I just got back from San Fransisco this Saturday, and had a blast up there on my aunt and uncle's new farm. They bought a 300+ acre farm north of SF in a town called Petaluma, and it is absolutely gorgeous!!! They are business owners who decided that family is very important and wanted to provide a place for our family and other families to come and work together for the greater good. They will also be selling organic produce and meat in order to pay for the farm and keep everything going. Things are just getting started but here is what they have so far:
6 1/2 cows, 1 full grown momma and her baby, two teenage cows, two new borns, and a mentally challenged cow who just hangs out with the others and enjoys turning in left circles...(long story)
94 3 week old chickens
10 pigs
The animals are all sooo cute....well, minus the momma cow who tried to butt the 4-wheeler! I had so much fun taking care of them and just watching them eat, play, and live happy lives. Of course all of the animals are being raised for meat, but I feel good knowing that they are being raised in a happy, healthy environment.
I was lucky enough to be able to see the birth of two cows while I was there and it was AMAZING! (Although it also looked very painful) Sadly, the first cow to be born was not alive upon delivery :( But, the vet reached back in to discover that the mom was pregnant with TWINS and the next cow was small, but healthy, and unbelievably cute! It is very rare for cows to have twins, and it is common for one of the twins to be disfigured, which is what happened to the first cow. Luckily, nature has a way of righting itself, and the cow was stillborn so it didn't have to be put down.
I was also lucky enough to be involved in rescuing another new born from being sold off to become veal! No matter what anyone says, it is still common practice for veal cows to be treated horribly, and lucky for this little guy, he will have a happy and healthy life for a few years to come :)
I got to teach the two new borns how to drink from a bottle...Although I think I got more milk on myself than I did in their tummy's at first! They caught on quickly though and are both thriving in their new environment with a foster mom (my mom, who is feeding them now).
It was so great to spend time in a place that isn't as crowded as San Diego, and to be able to spend time with my family and the animals! I am planning on going up there to live for a few months next time Matt deploys so that I can help out! :) I am working on a blog for the farm right now, so I will keep you all updated so you can see it when it's up!
Here are some pictures of my family and the farm:
