When we moved from New Jersey to north–central Pennsylvania’s Tioga County I knew we were heading west. Is there any other way to move from New Jersey? But what I didn’t realize was just how far west we were headed.
There are all sorts of four legged critters being farmed out here. There a llamas, alpacas, sheep, goats, pigs, horses, cows and steers. Lots f horses, cows and steers. Probably more than there are humans.
Just down the road a short ways there’s one fella who must have a hundred horses in his pasture. Palominos are abundant as are grays and roans and when they are all up near the road near the feed bins it’s a sight to behold. Some “farms” have only a handful of horses including the beautiful appaloosas and a few mules and even miniatures.
The same for dairy cows. They come in all varieties just down the road. I used to know them all from Guernsey to Swiss but that was back in Animal Science class that I took in 1970. Now I just marvel at the beauty of the small, light tan Swiss on two farms and the udder production of the Guernsey on most of the other farms.
Most of the steers are of the White-faced Hereford variety but there are a few Black Angus out there.
What brought this up is the farm down the bottom of the hill that has maybe two or three dozen White-faced Herefords on a dozen or so acres of pasture about the house. Call it a gentleman’s farm, if you will. Until the last few days you would hardly know they were there. Occasionally you could hear them bawling but not much else. Even when you drove by, they were usually just over the rise and out of sight. However, there must have been something that has gotten them riled up. For the last four or five days the lowing and bawling has been a constant reminder of their presence. They are just far enough way that you can’t hear them while inside but step outdoors and whoo-boy howdy! Their calls to one another or just in protest are very evident. Makes you want to mount up and ride herd singing all the while.
(Yeah, it's from Prairie Home Companion but what the heck. I like the lyrics used here.)
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