Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Losing part of the family

Have to say good-bye

Yesterday, my sister sent me message saying that tomorrow was going to be a sad day - Ruffles was going to have to go down the road. See Ruffles is my sister absolutely favorite cow, her best friend. Even though my dad and I have cursed her many times for running through gates, blocking the alley, really just being a spoiled pain, we love her.

However, as much as agriculture is my family's passion, it is also a business. Ruffles has been open (not in calf) for two years in a row now, and feeding open cows doesn't pay the bills so Stacy decided to send her to market.

My mom wrote a really good post about Ruffles and what she has meant to our farm and Stacy. Yeah, I cried when I read it.


Two summers ago I snapped this picture of Stacy and Ruffles. It is one of my favorites. 

13 comments:

  1. THAT SUCKS! This summer Emi Lou (my 11 year old) had to sell her first heifer that she had gotten when she was 7 - Sunshine got pnemonia and then lost her calf - but it doesn't pay to keep production animals that aren't producing! Hugs to you and your sister - I cried like a baby over Sunshine too!

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  2. That is a sad, poignant story. I am sure Ruffles went in peace and a virtual hug for your sister.

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  3. Chelsea TomascikJanuary 26, 2011

    Ditto. Mines name was Joni.

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  4. Her name was JD and she was going to raise a State Fair winning litter of pigs. Until she came up open.
    It was the toughest decision my 12 year old self had ever made. I don't know who cried more, me or my little sisters.

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  5. Katie RamseyJanuary 26, 2011

    This is why the livestock industry is one of the rarest businesses in the world. Because our customers and co-workers, our livestock, cmatter so much to us! Thank you for sharing these great memories. It reminds me to be thankful for the great cows we have and the time we have on earth to share our lives with them!

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  6. Even for us, having a big dairy with lot's and lot's of cows it is hard to sent them away.
    I know it is reality and with the feed prices where they are, i need to run our business the best way possible but that doesn't mean i like it and that i don't feel sad for every great animal (that worked really hard for us) that has to leave...

    Great post, thanks!

    Leontien
    www.littlemissbookwurm.blogspot.com

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  7. Thank-you so much for your comments! It sounds like we all have experience a similar story. It's part of farming and ranching. By the way my sisters blog is http://anewday-sly.blogspot.com/.

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  8. This is so sad. I dread this Fall when we will ship off our lambs. We can all have peace knowing we gave them the very best life possible while they were in our care.
    hugs to you and your family.

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  9. Hi Crystal. This is certainly a universal issue, I think we've all shed many tears over our special old girls.
    And in answer to the 'meatworks' question, it is probably exactly where Ruffles is headed. Our meat-processing plants are called meatworks. And so what I call our meatworks cattle are our cows fattened ready for slaughter.

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  10. Thanks for sharing. I read the post on your mom's blog and yes... I cried. Too many 4-H pets and too many stories, but they are all just like yours. Guess we wouldn't do it if we didn't love them!

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  11. Aww...this post brought a tear to my eye. This is probably one of the most difficult things to deal with...but we always have to see the business side of things...and try to put our emotions behind us. We did this not too long ago with a 12 year old cow...Her ovaries were full of cysts and the likelihood of her ever getting pregnant again were slim...Always a sad day on the farm.

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  12. Awww, so sad! I remember crying when one of my chicks died when I was only 10 or so.

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  13. Aww, that is so sweet and sad.

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