2017 calves
Harvey b 08-2017
Harvey
Bull calf, son of Mrs. Howell
The first to arrive after we moved to the country, and as Hurricane Harvey continued to hit Houston. Harvey introduced me to the cuteness of baby moos, and thus began the #PrincessInTheCountry chronicles.
Harvey was quick to put on the pounds, and with his adorable little hair lip look, no one could deprive him of the good stuff! Once the weaning began, he could be found each morning waiting at the gate, eagerly greeting me in return for a goodie.
Mr. Velvet b 08-2017
Mr. Velvet
Bull calf, son of Pet
Mr. Velvet had a rich, velvety dark coat. A bit of a momma's boy, he hung back and kept to himself when it was weaning time. When he leaned forward to eat, his hair made candy-cane stripes on his neck, which made him slightly easier to distinguish from the rest when everyone buried their noses in the feed trough.
Mr. Velvet was not very vocal, but when he spoke up, he had the deepest baritone.
Harvey and Mr. Velvet, only days apart in birth, remained buddies as they grew from baby moos to full-fledged #beefyboys. They were proud of their nickname!
The ranch is where commenting on how BIG the boys have gotten is a compliment and something the rest strive for.
Spot
Bull calf, son of one of the horned mommas (before I could tell them apart)
When you're name is 'Spot' and you tend to blend in with the herd, solo pictures are few and far between. See that little dot on the far left, as the hill slopes up? That's Spot, on his birth day, with Harvey (center) and Mr. Velvet (right) waiting to see if the new kid is ready to come out and play. They're about 3 weeks old here and full of frolic. Spot, however, remains in nap mode.
Lulu b 09-2020
Lulu
Heifer
With a perfect little hourglass face, she was another that seemed to blend, until it came time to wean. She could hold a grudge like none other, and was miffed that I separated her from her mom and the younger calves. She quite enjoyed her occasional role as a babysitter.
Below, she's giving me a very sassy-pants look to let me know her thoughts. No worries; she quickly resumed eating.
Tawny b 10-2017
Tawny
Heifer
Tawny was named for her light brown coat, a clear change from the dark jacket worn by Mr. Velvet. She had a knack for coming right up to the gator in an attempt to barricade us in, thinking there'd be more food if we stayed.
Sorry, sweetheart, it doesn't work that way!
Fuzzy b 10-2017
Fuzzy
Bull calf
Pronounced "Fozzy", like Fozzy Bear. :-)
The cutest little wind-blown moo there was, and a whiner, too. During the weaning weeks, he whined and mooed until he lost his voice, letting out pathetic squeaks to voice his displeasure... until he saw food. Then he focused on munching. I'll give him credit - he did try to see if he could talk and eat. When he realized he couldn't, he opted to focus on eating.
His voice eventually returned.
#BeefyBoys
This group of six was my first introduction to weaning calves, including the twice-daily feedings. I quickly assumed the morning shift, as I'm just that kind of gal. (And my cowboy likes to sleep in just a bit later.) It took a few days, but we all learned to work together, and this picture shows our progress.
All lined up at the trough, left to right: Lulu, Fuzzy, Spot, Mr. Velvet, Harvey and Tawny.
Harvey and Mr. Velvet earned the group's moniker. At 760 pounds on sale day, Harvey did not disappoint!
This group really gave me a chance to get to know them and their mannerisms.... Spot and Tawny were a little food aggressive. Harvey put his hoof in the trough to stake his claim on the good sweet feed. Fuzzy loved a head scratch. Lulu played shy, but range cubes were her love language. Mr. Velvet always hung back, letting me admire his chocolate-colored coat from a distance.