We were just headed over to our friend’s house for dinner and a game of Mah Jongg when an observant tenant at our second farm up the road called to tell us that our steer had taken off right through the high tensile fence and went into the preserved woodlands behind the farm
These are not the happiest moments as a farmer, to put it mildly. Off we went in pursuit of this loco-yearling steer. Despite my considerable frustration, I found myself happy to be in the beautiful springtime woods for several hours before it started to be too dark to keep looking So I called the Hopewell Police and Animal Control Officer Then we did join our patient and kind neighbors for the fun evening we’d planned
Sure enough the next day several people reported seeing the steer calf We called the number provided and a friendly woman told us the calf had jumped into her pasture and was hanging out with her older Polled Hereford cattle. So we loaded rails, wire and step in posts in the trailer. Three hours later we finally slapped five after we successfully loaded him back on the trailer Turns out Kelly and husband Frank had just moved to their new farm three miles from where #16 had escaped We enjoyed meeting them and talking about farm life. It occurred to me how lucky we are to be farming here in central Jersey with so many helpful, kind and interesting people nearby And maybe it isn’t time to throw in the towel and escape to a more manageable life. So thank you #16 for introducing us to some new folks. But don’t get any other ideas of escaping! Charlie fixed that electric fence charger too.