who gave me 3 big round bales of hay
For my free use of my tractor all summer
This I gave to my Sister-in-Law for their donkey
The donkey will help protect my sheep

Everyone got what they needed, and yet not a dime changed hands.

[LynnKK]

I loved that story....thanks for sharing.

[masonsdaughter]

Good grief, Ya got to be a rocket scientist just to keep up with that! However, that's the way it often works in the country.

[BrokenTap]

The donkey is doing really good. He is really starting to bond with the sheep and its an absolute dream to put them in a section of pasture and not have to worry about them anymore. I will say, when he does Bray...mother of pearl isn't he loud!

Better yet though, I am getting back into rotational grazing and so its nice watching the grass actually grow in different parts of the paddocks as they "rest" or are allowed to grow since they are not being constantly grazed.

In fact, he is really great A$$ so when I had to name him, I figured I would give him the only name that fit...Obama. (LOL)

[fxtrader]

Love the name, how fitting!

[ReturningWest]

Donkeys and mules make great heard protectors. I used to have a pony mule that I used as a pasture mate and I live alone so if a stranger even came up the drive she'd let it fly with a bray or two that'd wake the dead in 3 counties

[Alaskan Mutt]

Two people I know are always swapping stuff with each other. Every time each will brag how they got the best of the other.

[LittleDolphin]

Love that swapping tale, thanks for posting...it's a great example of the benefits of small town life...here, we swap pet care, clothes, books, extra garden produce, eggs and what not. Especially what not, we've all got too much of that...!

[germanrose20]

lol, sounds like some of my dad's friends down in East Texas, they'll tell me stories where they start off with a fishing pole and end up with two old trucks which they will trade in for a big boat motor to put on their $50 boat.
Gotta love this kinda life!!!

[marmac]

I guess a neighbor of mine would not make a very good "horse trader"

Organic,small farmer, meager means,----his older, wide front ,tractor broke down first day he was cutting hay.

He knew an old retired farmer had a similar one so asked to borrow it so he could finish cutting hay and get his fixed.

June became July, July became August----in early September the old retired farmer asked when his tractor would be returned as he presumed it would only be gone for a week or two.

The organic farmer said," I haven't fixed my tractor and will probably wait til late fall to do so"

The retired farmer was furious and wanted his tractor returned.

He asked the organic guy if he could get one small load of composted manure for his garden. The organic guy brought the tractor back, went home and brought one small load of composted manure and held his hand out as he said-" $20 please. that is what I charge everyone else"

What a jerk !

We got a name for people like that in our area and it sure ain't " horse trader "