Baby, that waterer still works

Our grand moment arrived today in a charming little country called Ireland, where daughter Shea and David Tarrant presented the world with Rory Stephen Tarrant, tippin the scales at 6-11. All fingers and toes and other baby parts are fine, and the wee lad is ready to settle in and establish dominance at home in Cork. We have tickets and backstage pass to meet him in March.

We think about a million things every day, related to our professional and private lives. The stories to edit, the cows to feed and manage so that they all give their calves happy birthdays in the weeks ahead. Of course there is no comparing the events in Cork with those pending in the pens and pastures of Rockytop Farm in Kansas. But I was calving heifers here even before Rory’s mother was born, so this time of year the lines sometimes blur.

We brought 33 heifers home on Rory’s birthday (my sister’s as well) and they’ll begin calving three weeks later on mine. Rory’s mom is famous for, as a three-year-old, auguring half of my tools down a metal standpipe set in concrete in the fenceline where a cattle waterer would go. We fished all but one wrench out, but I can still see her hurrying to toss the last one in as I yelled at her to stop.

That waterer is a key piece of corral furniture, though in its second incarnation now. Inner workings refitted last year by Lonnie the pro, and that was the first time a real plumber had adjusted it in 25 years. So all should be good. Just to be sure, I checked two mornings before and although there was a skiff of ice to lift out, that seemed normal for a cold morning and few cattle around. Then I noticed that the switch to the heat element seemed to be in the off position.

Had to boil some water … tried to pry the access door open but that baby was stuck. Hot water did it, then a mini-heater for 10 minutes got it going. Turned out the switch call was good, but the system froze down to the valve because (my guess) I had it set for too little water in the tank. Will check it in the morning, or about noon in Ireland.

The waiting is over over there, and just starting here.   –Steve

You may also like