Good Things
☆ March 22, 2012
organic strawberries + cream from a cow who loves me
I blended it up and had it for dinner in my outdoor tub last night.
It’s the little things.
And also the big things! My first (only) angus heifer had her first baby yesterday! Remember this story? The calf that 16 barreled down the mountain for, through fences and over cattle guards to return to, was a girl and Mike gave her to me for Christmas that year. She grew up to be the most gorgeous heifer ever ~ she is the femme fatale of angus cows. Short hair, round little body, very distinct face… Her name is Star.
Star inherited her mother’s disregard for cattle guards, but while 16 only crossed them out of maternal duty, Star walks the cattle guard daily to go to a neighbor’s abandoned field to graze. We knew she was getting close to calving, so Mike and I locked her in the corral two days ago so she wouldn’t have her calf on the county road ~ sometimes heifers don’t know what to do with their first calf and walk off and leave them, and sometimes they have trouble with the birth ~ it’s always good to keep a close eye on them in case they need help.
Not so with Star, on either count. She calved at three in the afternoon and was instantly, obsessively, in love with her baby (also a girl!). Also the noisiest mother I have ever seen, honking (there’s no other way to describe the noise she was making ~ a flashback to her uncle Ricardo?) at her calf between licks. The calf was up and sucking right away and then bounced around on wobbly legs, exploring the corral as Star honked along behind her, trying to call her back to get in a few more licks.
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March 22nd, 2012 @ 7:29 am
Picture? She sounds adorable and like a helicopter mother!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 7:49 am
Just witnessed this a couple of days ago after riding. The following AM she had her baby by the fenceline—like any proud Mom showing off her new baby!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 7:50 am
I concur, Micaela… Maybe name the kid Chopper? ;)
March 22nd, 2012 @ 8:08 am
We definitely need pictures!!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 8:11 am
Who knew my love of cow and calf stories could be so great? Of course your incredible story telling and vibrant pictures hook your readers in. Please keep them coming!
I am a neophyte photographer and love your photos. The one of strawberries and cream is fantastic!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 9:04 am
I still miss Monsieur Ricardo. But the little cows are very cute.
March 22nd, 2012 @ 9:17 am
I’ve been saying this a lot on your site lately, but “awwwwww….” :)
March 22nd, 2012 @ 9:23 am
Yes please can we see a picture of mama and her calf!!! Also the strawberries and cream look divine! YUMMO.
March 22nd, 2012 @ 9:49 am
Very sweet story. I can’t stop giggling, thinking about a cow “honking” after her babe. Thanks for sharing.
March 22nd, 2012 @ 9:53 am
I’ve never tried simply strawberries and cream but boy do I want to now. Not that grocery store cream would be remotely the same.
Congratulations on another safe birth! Oh how I love spring!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:17 am
Amanda – Choppette :-) Congrats on your new addition and the strawberries look divine!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:25 am
awww what a sweet sweet birth story – love!!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:28 am
I am anxiously awaiting you post on how you and Mike handle the fact that you are raising cattle for meat. I am not sure I could watch a calf being born or rescue on with O2 just to know that it will eventually be on someone’s dinner plate! Don’t get me wrong, I eat meat, but everytime I read you posts, I wonder how you can do it. I hope you post some picture’s of star and her baby soon!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:32 am
And this is why I love your blog. I didn’t know a DAMN thing about cows until I read HRD. And now, next to an elephant, I want a cow. Since I’m unlikely to get an elephant in my apartment in Los Angeles, much less a cow, I’m so happy to read about them here.
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:43 am
Congratulations!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:44 am
Or perhaps Rica? Congratulations Shreve! Star is certainly living up to her name. xo
March 22nd, 2012 @ 11:08 am
i have been enjoying a pretty darn amazing thursday and then BAM!, this touching story has my heart soaring. much love and healthy wishes to you, the lovely star, and your the addition!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 11:20 am
Bronwyn ~ good strawberries & cream are all you need! but if the strawberries are slightly underripe and too tart, a splash of maple syrup is amazing, or a pinch of stevia (stevia is a sweet-leafed plant, can be found at health food stores)
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Dana ~ you will have to be patient, there’s a lot going on here….
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Thanks All!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 11:42 am
Nice story about Star and her calf.
I saw a cable TV program about a family in Alaska who are ranching on their homestead, and showed a woman and young boy going out in the snow at night to locate a cow with a newborn calf. They explained the danger if the little one got stuck in the snow, but found him up and trailing after mama cow, which was a major good sign. Can’t imagine ranching in Alaska, though…
March 22nd, 2012 @ 11:50 am
How about Ricarda in memory of the beloved duck/cow member of the farmily? May be she will start honking like her mom?
March 22nd, 2012 @ 12:17 pm
pics please, more pics,many more pics…….please
March 22nd, 2012 @ 1:26 pm
Many, many blessings on the new arrival (s).
March 22nd, 2012 @ 1:40 pm
Picture in my head = CUUUUUUUTE!!!!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 1:45 pm
Pictures, pleeeeease?
March 22nd, 2012 @ 1:56 pm
16 is a good mom
March 22nd, 2012 @ 3:46 pm
Don’t worry Shreve, patients is my middle name! I love all the post you put up. I envy you!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 3:47 pm
and yes, I can’t spell today at all!
March 22nd, 2012 @ 4:05 pm
Just curious, is Sir Baby the dad of this new calf? (then she’d be Star Baby ?)
March 22nd, 2012 @ 4:20 pm
Pictures please.
If you/Mike are keeping the little girl, I agree with others that she should be named after Ricardo. Since her Mom seems to honk instead of moo, it would be appropriate. I think Ricardo would be pleased.
March 22nd, 2012 @ 4:55 pm
oh <3
March 22nd, 2012 @ 5:32 pm
Calico ~ AHHHH! That would be so adorable!! But alas, heifers are smaller than cows (they’re not fully grown) and must be with a smaller bull; Baby was not the father………
March 22nd, 2012 @ 10:18 pm
Always love reading about your family and ranch life. Isn’t it a bit cold to be bathing at night there? Brrrrrr.
March 23rd, 2012 @ 7:36 am
Now that is just the sweetest thing. I can picture in my mind that Mama chasing after her little prize.
March 23rd, 2012 @ 8:44 am
MV post #29 has a nice idea. Maybe new baby can be Ricardo’s namesake. Maybe Little Rickie?
March 23rd, 2012 @ 11:34 am
I hope you plan to send photos of Star’s new baby!!
Do you have the right “machinery” to send a video once in a while. The thought of the baby “hopping around” is so great. I would love to see some of your farmily’s adventures in action.
March 23rd, 2012 @ 9:16 pm
wonderful.
March 24th, 2012 @ 7:49 am
Absolutely LOVE your pictures & stories. Conrats on the new calf :-)
March 24th, 2012 @ 3:21 pm
Would you please share a picture or two of mommy and daughter.
by the way,your life is fantastic!!!!!!
March 27th, 2012 @ 4:29 pm
the stories about the cows always make me weepy. :)
April 12th, 2012 @ 1:54 pm
I read this post a couple of weeks ago and I am so surprised how the picture and the title of the picture stayed with and affected me. I had to come back and tell you about it. “Cream from a cow that loves me”…for some reason it almost makes me emotional. Now regular cream seems so unspecial to me…I want it from a cow that loves me too! I grew up on a small hobby farm and now I live in a city, I really miss the relationships I had with our animals.